How to record a presentation with audio and video

A recorded presentation lets people watch when it suits them, and it is the easiest way to make training or a class available on demand. Here is how to do it in PowerPoint, in Google Slides and with a plain screen recorder.

Before you record

• Use a headset or USB microphone if you can. Audio quality matters more to viewers than video quality.
• Record in a quiet room with soft furnishings; a room full of hard surfaces echoes.
• Put a short script or bullet points in your speaker notes so you can glance at them.
• Close chat apps and turn off notifications so pop-ups do not end up in the video.
• Record one short test and play it back before doing the whole thing.

Record in PowerPoint (Microsoft 365)

PowerPoint records per slide: it saves your audio, video, pen marks and timing on each slide, so you can redo one slide without re-recording the rest.

1. Open the recorderClick Record in the top right of the window, or go to the Record tab and choose From Beginning or From Current Slide.
2. Pick your view and devicesIn the recording window you can switch between Teleprompter view (your notes near the camera) and Presenter view. Use the settings to choose your microphone and camera, and turn on Blur background if you want it.
3. RecordClick the red record button. After a short countdown, talk through the slides, using the arrows to move on. You can pause and resume at any time.
4. Redo a slide if neededGo to the slide you want to redo and record again, or use Clear Recording to remove audio and video from the current slide or all slides.
5. Export the videoChoose Record > Export to Video, or File > Export > Create a Video. Pick the quality (Ultra HD (4K), Full HD (1080p), HD (720p) or Standard (480p)), keep Use Recorded Timings and Narrations selected, then click Create Video and save as MPEG-4 Video (.mp4).

Record in Google Slides

Google Slides has a built-in recorder on some work and school accounts. Look for the Rec button in the top right.

1. Start a recordingClick Rec > Record new video. The first time, allow access to your camera and microphone.
2. Record your talkClick the red record button in the middle and present as normal. You can pause, then choose to Re-record or Save to Drive.
3. Find and share itRecordings are saved to a folder called Slides recordings in My Drive. Open a recording and use the share option in the top right to control who can watch.

Record with a screen recorder (works with anything)

A screen recorder captures whatever is on screen, so it works with Google Slides on a personal account, Keynote, a PDF or a web page.

Start the slideshow in presenter mode on one screen and record that screen, or record a window. If you have one monitor, record the full-screen slideshow and keep your notes on paper or a phone.

Which method should you use?

Sounding good on a recording

Recorded talks feel slower and flatter than live ones, because there is no audience to react. A few habits make a big difference:

• Stand up or sit up straight. Your voice has more energy, and it shows.
• Speak a little faster than feels natural and cut long pauses; a recording that drags loses viewers quickly.
• Smile on the first line. It changes the tone of your voice, even on audio-only recordings.
• Keep the microphone at a fixed distance, about a hand's width from your mouth for a headset or USB mic, and slightly to the side so breaths do not pop.
• Record slide by slide. If you stumble, redo that slide instead of the whole deck. PowerPoint's per-slide recording makes this easy.
• Watch the first minute back before recording everything: check the volume, the camera framing, and that your notes are not reflected in your glasses.

Captions and sharing

• Add captions: many viewers watch muted. Upload the MP4 to a platform that auto-captions (YouTube, Stream, most LMS tools), and correct names and jargon by hand.
• Keep videos short: several 5 to 10 minute videos beat one 60-minute file for training.
• Share the right way: an unlisted YouTube link, a Drive or OneDrive link, or your LMS. Avoid emailing large MP4 files.

Or make the deck and the video together

Describe your talk, get an animated deck with speaker notes, then record over it with automatic captions and export an MP4.