How to Embed a YouTube Video in PowerPoint: A Step-by-Step Guide

by Imed Bouchrika, Phd
Chief Data Scientist & Head of Content

When you are conducting a presentation, you would want your audience to completely comprehend your message. Text and images may not be enough to make your presentation better; hence, adding a video is highly recommended. When executed well, a video allows members of the audience to learn 95% of the information you convey.

You do not need to make videos from scratch, as you can find a plethora of options online, especially on YouTube. But it would be a hassle to switch between tabs during your presentation. Instead, you can add your selected YouTube videos directly to your PowerPoint.

How to Embed a YouTube Video on PowerPoint

1. For PowerPoint 2019 (Office 365)
2. For PowerPoint 2016 and 2013
3. For PowerPoint 2010 and Older
4. Considerations in Embedding YouTube Videos to PowerPoint

Globally, there could be around 30 million PowerPoint presentations being produced daily. The popular application, which was first launched in the late 1980s, enables people to express their creative side, empowering them to share their ideas. Today, around 500 million people use it to get information across to an audience. And it has also become an integral part of interactive learning.

PowerPoint presentations are not all text. People can add visuals like pictures, clip arts, graphics, and videos. The part about videos is notable, as the brain can digest visual information 60,000 times faster than text.

As it is, presenters can add videos directly to YouTube on their PowerPoint slides. Below are the instructions on how users can do so depending on the specific version of the software.

For PowerPoint 2019 (Office 365)

Copying and pasting the video URL

If you are wondering how to embed a YouTube video in PowerPoint, there are several answers. One of those, finding the URL of the YouTube video you want then copying and embedding it in your PowerPoint presentation, is the straightforward approach (Filmora, 2020). This approach is great for users who are not confident enough to tweak embed codes.

I. Copy the URL of the video

Click on Share to copy the URL.

1. Go to YouTube.com and search for the video you want to use for your presentation.
2. Click on the video you want. This action will lead you to the video’s page.
3. Find the Share button and click on it. Then select copy. This will automatically copy the video’s URL, making it ready for pasting on your PowerPoint presentation.
4. Alternatively, you can right-click on the preview of the video in the search results then select “Copy link address.”

After you click Share, a small pop-up will appear with sharing options. You will see the URL, as shown in the red box. Select Copy to copy the link.

Apart from starting at point zero, you can also choose to start a video at a specific time. Doing so is simple and you can complete it in three steps:

1. Go to the part of the video where you want to start.
2. Right-click on the video. A menu should appear.
3. Select “Copy video URL at current time.”

When you right-click on the video, a menu will appear. To start the video at a certain point, select “Copy video URL at the current time.”

II. Embed to the presentation

1. Open your PowerPoint presentation then click the Insert tab.
2. Click on the Online Video option when the full menu appears.
3. A pop-up will appear, prompting you to insert the URL to the video.
4. Once you have added the URL, click the Insert button. Your video should then appear on your presentation slide.

III. Editing a video

When you first embed a YouTube video in PowerPoint, it may appear as a small thumbnail with a play symbol in the middle. If you want to make it larger, you will have to edit the width and height manually. There are two ways you can do this.

A. Using Shape options

1. When you click on the thumbnail, the Shape menu appears automatically.
2. You will see the Height and Width boxes.
3. Input your desired width and height in inches.
4. The video will adjust according to your preferred size.

B. Using the transform tool

1. When you click the video thumbnail, eight points appear.
2. To adjust the size of the video, you can pull any of the points until you have reached your desired size.

C. Format Options

1. Left-click on the video.
2. Once the menu appears, select Format Options.
3. You can input the height and width you want for the video on the sidebar.
4. You may also notice a tick box that says “Lock aspect ratio.”
5. If you want to make sure that the height and width of the video are balanced, you can select this option.

Using the embed code

Finding the URL of the YouTube video you want then copying and embedding it on your PowerPoint presentation is a straightforward approach (Filmora, 2020). On the other hand, the other method on how to embed YouTube video in PowerPoint is achieved by using the embed code, which requires confidence in tweaking the code.

I. Copy the embed code

1. Go to YouTube.com and search for the video you want to use for your presentation.
2. Click on the video you want. This action will lead you to the video’s page.
3. Find the Share button and click on it. Then select embed and copy. This will automatically copy the embed code and be ready for pasting onto your presentation.

II. Edit the embed code (optional)

1. The embed code has parameters that you can edit before pasting it onto your presentation. For example, you can set the height and width as well as add a frame border and allow for autoplay and full screen. You can also prevent the related videos list from showing up once the full video ends.
2. For more parameters, you can check the YouTube API page (Google Developers, n.d.).

III. Add the embed code to the presentation

1. Open your PowerPoint presentation then click the Insert tab.
2. Click on the Online Video option when the full menu appears.
3. A pop-up will appear, prompting you to insert the URL to the video.
4. Once you have added the URL, click the Insert button. Your video should then appear on your presentation slide.

For PowerPoint 2016 and 2013

In PowerPoint 2016, there are also two methods to add a video to your presentation. First, you can insert videos directly from the software, which means you do not have to switch tabs or open YouTube to embed them. However, you are unable to format the video nor are you able to include a whole playlist.

Using the embed code also works for PowerPoint 16, though you have to navigate the YouTube website from the browser.

Adding a YouTube Video from PowerPoint 16 and 13

1. Open PowerPoint and click Insert.
2. When the menu opens, move your cursor to Video then select Online Video.
3. The action will make a pop-up appear. Choose YouTube at the bottom of the pop-up.
4. Search for the video in the search bar.
5. Find and click on the video you want to add to your presentation.

Adding a YouTube video using the embed code (applicable to PowerPoint 16 only)

1. Search for your preferred video on the YouTube platform.
2. Select the video, which will lead you to the page of the video you want.
3. Click on Share. This action will prompt you with a pop-up where you can find various ways to get the video. Select Embed and copy the code.
4. If you want to modify the playing behavior of the video once it is on PowerPoint 2013, you can tick on any of the Embed Options. You can also check the API reference page for advanced controls.

For PowerPoint 2010 and Older

YouTube no longer supports Adobe Flash Player, which is essential to getting videos from the platform to play on PowerPoint 2010 and older versions. This means that it is not possible to add videos to presentations directly from YouTube. Microsoft (Microsoft Support, n.d.), however, provides a method that is advisable for use only for patient individuals and those who are comfortable in configuring software by themselves.

I. Set up LiveWeb

1. Go to the LiveWeb page.
2. Follow the instructions to download and install the add-in.
3. Once the installation is done, open the File tab and click Options.
4. In the PowerPoint Options, click on Trust Center then continue to Trust Center Settings.
5. When a dialog box appears, go to Macro Settings and click the ticker for “Disable all macros with notification” and click OK.
6. On the left side of the dialog box, select Active X settings then “Prompt me before enabling all controls with minimal restrictions.” After that, click OK.
7. Go to Add-Ins on the left pane and then Manage. At the bottom, you should find PowerPoint Add-Ins then Go.
8. Select Add New and add LiveWeb to the list. To do that, go to the folder where you installed LiveWeb, click LiveWeb.ppam then OK.

II. Use LiveWeb to add videos to PowerPoint 2010 and older

1. Select the video you want to use on YouTube.
2. In PowerPoint, select Insert from the tool ribbon then click Web Page.
3. That action will open a dialog box for LiveWeb. Click Next. You will see a pop-up where you can enter the address of the video. Select Add then Next.
4. When you do that, you have to mind that “Yes, refresh web page automatically (real-time update)” is ticked then proceed to the next step.
5. Click Next then Finish. When a message box appears, click OK.

With that done, you can begin your presentation. To play the video, you just have to click the play button. You can also expand it to full screen.

Considerations in Embedding YouTube Videos to PowerPoint

When adding YouTube videos to PowerPoint, there are some things you have to take note of. A few of those are internet problems, blocked YouTube, ads, and deleted videos.

Problems with the Internet connection

While YouTube is a great resource for videos, it can be challenging to use when you have Internet connection problems. In that case, the video may play but it will take a long time to finish even a one-minute video. The solution to this is to download the video. There are different ways you can do that: by using a software or by using a web service.

YouTube is blocked

If you are accessing YouTube using the Internet of an educational institution, it is possible that the platform is blocked. In this case, you will need to contact the administrator responsible for blocking and unblocking websites. Once they inform you that YouTube is now accessible, you can follow the steps above to add videos from the site to your presentation.

Videos contain ads that are irrelevant or offensive

YouTube places ads in videos. Before playing them, you and your audience are likely to see advertisements. Unless you use an ad-blocker, it is not possible to stop these ads from showing. However, you do have the option to skip ads.

YouTube deleted the videos

There are times when YouTube itself deletes videos due to copyright restrictions or other violations. And there are also incidents where users take down their videos for various reasons. To keep a copy of the video if that even happens, you can download it from the site. Otherwise, you have to find another video to add to your presentation.

Being Internet-Independent Is Possible During Presentation

There are instances when you may have Internet connection troubles when you present. In those cases, the YouTube videos you added to your PowerPoint presentation will not play. But it is possible to play YouTube videos on PowerPoint even when you are offline. You can find and download software that can help you save YouTube videos on your laptop or desktop computer. There are also websites that can assist you in downloading YouTube videos.

Some examples of software or websites are:

• y2mate.com
• VidPaw
• KeepVid.ch
• 4K Video Downloader
• WinX YouTube Downloader
• Any Video Converter

Before you download videos, however, you have to keep in mind that downloading YouTube videos is against the terms of service of the site. That is because media uploaded to YouTube is meant for streaming on the platform only. You have to apply caution as you may potentially incur a copyright infringement unless you are the owner of the video. Nevertheless, you can avoid any legal issues when you ask permission from the uploader or the copyright holder. In other cases, you can opt to find videos that are in the public domain to avert legal concerns.

Once you have the video on your computer, you can insert the video into your PowerPoint presentation. Then, you are all set to present to your classes, colleagues, or associates. Even if you choose to hyperlink a YouTube video to your PowerPoint presentation still, at least you have a backup plan just in case.

To wrap up, here is a table of PowerPoint versions and the methods available for embedding YouTube videos.

References

1. Casey, H. T. (2016, June 10). How to add a YouTube video to a presentation in PowerPoint 2016. LaptopMag. 
2. Ellis, C. (2020, July 16). The best free YouTube downloader 2020. TechRadar.
3. Filmora. (2020, May 30). How to embed a YouTube video in PowerPoint [4 methods]. Wondershare.  
4. Google (2019, June 11). YouTube embedded players and player parameters. Google Developers. 
5. iSpring Solutions (2016, September 15). Three ways to insert a YouTube video into a PowerPoint presentation. iSpring Solutions Blog. 
6. Keating, S. (2018, January 25). Our love-hate relationship with PowerPoint. BBC Worklife.
7. Keeler, A. (2014, August 27). YouTube: Isolate a video from a playlist. Teacher Tech.  
8. Microsoft (n.d.). Insert a video from YouTube or another site. Microsoft Support. 
9. Nuts & Bolts (2020, May 2). How to embed a YouTube video in PowerPoint (step-by-step). Nuts & Bolts Speed Training.  
10. Present Better. (2017, November 28). Executives, PowerPoints and the time wasted. 24 Slides.