Multimedia and Links
By the Syncfusion DevTutorials team · Last updated
Insert audio and video, set playback options, trim clips, and add hyperlinks, action buttons, and Zoom. Then build a sales report in the Chapter 4 project.
Multimedia and interactive links can make presentations more engaging and useful. A short audio clip can grab attention, a video can demonstrate a process, and hyperlinks can connect your audience to websites, files, or other slides. In this lesson, you'll learn how to insert audio and video, control playback, trim media clips, add hyperlinks, use action buttons, and explore Zoom features.
Open the PowerPoint sandbox and follow along. Before starting, download chime.mp3.
Insert Audio and Video
To insert media:
- Select the slide.
- Click Insert > Media.
- Choose an audio or video file.
- Click Open.
Common formats include:
| Media Type | Common Formats |
|---|---|
| Audio | MP3, M4A, WAV |
| Video | MP4, MOV, WMV |
Video appears as a video frame on the slide, while audio appears as a media player or speaker icon.
Playback Options
After selecting audio or video, playback settings become available.
| Option | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Play Automatically | Starts playback when the slide appears |
| Loop | Repeats playback until the slide changes |
| Play Across Slides | Continues audio across multiple slides |
| Full Screen | Plays video using the entire screen |
| Hide When Not Playing | Hides audio icons during the presentation |
| Volume | Controls playback volume |
These settings help control how media behaves during a slide show.
Trim Audio and Video
Trimming allows you to play only the portion of a file you need.
To trim media:
- Select the audio or video clip.
- Open the playback settings.
- Set Trim Start and Trim End points.
Trimming does not change the original media file.
Example:
- Original clip: 2 minutes
- Trimmed playback: 20 seconds
Keep media clips short. A focused 15–30 second clip is usually more effective than a long video during a presentation.
Online Videos
In Microsoft PowerPoint, you can insert videos directly from supported online sources.
To insert an online video:
- Click Insert > Video > Online Videos.
- Paste the video link.
- Insert the video.
Examples include:
- YouTube videos
- Supported online video platforms
An internet connection is usually required during the presentation.
Screen Recording
PowerPoint can record your screen and insert the recording into a slide.
To record your screen:
- Click Insert > Screen Recording.
- Select the recording area.
- Start recording.
- Stop recording when finished.
Screen recordings are useful for:
- Software demonstrations
- Tutorial videos
- Product walkthroughs
Online Videos and Screen Recording are Microsoft PowerPoint features and are not available in the sandbox environment.
Hyperlinks
A hyperlink opens:
- A website
- Another slide
- A file
- An email address
To create a hyperlink:
- Select text or an object.
- Click Insert > Hyperlink.
- Enter the destination address.
- Click Apply or OK.
Keyboard shortcut: Ctrl + K
Examples:
mailto:info@example.com
In PowerPoint, you can also choose Place in This Document to link directly to another slide.
Screen Tips
A ScreenTip provides additional information when users hover over a hyperlink.
Example: Open the company website
ScreenTips help users understand where a link will take them.
Action Buttons
Action buttons are prebuilt navigation buttons.
Common action buttons include:
| Button | Function |
|---|---|
| Forward / Next | Moves to the next slide |
| Back / Previous | Returns to the previous slide |
| Home / First | Jumps to the first slide |
| End / Last | Jumps to the final slide |
| Return | Returns to the previously viewed slide |
To insert an action button:
- Click Insert > Action.
- Choose a button.
- Place it on the slide.
- Confirm the action.
Action buttons are useful for:
- Interactive presentations
- Self-running kiosks
- Training materials
Zoom
Zoom creates clickable navigation links within a presentation.
Summary Zoom
Creates an overview slide containing links to presentation sections.
Useful for:
- Interactive agendas
- Non-linear presentations
Section Zoom
Links directly to a specific section.
Slide Zoom
Links directly to a specific slide.
After the selected slide or section finishes, the presentation returns automatically to the Zoom slide.
Always test audio, video, hyperlinks, action buttons, and Zoom links on the device you will use for presenting.
Common mistakes
| Mistake | What happens | How to fix it |
|---|---|---|
| Online video with no internet | The video doesn't play | Use a video file, or check the connection |
| Clip set to "On Click" | It never starts if you forget to click | Use Play Automatically, or practise the click |
| Linked file moved | The link breaks | Embed the file, or keep it in the same folder |
| Huge video files | The deck is slow to open and send | Use shorter, compressed clips |
| Action button on the wrong slide | It jumps somewhere unexpected | Check each button's action in a slide show |
Exercise
Download chime.mp3 if you haven't. Click Reset in the sandbox header. Double-click the title and type Welcome. Then do each task and press Check.
Chapter project
Put Chapter 4 together. You'll finish a quarterly sales report with a table, a chart, and links.
Quarterly Sales Report
What to Remember
- Insert > Media adds audio and video files to a presentation.
- Use playback options such as Play Automatically, Loop, Play Across Slides, and Volume to control media playback.
- Trim allows you to play only the required portion of a media clip.
- Online Videos and Screen Recording are available in Microsoft PowerPoint.
- Insert > Hyperlink creates links to websites, slides, files, and email addresses.
- Ctrl + K opens the Hyperlink dialog box.
- ScreenTips provide helpful descriptions for hyperlinks.
- Action Buttons help users navigate presentations interactively.
- Zoom creates clickable links to slides and sections.
- Always test media files, hyperlinks, and navigation features before presenting.
That's the end of Chapter 4. In Chapter 5, you'll learn how to bring presentations to life using transitions and animations.