How to edit videos in PowerPoint

Whether you want to include a video in your presentation or just make simple changes, you can use PowerPoint to perform basic video editing.

With tools for trimming, fading, cropping, and more, you can save time and money if you already have this application on your desktop. Here’s how to edit videos in PowerPoint as well as save the video for use in other locations.

As a bonus, we’ll explain how to create presentations from videos with Plus AI.

Note: Some editing tools and features you’ll see below only work for videos on your device, not online videos like YouTube or Vimeo.

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Trim a video

Probably one of the handiest editing features for a video in PowerPoint is the ability to trim a clip. While you cannot cut out parts of the center, you can shorten a video by trimming unwanted content at the beginning or end.

1. Select the video and go to the Playback tab.
2. Choose Trim Video in the Editing section.

3. In the pop-up window, you’ll see the Duration of the clip on the top right which is helpful if you need to trim it to a particular length.

4. Use either the slider or Time boxes to trim the video:some text
   • Slider: Drag the green marker on the left to shorten the beginning or red marker on the right to shorten the end.
   • Time boxes: Enter the Start Time or End Time in the corresponding box or use the arrows to move up or down in small increments.
5. Use the Play button to preview the trim timing and review the updated Duration on the top right.

6. Click OK to apply the trim.

Add a fade effect

If you want to apply a simple fade effect to the beginning or end of your video, this is another convenient feature.

Select the video and go to the Playback tab. Enter the number of seconds in the Fade In and/or Fade Out boxes. You can also use the arrows to move up or down.

Tip: Look at how to make a picture transparent in PowerPoint for a see-through appearance.

Crop, resize, or rotate a video

Just like a photo in PowerPoint, you can crop, resize, or turn a video. These edits help you focus in on a certain portion of the video, adjust its size on the slide, or create an interesting look.

Select the video and go to the Video Format tab and do one of the following:

• To crop the video, click Crop in the Size section. Then drag inward one of the bold black markers on a corner or edge. The part of the video that will be cropped out is dim. You can also drag the video to move the crop area.

When you finish, press Enter or Return to apply the crop.

• To resize the video, you can drag in or out on a corner or edge. Alternatively, enter the sizes you want in the Video Height and Video Width boxes to the right of the Crop button.

• To rotate or flip the video, open the Rotate Objects menu in the Arrange section. Pick a quick flip or rotate preset or choose More Rotation Options to fine-tune the rotation angle.

Tip: Learn how to flip an image in PowerPoint for a unique appearance or mirrored effect.

Make corrections to a video

If your video isn’t bright enough or needs more contrast, you can make these types of corrections in PowerPoint as well.

1. Select the video and go to the Video Format tab.
2. Open the Corrections menu in the Adjust section.
3. Hover your cursor over one of the presets to see a preview. You can also see the positive or negative percentages for the brightness and contrast. Select one to apply it.

4. To use your own values for the brightness and contrast, pick Video Corrections Options at the bottom of the Corrections menu instead.
5. In the sidebar, expand Video on the same named tab and use the Brightness and Contrast settings to make your adjustments.

Style the video

Along with the above features for video editing in PowerPoint, you can make appearance changes like adding a frame, using a shape, or applying an effect like a shadow or reflection.

1. Select the video and go to the Video Format tab.
2. Use the Video Styles options to choose a preset design.

3. Additionally or alternatively, use the menus to the right to put the video in a Shape, add a Border, or apply an Effect.

Reset the video changes

If you make style, size, or correction changes to your video that you want to discard, this only takes a few clicks.

1. Select the video and go to the Video Format tab.
2. Open the Reset Design menu in the Adjust section.
3. Choose either Reset Design or Reset Design & Size per your preference.

Save the video

After you make your video edits, you can save the clip for use in other applications besides PowerPoint. Before you do so, you may want to compress the video as its size can be quite large with the changes you make. Just note that the following steps compress all media in your slideshow, not just the selected video.

1. Go to File > Info and view the size next to Compress Media.

2. Open the Compress Media menu and pick the size you want like Standard, HD, or Full HD.

3. You’ll see the compression window open as the process takes place. This then shows you the initial size and amount of compression. Click Close.

4. Use the arrow on the top left to return to the presentation and select the video.
5. Go to the Playback tab or right-click and choose Save Media as.

6. Enter a name, select a location, and click Save.

Tip: You can undo a media compression in PowerPoint if necessary. Return to File > Info > Compress Media and choose Undo.

Create a presentation from a video with Plus AI

There’s more you can do with videos in PowerPoint than simply edit or insert them. Using Plus AI, you can create an entire presentation from a YouTube video.

Head to the free Plus AI YouTube to PPT converter on the web. Add your email address, URL for the video, and pick a template. You’ll then receive a slideshow with the content from the video in Google Slides where you can download it to PowerPoint.

For similar tools that help you convert PDFs, URLs, and Wikipedia articles or create ideas, diagrams, and reports, visit the Plus AI Free Presentation Tools page.

Conclusion

Depending on the type of video you have and the changes you’d like to make, you can use Microsoft PowerPoint for video editing rather than spending money on advanced video editing software. Give it a try to see if this application can accommodate what you need.

And remember, you can quickly and easily convert a video into a presentation with Plus AI. This add-in works with Microsoft PowerPoint and Google Slides for both slideshow creation and editing.

FAQs

Why is PowerPoint not letting me trim a video?

In PowerPoint, you can only trim a video from your device or some stock clips, not online videos from locations like YouTube, Vimeo, and Stream.

How do you make a video play throughout PowerPoint?

If you have a short video that doesn’t play through the length of your slideshow, you can loop it so that it restarts each time it ends. Select the video, go to the Playback tab, and check the box for Loop until Stopped.

What is the best video format for PowerPoint?

PowerPoint on Windows supports a variety of formats including MP4, WMV, MPG, and MOV. You can also use AVI, although some files may need additional codecs. Review the Microsoft Support webpage for video formats on platforms other than Windows.