Video recommendations
PowerPoint 2010: .wmv
Newer versions of PowerPoint: .mp4 files encoded with H.264 video and AAC audio
Audio recommendations
PowerPoint 2010: .wav, .wma
Newer versions of PowerPoint: .m4a files encoded with AAC audio
These names and formats sound complicated, but you can easily convert to and use these formats without having to know anything more than the names.
Tip: Check out these YouTube videos from Microsoft Creators for more help with video and audio!
Supported formats
Supported video file formats
|
File Format |
Extension |
|---|---|
|
Windows Video file (Some .avi files may require additional codecs) |
.asf |
|
Windows Video file (Some .avi files may require additional codecs) |
.avi |
|
MP4 Video file* |
.mp4, .m4v, .mov |
|
Movie file |
.mpg or .mpeg |
|
Windows Media Video file |
.wmv |
*Only PowerPoint 2013 and newer versions. The 32-bit version of PowerPoint 2010 can play an .mp4 or .mov file only if the computer has a QuickTime Player installed. (Read Download QuickTime for Windows, on the Apple site, for more information.) PowerPoint 2013 and newer versions DO require the QuickTime Player to be installed for playing MP4 video files in one particular situation: when you are using Windows 7 running on a virtual machine (VM).
Supported audio file formats
|
File format |
Extension |
|---|---|
|
AIFF Audio file |
.aiff |
|
AU Audio file |
.au |
|
MIDI file |
.mid or .midi |
|
MP3 Audio file |
.mp3 |
|
Advanced Audio Coding - MPEG-4 Audio file* |
.m4a, .mp4 |
|
Windows Audio file |
.wav |
|
Windows Media Audio file |
.wma |
*Only PowerPoint 2013 and newer versions. The 32-bit version of PowerPoint 2010 can only play an .mp4 or .mov file if the computer has a QuickTime Player installed. (Read Download QuickTime for Windows, on the Apple site, for more information.)
Additional information
-
If you experience slow playback, a lag between audio and video, audio stuttering, or frames being lost, see Tips for improving audio and video playback and compatibility.
-
PowerPoint may also support additional file types if you install additional codecs on your PC. If you want to learn about finding codecs for your PC, read Are you having playback issues (in PowerPoint)?
-
Certain older video file formats may not compress or export properly in Office on a Windows RT PC. Instead, use modern media formats such as H.264 and Advanced Audio Coding (AAC), which PowerPoint 2013 RT supports. PowerPoint 2010 supports the AAC format if the correct codec (such as ffDShow) is installed. Want to see what version of Office you're using?
See Also
Add audio to your presentation
Insert and play a video file from your computer
Insert or link to a video on YouTube
File formats that are supported in PowerPoint
YouTube: Tips on working with video and audio from Microsoft Creators
Video recommendations
.mp4 files encoded with H.264 video and AAC audio
Audio recommendations
.m4a files encoded with AAC audio
These names and formats sound complicated, but you can easily convert to and use these formats without having to know anything more than the names.
Tip: Check out these YouTube videos from Microsoft Creators for more help with video and audio!
Audio from the iTunes Store may not play back when shared
Music files purchased from the iTunes Store can only be played on authorized computers, so people whom you share presentations with might be unable to play iTunes files.
PowerPoint for macOSSupported formats
Supported video file formats in PowerPoint 2016 for Mac, PowerPoint 2019 for Mac, and PowerPoint for Microsoft 365 for Mac
|
File Format |
Extension |
|---|---|
|
AVI movie (Some .avi files may require additional codecs) |
.avi or .vfw |
|
MPEG-4 movie |
.mp4, .mpg4 |
|
Apple MPEG-4 movie |
.m4v |
|
MPEG movie |
.mpg, .mpeg, .mpe, .m75, .m15 |
|
MPEG-2 video |
.m2v |
|
MPEG-2 Transport Stream |
.ts |
|
QuickTime movie |
.mov or .qt |
|
DVI movie |
.dif |
Supported audio file formats in PowerPoint 2016 for Mac, PowerPoint 2019 for Mac, and PowerPoint for Microsoft 365 for Mac
|
File format |
Extension |
|---|---|
|
AIFF Audio file |
.aiff or .aif |
|
AU Audio file |
.au or .snd |
|
MP3 Audio file |
.mp3 or .mpga |
|
MP2 audio |
.mp2 |
|
MPEG-4 Audio file |
mp4 or .mpg4 |
|
Waveform Audio file |
.wav, .wave, .bwf |
|
Audible.com audio |
.aa or .aax |
|
Apple MPEG-4 audio |
.m4a |
|
Advanced Audio Coding - MPEG-2 Audio file |
.aac or .adts |
|
Apple CoreAudio format |
.caf |
|
Ringtone |
.m4r |
|
AC-3 audio |
.ac3 |
|
Enhanced AC-3 audio |
.eac3, .ec3 |
Windows Media files (.wmv, .wma) aren't supported on PowerPoint 2016 for Mac or PowerPoint for Microsoft 365 for Mac. There are a number of 3rd party tools for Mac that can convert your .wmv or .wma file to one of the supported formats listed above.
Alternatively, if you have a Microsoft 365 subscription that includes Microsoft Stream you can upload the .wmv or .wma file to Stream and insert it into your presentation from there. Learn more about Microsoft Stream.
Audio from the iTunes Store may not play back when shared
Music files purchased from the iTunes Store can only be played on authorized computers, and people with whom you share presentations might be unable to play iTunes files.
Supported video file formats
|
File Format |
Extension |
|---|---|
|
MP4 Video file |
.mp4, .m4v, .mov |
|
Movie file |
.mpg or .mpeg |
Supported audio file formats
|
File format |
Extension |
|---|---|
|
AIFF Audio file |
.aiff |
|
AU Audio file |
.au |
|
MP3 Audio file |
.mp3 |
|
Advanced Audio Coding - MPEG-4 Audio file |
.m4a, .mp4 |
Supported video file formats
|
File Format |
Extension |
|---|---|
|
MP4 Video file |
.mp4 |
|
VP8, VP9 |
.mkv |
Supported audio file formats
|
File format |
Extension |
|---|---|
|
MP3 Audio file |
.mp3 |
|
Windows Audio file |
.wav |
|
MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) |
.mid, .midi |
Insert media into your slide
Once you have a converted media file in a suitable format with the correct encoding, go back to the PowerPoint slide where you want to insert your video or audio file. On the Insert tab of the ribbon, click Audio or Video. (For complete details about inserting the media file, see Insert and play a video file from your computer or Add audio to your slides.)
