How to Use PowerPoint to Record your Screen?

PowerPoint Screen Recording - the Beginning

Did you know that PowerPoint screen recording is possible? Yes, that's right! What you're friends have been telling you is true, you can record your screen using PowerPoint 2016 onwards. (You can still record the screen with PowerPoint 2013 but you will need to install an update).

How to record screen on PowerPoint?

Without further ado let's get straight to recording the screen using PowerPoint. Either you can use the above video tutorial, which will not only showing how to do screen recoring in PowerPoint, you will also get some extra tips on drawing screen mark-ups and Zooming. Alternatively you can follow the step below:

1. Open Microsoft PowerPoint.
2. Click Blank Presentation.
   
3. Use the layout tab to covert the current slide to a blank slide.
   (Not strictly necessary but I love starting with a clean slate).
   
4. Click Insert. (From the Ribbon at the top of the screen).
5. Click Screen Recording button on right.
   
6. Select the area of the screen you want PowerPoint to record by clicking on the Select Area button.
   
   (You can also use the keyboard shortcut Window Key & Shift & A to select the entire screen).
7. To start recording click on the Record button. (Shortcut Win & Shift & R).
   
8. When you've finished recording the screen in PowerPoint click the stop button. (Win & Shift & Q).
   

There you have it! It's as straight forward as that. You're screen recording should now appear within a PowerPoint slide. You can play the video by clicking the small play button in the bottom left corner of the video.

Screen recording in PowerPoint 2013

This tutorial is for users of PowerPoint 2016 desktop version onwards. If you're using the online version of PowerPoint you won't find the screen recording button on the Insert tab on the ribbon. However, if you are using PowerPoint 2013 you can install an update enabling you to use screen recording in PowerPoint 2013.

Trimming a screen recording in PowerPoint

How to trim a screen recording with PowerPoint?

Once you have recorded your screen in PowerPoint you might want to trim it. Especially if the recording didn't go to plan or there's extra footage at the beginning and end of the recording you want to remove. Here's how:

1. Click once on the video so that white circular resize handles appear at the edges and on the corners.
2. Click on the Playback tab on the ribbon at the top of the screen.
   
3. Click Trim Video on the left.
   
4. Adjust the Green and Red sliders to trim the screen recording.
   
5. Click OK.

Your video is now trimmed. As a tip, if you have a really long PowerPoint screen recording, why not make duplicates of the recording and then trim different bits. Then you can trim the perfect introduction or the perfect ending to your PowerPoint screen recording.

Exporting a PowerPoint Screen Recording as an MP4 file

Exporting your screen recording

Once you have recording your screen in PowerPoint you will want to export it as an MP4 file. The MP4 format can be used in a variety of ways including you being able to upload it to YouTube, Vimeo or Microsoft Stream. Here's how you export a PowerPoint screen recording:

1. Use the above instructions to record your screen with PowerPoint.
2. Right click on the video in PowerPoint
3. Click Save Media as
   
4. Choose where you want to save the file and click Save

That's all there is to it. Now if you have a series of videos that you have trimmed and placed on various slides then you might want to export the video the following way:

1. Click File - Export
2. Click Create a Video
3. Click Full HD or Select Ultra HD (if your computer supports this)
   
4. Click Create Video
   
5. The creating video presentation progress bar will show you when PowerPoint will finish processing the video. This can sometimes take a while.
   

So now you have 2 separate ways of creating a video out of your PowerPoint screen recording. I usually plum for the first one. However, if the PowerPoint screen recording is a little more lengthy then you might need to export the screen recording using the second option.

How to Zoom in and out of the Screen Recording in PowerPoint?

Screen recording in PowerPoint along with Zooming in and out of the screen

Sometimes when you're watching a tutorial video it can be difficult to see what's on the screen. Especially if we're watching on a phone or other smaller screen. When recording the screen with PowerPoint, Zooming in or enlarging the screen will make it easier for viewers to see what's going on. This is how you do it:

1. Start recording your screen with PowerPoint by following the above steps
2. Hold down the windows key on the keyboard then press the "+" key to turn on the windows Magnifier tool, press the key again to enlarge the screen.
   
3. Zoom out by using the windows key and the "-" key.
4. When you have finished recording close the Magnifier tool by right clicking the tool on the taskbar and choosing close.
   

Drawing on the Screen When Recording in PowerPoint

Screen annotation software

If you have watch my video on Drawing Annotations on Teams you'll be aware of a great piece of software called ZoomIT. This is how:

1. Download & Install the ZoomIT software
2. Run the ZoomIT software
3. To start drawing on the screen press Ctrl & 2 on the keyboard.
4. Use the following shortcuts:
   1. Ctrl & drag to draw rectangle
   2. Ctrl & Shift & drag to draw arrows. (Be aware that wherever you start drawing is where the arrow head will be.
   3. Tab & drag to draw circle
   4. Press the following key to change the colour of the pen:
      • r - red
      • y - yellow
      • g - green
      • b - blue
      • p - pink
      • o - orange
   5. Type "T" to enter typing mode
   6. Press "Esc" to remove the markup

So there you have it! I bet you didn't think that you could record you screen with PowerPoint. I find this so handy, especially when you're training others in larger organisations. People working for banks, insurance companies etc don't have the option of installing a 3rd party screen recorder.

Most organisations, however, do have Microsoft PowerPoint installed. So now when you want to quickly record steps on how to operate a program or off the shelf system, why not consider using PowerPoint to record the screen.