Guide: Two methods to insert a video in PowerPoint 2007(e.g., insert YouTube video into PowerPoint).

In many cases, the presentation document needs the aid of related videos. For example, we may play video clips on PowerPoint to make our presentation more vividly. Then, how to insert video in the PowerPoint presentation? In particular, many users ask how to add a YouTube video to a PowerPoint presentation. Now, we will introduce two methods to insert a video in PowerPoint 2007.

I. Insert directly

This is the simplest way. The video inserted with this method only displays the video screen in the presentation, that's much like inserting a picture. It can be said that this is a seamless insertion, which has quite good effect but at the same time much limitations. First of all, this method only supports inserting Windows Media video formats, such as AVI, MPEG and WMV formats. Other formats, like RMVB, it cannot support. Secondly, the video inserted with this method can only support pause and play functions in the presentation. If you want to have a free choice of play time, it is powerless. Besides, once the presentation document switches to another slide and then switches back, the video will automatically stop at the beginning, that'll be very inconvenience.

How to use this method:

Click "Insert" tab at the top of PowerPoint 2007, choose "Movie", "Movie from File", open the "Insert Movie" dialog box, select the video you want and click "OK" button, the film's first frame will appear in the slide. Select the video, then you can free adjust the zoom size of the screen. PowerPoint 2007 provides two modes to play the inserted video: one is showing the video automatically when the slideshow begins to play, the other is showing when you click the video. You can choose any of them as you like.

So, how to play flash video in PowerPoint, especially adding YouTube video to PowerPoint? In general, YouTube video is FLV or SWF format. Since PowerPoint can't support FLV or SWF format, how to add a YouTube video to a PowerPoint? You need to convert FLV or SWF format to the format that PowerPoint supports.

Many Video Converters have the function of converting FLV or SWF format to AVI, MPEG and WMV formats. Let me take Xilisoft YouTube Video Converter for an example.

Xilisoft YouTube Video Converter is the most powerful YouTube Video converter. It can one step download FLV videos from YouTube.com and convert to other popular videos formats; it can download and save the FLV videos on your local disk; and it can convert FLV files on local disk to other videos formats. It supports the output format: AVI, MPEG, MP4, WMV, 3GP, H.264/MPEG-4 AVC, H.264/PSP AVC, etc.

How to add a YouTube video to a PowerPoint presentation?

Step 1: Using Xilisoft YouTube Video Converter to download and convert the YouTube video to AVI, MPEG or WMV formats.

Step 2: Inserting the flash video in PowerPoint after the guide "How to use this method" written above.

II. With the help of Windows Media Player Control

If you want to control the progress of the playing freely, you may use the Windows Media Player Control. This method enables you to insert a simple Window Media Player interface. Using the control bar, you can adjust the progress of the video and the volume of the sound. Besides, you can automatically switch the video to full-screen play status by double-click. In a word, to play video clips on PowerPoint with this method is just like watching video by Windows Media Player.

How to use this method:

Step 1: Open the Control function. The Control function is hidden in PowerPoint 2007, so, you should open it before using this method to insert a video in PowerPoint 2007. Click the office button, choose "More Commands", select "Show Developer tab in the Ribbon", and then click "OK". When you return to the editing interface, a new multi-tab appears: "Developer".

Step 2: Insert the video. Click the multi-tab "Developer", choose "More Controls" in "Controls", and then a dialog box pop-up. Select the "Window Media Player", click "OK", the mouse will become "+" shape. Drag moving the mouse in the editing area, Windows Media Player will appear in the slide. Select it, right-click, choose "Properties", the dialog box pop-up. You should add in the "URL" item of the input video file and the whole path name (if the video file and slide file are in the same folder, you do not need to enter the path). Close "Properties" box, the task - insert a video in PowerPoint 2007 will be done successfully.

Tip: You will find that videos of RMVB format cannot be opened, because Windows Media Player does not support this format. This problem can be solved by installing the FFDshow codec. After the installation of the decoder, you can also insert a FLV format flash video in PowerPoint.

To sum up, if you want to insert a video in PowerPoint 2007, especially adding YouTube video to PowerPoint, you can use the two methods I introduced above.