How to insert a YouTube video into a PowerPoint presentation

Posted on September 7, 2007 at 8:52 am

Make sure to read other posts from the Video Tutorials series!

Download videos from YouTube and play them on your desktop or iPod
Download videos from YouTube, Google, iFilm using Firefox
How to insert a YouTube video into a PowerPoint presentation
Convert DVD to iPod, MPEG, MP4, PSP, 3GP, and AVI for free
Convert video for any mobile gadget including PSP, mobile phone, or iPod

Here’s a quick tip for anyone who has to do a PowerPoint presentation and would like to insert a video from a video-sharing web site like YouTube, MySpace, iFilm, Break.com, MetaCafe, etc into their PowerPoint presentation. There are a few different ways you can do this, one of which is to get a program to download the video from YouTube, then use another program to convert it to a format that PowerPoint will accept, and then finally insert it into your slide.

However, that’s a real pain and takes up too much time! There’s a much easier way to go about doing this and it doesn’t require downloading a single conversion program! Of course, the video still has to be converted, but you can use a very cool free online file conversion web service called Zamzar.

Zamzar is by far the best place to go for any type of file conversion you need. Using Zamzar, you can convert any text document to another other type such as to DOC, PDF, HTML, TXT, RTF, etc. You can convert between all image formats also, including JPEG, GIF, PNG, ICO, PCX, PS, TIFF, etc. And that’s not the end of it! You can convert your music files to and from AAC, MP3, FLAC, M4A, RA, RAM, WAV, and WMA. And finally, for our purposes here, you can convert to and from all video formats including AVI, 3GP, FLV, MP4, MPG, WMV, VOB and more!

One of the coolest features of Zamzar besides the conversion, however, is the fact that you can simply copy and paste the URL for a YouTube video (or any other video site), choose which file type you want to convert it to and Zamzar will automatically get the video, convert it, and send you a link to it via email! It’s pretty impressive and great for downloading just about any video you can think of off the Internet.

To get started, first go to the video you want to download, let’s say from YouTube:

Go ahead and copy that link onto your clipboard (Cntrl + C) and then open the link to Zamzar that I posted above. When using Zamzar, they actually have two “pages” for converting, a regular one if you go to Zamzar.com and one that will convert only videos from video sharing sites at Zamzar.com/url/, so make sure you go to the second link.

Paste the link into the text box for Step 1. Click on Add URL and then choose the file type you want to convert it to. Scroll down and choose MPG. You can also choose WMV, MOV, etc also since PowerPoint supports most of these formats. Type in your email address and then click Convert and watch the magic!

The upload/conversion process is pretty fast and it only took about 1 minute for a 5MB video. You should receive an email with a link to your file, download the video and now it can be inserted into PowerPoint.

To insert a video or movie file into PowerPoint, click on the Insert menu item and choose Movies and Sounds and then Movie from File.

Go to the location where you saved the converted Zamzar video, select the video and click Insert! And that’s it! You have successfully inserted a video from YouTube into PowerPoint. Any questions, post a comment!

[tags]powerpoint, insert youtube video into powerpoint, youtube, video, convert video, zamzar[/tags]

» Filed Under Computer Tips

Comments

21 Responses to “How to insert a YouTube video into a PowerPoint presentation”

Doug Cornelius said on : September 8th, 2007 at 6:08 am

What about copyright?

It sounds to me like this technique is downloading someone’s work and re-purposing it. I do not think this is permitted by YouTube.

akishore said on : September 8th, 2007 at 8:55 am

Hi Doug,

You definitely need to be careful, but it’s like downloading a picture off the Internet to show in your presentation, if it’s from a stock photo site where you have to buy it, then maybe it’s not a good idea to use it.

Also, I think the copyright issue comes more into play if you’re using the videos for commercial purposes. Personally, I think if YouTube had a problem with people downloading the videos, I think they could easily block all these web sites if they wanted to.

If you’re using it harmlessly for fun or to make a point to some co-workers or friends, I think you’ll be alright. Just don’t try to go make money off of it!

Aseem

Amanda said on : October 22nd, 2007 at 12:51 pm

Great idea, thanks for saving my co-workers alot of boredom during my next presentation! Great site too!!!

peace said on : November 26th, 2007 at 10:22 am

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~ i find using “zillatube” faster way to download and convert videos to mpg to be used in powerpoint and movie maker, and more..

it really works quick. just ensure those videos are not copyrighted.. got it from http://www.zillatube.com

:):)

3gpconvert said on : February 16th, 2008 at 12:13 am

well,

YouTube distribute itself own videos in internet. What is illegal?

all the best,

Monique said on : March 18th, 2008 at 10:32 am

How do you get rid of the pixels when you are showing a short video in PP? thxs.

shrek said on : May 17th, 2008 at 10:14 pm

How come I only see black screen when I attach it to my PP? Though, I hear the sound of the video. Many thanks!

Joanna said on : June 16th, 2008 at 1:54 pm

I only want to use the sound from a video in my presentation. How can I hide the video while still paying the sound?

hannah said on : October 15th, 2008 at 9:54 am

Thanks so much for this!!! This really helps me with my project in my Healthcare Law and Ethics class.

abi said on : November 15th, 2008 at 4:33 am

THIS I WOULD SAY IS THE HARDER WAY OF HOW TO INSERT A YOUTUBE VIDEO INTO POWERPOINT

YOU DONT NEED TO DOWNLOAD ANYTHING!

INFACT THERES A ACTUAL VIDEO IN YOUTUBE WHICH GUIDES YOU THROUGH, AND YOU CAN INSERT THE VIDEO IN A MATTER OF SECONDS.

GO TO:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yzUxNbi1h4

*although i went through a problem, if you have powerpoint which is greater than the year 2000 watch this video, then watch the second video in VIDEO RESPONSES (below the commentry box) by reponzo01 goes for 5.10 mins. OR just go to this link

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v.....h_response

This video explains how to insert a video for 2000+ and other commonly asked questions, i highly recommend you to watch the 1st video first then this because he gos quickly through the second one.

goodluck

RBizzel said on : March 30th, 2009 at 1:44 pm

Thanks for the info…very nice….

For Powerpoint it is very advisable to convert to a wmv file. Most other files are sporatic at best when trying to view in powerpoint.

Any non – wmv files can be converted using Microsofts Media Encoder (free) software. Just search MS Media Encoder to get it.

Best.

Sarah said on : April 1st, 2009 at 10:54 am

hi, some poeple say that if you download a movie from youtube, and then put it into powerpoint and then put the presentation onto a USb key, that the video wont play, unless you have a copy of the video pasted seperately into the usb key also? is that true?

Anon said on : April 23rd, 2009 at 11:36 am

Work Great! Thanks!

Patricia Phillips said on : June 9th, 2009 at 1:09 pm

I insert the wmv movie into powerpoint and it plays fine. When I email it, it doesn’t work.

caitlyn said on : August 17th, 2009 at 1:59 am

Hi i really want to use this for my assignment but it keeps telling me all my files have no extensions? I am thouroughly confused and even when i tried the example video that you posted it still said that

Diavolo said on : December 13th, 2009 at 2:27 pm

Is there a way to insert a YouTube video into PowerPoint without having to download the video itself? Is there a way to embed a YouTube video into a PowerPoint slide? Thanks

Nikki said on : January 26th, 2010 at 11:13 am

Unfortunately, with Office 2007, you cannot embed a YouTube video into a PowerPoint presentation. You still have to download the video and then insert it.

However, I think a better way to download a YouTube video is to use a site called 3outube.com. Go to the site to read instructions, it’s very easy.

Once downloaded, then just say Insert – Movie from file.

Peter said on : February 2nd, 2010 at 3:09 am

I’ve been looking for a way to insert a YouTube video into Powerpoint! thank you

Emery said on : February 7th, 2010 at 9:04 am

So 1 question I don’t think you answered or maybe i just skimmed over it but since you downloaded the video and have the actual movie file in whatever format you chose on your computer, when you go and play back this powerpoint presentation, then to access this computer wont you have to be hooked up to the internet to play it? Or the video will just have to be in a batch file connected to the powerpoint file correct?

Olam said on : February 7th, 2010 at 2:41 pm

How can I do this all, but on Excel and be sure I can open it on excel’s sheet…..if it’s possible, but I really don’t know…. =S thanks however…