PowerPoint Won’t Play Audio Or Video in Windows PC



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Some of the problems that can occur with Microsoft’s PowerPoint application are audio and video issues. PowerPoint users sometimes report that recipients can’t play the presentation when sending it by email. It simply refuses to load. While this problem is rare, in some cases it can be troubling.

Why is the audio or video media not playing in PowerPoint?

In most cases, PowerPoint cannot play multimedia slides because of file format compatibility issues. However, there may be other reasons as well.

  • The audio or video file format is not supported by PowerPoint.
  • Lack of video/audio codec in Windows 10.
  • The size of the PowerPoint video file is too large.
  • Too many special effects in the embedded video file
  • The added video file is corrupted
  • Bad Internet connection if the linked video does not play on the PPT slide.
  • An operating system error or unknown background software conflict may prevent PowerPoint from playing video or audio files.

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Delete the TEMP folder

The TEMP folder stores many temporary files that can interfere with PowerPoint. Therefore, if you are sure you are using the correct formats and have all the necessary codecs installed, try deleting this folder.

  1. Press Win + R.
  2. In the “Run” window, enter the following path: %temp%.
  3. Select all files with TMP extension.
  4. Delete those files.
  5. Restart your computer.

Setting the Linking Value

Although it is recommended to use .wma files, this may not be practical. This is mainly because .wma files are larger than other file formats.

PowerPoint also has a small feature called limited link value. This option allows you to not include large files in your presentation. Therefore, if your file exceeds the limit, you will not be able to include it.

  1. Go to the Tools -> Options menu.
  2. Select the General tab.
  3. Set Links Sounds With File Size Greater Than to 500,000 KB (or a size greater than the file you want to include).
  4. Click OK to save your changes.

Setting Media Compatibility

  1. Go to the File menu and select About.
  2. Select this option to allow PowerPoint to optimize embedded media.
  3. Allow the wizard to analyze the embedded media.
  4. If an immediate solution is available, the wizard will automatically resolve the problem.

Audio or video file conversion

Even if PowerPoint supports the current format of your video or audio file, it’s always a good idea to just convert it to .wmv/.wma.

Fortunately, there are dozens of tools you can use to quickly convert media files. So if your PowerPoint audio doesn’t work, you need to use a file converter to convert it to a suitable template.

Check the codecs

You may not have the right media codecs installed on your computer. So check your codecs. If you already have them installed, update them. If not, install them.



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Frequently Asked Questions

Right-click or double-click on the speaker icon next to the time (bottom right) and open the sound "mixer". You should see the volume level associated with the PowerPoint application. Make sure the volume is turned up, not down.

Bring up the File menu and select Information. PowerPoint will determine if your media is incompatible with the program and the Optimize Media Compatibility option will appear. Select this option and PowerPoint will optimize the embedded media files. Allow the wizard to analyze the embedded media.

If you are having trouble inserting or playing media files, it may be because the correct codec is not installed. For example, someone might send you a PowerPoint presentation with media based on a codec that is not on your computer. Then install the codec you need to play the multimedia.

In normal viewing mode, click the video on the slide. Under Video Tools, click the Playback tab. Click the down arrow next to Start and select Automatic. If you are viewing the presentation in Slideshow or Presentation mode, the video will play automatically when you get to the slide.

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