Embedding a video in your slideshow can be beneficial for showing instructions, a screen recording, or even something emotional. In Google Slides, you can customize the playback options to display the video exactly as you want.
Maybe you only want to play a certain clip rather than the full video. Or perhaps you want to start playing the video automatically. You can easily format the playback of your videos in Google Slides to fit your needs.
Embed a Video in Google Slides
If you’ve never added a video in your Google Slides presentation, it takes only a few clicks. Go to the slide where you want the video and click Insert > Video from the menu.
You can then search for a YouTube video, enter a video’s URL, or upload one from Google Drive. Choose the video you want to use and click “Select.”
Once you have the video on your slide, you can drag to move it if you like or drag a corner or edge to resize it.
RELATED: How to Embed a YouTube Video in PowerPoint
Customize the Playback for a Video
Select the video on your slide and then click “Format Options” from the toolbar or right-click the video and pick “Format Options” from the shortcut menu.
This opens the sidebar on the right. Expand the Video Playback section.
The first option you can adjust is how to play the video. The default option is Play (On Click) which means the video plays when you click to advance the slide.
You can choose a different option if you prefer. If you pick Play (Automatically), the video plays without taking any action at all. If you pick Play (Manually), you’ll need to click the play button on the video itself.
With any of the above playback options, you can still control the video as it plays during your slideshow using the Play and Pause buttons.
Next, you can set a start and end time for the video. This allows you to play a portion rather than the entire video. If you happened to jot down the start and end times for the video, you can simply enter those into the corresponding boxes.
Alternatively, you can grab these times from the video preview in the sidebar. To do this, press the Play button on the video to set the start time. When you reach the spot where you want to start the video press Pause. Then, go below the Start At box and click “Use Current Time” to populate the box.
Optionally, you can set an end time for a video the same way. Resume playing the video and when you reach the place where you want to stop it, press Pause. Then, click “Use Current Time” below the End At box to add it.
If you change your mind about either the start or end time, you can reset one, the other, or both. Click the Reset to Start or Reset to End button which is the circular arrow inside the time box.
One final option you have for customizing the playback of your video is to play it without sound. This might be helpful if the video doesn’t offer narration and has background music or something similar instead. Check the box for Mute Audio to play the video without sound.
Videos can be useful additions to your Google Slides presentation. And with the ability to customize the playback options, you can make the video play perfectly in your slideshow.
RELATED: How to Add a Video to a Microsoft PowerPoint Presentation
