How to Do a Voice Over for Your Video: PC, Slides & Social Apps

The very first step is to write down what you’re going to say. A scripted voice over can avoid meaningless fillers and allows for a more natural and more effective delivery.

After writing your script, practice reading it aloud to adjust your tone, pace, and emphasis.

You don’t have to spend much on a high-end microphone. Even a budget-friendly external mic can often outperform a laptop’s built-in microphone for voice over work. USB microphones such as Razer Seiren Mini or Logitech Yeti Orb are common entry-level choices, but a headset mic can also work for casual tutorials and slideshows.

Before recording, check that Windows is using the correct input device. On Windows 10, open Settings > Privacy > Microphone and allow apps to access the mic if the recorder cannot detect it. On Windows 11, go to Settings > Privacy & security > Microphone and make sure microphone access is enabled.

A great audio recording program is also important. For beginners, WonderFox HD Video Converter Factory Pro is recommended here because the recording steps are simple and the recorded file can be saved as MP3, WAV, AAC, or AC3. This is more flexible than the built-in Windows recorder when you need a voice over file for video editing, Google Slides, or later audio conversion.

Free download and install the handy recorder on your PC here:

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The installation can be done in a minute. Then launch the software and click ‘Recorder’ on its startup interface.

Then click on the speaker icon to activate the ‘Audio-only’ mode.

Next, from the ‘Format’ drop-down list, choose a recording format for your voice over: MP3, WAV, AAC, or AC3. WAV is a good choice when you want higher quality for later editing. MP3 is smaller and works well for most sharing, video editing, and Google Slides projects.

Tick off the ‘Microphone’ checkbox and select the correct microphone that you’re using for voice over. If you also need to record background music, a game sound, a browser tab, or other computer audio while speaking, tick both ‘Desktop’ and ‘Microphone’ instead.

You can hit the downward triangle button to specify an output folder or just leave it as default.

Now, it’s time to record your voice over. However, before diving into the main recording, it’s wise to run a test recording to identify possible issues with sound quality and microphone setup.

Just click the red ‘REC’ button to initiate the recorder. The recording will start immediately after a 5-second countdown.

To end the recording, press ‘Ctrl + F1’ on your keyboard.

Then review the test result using headphones. Pay attention to the voice clarity, volume level, and any background noise.

Make some adjustments if you notice issues like background noise, low volume, or unclear audio. For example, you can move to a quieter space to minimize the noise or hold your microphone about 6-12 inches away from your mouth for optimal voice quality.

In addition to fixing tech issues, you should also refine the speaking tone, pace, and emotion during the test session.

Once you’ve addressed all issues and are satisfied with the resulting quality, you’re ready to do the full voice over recording.

Get your script ready and relax. Tap the ‘Rec’ button to start and use the shortcut ‘Ctrl +F1’ to complete your voice recording.

When you finish recording, it’s time to add voice over to your video. The good news is that WonderFox HD Video Converter Factory Pro also includes a simple editor and allows you to add audio to a video in any possible format. Here are the steps of how to add voice over on video:

Step 1. Run the program and select ‘Converter’.

Step 2. Straightly drag and drop the video you want to do a voice over into the program. Alternatively, you can hit the top ‘Add Files’ or ‘Add Video Folder’ button to import it.

Step 3. On the editing toolbar, hit the second ‘+’ icon on the left of the ‘i’ button. Browse the target recorded voice over file and select it. Click ‘Open’ to add it.

The program currently doesn’t allow preview of the final result. That can be a little annoying. But the editing process is quick and if your voice over is well-structured, this caveat won’t bother you a lot.

Step 4. Click on the format image on the right of the window to enter the output preset library. Choose an output profile based on your project purpose.

Step 5. You can also change the file destination if needed. Finally, hit ‘Run’ to export the video with added voice over.

If you only need a simple voice note, you can use the built-in Windows app instead of installing a third-party recorder. On Windows 10, search for Voice Recorder. On Windows 11, search for Sound Recorder. Connect or select your microphone, press the record button, and stop the recording when finished.

To record your voice with background music on Windows, choose Audio-only mode in WonderFox Recorder, select your preferred format, and check both Desktop and Microphone. The Desktop source captures the music playing on your computer, while the Microphone source captures your narration.

For a cleaner result, prepare the music first, lower its volume, run a short test, and then start the actual recording. You can play music from a local media player, browser, or other app during the recording. After recording, you can open the file in the Converter module to trim unwanted parts, convert the format, or adjust audio settings if necessary.

Google Slides does not include a built-in voice recording button. The practical workflow is to record your narration first, upload the audio files to Google Drive, and then insert them into slides one by one.

Step 1. Prepare your slides and write a short script for each slide. You can record the narration slide by slide, or record a longer track and split it later.

Step 2. Use the PC recording steps above to create your voice-over files. MP3 is recommended for smaller file size, while WAV is useful if you still need to edit the audio before uploading.

Step 3. Upload the audio files to Google Drive. Open your presentation, choose the target slide, and go to Insert > Audio. Select the matching audio file from My Drive.

Step 4. Click the speaker icon on the slide and use Format options to adjust playback settings, such as whether the audio starts automatically or plays on click. Repeat the process for other slides as needed.