PowerPoint Screen Recording Full Guide in 2026

Yes.

Microsoft PowerPoint (2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Microsoft 365) comes with a built-in screen recording feature that can capture computer screen activity, record microphone and system audio, and insert the recording into your slides or save it to your local drive.

But keep in mind that PowerPoint screen recorder is designed for basic, light recording tasks. It's not suitable for capturing high-performance gameplay or long streaming videos. Otherwise, you may get a choppy or unwatchable video.

In the following, you will learn:

1️⃣ How to record screen and audio in PowerPoint;
2️⃣ How to stop and save PowerPoint screen recording as MP4;
3️⃣ How to fix PowerPoint not recording audio issues;
4️⃣ How to trim and edit screen recording in PowerPoint;
5️⃣ An easier alternative for high-quality screen recording.

Step 1: Start PowerPoint Screen Recording

Launch Microsoft PowerPoint, open your presentation, or create a blank one. Click Insert on the top ribbon, then select Screen Recording on the right side of the interface.

Step 2: Select Area and Audio Source

Click Select Area to customize the recording region. Next, if you want to record screen sound simultaneously, make sure Audio is selected. By default, it records both computer sound and microphone audio if available. You can also click Record Pointer to capture mouse movements.

💡 If there is no sound in the recording, see the fixes below.

Step 3: Record Video and Audio in PowerPoint

Now you can click the Record button, and recording will start after a 3-second countdown.

Step 4: Stop PowerPoint Screen Recording

Once finished, you can press the shortcut Win + Shift + Q to stop PowerPoint screen recording. Or you can move your cursor to the top edge of the screen to bring up the hidden Control Dock, and click the red Stop icon. You can also pause or resume recording at any time by pressing Win + Shift + R.

💡 If you cannot stop the recording, press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager and manually end the PowerPoint process. Note that it will not save the recording.

Step 5: Save the Recording to Your Computer

After stopping the recording, the video will be automatically inserted into the PowerPoint slide. To save the recording to your computer, right-click on the video and choose Save Media As. Then name the video and select your desired output path.

Extra Tip: Trim Screen Recording in PowerPoint

If you need to trim off the start or end of the screen recording, you can directly do it within the PowerPoint app:

• Click on the video and choose Playback at the top of the interface.
• Select Trim Video to open the video trimming window, then drag the green and red handles to select the part you want to trim. Click OK to save the change.

Method 1: Enable Microphone in Privacy Settings

If you are unable to record audio from your microphone, ensure that you have granted microphone access to your apps:

• Go to Settings > Privacy > Microphone (or Settings > Privacy & security > Microphone in Windows 11).
• Turn on Allow apps to access your microphone.
• Scroll down and make sure Allow desktop apps to access your microphone is also turned On.

Method 2: Set the Correct Default Input Device

If your computer has multiple recording sources, make sure the correct microphone is set as the default input device:

Go to Settings > System > Sound. Under the Input section, select your microphone from the Choose your input device drop-down list.

Method 3: Run Audio Troubleshooter

Go to Settings > Update & Security > Troubleshoot > Recording Audio > Run the troubleshooter.

Method 4: Update Sound Drivers

• Type Device Manager in your Windows search bar and open it.
• Expand the Sound, video and game controllers option (or Audio inputs and outputs).
• Right-click on your audio driver and select Update driver.

Method 5: Clean Boot Your Computer

This will clear any conflicting programs that may affect PowerPoint recording performance.

• Press the Win + R keys to open the Run box. Type in msconfig and press Enter to open the System Configuration window.
• Switch to the Services tab and check Hide all Microsoft services at the bottom. Then click the Disable all button on the right side.
• Switch to the Startup tab and click Open Task Manager. Select the programs that you think are problematic and disable them, then close the Task Manager window.
• Click Apply > OK in System Configuration, restart your computer, and try recording in PowerPoint again.

Method 6: Restart Audio Services

• Type Services in your Windows search bar and open it.
• Scroll down to locate Windows Audio, right-click on it > Restart.
• Locate Windows Audio Endpoint Builder, right-click on it > Restart.

As mentioned, PowerPoint is not a professional screen recorder. It's not uncommon to run into various recording issues, like recording freezes or not capturing audio. For a smoother recording experience, you can try this alternative: WonderFox HD Video Converter Factory Pro

It's an all-in-one video and audio processing tool that offers an HD screen recorder, which can help you record any part of your computer screen with audio in high quality. It's also easier to set up, and you can record high-frame-rate videos without lag. Beyond recording, it includes more editing tools, like cut, join, crop, rotate, and filters to enhance your video with better results.

You can downloaddownload the software and follow the steps below to screen record a video now:

Step 1: Launch WonderFox HD Video Converter Factory Pro and open Recorder.

Step 2: Select a recording mode: Custom, Full-screen, Game, or Audio-only. Then confirm the recording region.

💡 If you choose Custom, you can adjust the recording area to record any part of the screen. Full-screen mode will capture the entire desktop; Game mode will set the frame rate to 60 FPS for smooth recording of action games (after selecting Game mode, you will need to click Custom or Full-screen to define the recording region); and Audio-only will capture only computer system sounds and/or microphone voice.

Step 3: Adjust the recording format, quality, and frame rate as needed. For general recording tasks, MP4, Default, and 30 FPS are sufficient. If your computer supports GPU encoding, you can turn on the GPU acceleration option for a more stable recording experience.

Step 4: If you want to record audio along with the video, remember to check the Desktop and/or Microphone options to record system and/or external sounds at the same time.

💡 Before recording, you may want to play an audio file or speak into the mic to test if the audio input is working properly. You will see the volume bar change if the audio source is detected. If you encounter issues, see the fixes: Select the Correct Audio Input

Step 5: Click the ▼ button at the bottom to choose a save location for your recording. When you're ready, click the red REC button. The recording will begin after a five-second countdown.

Step 6: Once finished, press the keys Ctrl + F1 to stop recording. The recorded file will show up in the output folder you just set.

Enhance the Recording (Optional):

If you want to further edit the recorded video, simply open the Converter module and import the video, then you can freely edit, compress, and convert the video.

For more details, please refer to this article: How to Edit Screen Recordings

PowerPoint's screen recording function is very convenient, but only suitable for simple recording tasks such as tutorials or presentations. If you encounter problems while recording with PowerPoint, in addition to trying the solutions above, you're recommend to use an alternative – WonderFox HD Video Converter Factory Pro. Its built-in screen recording tool provides you with more flexible recording and editing capabilities. Just download it and give it a try:

1. Does PowerPoint have a video recording feature?

Yes. PowerPoint has a built-in screen recorder that allows you to capture video on your PC screen. You can easily access it by clicking Insert > Screen Recording.

2. How long can PowerPoint screen record?

PowePoint does not limit the recording time and you can record the screen as long as you want with PowerPoint. But long recordings are resource-intensive, which may cause PowerPoint to freeze or become unresponsive when saving.

3. Why is PowerPoint not recording audio?

Here are three common reasons why PowerPoint might not be recording audio:

1. The Audio option on the Control Dock was disabled.
2. PowerPoint is not allowed to access microphone. You can go to Settings > Privacy > Microphone, and then turn on access for desktop apps.
3. The default input device in Sound settings is muted or set incorrectly.

4. Why is screen recording not working on PowerPoint?

The PowePoint screen recording not working can be caused due to various reasons, like software bugs, outdated app versions, or issues with your computer.

If you encounter such an issue, you can try to restart PowerPoint, reboot your computer, run PowerPoint in safe mode, and reinstall and update PowerPoint to solve the issue.

If the issue still exists, try an alternative screen recorder tool like WonderFox HD Video Converter Factory Pro.