The basic way to add music to PowerPoint

Open PowerPoint and go to the slide where you want the music to start. Click the Insert tab at the top, then select Audio (in newer versions) or Insert > Audio > Audio on My PC (in older versions). Find the music file on your computer and click Insert. A speaker icon will appear on your slide — you can move it anywhere or resize it.

Once the audio is inserted, click the speaker icon to select it. A new tab called Playback will appear at the top. Here you can choose whether the audio plays automatically when the slide appears, or only when someone clicks the speaker icon. You can also trim the audio, adjust the volume, and decide whether it continues playing across multiple slides.

The music file itself stays separate from your PowerPoint file — PowerPoint doesn't embed it by default. This means if you move or email your presentation, you need to move the music file too, or the audio won't play. To avoid this problem, right-click the speaker icon, select Change Media, and look for an option to embed or link the file (the exact wording varies by PowerPoint version).

Key Takeaways

  • Insert audio through the Insert tab, then Audio, then choose your music file from your computer.
  • Use the Playback tab to set whether music plays automatically or only when clicked, and to trim or adjust volume.
  • Music files are linked to your presentation by default, so you must move the file along with your PowerPoint if you share it.
  • Embedding the audio file inside PowerPoint makes the presentation larger but ensures the music plays anywhere you open it.
  • Test audio playback in slideshow mode before presenting, because the speaker icon won't appear during the actual presentation.

Playing music across multiple slides

By default, audio stops when you move to the next slide. If you want music to continue playing across several slides, click the speaker icon, go to the Playback tab, and check the box that says Play Across Slides (or Continue Playing Across Slides, depending on your version). The audio will now keep playing even as you advance to the next slide.

You can also set a specific end point. In the Playback tab, look for Fade Out Duration and enter a number of seconds. This makes the volume gradually decrease instead of stopping abruptly. If you want the audio to stop at a particular slide, insert a second audio file on that slide with zero duration, or use the Trim Audio tool to cut the original file to the exact length you need.

Choosing when music plays automatically versus on click

After inserting audio, click the speaker icon and look at the Playback tab. Under Start, you'll see two options: In Click Sequence (plays only when you click) or Automatically (plays as soon as the slide appears). Choose Automatically if you want background music to start without any action from you. Choose In Click Sequence if you want to control when the music starts during your presentation.

In Click Sequence means the audio plays in the order of your clicks — if you have three animations on a slide, the audio might be the second or third click. You can see and change this order by going to the Animations tab and looking at the animation pane on the right side of the screen. Drag the audio up or down in the list to change when it plays relative to other animations.

Hiding the speaker icon during your presentation

During a slideshow, the speaker icon won't appear — only you see it in edit mode. However, if you want to hide it while editing so your slide looks cleaner, right-click the speaker icon and select Hide During Show. The audio will still play, but the icon won't be visible to your audience.

If you've set the audio to play automatically, hiding the icon is usually the right choice — your audience hears the music but doesn't see a speaker symbol. If you've set it to play on click, you might want to keep the icon visible so people know they can click it, or you can hide it and click it yourself during the presentation.

File formats and file size considerations

PowerPoint accepts most common audio formats: MP3, WAV, M4A, and AAC files all work. Some older versions of PowerPoint may not support all formats, so MP3 is the safest choice if you're unsure. If you have a file in a different format (like FLAC or OGG), you'll need to convert it first using free tools like Audacity or VLC media player.

Large audio files can make your PowerPoint file very large, especially if you embed the audio instead of linking it. A typical 3-minute song in MP3 format is 5 to 10 megabytes. If your presentation is already large or you're emailing it, consider linking the file instead of embedding it — just remember to send the music file along with the PowerPoint file. If you're uploading to OneDrive or SharePoint, embedding is safer because the file stays with your presentation.

Troubleshooting audio that won't play

If your music doesn't play during a slideshow, first check that you're in slideshow mode (press F5 to start from the beginning, or Shift+F5 to start from the current slide). The speaker icon is only visible in edit mode, not during the actual presentation. If the audio still doesn't play, click the speaker icon in edit mode and check the Playback tab to confirm the Start setting is not set to Hidden.

If you're sharing the presentation with someone else and they say the audio doesn't work, the most common cause is that the music file is missing. Ask them to check that the audio file is in the same folder as the PowerPoint file. If you embedded the audio, the file should be inside the presentation itself — in that case, have them try opening the file on a different computer to rule out a playback software issue. Some older versions of PowerPoint on Mac have limited audio support, so if you're presenting on a Mac, test the audio beforehand.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I add music to just one slide, or does it have to play across the whole presentation?

Music plays only on the slide where you insert it, unless you check Play Across Slides in the Playback tab. You can insert different audio files on different slides, and each one will play independently. If you want the same background music throughout your entire presentation, insert it on the first slide and check Play Across Slides.

What if I want to fade the music in or out?

In the Playback tab, you'll see Fade In Duration and Fade Out Duration options. Enter the number of seconds you want the fade to take — typically 1 to 3 seconds works well. The audio will gradually increase in volume at the start and gradually decrease at the end. You can also use the Trim Audio button to cut the beginning or end of the file manually.

Can I add music to a PowerPoint presentation I'm sharing online or presenting remotely?

Yes, but embed the audio file instead of linking it. Go to File > Info > Media Size and Performances, or right-click the speaker icon and look for an embed option. This makes your file larger but ensures the audio plays no matter where the presentation is opened. For remote presentations through Teams or Zoom, test the audio beforehand — some video conferencing software can interfere with playback.

How do I remove music from a slide?

Click the speaker icon on the slide and press Delete. The audio file on your computer is not affected — only the link or embedded copy in PowerPoint is removed. If you want to use the same music on a different slide, you'll need to insert it again.