Applies ToPowerPoint for Microsoft 365 PowerPoint for Microsoft 365 for Mac PowerPoint 2024 PowerPoint 2024 for Mac PowerPoint 2021 PowerPoint 2021 for Mac PowerPoint 2019 PowerPoint 2016

You can use a self-running presentation to run unattended in a booth or kiosk at a trade show or convention, or you can save it as a video and send it to a client.

Your browser does not support video. Install Microsoft Silverlight, Adobe Flash Player, or Internet Explorer 9.
  1. On the Slide Show tab, select Set Up Slide Show.

  2. Under Show type, pick one of the following:

    • Presented by a speaker (full screen) Allows the people watching your slide show to have control over when they advance the slides.

    • Browsed by an individual (window) Presents your slide show in a window, where control over advancing the slides is not available to the people watching.

    • Browsed at a kiosk (full screen) Loops your slide show until the person watching presses Esc.

      shows self-running powerpoint dialog box

Rehearse and record slide timings

When you choose the following show types: Presented by a speaker (full screen) or Browsed at a kiosk (full screen), you’ll want to rehearse and record timings for effects and slides.

  1. On the Slide Show tab, select Rehearse Timings.

    Note: The presentation timer begins immediately when you select Rehearse Timings.

    The Rehearsal toolbar appears and the Slide Time box begins timing the presentation.

    shows recording timings box for powerpoint

    Figure: The Rehearsal toolbar

    1 Next (advance to next slide)

    2 Pause

    callout 3 Slide Time

    callout 4 Repeat

    5 Total presentation time

  2. While timing your presentation, you can do one or more of the following on the Rehearsal toolbar:

    • To move to the next slide, select Next.

    • To temporarily stop recording the time, select Pause.

    • To restart recording the time after pausing, select Pause.

    • To set an exact length of time for a slide to appear, type the length of time in the Slide Time box.

    • To restart recording the time for the current slide, select Repeat.

  3. After you set the time for the last slide, a message box displays the total time for the presentation and prompts you to do one of the following:

    • To keep the recorded slide timings, select Yes.

    • To discard the recorded slide timings, select No.

      Slide Sorter view appears and displays the time of each slide in your presentation.

Add narration or sound

To record a narration, your computer requires a sound card and a microphone, and a microphone connector if the microphone is not a part of your computer.

  1. On the Slide Show tab, in the Set Up group, select the arrow on the Record button.

  2. Select one of the following:

    • From Current Slide

    • From Beginning

  3. Select Start Recording.

    Tips: 

    • To pause the narration, in the Recording shortcut menu in Slide Show view, select Pause. And to resume your narration, select Resume Recording.

    • Pause recording narration

  4. To end your slide show recording, right-click the slide, and then select End Show.

  5. The recorded slide show timings are automatically saved and the slide show appears in Slide Sorter view with timings beneath each slide.

You can record a narration before you run a presentation, or you can record it during the presentation and include audience comments. If you do not want narration throughout your entire presentation, you can record separate sounds or comments on selected slides or objects. For more details, see Record a slide show with narration and slide timings.

Need more help?

Want more options?

Explore subscription benefits, browse training courses, learn how to secure your device, and more.