Video and audio file formats supported in PowerPoint (MacOS)

Video recommendations

PowerPoint 2010: .wmv

PowerPoint for Mac 2011: .mpg

Newer versions of PowerPoint: .mp4 files encoded with H.264 video and AAC audio

Audio recommendations

PowerPoint 2010: .wav, .wma

PowerPoint for Mac 2011: .wav

Newer versions of PowerPoint: .m4a files encoded with AAC audio

These names and formats sound complicated, but you can easily convert to and use these formats without having to know anything more than the names.

Tip: Check out these YouTube videos from PowerPoint community experts for more help with video and audio!

Audio from the iTunes Store may not play back when shared

Music files purchased from the iTunes Store can only be played on authorized computers, so people whom you share presentations with might be unable to play iTunes files.

Newer versions of PowerPoint for macOS

Supported video file formats in PowerPoint 2016 for Mac, PowerPoint 2019 for Mac, and PowerPoint for Office 365 for Mac

Supported audio file formats in PowerPoint 2016 for Mac

Windows Media files (.wmv, .wma) aren't supported on PowerPoint 2016 for Mac or PowerPoint for Office 365 for Mac. However, if Flip4Mac is installed on your Mac and you already have a .wmv or .wma file inserted on a slide, PowerPoint will offer to convert it in place to an .mp4 or .mp3 file. Read the Flip4Mac download page to see if this plugin supports your version of macOS.

PowerPoint for Mac 2011

Supported video file formats in PowerPoint for Mac 2011

* Windows media format (.wmv) requires that you install a plugin named Flip4Mac for playback on macOS. Read the Flip4Mac download page to see if this plugin supports your version of macOS.

Supported audio file formats in PowerPoint for Mac 2011

^QuickTime Virtual Reality (QTVR) files, which also have a file extension of .mov or .qt, don't play in PowerPoint for Mac 2011 presentation.

* Windows media format (.wmv) requires that you install a plugin named Flip4Mac for playback on macOS. Read the Flip4Mac download page to see if this plugin supports your version of macOS.

Insert the file in your slide

Once you have a converted media file in a suitable format with the correct encoding, go back to the PowerPoint slide where you want to insert your video or audio file. On the Insert tab of the ribbon, click Audio or Video. (For complete details about inserting the media file, see Insert and play a video file from your computer or Add audio to your slide show.)

Wrong format? Convert and re-insert your file

If PowerPoint doesn’t let you insert a video or audio file, convert it to the recommended format:

1. Go online to CloudConvert.com.

2. Click Select Files. The Open dialog box appears. Navigate to the folder that contains the video or audio file you want to convert.

Alternatively, to select a file stored in the cloud, select the arrow next to Select Files, and choose the cloud system (Box, Dropbox, Google Drive, or OneDrive) where your media file is stored.

3. Select the media file and then click Open.

4. The name of your selected media file and its format are shown on the page.

5. Click the Format button ( ), and choose the appropriate format for the media file.

6. Click the Conversion Options button:

7. Select a Video Codec, and/or Audio Codec.

(There are other options available in the dialog box to choose from for people who have more expertise with media files.)

8. Click Okay.

The web page now summarizes the conversion: The format you're starting with is named on the left side, and the format that it'll be converted to is named on the right.

9. Click the red Start Conversion button at the bottom of the page.

When the conversion is complete, a green Download button appears on the page.

10. Click Download.

The file is copied to your Windows Downloads folder. You can then move it to any folder you like. It's ready to be inserted in your PowerPoint presentation.

(CloudConvert.com is independent of Microsoft. Microsoft makes no warranties, implied or otherwise, about the performance or reliability of that service.)

Go back to the PowerPoint slide where you want to insert your video or audio file. On the toolbar ribbon, on the Insert tab of the Media group, choose the arrow under Audio or Video and then choose the appropriate command for inserting your file.