Screen Recording in PowerPoint 2016 for Windows

Have you worked with the Screenshot option in previous versions such as PowerPoint 2010 and PowerPoint 2013? This option allowed you to add a screenshot from within PowerPoint. PowerPoint 2016 goes a step further with the new Screen Recording option that lets you similarly to record a video clip of your onscreen activity, again from within the program.

To record onscreen activity, launch programs you want to be recorded. Then follow these steps:

1. Open a new presentation in PowerPoint 2016 or open a presentation where you want to add the screen recording -- go to the slide where you want to add it. Now, select the Insert tab of the Ribbon as shown highlighted in red within Figure 1, and click the Screen Recording option (highlighted in blue within Figure 1).
   
   
   Figure 1: Screen Recording option within the Insert tab
2. This will minimize PowerPoint and bring up a small toolbar with 5 options, as shown in Figure 2.
   
   
   Figure 2: Toolbar with options for Screen Recording
   
   These options are explained below as marked in Figure 2, above.
   
   
   1. Record: Click this option to start the screen recording.
   
   
   2. Recording Time: Shows the duration of the screen recording.
   
   
   3. Select Area: This option is used to mark the area on the screen that you want to record the activities within.
   
   
   4. Audio: Allows you to turn the audio on / off.
   
   
   5. Record Pointer: Selected by default, allows you to capture cursor activity.
3. Select the options as required. Make sure that the program you want to record the screen activities within is active -- if not, make it active by clicking its icon within the Status Bar. A little-known fact is that you can even record PowerPoint itself, including slides shown full-screen in Slide Show view. Now click the Record button.
4. This will turn the Record button to Pause button, and will also bring up a countdown window with a message that instructs you to press Windows logo key + Shift + Q to stop recording, as shown in Figure 3.
   
   
   Figure 3: Screen Recording countdown message
5. When the countdown finishes, start the onscreen activity that you want to record.
6. When you are done with what you want to record, use the key-combination Windows + Shift + Q to stop the recording. This will finish the recording and also insert the recorded video within your active slide in PowerPoint -- play the video to make sure everything is there in place, as shown in Figure 4.
   
   
   Figure 4: Screen Recording inserted within the active slide

You can now apply all video editing options to this inserted video. Also, you can resize it as required.

Export Video on the Slide to a Separate File

Additionally, you can export it as a separate MP4 file. To do that right-click the inserted video and select the Save Media As option, as shown in Figure 5. Within the resultant Save Media As dialog box, provide a name for the exported video and save it in the required folder.


Figure 5: Save Media as option exports the screen recording to MP4 format

See Also: Screen Recording in PowerPoint 2013 for Windows