How to Put Motion Backgrounds on a PowerPoint

Create a PowerPoint presentation that captures viewers' attention.

Adding motion backgrounds to Microsoft PowerPoint slides not only livens the presentation but can accentuate key points, aid in training, bring clarification to a process or claim and make the presentation more engaging. You can add video or motion backgrounds from Microsoft Clip Art, download them from other resources or use personal videos or motion backgrounds. The procedure to add motion backgrounds to a PowerPoint presentation is fairly simple.

Things You'll Need

• Motion backgrounds or videos

Instructions

Inserting Personal Videos for Motion Backgrounds

1. Select "Insert" from PowerPoint's Quick Access toolbar. The Quick Access toolbar is at the top of the screen.

2. Click on "Movie." It is the second-to-last icon on the Insert toolbar.

3. Find the video clip you want to use through the pop-up "Insert Movie" box. Click on "OK" to select that video clip.

4. Resize or reposition the selected motion background. To resize it, put your computer's mouse cursor on one of the corner "bubbles" and, while holding down the left mouse button, move the mouse in or out to reach the desired size. To reposition the motion background, select the picture by clicking on it. Then hold down the left mouse button and move the picture to the desired location.

Using PowerPoint Clip Art for Backgrounds

1. Select "Insert" from the PowerPoint Quick Access toolbar. The Quick Access toolbar is at the top of the screen.

2. Select "Clip Art."

3. Unclick "Clip Art," "Photographs" and "Sounds" under "Results Should Be."

4. Choose clip art. Type in the keyword for the clip art you want. Then select a clip by clicking on it.

5. Resize or reposition the selected motion background. To resize it, put your computer's mouse cursor on one of the corner "bubbles" and, while holding down the left mouse button, move the mouse in or out to reach the desired size. To reposition the motion background, select the picture by clicking on it. Then hold down the left mouse button and move the picture to the desired location.

Tips & Warnings

• For PowerPoint versions prior to 2007, select "Clip Art," and under "Results Should Be," unclick "Clip Art," "Photographs" and "Sounds."

• To add a motion background to all slides, select "View" then "Slide Master." Follow this article's steps to add the background to the slide master. This will place the motion background on all slides.

References

• Microsoft Office: PowerPoint 2007 Software

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• Microsoft Office: Video Backgrounds Studio
• Microsoft Office: Animations I: Preset and Custom Animation
• Microsoft Office: Animations II: Motion Paths