Try This Great Trick to Easily Extract All Embedded Video or Audio from a PowerPoint Presentation
Avantix Learning Team | Updated August 11, 2021
Applies to: Microsoft® PowerPoint® 2013, 2016, 2019 and 365 (Windows)
If you want to extract embedded video or audio files from a Microsoft PowerPoint deck to use in another presentation, you can copy and paste them between presentations or you can extract them by converting the presentation to a zip file type. Starting in PowerPoint 2010, video and sound files are embedded (copied into the presentation) by default.
In newer versions of PowerPoint, you can right-click a video or audio file (typically in Normal View), select Save Media As from the drop-down menu and save the file with a new name on your PC or a shared drive.
The following trick to extract all media works with any Microsoft PowerPoint file using XML (Extensible Markup Language) format. XML files are stored as a package and can therefore be unzipped. They also end with an "x" such as .pptx (2007 and later versions).
Note: You can't extract YouTube videos that are embedded in a presentation using this method.
Recommended article: How to Insert or Embed a Video from a File in PowerPoint (and Control Playback)
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Extract video and audio files by changing the file extension
In order to use the following procedure, Windows Explorer must be set so that it shows file names with extensions.
To extract embedded video and audio files from a PowerPoint deck:
- In Windows Explorer, select the presentation (it should have a .pptx extension) with the embedded video and audio you wish to extract.
- Right-click and choose Copy or press Ctrl + C.
- Right-click and choose Paste or press Ctrl + V.
- Right-click the copy of the presentation and choose Rename in the drop-down menu.
- Change the file extension .pptx to .zip (Windows must be set to display file extensions).
- Press Enter. A dialog box appears warning you that the file may become unusable if you change the extension.
- Click Yes to continue. The file icon changes to a folder icon.
- Double-click the zipped folder. The zipped folder contains multiple folders (some contain information such as XML code or properties).
- Double-click the ppt folder.
- Double-click the media folder to view image, video and audio files. Each file is given a generic name.
- Copy these files (or the entire folder) to another location for use in other presentations and to rename the files. Copying to another location will unzip the files. You can also click the Extract button in Windows Explorer to extract the files to another location.
Linked audio and video files will not be extracted.
This article was first published on July 15, 2017 and has been updated for clarity and content.
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More resources
How to Insert a Video in PowerPoint (from a File on Your PC or Shared Drive)
How to Embed a YouTube Video in PowerPoint
PowerPoint Keyboard Shortcuts to Play and Control Video During a Slide Show
A Beginner's Guide to Video Formats in PowerPoint
Related courses
Microsoft PowerPoint: Intermediate / Advanced
Microsoft PowerPoint: Design for Non-Designers
Microsoft PowerPoint: Animations Bootcamp
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