PowerPoint 2021 Bug - Effect Options Resets to Default After Save/Close

Scott T 0

Using PowerPoint Professional 2021.

Right clicking on an audio in animation pane and selecting "Effect Options" in "Stop playing" section, I set "After 1 slides".

However when I save PowerPoint and close it, then re-open same PowerPoint file, the "Stop playing" is reset to "After current slide" (default) for all slides.

Is there a fix or work around for this?

1 answer

Jiajing Hua-MFST 6,825 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor

2024-03-19T07:15:07.4266667+00:00

Hi @Scott T

Based on my tests, I can reproduce this scenario on PowerPoint for Microsoft 365 Apps.

But regardless of whether "After 1 slides" or "After current slide" is selected no matter , the result of audio actually stopping is the same.

If you select "After 2 slides" or other options greater than 1, the option will not be changed.

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Scott T 0 Reputation points

2024-03-20T17:29:56.25+00:00

Hi @Jiajing Hua-MFST ,

Thanks for looking into this issue.

The actual root cause was some of the slides would experience a delay when advancing to the next slide when using an audio.

Setting "After 1 slides" would remove the delay and slides would advance properly.

I verified that the audio did not have any silence at the end. The audio was inserted from an .mp3 file.

This issue is not easy to reproduce but I have experienced it many times.

Regards,

Scott T.

Jiajing Hua-MFST 6,825 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor

2024-03-22T08:42:09.5266667+00:00

Hi @Scott T

Thank you for your detailed explanation.

This issue is not easy to reproduce but I have experienced it many times.

Yes, I cannot reproduce this delay issue.

For keeping "After 1 slides" in "Effect Options", I haven't found a workaround yet.

I suggest you click "Help" tab > Feedback > Report a problem. This action will let us submit feedback to Microsoft Developer team.

Scott T 0 Reputation points

2024-03-22T18:33:33.04+00:00

Hi @Jiajing Hua-MFST ,

I reported both of these issues as you described:

I suggest you click "Help" tab > Feedback > Report a problem. This action will let us submit feedback to Microsoft Developer team.

TW-5894 0 Reputation points

2024-05-10T22:30:22.77+00:00

I can verify this is a significant bug in PowerPoint. For presentations that include inserted audio and video files, and you want those slides to advance automatically, you have to set the 'Effect Options' for each AV file to stop playing after '1' slide. If you don't choose this option, PowerPoint will automatically add a delay of several seconds to each slide before advancing. This happens even with recorded timings. Choosing the "stop playing after 1 slide" option enables the slide to transition as set in your recorded timings. No other workaround could be found. Again, this applies to audio and video clips. It also applies in slide edit mode AND in master slide views.

For context, I recently completed four presentations of ~30 slides each. I added audio to each slide using professional .wav files for narration. In a few places I used stock .mp4 assets for video. All files are compatible, the timing and edits of each clip were tight (no extra blank audio at the start or end of a clip). The issue is most definitely within PowerPoint.

I was able to export the presentation as an MP4 which is the final product for the client. However, we used PowerPoint to assemble the content because it gives us the flexibility to go back and make minor edits and then export again. But today when I opened the PowerPoint file, I found the issue that started this thread--the Effect Option reset to the default setting "Stop playing after current slide". So... every single media file I inserted has to be checked again every time I open the presentation and before I export a video. If this can't be fixed, we will have to abandon PowerPoint and use another media friendly program instead, which would be a shame because PowerPoint is ideal for training curriculum like we're developing.

Would love to know if there is another fix for this I'm not aware of. Otherwise, hopefully by raising the issue the developers can jump on it. I'd be happy to provide evidence (I have a lot).

Thanks!

P.S. This has happened in older versions of PowerPoint too. https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/msoffice/forum/all/powerpoint-bug-effect-options-disappear-when-file/5778f3d9-17cd-4f9f-a093-8b38c0c805c1
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PowerPoint 2021 Bug - Effect Options Resets to Default After Save/Close

1 answer