Cannot record audio on powerpoint

Question

I need to record an oral presentation video with slides. I have figured out the cameo addition for video, AND have enabled all access to internal microphone. BUT, after recording, no audio plays. Drivers are up to date, troubleshooters say "can't identify", restarted everything.

Answer 1

It sounds like you are experiencing issues with recording audio in PowerPoint despite having the necessary settings configured. Here are a few troubleshooting steps you might consider:

1. Check Audio Settings in PowerPoint: Ensure that the audio settings within PowerPoint are correctly configured to use the internal microphone. You can do this by going to the settings or options menu in PowerPoint and confirming that the correct microphone is selected.
2. Test the Microphone: Before recording in PowerPoint, test the microphone in another application (like Voice Recorder) to ensure it is functioning correctly. This will help confirm that the issue is not with the microphone itself.
3. Audio Services: Make sure that the necessary audio services are running. You can check this by typing services.msc in the Run dialog (Win + R) and ensuring that both the Windows Audio and Windows Audio Endpoint Builder services are running.
4. Update Drivers: Even though you mentioned that drivers are up to date, sometimes reinstalling the audio drivers can help resolve issues. You can do this through Device Manager by uninstalling the audio device and then restarting your computer to let Windows reinstall the drivers.
5. Check for Conflicting Software: Sometimes other software that uses audio can conflict with PowerPoint. Ensure that no other applications are using the microphone while you are trying to record in PowerPoint.

If these steps do not resolve the issue, consider looking into any specific error messages or behaviors that occur when you attempt to record audio, as these can provide further clues to the problem.

Answer 2

Hi @ultimatum9954 yerrick, 

Thank you for posting your question in the Microsoft Q&A forum.  

Based on your description, you recorded an oral presentation with slides using Cameo and enabled access to the internal microphone, yet the resulting video plays with no audio. We truly understand and appreciate the thorough effort you have already made updating drivers, running troubleshooters, and restarting. 

This can occur when PowerPoint is set to a different input device than Windows, when app permissions block narration, or when the export is created without recorded narrations. In some cases, audio enhancements or exclusive control settings interfere with capturing narration. 

Please try these four main steps: 

1/ Start by ensuring the microphone is operational and permissions are correctly configured. 

• Check the microphone in Settings > System > Sound > Input and confirm the input meter moves. 
• Ensure microphone access is allowed for apps: Settings > Privacy & security > Microphone. If using PowerPoint on the web, allow mic access in browser settings. 

2/ Proceed by setting up the appropriate PowerPoint options. 

• In PowerPoint, go to the Record tab, select the correct microphone from the dropdown, and ensure it’s not muted. 
• In Settings > Sound > Volume mixer, set PowerPoint’s input device to the internal microphone. 

3/ Then, review and modify advanced audio settings as needed. 

• Open Control Panel > Sound > Recording > Properties > Advanced. Disable “Allow applications to take exclusive control” and turn off audio enhancements. 
• Test recording with Voice Recorder or Camera app to confirm audio works outside PowerPoint. 

4/ Conclude by re-recording and ensuring proper export settings. 

• Use Record Slide Show, then File > Export > Create a Video, selecting Use Recorded Timings and Narrations. 
• If the issue persists, run Quick Repair for Office (Settings > Apps > Microsoft 365 > Modify). 

• As an alternative, record narration using Clipchamp or Microsoft Stream and insert the audio into PowerPoint. 

5/ For a more efficient resolution, we recommend using your administrator account or contacting your IT administrator to submit a support request directly to Microsoft Support team.  

They can raise a support ticket by visiting: Get support - Microsoft 365 admin | Microsoft Learn 

If the issue continues, please reply with your Windows version, PowerPoint build number, and whether you are using the desktop or web app so we can assist further. 

Please understand that our initial response does not always resolve the issue immediately. However, with your help and more detailed information, we can work together to find a solution.   

I hope this information is helpful. Please follow these steps and let me know if it works for you. If you have any updates regarding the issue, please feel free to share them with me. 

Thank you for your patience and your understanding. If you have any questions or need further assistance, please feel free to share them in the comments of this post so I can continue to support you. 

I look forward to continuing the conversation. 

---

If the answer is helpful, please click "Accept Answer" and kindly upvote it. If you have extra questions about this answer, please click "Comment".   

Note: Please follow the steps in our documentation to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread.