SharePoint Document Issues

How to Play an Embedded PowerPoint Automatically in SharePoint

Muhammad Talha Sep 27, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user wants an embedded PowerPoint presentation to automatically advance its slides within a SharePoint page.

How to Play an Embedded PowerPoint Automatically in SharePoint

Product: Microsoft SharePoint
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Embedding a presentation that contains pre-configured slide timings onto a SharePoint site for automated playback.
Observed behavior: The embedded SharePoint document viewer only supports manual navigation and fails to execute the automatic slide timings that work perfectly in desktop and web apps.

Before you start

Check your original PowerPoint file to ensure that all necessary slide transitions and automatic timings are configured correctly before applying the conversion workaround.

Solution 1Recommended

Convert PowerPoint to Video and Embed

Since SharePoint does not natively support auto-advancing slides in its document viewer, exporting your presentation as an MP4 video is the official workaround.

SharePoint's native file viewer relies on user interaction to move between document pages or slides. By converting your presentation to a video file, it functions as a standard media element that can play continuously upon loading.

You can host this video directly in a SharePoint document library or via Microsoft Stream for optimized playback across your organization.

Export the Presentation as a Video

Open your presentation in the PowerPoint desktop app. Navigate to 'File' > 'Export' > 'Create a Video'. Ensure the option 'Use Recorded Timings and Narrations' is selected, then click 'Create Video' to save the file as an MP4.

Upload to SharePoint or Microsoft Stream

Navigate to your target SharePoint site's document library or open Microsoft Stream. Click 'Upload' and select your newly created MP4 video file.

Embed the Video on Your Page

Go to the SharePoint page where you want the presentation to appear and click 'Edit'. Add the 'File viewer' or 'Stream' web part to the page, select your uploaded video, and configure the web part settings to your preference before republishing the page.

Browser Autoplay Policies: Keep in mind that many modern web browsers block videos with sound from playing automatically. If autoplay is essential, users may still need to click the video once to initiate playback depending on their browser settings.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Create and Export Presentations Easily with WPS Office

Experiencing integration limitations with Microsoft Office platforms? WPS Office is a free, lightweight, and highly compatible alternative that lets you create stunning presentations and effortlessly export them to video formats to bypass platform embedding limits.

1. Download and Install: Get WPS Office for free from the official website and launch the WPS Presentation application.
2. Open your Presentation: Open your existing .pptx file in WPS Presentation. Your layout, animations, and slide timings will be fully preserved.
3. Export to Video: Navigate to the 'Tools' tab and select 'Export to Video' to instantly save your slide timings and transitions as a high-quality MP4 file.

Export presentations to MP4 video format with a single click to bypass SharePoint viewer limitationsFully compatible with Microsoft PowerPoint (.pptx) formats and animationsLightweight application that runs smoothly on almost any device or operating systemFree alternative with a highly familiar user interface for a seamless migration experience

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are my PowerPoint slide timings ignored in SharePoint?

SharePoint uses a web-based document viewer for embedded files that specifically requires manual user interaction to navigate slides. It intentionally ignores automated timings to give users full control over consuming the document content at their own pace.

Is there a specific web part that supports PowerPoint autoplay?

No native SharePoint web part currently supports PowerPoint autoplay. The official recommendation from Microsoft is to convert the presentation into a video format and use a media web part, such as Stream or the File viewer.

Will converting my presentation to a video degrade its quality?

No. When you export a presentation to video from modern office software, you can select high-definition formats (like 1080p or 4K) to ensure text and images remain perfectly sharp when embedded.

Can I submit a request to Microsoft to add auto-advance for embedded PowerPoints?

Yes, you can submit feature requests directly through the Microsoft Feedback Portal at feedbackportal.microsoft.com. Many users have highlighted the need for this feature in SharePoint.

Document & File Issues