Embed videos in slides
Overview
Embed a video file in a slide, position its video frame and configure presentation playback settings. A poster image can represent the video on the slide before it plays. The presentation retains the embedded media data for later extraction or editing.
Usage example
Download the public sample MP4 to the working directory and generate a blue poster with the text Video preview. Embed the MP4 and set click-to-play behavior. The saved presentation carries the original media bytes. The PNG shows the poster, not video playback. The sample requires network access and Aspose.Slides for .NET. It saves embedded-video.pptx and embedded-video.png. Install the library using the installation guide.
using System;
using Aspose.Slides;
using Aspose.Slides.Export;
using System.IO;
using System.Net.Http;
using System.Drawing;
using var httpClient = new HttpClient();
var videoBytes = httpClient.GetByteArrayAsync("https://raw.githubusercontent.com/aspose-slides/Aspose.Slides-for-.NET/master/Examples/Data/Slides/Media/sample_bunny.mp4").GetAwaiter().GetResult();
File.WriteAllBytes("sample_bunny.mp4", videoBytes);
using var presentation = new Presentation();
var slide = presentation.Slides[0];
using var posterStream = new MemoryStream();
using (var posterDeck = new Presentation())
{
var posterShape = posterDeck.Slides[0].Shapes.AddAutoShape(ShapeType.Rectangle, 0, 0, 720, 540);
posterShape.FillFormat.FillType = FillType.Solid;
posterShape.FillFormat.SolidFillColor.Color = Color.DarkSlateBlue;
posterShape.TextFrame.Text = "Video preview";
posterShape.TextFrame.TextFrameFormat.AnchoringType = TextAnchorType.Top;
posterShape.TextFrame.Paragraphs[0].Portions[0].PortionFormat.FontHeight = 32;
posterShape.TextFrame.Paragraphs[0].Portions[0].PortionFormat.FillFormat.FillType = FillType.Solid;
posterShape.TextFrame.Paragraphs[0].Portions[0].PortionFormat.FillFormat.SolidFillColor.Color = Color.White;
using var posterImage = posterDeck.Slides[0].GetImage(1f, 1f);
posterImage.Save(posterStream, ImageFormat.Png);
}
var posterBytes = posterStream.ToArray();
var poster = presentation.Images.AddImage(posterBytes);
var video = presentation.Videos.AddVideo(videoBytes);
var videoFrame = slide.Shapes.AddVideoFrame(80, 80, 480, 270, video);
videoFrame.PictureFormat.Picture.Image = poster;
videoFrame.PlayMode = VideoPlayModePreset.OnClick;
presentation.Save("embedded-video.pptx", SaveFormat.Pptx);
using var image = presentation.Slides[0].GetImage(1f, 1f);
image.Save("embedded-video.png", ImageFormat.Png);
FAQ
Does embedding video convert it to another codec?
Embedding stores the supplied media. Playback still depends on the media format and the application used to present the deck.
Does the video travel inside the saved presentation?
Yes. Embedding includes the media bytes in the presentation, so the original clip can be extracted from it. Compatible codecs and playback support are still required by the presenting application.
How do I choose the poster image shown before playback?
Assign an image to the video frame’s picture. This sample generates the poster explicitly; it does not assume a video frame is extracted automatically.
Guides
Related feature: Link to external videos.