Microsoft has upgraded the PowerPoint web application by introducing a feature that allows users to add captions and subtitles to their videos in presentations. As announced in the Microsoft 365 Insider blog, the enhancement brings several advantages to the user experience. Adding multilingual subtitles caters to non-native speakers, while captions support those with hearing impairments. Additionally, it benefits viewers in quiet environments who prefer not to play sound. Microsoft initially announced this integration in February, and it has been in preview since then.
Creating and Inserting Captions
To utilize this advancement, users must generate captions and subtitles in the WebVTT format. Microsoft provides guidance on its support site, explaining the steps to create caption files using various applications, including basic text editors like Notepad. This feature taps into Microsoft 365 Copilot.
After crafting the WebVTT file, users must log into the PowerPoint site and open a presentation file. Captions are added by navigating to the Insert menu, selecting Video, and then Video From This Device. Following the insertion of the desired video, users can add their prepared WebVTT caption file directly into the presentation.
User Experience and Language Support
Viewers can activate the captions by clicking the Captions button available in the video player's lower right corner. In a significant nod to inclusivity and global accessibility, Microsoft points out that multiple caption files can be inserted for the same video, accommodating varied language audiences.
Each caption file is distinguished by the inclusion of the language's standard locale name in the file's title, facilitating the provision of translations in English, Spanish, and other languages. The updated video captions feature for PowerPoint is now accessible to all users on the web platform.
