How to Add Sound to an OpenOffice 3.0 Impress Slide

© 2010 Ugur Akinci
(1) Open the OpenOffice Impress slide to which you’d like to add a sound clip. This sound file will play each time you load the slide.
(2) Click the Gallery button on the Graphics Toolbar (bottom of page).

How to add sound to OpenOffice Impress slide

Gallery Button


This will display the Gallery screen at the top of the selected slide:
How to add sound to OpenOffice Impress slide

Gallery of images, rulers and sounds


(3) Select the SOUNDS option from the left navigation bar to display the default sound files that come with Impress:
How to add sound to OpenOffice Impress slide

Default sound files


NOTE 1: To see the names of the sound files, click the Detailed View button:
How to Add Sound to an OpenOffice 3.0 Impress Slide

Detailed View


(4) Either drag-and-drop the sound file to the slide or right click the sound file and select Insert > Link from the pop-up menus.
How to add sound to OpenOffice Impress slide
This is how the sound file will be represented in your slide edit window:
How to add sound to OpenOffice Impress slide

Sound File


NOTE 2: Make sure the borders of the sound file icon does not overlap the body of the slide. If it does, the sound file will display as an ugly black square on your slide when you run it.
NOTE 3: Sound files that are dropped/inserted outside the borders of the slide will NOT display during your presentation.
NOTE 4: You can scale the size of the sound file icon by selecting the GREEN HANDLES around the sound icon and moving them in or out.
(5) Once the sound is linked to the slide by following the above steps, click the Slideshow button (on the top toolbar) to test the sound:
NOTE 2: Sound

Slideshow Button


NOTE 5: You can select and insert/link multiple sound files to the same slide. However be aware that such sound files will play simultaneously when you load the slide, creating an interesting or perhaps an annoying sonic effect. Always test the sounds before releasing your slide presentation.

6 Comments

  1. Henrik on August 12, 2010 at 11:46 am

    We don’t need repetitive info on how to add a discrete sound file to each slide.
    What everyone seem to need is one single background sound file (music) running along the presentation.



    • admin on August 12, 2010 at 11:52 am

      Excellent point! Thanks.



  2. Joerg on November 1, 2010 at 6:00 am

    Hi Admin,
    You posted exactly what I need.
    I’m doing a slide show with actual photos and
    want to give some explanation to each photo.
    Pleased I found your post!



    • admin on November 1, 2010 at 10:18 am

      Joerg, glad you liked it. Wish you a great week! Ugur



  3. Cathie on September 14, 2011 at 9:48 am

    I really need HELP! I am a teacher. I was using Word 2007 and at a click can insert audio into a word document. I write a test or lesson. At the end of EVERY question, I put in an audio file so kids can hear the question read. This summer our school switched to openoffice. I can only find how to put an audio file into a slide. I want an EASY way to put lots and lots of audio files into a word document. Thanks.



    • admin on September 15, 2011 at 6:44 am

      Cathie, try this in OpenOffice Writer 3.0:
      1) Select File > Insert > Movie and Sound, which will display the Windows explorer dialog box.
      2) Find and select your sound files.
      3) Click Open and the sound files will be inserted into your OO Writer document.
      Please let me know if this works. Best regards, Ugur