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You can play audio on a single slide (Slide audio) or across the whole presentation (Presentation audio), and you can turn sound effects on or off for greater control over the experience.
Slide audio and Presentation audio are available only on paid plans. Sound effects are available on all plans.

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How Audio Works

On AhaSlides, you can set audio to play on each slide as you present (Slide audio) or throughout the entire presentation (Presentation audio). Slide audio can play on participants’ devices, but Presentation audio cannot. Presentation audio autoplays only on the presenter’s device for the duration of the presentation. While you present, the audio controls appear in the top-left corner of the slide whenever audio is playing. Hover over the Musical note icon to:
  • Turn off the audio by clicking the icon.
  • Open the control bar to pause, play, or adjust the volume.
When both Presentation audio and Slide audio are set up, Slide audio takes priority on the slides that have it. Any slide without Slide audio reverts to playing the Presentation audio.
The quiz Lobby screen always has its own music. You can turn it off only by clicking the Musical note icon. You cannot set up audio on the Spinner Wheel, YouTube slide, or QR Code slide.

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How to Set Up Slide Audio

1

Open the Audio section

Select the slide you want to play audio on, then click the Audio section on the right side of the editor.
2

Choose or upload a track

Under the Slide tab, either select a song from the AhaSlides audio library in the dropdown, or click Upload to add your own audio. Uploads must be mp3 format with a maximum size of 15 MB.
3

Configure playback settings

Once you select or upload a track, you see checkboxes for the audio settings:
  • Autoplay: the audio plays immediately when you arrive at the slide.
  • On repeat: the audio plays again automatically when it finishes.
  • Playable on audience’s devices: the audio plays through the audience’s devices as well as the presenter’s. When checked, a Show media controls checkbox appears, which lets the audience play, pause, and adjust the volume on their own devices.
Some devices prevent audio from playing automatically. On those devices, the participant sees a prompt to press the play button.

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How to Set Up Presentation Audio

1

Open the Audio section

Select any slide in your presentation, then click the Audio section on the right side of the editor.
2

Choose a track

Under the Presentation tab, select a song from the dropdown.
You cannot upload your own audio file as Presentation audio yet. Presentation audio does not play on slides that already have Slide audio.

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How Sound Effects Work

Sound effects can play on both the presenter screen and participants’ devices, depending on the interaction. On the presenter screen, sound effects help guide the flow of the presentation:
  • Micro-interactions: button clicks and answer reveals
  • Transitions: moving to the next slide, a QR code appearing, submissions closing
  • High-impact moments: countdowns, drumrolls, leaderboard reveals
  • Atmosphere: background music as participants join, from start to finish
On participants’ devices, sound effects provide feedback during interactions:
  • When submitting answers on quiz slides
  • Result notifications, including correct or incorrect answers, time’s up, and answer streaks

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How to Enable or Disable Sound Effects

1

Open the Audio section

Select any slide in your presentation, then click the Audio section on the right side of the editor.
2

Toggle sound effects

Under the Presentation tab, use the toggles under Sound effects next to On the presenting screen or On participants’ devices to enable or disable them.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Slide audio plays on a single slide and can play on participants’ devices. Presentation audio plays across the whole presentation but autoplays only on the presenter’s device.
Select the slide, click the Audio section on the right of the editor, and under the Slide tab choose a song from the library or click Upload to add your own mp3 (up to 15 MB). You can then set Autoplay, On repeat, and Playable on audience’s devices.
Slide audio takes priority on the slides that have it. Any slide without Slide audio reverts to playing the Presentation audio.
Select any slide, click the Audio section, and under the Presentation tab use the toggles under Sound effects for On the presenting screen and On participants’ devices.
Slide audio and Presentation audio are available only on paid plans. Sound effects are available on all plans.

Related topics

How to Use Backstage and Remote Control While Presenting on AhaSlidesHow to Make and Run a Quiz in AhaSlidesHow to Import a PowerPoint Presentation or PDF File Into AhaSlidesAhaSlides Hotkeys GuideMoving and Editing Multiple Slides