PowerPoint: "Stop Playing After N Slides" no longer works since Version 2505
Summary
Videos configured in PowerPoint for Windows to keep playing across several slides and stop after a set number of slides no longer behave as expected. Microsoft states that this relied on ActiveX controls, which are now disabled by default for security and compliance reasons. The issue is confirmed by Microsoft and under investigation.
Symptoms
Presentations with videos set to stop after a specific number of slides do not work as expected. PowerPoint does not currently support videos playing seamlessly across multiple slides.
Affected
- PowerPoint for Microsoft 365 for Windows, since Version 2505
- PowerPoint 2024 for Windows
Workaround
No workaround known.
Fix
Not fixed yet. The PowerPoint team is investigating (status as of the last vendor update, 2025-09-12).
Recommendation
Check important presentations that use videos across several slides before they are presented. Plan alternatives, for example splitting the video per slide or using a separate media player, and follow the Microsoft known-issues page for updates.
Sources
- PowerPoint: The "Stop Playing After N Slides" feature is not working as expected in PowerPoint for Windows Vendor · support.microsoft.com
Compiled from the sources listed and translated with AI (Claude); status and dates come from the vendor. The vendor’s statements are authoritative. Updated 1 Nov 2026, 18:19.
Where the information comes from
We continuously read the vendors’ official sources, community reports and trade media and summarise them in our own words, with a link to the source:
- Microsoft: Windows release health (Windows 10/11, Server 2016 to 2025), Windows message center, known issues of Microsoft 365 Apps (Outlook, Excel, Word, PowerPoint), Edge, Intune, Autopilot, Windows 365 and Entra Connect, Microsoft KB articles with timelines, Exchange and Windows IT Pro blogs, optionally Microsoft 365 service health and message center
- other vendors: Veeam KB, Citrix (known issues), Ubuntu and Debian (regressions), Broadcom (VMware), Fortinet, Cisco, Mozilla, Let’s Encrypt
- community (title, short excerpt and link only, without the names of the authors): Microsoft Q&A, Microsoft Tech Community (discussions), Veeam R&D Forums, Eleven Forum
- targeted web research with AI (Claude), e.g. on the updates of the month – this also finds discussions on Reddit and in forums; such entries are labelled as community reports until the vendor confirms them
- early warning from trade media (title and link only): Born’s Tech and Windows World, BleepingComputer, AskWoody, Windows Latest, Windows Central, gHacks, The Windows Club, Deskmodder, Dr. Windows, WindowsArea, Frankys Web, heise online
Summary and translation with AI (Claude by Anthropic) – without any data of visitors.
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