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When you add audio to your Microsoft PowerPoint presentation, you might set it to play automatically or in the background. You might not need to see the sound icon in these cases, so why not hide it?

You can easily hide the audio icon during your PowerPoint slideshow if you don't plan to use it. And you can do this in the desktop version of PowerPoint on Windows and Mac as well as in PowerPoint on the web.

Hide the Audio Icon in PowerPoint on Your Desktop

Whether you use Microsoft PowerPoint on Windows or Mac, the steps to hide the audio icon are the same.

So, open your presentation, choose the slide, and click the sound icon to select it. Then, go to the Playback tab that appears.

If you don't see the Playback tab, make sure that you've selected the sound icon.

Click the audio icon and go to the Playback tab

Check the box for "Hide During Show" in the Audio Options section of the ribbon.

Check the box for Hide During Show

Hide the Audio Icon in PowerPoint on the Web

You can hide the sound icon in your presentation using Microsoft PowerPoint online just as easily. First, click the icon to select it, and then go to the Audio tab that displays.

If you don't see the Audio tab, make sure that you've selected the sound icon.

Click the audio icon and go to the Audio tab

Click "Audio Options" to display the drop-down list, and then check the box for "Hide During Show."

Click Audio Options and choose Hide During Show

Be sure to check out how to pause audio during your PowerPoint presentation, both with and without the sound icon.