Record and Broadcast LibreOffice Impress Presentations

LibreOffice Impress is a powerful open-source presentation tool, but broadcasting and recording dynamic presentations requires combining its native presentation features with dedicated screen recording and streaming tools. This guide explains how to prepare your slideshow in Impress, capture high-quality recordings with audio, and broadcast your live presentation across popular web platforms seamlessly.

Step 1: Prepare Impress for Recording and Streaming

Before recording or broadcasting, configure Impress to display your slides without interfering with your recording software or desktop layout.

  1. Open your presentation file in LibreOffice Impress.
  2. Navigate to Slide Show in the top menu and select Slide Show Settings.
  3. Under the Type section, choose one of the following:
    • Full screen: Ideal if you are recording the entire monitor or using a dual-monitor setup.
    • In a window: Ideal for single-monitor setups, allowing you to easily manage broadcast controls, chat windows, and notes alongside your slides.
  4. Click OK to save the settings.

If you want to practice and automate slide transitions, select Slide Show > Rehearse Timings. This allows you to record the duration of each slide directly within the presentation metadata.

Step 2: Record Your Presentation

Because LibreOffice Impress does not natively export full video with voiceover, use a screen recorder such as Open Broadcaster Software (OBS Studio) or a built-in operating system tool (Windows Snipping Tool / Xbox Game Bar, or macOS QuickTime).

  1. Launch your preferred recording software (e.g., OBS Studio).
  2. Add a new Source:
    • Select Window Capture and choose the active LibreOffice Impress window, or select Display Capture for full-screen mode.
  3. Add an Audio Input Capture source to record your microphone narration.
  4. (Optional) Add a Video Capture Device source to include a webcam overlay.
  5. Start the slideshow in Impress (press F5 or click Slide Show > Start from First Slide).
  6. Click Start Recording in your capture software.
  7. Deliver your presentation, advance the slides, and click Stop Recording when finished. The software will output a standard video file (such as MP4 or MKV).

Step 3: Broadcast Your Presentation Live

To stream your live presentation to platforms like YouTube, Twitch, Zoom, or Microsoft Teams:

Option A: Streaming to Video Conferencing Platforms (Zoom, Teams, Google Meet)

  1. Start your meeting in the conferencing application.
  2. Start the slideshow in Impress in In a window mode.
  3. In your meeting platform, click Share Screen and select the specific LibreOffice Impress slideshow window rather than your entire desktop.
  4. Uncheck presenter views to ensure participants only see the active slide.

Option B: Live Streaming via RTMP (YouTube Live, Twitch, Facebook Live)

  1. Open OBS Studio and navigate to Settings > Stream.
  2. Select your streaming platform and paste your Stream Key.
  3. In the main OBS window, ensure your Window Capture (Impress slides) and Audio Input are properly configured in the scene.
  4. Start the slideshow in LibreOffice Impress.
  5. Click Start Streaming in OBS Studio to broadcast your presentation live to your audience.

Step 4: Control Slides Remotely During Broadcasts

To advance slides naturally while broadcasting, use the official LibreOffice Impress Remote mobile app (available for Android and iOS):

  1. In LibreOffice, enable remote control by going to Tools > Options > LibreOffice Impress > General and checking Enable remote control.
  2. Connect your mobile device and computer to the same Wi-Fi network (or pair via Bluetooth).
  3. Open the app on your mobile device, select your computer, and use the touchscreen to advance slides, view speaker notes, and monitor timers during your broadcast.