powerpoint presentation in google

How to Create a Presentation Using Google Slides

Last Updated: November 30, 2023

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This tutorial will show you how to make a PowerPoint-like presentation using Google Slides. Presentations can be used for school, business, and so much more.

• You can also just type in https://slides.google.com , log in if you haven't already, and will be taken to the Slides page.
• If you don't have a Google account, learn to create one now!

• For more options, hover over the arrow on the right edge of the Google Slides option, where a smaller drop-down menu will appear. From here you can select to create a presentation from a template or a blank slide.

• Be sure to add a title and subtitle by clicking where you are prompted to add text.

• You can also change a pre-existing slide's layout by clicking the layout option on the upper editing bar.

• As you add animations to each element by clicking the blue "+ Select an object to animate", they will begin to pile up. Click on each one to edit it.
• Change the transition from slide to slide by clicking the default "Slide: No transition" at the top of the sidebar. You can choose whether to apply to all slides or just one.
• Preview your animations by clicking Play at the bottom of the sidebar.
• Remove an animation by clicking the small x on its rectangle, and drag each animation up or down to change the order.

Community Q&A

wikiHow Video: How to Create a Presentation Using Google Slides

• If you have a pop-up blocker, make sure to disable it so Slides can work properly. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• Hover over each tool to see its keyboard shortcut and function. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• Remember, these are the basic functions- Google Slides contains many more tools that you can work with as you explore the creator. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

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About This Article

To create a new Google Slides presentation, open a web browser and go to Slides.Google.com. If you want to start from a template, you can choose one from the template gallery. Otherwise, click "Blank" to create a new blank presentation. Your blank presentation starts with a single simple slide with space to enter a title and subtitle. You can personalize this slide, as well as other slides you add, by editing the placeholder text, as well as choosing a slide theme from the panel to the right. To insert another slide, click the "Insert" menu and select "New Slide," or press "Control M" for a quick keyboard shortcut. You'll also find other things you can add to your slide on the Insert menu, including the option to add an image, a text box for typing, videos, shapes, charts, and other features. After adding a new slide, click the "Layout" menu to choose a slide layout—you can give each slide its own layout or reuse the same layout as much as necessary. Edit the placeholder text, and then insert objects from the Insert menu. To move an object, click the arrow in the toolbar, hover the mouse cursor around the object's border line until it turns to a 4-point arrow, and then click and drag it. Each slide you add will have a thumbnail in the left panel—click a slide's thumbnail to open that slide for editing. To see your presentation as a viewer would, click your first slide in the left panel, and then click "Present" at the top corner. Click the Escape key to go back to editing. Google Slides also has some built-in effects you can access from the "Transition" menu—here you can animate a slide's transition into the next slide, as well as animate individual objects. To apply an effect, background, theme, layout, or any other setting to more than one slide at once, select the slides in the left panel by holding down the Control key as you click each thumbnail. Your presentation will automatically save to your Google Drive as you work—type a name for the presentation in the top-left corner so you can easily find the file when you need it. Did this summary help you? Yes No

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• Presentations

20+ (Quick) Tips & Tricks to Use Google Slides Like a Professional in 2024

Google Slides is great for creating a professional presentation. Even if you know the basics of how to use Google Slides, you may not realize everything it can do. 

There are plenty of killer techniques you can use to save time. And with them, you can make an even bigger impact with your Google Slides presentation. But you can't use them if you don't know them! Google Slides ideas save you a ton of time.

In this article, we share 20 pro Google Slides tips to help you get the most out of using Google Slides. Learn how to make Google Slides look good with these cool Google Slides tricks.

Guide to Making Great Presentations (Free eBook Download)

Before going further, be sure to grab our free eBook:  The Complete Guide to Making Great Presentations . You'll learn to take an initial idea through to writing, design, and delivering with impact.

To learn more about the basics of Google Slides, check out our comprehensive  Google Slides tutorial series . 

If you want to learn how to make your Google Slides look professional, don't feel as if you've got to take it on yourself. Instead, trust others with starting points for your presentation design. Think of each slide as being full of Google Slides tips for great designs.

Quick Google Slides Ideas to Use Today (Quickstart Video)

Are you wondering how to make a good presentation on Google Slides? Do you want some quick tips you can use right away? We've outlined some of the best tips in the video below:

For even more Google Slides presentation ideas, review the list below.

Jump to content in this section:

Tip 1. Use a Pro Google Slides Template

Tip 2. cut & paste a slide from one presentation to another, tip 3. master the master slides tool, tip 4. dictate your presentation text, tip 5. use an image as a background, tip 6. put an image in a shape, tip 7. engage with audiences using the q&a tool, tip 8. add sound to your presentation, tip 9. to collaborate, share your presentation, tip 10. make your google slides look good - quickly, tip 11. add technical terms to the personal dictionary, tip 12. go back to an earlier version of your presentation, tip 13. embed your presentation in a website, tip 14. play your presentation using chromecast, tip 15. learn google slides keyboard shortcuts, tip 16. make your text more stylish, tip 17. import your existing powerpoint presentations, tip 18. use highly specialized templates, tip 19. add a gif for fun motion images, tip 20. print your finished slides, tip 21. set up slide timing for slick delivery, 20+ (quick) tips & tricks to use google slides like a professional.

Ready to become a Google Slides expert? Let's dive into these powerful tips to using Google Slides like a pro:

A template is a great way to get a professional look for your Google Slides presentation. It helps you avoid having to spend a ton of time with design - and you don't have to hire a pricey designer. 

Luckily, one of my favorite Google Slides tips is this: outsource the design work to someone else. 

To use a presentation template or theme, first rename it. Then, find some slides you like and type over them with your own information. You can quickly delete the template slides you don't need, use those you do, and add your own custom photos and info.

Learn how to make a good presentation on Google Slides by changing themes here:

Need premium templates for your Google Slides presentation ideas? Envato Elements has you covered, with thousands of options to choose from. Or you can explore some of our very best Google Slides theme ideas in this feature article:

If you give a lot of presentations, you may find yourself in a situation where you want to re-use a slide from one presentation in another. Don't recreate the slide—there's a better way.

You can copy a single slide from one presentation to another. Or you can copy a single slide from a theme or template. This can be a huge time-saver if you create a lot of presentations.

Here's what to do:

Open the Google Slides file with the slide you want. Click the desired slide and Ctrl + C to copy it to the clipboard.

In the example below, I'm copying a slide from a theme into an existing presentation:

Open the presentation you're creating. Click on the slide before where you want to insert the copied slide. Click Ctrl + V to paste the copied slide from the clipboard to the new presentation:

Edit and change the copied slide, as needed, from within your presentation.

Ever wanted to change an element in your Google Slides presentation in bulk? This happens when a piece of content appears on many slides in the deck. 

In this case, you may be trying to change something that's defined on a master slide or master layout. Master slides and layouts can be changed, but to do so you've got to open the Master Slides tool:

All content shown on the master slide is shown across the full Slides presentation. Changes you make on a master layout affect all other slides using that layout.

It's important to learn how to use Google Slides' powerful Master Slides tool. For all you need to know about the Master Slides tool, study this helpful Google Slides tutorial:

For computers with a microphone, use your voice to dictate speaker notes in your presentation. Here's how:

Make sure your microphone is turned on. Click in the Speaker Notes section of your screen. Select Tools > Voice type speaker notes .

The Microphone icon appears on your screen:

Click the Microphone icon and begin speaking. Your text is added to the speaker notes as you talk:

When you've finished, click the microphone icon again to turn voice typing off. Click the X in the upper right corner of the icon to close it.

Images add a lot to a presentation. An image can illustrate a point, often better than words can. An image also adds interest to a slide and draws in your audience. An image can even be used symbolically to represent an important concept.

But you can do more with images than simply put them onto your slides. A background image can help make your presentation be more visually appealing. And it's easier to use an image as a background in Google Slides than you might think.

This is one of the best Google Slides presentation ideas because it's both easy and stylish! Here are complete instructions on how to use an image as a background:

You can find an assortment of pro quality, royalty-free images  on Envato Elements. Along with stunning photos, you also get access to templates, fonts and more! All are included with your flat monthly rate. 

We've already discussed the importance of using images in your Google Slides presentation to add interest. We've also explored how to use a photo as a background.

But background images are just one cool thing that you can do with photos in Google Slides. Another trick that many presenters don't know about is the ability to import an image into a shape.

To set your presentation apart with images embedded in shapes, learn how to do it in our Google Slides tutorial on working with images:

Google Slides has a neat feature that allows you to accept questions as you present. This tool can also be helpful for live webinars.

You can activate the Q&A feature in Google Slides when you're using Presenter View. It's in the Audience Tools section.

This is one of the winning Google Slides presentation ideas because it really boosts engagement. You can use it to connect with your audiences in new, creative ways! 

Audiences will see a URL on your slides. When they click it, they'll be able to type questions for you to answer. It's a powerful Google Slides idea to fuel collaboration. And it's how to make a good presentation on Google Slides even better!

Audio brings new life to your Google Slides presentation. And it's amazingly easy to add. You can use the Insert > Audio dropdown. I like to add music for a fun background for my presentation. Or you can import spoken audio tracks to bring new voices to your slides.

The following Google Slides tutorial takes you through the process in detail:

Collaboration is a great way to make sure your Google Slides presentation is the best it can be. The give and take of ideas often results in a higher quality end product.

Google Slides allows you to share your presentation with others. After all, that's what presentations are really all about! Once you put your Google Slides design ideas into action, share them with others all around the globe. Using the Share button to share your presentation:

On the Share menu, you can also control who can access your slide deck - and what they can do. You can give them access to simply view slides.

Or you can optionally allow comments or even full edits to be made. The choice is totally up to you! Use the dropdown menu in the General Access section to control these settings.

You've already seen it earlier in this tutorial, but I can't say it enough: to learn how to make your Google Slides look professional, use a template . When you use a template, you don't have to learn the app entirely on your own.

Starting with a template is like having a guide to creating a great presentation. Open it up and instantly, you see Google Slides tips in the form of pre-built slides. They're already perfectly laid out and ready for your content.

To learn more about how to customize your Google Slides presentation, check out these two tutorials below. They're loaded with advice on how to make Google Slides look good:

Under the Tools > Spelling menu option, choose Show spelling suggestions. When this option is selected, possible spelling errors show up underlined with red.

But Google's spellcheck isn't perfect. Often company-specific terms, names, and abbreviations show up with the red underline.

To fix this, go to Tools > Personal dictionary . Add your specific terms. They'll no longer be flagged as possible spelling errors:

If you later decide to remove a term from your personal dictionary, open it up again. 

Click the trash can icon to the right of the term you want to delete and click OK.

As you put your Google Slides presentation ideas to use, odds are you'll make many changes to your slides. So, what happens if you want to go back to an earlier version? You can't always get there by pressing Undo . And you certainly don't want to redo your work again.

Fortunately, all your Google Slides theme ideas are logged. You can easily revert to an earlier version of the deck. Here's how.

Go to File > Version history > See version history. When you click this, Google Slides will launch the Version history sidebar. On it, you'll see a list of all the versions of your slide deck from the past.

To revert to an earlier version, click the three vertical dots next to one of the revisions. Then, choose Restore this version. You'll be asked to confirm your choice, and when you do, your slides will go back to the old version. It's that easy!

Use the File > Share > Publish to web menu option to embed a slide presentation on your website.

Publishing a Google Slides presentation means that someone can see it with only a link. ( As opposed to sharing a presentation, where a user must be logged into Google Drive to see your presentation. Also, note that those who view a published presentation cannot edit or make comments. )

Here's the Publish to the web dialog box:

As you can see from the image above, you can also define the following aspects of your published presentations:

• Google Slides slide size
• how often the slide auto-advances
• when the slideshow starts
• whether the slideshow loops

Chromecast allows you to share a presentation from an Android mobile device if you've got a Chromecast device available and set up. You also need to have a Google Home app on your mobile device, available WIFI, and be using the Google Chrome browser.

The Chromecast device plugs into the monitor you want to use. It even works with some Smart TVs.

When you open your Chromecast app, it looks for nearby Chromecast devices. Select the correct device, enter your password, and name your Chromecast. Select the Google Slides presentation you wish to stream to the TV or monitor. Then, click on the Chromecast button to stream your presentation.

For more information, here are Google's instructions for using Chromecast.

Did you know that Google Slides has keyboard shortcuts? If you use Google Slides often, learning and using keyboard shortcuts can save a lot of time.

Find the keyboard shortcuts at the Help > Keyboard shortcuts menu option. Here's a screenshot of some the available shortcuts for Google Slides:

The shortcuts are arranged by functionality. To see the shortcuts for a specific functionality, click on that functionality in the list on the left.

Don’t worry about memorizing all the keyboard shortcuts at once. Instead, focus on those that you’ll use the most! They’re quick, powerful ways to bring your Google Slides design ideas to life. They’re how to use Google Slides ideas even faster.

Text really forms the centerpiece of your Google Slides theme ideas. By featuring your words in creative ways, you can keep your audience focused. Similarly, you can call attention to key aspects and details that need special focus.

For example, you can change font size and type, as described in this basic Google Slides tutorial: 

But you'll find that Google Slides offers an array of other text effects.  These Google Slides design ideas bring your fonts and text to life. For example, you can add bolds, italics, and underlines. These are three basic ways to add emphasis to a given bit of text.

Plus, Google Slides makes it easy to change the font color. To do that, select text like you see below, then choose a new shade from the Text color menu. Prefer to highlight? Google Slides offers that as well.

One more thing for Google Slides ideas for text: you can add new fonts! This opens up limitless Google Slides presentation ideas. Learn how here:

One of the most daunting elements of learning a new piece of software is the extra effort needed. Already familiar with a tool like Microsoft PowerPoint? Switching to Google Slides may sound like it represents extra work.

Luckily, Google has done a great job by building in backward compatibility. You can upload your PowerPoint presentations and use them in Google Slides. This offers key advantages. First, you can work with your favorite slide decks instantly. And it opens up a wider world of templates. Any PowerPoint slide template or deck works in Google Slides.

Use the tutorial below to see the Google Slides tips and tricks to convert your PowerPoint presentation. It gives you thousands more options for Google Slides presentation ideas.

I already recommended using Google Slides templates to build great presentations. There are hundreds of great Google Slides presentations for specific themes and topics. These Google Slides theme ideas are beyond what you could imagine on your own.

I like to divide Google Slides presentation designs into two categories: general purpose and specialized.  These templates show you how to use Google Slides ideas, rapidly.

Check out the three roundups below to see Google Slides designs that are for specific purposes:

GIF images have certainly grown in popularity in recent years, so why not consider adding one to your next Google Slides presentation?

The Google Slides tutorial below can help you add a GIF to your next presentation. Learn how to upload your own GIFs or source them to add motion imagery to your upcoming Google Slides presentation.

Even if your slides will be delivered on-screen, it helps to have printed copies that you keep at the ready. I always print my slides before presenting to give me a copy to proofread. There's something about seeing your slides on paper that can help you catch errors you might have otherwise missed.

When printing your presentation, try to save as much paper and ink as possible. Use the Google Slides tutorial below to print your slides for the most efficiency!

The very best presentations use automatic transitions for a powerful delivery. If you have the time, consider setting up slide timings. It's a Google Slides idea that you and your audience will both appreciate! 

The traditional model for presentations is to use a "clicker" or mouse to advance slides. But automating slide timings can lead to smoother transitions and slide progressions.

If you can nail the delivery, auto-advancing slides and effects is an amazing effect. It lets you focus on your message, instead of worrying about the mechanics as you share. It's how to make a good presentation on Google Slides look great in front of your audience. 

Learn more about setting up slide timings in the Google Slides tutorial below: 

5 Top Google Slides Presentation Design Trends for 2024

As you build your next Google Slides presentation, think about embracing some of the top trends for your slides in 2024. These are surefire ways to help you build better slide decks. That means it’s easier than ever to engage with your audience! 

Let’s explore five of these top Google Slides tips today:

1. Highly Visual Slides

Wondering how to make Google Slides look good? Embrace a popular trend: highly visual slides . Whether it’s bright colors, photos, or even charts and graphs, visually engaging slides are built to capture audience focus.

It helps to think of slides as visual aids. You shouldn’t be simply reading text. Instead, use slides to illustrate the key points you’re talking about. Audiences will thank you. More importantly, they’ll remember and understand what you said later.

2. Short and Sweet Slide Decks

You can use all the cool Google Slide tricks in the book, but brevity is growing ever more important. Most of us lead busy lives, with many demands on our time. No one wants to sit through a lengthy, rambling presentation. 

The best Google Slides presentations today are short and sweet. They focus on a few key points, driving home their message clearly and concisely. See more tips in our design guide:

3. Making Data Visual With Infographics

Infographics are illustrations designed to visualize data. That makes them ideal tools to use when creating professional presentations.

Infographics like this merge information and graphics to form compelling visuals. This helps audiences form a mental image of your big ideas. They look great on big screens, and are increasingly recognized as far superior to dull, text-heavy slides.

4. Use a Memorable Design When It Fits

Many times, your presentation design should fit in and not be too bright or loud. But when you've got room to experiment, don't be afraid to use a memorable design.

If the content is a bit flat, you can make up for it with an advanced template. Bright color schemes, graphics, and backgrounds are more likely to stick to your audience.

The article below has 20 of the best unique designs for when being forgotten simply isn't an option.

5. Bringing Apps and Websites to Life With Mockups

Sure, you can say you've got a website or app. But that’s no substitute for showing it off. That’s where device mockup templates come in. Device mockups are illustrations of real devices like notebooks, tablets, phones, watches, and more.

By combining a professional device mockup template and a screenshot image, you bring your online platform to life in a realistic way. Thanks to Google Slides and custom templates like this one from Envato Elements, it takes only seconds to create your own device mockups.

How To Make Google Slides Look Good (With Envato Elements)

Before we dive into the top Google Slides tips, we want to show you a resource that's helped many creatives give their best presentation ever. Think of these as pre-built Google Slides theme ideas. 

Envato Elements is an all-you-can-download service with the best Google Slides templates . These templates are full of pre-built designs that show you how to make your Google Slides look professional. Just open them and fill them out with your specifics.

Find Google Slides Templates

Envato Elements includes many extras.  Here are other assets, all included, that help you see how to make a good presentation on Google Slides:

• Stock photos . The perfect way to fill out a bare slide, there are over one million stock photos for a flat rate.
• Graphics and illustrations . Including infographics that help you explain concepts and ideas.
• Background music . To set the tone while your presentation plays.

Advantages of Using Google Slides vs PowerPoint

Already entrenched in using a popular presentation software like Keynote or PowerPoint? You might be wondering why it's worth learning yet another tool. Luckily, there are good reasons to do exactly that! We've explored many in our list of Google Slides design ideas above.

Using Google Slides gives you more features (and improved functionality) anywhere. And that makes it worth your consideration.

Some of my favorite features in Google Slides include:

• Collaboration. Sure, every presentation software has implemented some version of this functionality. But Google Slides just does it better, with real-time collaboration and easy chat built into the app.
• Low switching cost. You can import and export your presentations to PowerPoint format. Thus, there's no "switching cost" of jumping between the apps. Other apps require long term commitments to formats. But Slides gives you freedom to experiment.
• Always backed up. Embracing the cloud means that you don't have to worry about how you store your presentations. It also gives you version control to jump back and forth between revisions. 

Check out the presentation app comparison below. It includes a full and complete Google Slides vs PowerPoint review.

More Professional Google Slides Template Resources for 2024

One of my favorite Google Slides tricks is to let others design your presentation.  You've already seen Envato Elements, an all-you-can-download service for sourcing Google Slides presentations. When you use premium templates, you'll save time while benefitting from stunning styles.

These designs assist you in learning how to make a good presentation on Google Slides. Let's look at three of the best Google Slides presentation templates from Elements: 

Vexana is far from a neutral and flat Google Slides presentation. The bright and flashy colors are sure to grab the attention of your audience. Use this contrasty presentation to set the tone early when you're presenting.

My favorite Google Slides tip is that you should choose templates that you can use over and over. When you download a template like Arara, the flexibility of the template helps you to use it for many presentations. Just drop in your details and you'll bring your content to life!

A pitch deck is a presentation that's designed to launch your company or idea to success. Manola is the perfect presentation that includes all the Google Slides essentials for a pitch deck. Use this template to get the investor or potential employee support to get your company off the ground.

For even more outstanding templates that can help you master how to use Google Slides, check out the roundup below:

Also, learn more about using Google Slides in our ultimate tutorial series on  How to Use Google Slides .

Learn All About How to Make Great Presentations (Free PDF eBook)

Take the knowledge you gained in this Google Slides tutorial further. Download our eBook: The Complete Guide to Making Great Presentations . Grab this PDF Download now for Free with your subscription to the Tuts+ Business Newsletter.

It'll help walk you through the complete presentation process. Learn how to write your presentation, design it like a pro, and prepare it to present powerfully.

Learn More Techniques to Use Google Slides Effectively

Pros use cool Google Slides tricks to design their best presentations in less time. If you're still learning how to make a good presentation on Google Slides, we've got you covered with a special series.

Our resource  How to Use Google Slides (Ultimate Tutorial Guide)  is the single best source for Google Slides tips. Check out three tutorials, each loaded with tricks on how to make Google Slides look good:

Go Build a Google Slides Presentation Today

You can do more with Google Slides than you may have realized. Once you master these professional Google Slides tips, you'll be amazed at what you can do. 

We've explored the very best Google Slides design ideas for 2024. Learn how to use Google Slides ideas like these, and you'll know how to make a good presentation on Google Slides. This is the key to impressing any audience. And you'll find that it saves you tons of time along the way. Truly, Google Slides presentation ideas like these are a win-win.

What techniques do you use to bring your presentation to the next level? Share your professional Google Slides tips in the comments below.

This tutorial was originally published in September 2017. It's been updated to include new information and a video—with special help from Andrew Childress.

How to use Google Slides, Google's free slideshow presentation maker

• Google Slides is Google's slideshow presentation program that allows real time collaboration.
• Google Slides is part of the Google Workspace suite, which also includes Google Docs and Gmail.
• Google Slides differs from Microsoft PowerPoint in its simplicity and collaboration options.

Google Slides is a presentation program that's part of Google Workspace, a group of productivity apps that also includes Gmail, Google Sheets, Goole Docs, Google Meet , and more. Workspace has more than 3 billion users worldwide. 

With Google Slides, users can create, present, and collaborate via online presentations from various devices. You can present during Google Meet calls directly from Slides and embed charts from Google Sheets. You can also add YouTube videos to Slides presentations. 

Google recently announced plans to add artificial intelligence features like its Gemini AI tool to its Workspace programs, which include Slides. Users will be able to use Gemini to create images or written content for slides, or even reference other files in their Drives or emails in their Gmail accounts.

What is Google Slides? 

Google Slides is a cloud-based presentation program that's part of the Google Workspace. Google Slides can be used to create and deliver presentations online. 

Several different themes are available in Slides for designing presentations. Users can customize Slides presentations in a variety of colors and styles. You can add photos, videos from YouTube, charts from Google Sheets , and information from many other sources. Different members of a team can contribute and collaborate on the presentation in real time. 

There's no specific limit on how many slides you can add to your Google Slides presentation, but there is a 100 MB file size limit.

How to download Google Slides 

To access Google Slides, visit slides.google.com . 

You can also open Slides while Gmail or Google Chrome is open by clicking on the Google Apps icon in the upper-right corner (shown as three rows of dots) and selecting Slides. 

Another option is to download the Google Slides app for your Apple or Android device. Search for Google Slides in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.

Related stories

What templates are available? 

Dozens of Google Slides templates are available, depending on your needs. For instance, there are general presentation templates, photography portfolios, pitch decks, case studies, science fair projects, and more. 

To browse the templates available, open Google Slides. Then, click Template Gallery in the upper-right corner. Scroll through the options, choose the one that meets your needs, and start creating a presentation. 

What's the difference between Google Slides and PowerPoint? 

Both Google Slides and PowerPoint are presentation programs. Google Slides is a program within Google Workspace, and PowerPoint is a Microsoft program. PowerPoint is an offline program, while Slides is online which allows for real time collaboration.

The programs share many features that allow for presentation creation and delivery, but PowerPoint may offer more advanced design features. 

You can convert Google Slides into PowerPoint presentations, and vice versa. From the top menu in Slides, click File, Download, and choose Microsoft PowerPoint. 

How to learn to use Google Slides 

Through Google Workspace, you can access several quick-start guides, cheat sheets, and troubleshooting resources to help you learn to use Google Slides. There are also many YouTube videos with tutorials for using Slides.

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Google Slides cheat sheet: How to get started

How to use google slides to create, collaborate on, and lead business presentations..

Need to build a slide presentation for a meeting, training, or other event? Google Slides is an easy-to-use web app that comes with the essential tools and more. It stores your presentations in the cloud with Google Drive. Anyone with a Google account can use Slides and Drive for free, and they’re also included with a Google Workspace (formerly G Suite) subscription for business and enterprise customers. There are Google Sheets mobile apps for Android and iOS, too.

This guide will help you become familiar with the Google Slides web interface and show you how to start a new presentation, upload a Microsoft PowerPoint file to edit in Google Slides, collaborate with others on your presentation, and finally, present it to others.

Create or open a presentation

Log in to your Google or Workspace account. Then:

From Google Slides : At the top of the home page, you’ll see a “Start a new presentation” header, with a row of thumbnails underneath. To start a new, blank presentation, click the Blank thumbnail. To start a new presentation in a template, select one of the thumbnails to the right or click Template gallery toward the upper-right corner, then click any thumbnail on the page that appears.

The Google Slides home page. (Click image to enlarge it.)

Below the “Start a new presentation” area you’ll see a list of presentations that are stored in your Google Drive or shared with you. To open a presentation, click it in this list.

The list of your presentations appears in reverse chronological order starting with the presentation you most recently opened. Clicking the “AZ” icon at the upper right of this list changes the sort order to Last modified by me , Last modified , or in alphabetical order by presentation title. You can also browse to a specific folder by clicking the folder icon next to the “AZ” icon.

From Google Drive : Presentations stored in your Google Drive are listed in the main window of the Drive home page. To see a listing of presentations that others are sharing with you, click Shared with me in the left column. From either list, double-click a presentation to open it in Google Slides.

To start a new, blank presentation, click the New button at the upper-left of the screen and then click Google Slides .

If you want to use a template to start a new presentation, click the New button, then move the cursor over the right arrow next to Google Slides and select From a template . The template gallery for Google Slides will open; click a thumbnail to start a new presentation in that template.

Creating a new presentation from Google Drive.

From Google Slides or Drive: You also can use the search box at the top to find presentations in your Google Drive or shared with you. Enter words or numbers that may be in the presentation you’re looking for.

Upload a PowerPoint presentation to Slides

You can edit a Microsoft PowerPoint presentation in Google Slides, but first you must upload it to Google Drive.

From Google Slides: Click the folder icon ( Open file picker ) that’s above and toward the right corner of your presentations list. On the panel that opens, click the Upload tab. Drag-and-drop your PowerPoint file (.ppt or .pptx) onto this panel, or browse your PC’s drive to select it.

From Google Drive: Click the New button, then File upload , and select the PowerPoint file from your PC’s drive and click Open .

Traditionally, when you uploaded PowerPoint files to Google Drive, they were automatically converted to Slides format. That’s still the case when you upload PowerPoint files via the Google Slides home page .

However, Google now supports the ability to edit Microsoft Office files in their native format. By default, any .pptx files that you upload via Google Drive will remain formatted as PowerPoint documents. You can edit and collaborate on a PowerPoint file right in Slides, with all changes made by you or your collaborators saved directly to the PowerPoint file.

On the Google Slides and Drive home pages, native PowerPoint files will be denoted with an orange “P” icon, and when you open a native PowerPoint file in Sheets, you’ll see a “.PPTX” flag to the right of the document title.

Native PowerPoint files show the PowerPoint icon (top) instead of the Google Slides icon (bottom).

If you’d rather have Google convert PowerPoint files to Slides format automatically when you upload them via Google Drive, click the gear icon in the upper-right corner of the Drive home screen and select Settings from the drop-down menu. In the Settings box next to “Convert uploads,” check the checkbox marked Convert uploaded files to Google Docs editor format .

Work in a presentation

When you open a new or existing presentation, its first slide appears in the main window of Google Slides. Here’s a breakdown of the toolbars, menus, panes, and sidebars that appear around your presentation.

The left pane shows thumbnails of all the slides in your presentation. Click a thumbnail, and the slide it represents will appear in the main window, where you can edit it.

The Google Slides editing interface. (Click image to enlarge it.)

Your presentation’s title appears along the top of the screen. To change it, click anywhere inside the title and start typing.

The menu bar below your presentation’s title has a complete set of tools for working with presentations. These are the main submenus to know:

• File has commands for taking action on the whole presentation, including Print, Rename, and Share.
• Edit lists the standard editing commands such as copy, cut, paste, delete, duplicate, and find and replace.
• View lists several ways that you can view your slides as you design and edit them. This includes arranging them into a grid, previewing them as a slideshow, or zooming in on them. You can also watch the transition effect that takes place between slides when they’re played in a slideshow.
• Insert lets you add several objects to your slides, including charts, diagrams, pictures, tables, and text. You can also add links to YouTube videos or sound or video files that are stored in your Google Drive.
• Format lets you change the look of your slides. Certain functions on this submenu become clickable depending on whether you’ve selected an image or text on a slide, or selected the slide itself.
• Slide is where you can add, delete, or duplicate a slide that you’ve selected. You can also add a preset layout to a slide, change its background or theme color, or add and edit a transition effect that takes place between slides when your presentation is played as a slideshow.
• Arrange lists tools that let you group or reorder objects on a slide in relation to another. For example, you can place an image behind another image or group an image and a block of text together to make them easier to move at once.
• Tools leads to several miscellaneous functions. These include letting you record a voice clip to go with a slide, running a spell checker, and showing you a list of objects in your presentation that are linked to other files.

The toolbar directly above your presentation puts commonly used commands in easy reach. From this toolbar, you can click buttons to add to a slide or change its background, comments, layout, objects (images, lines, shapes, text), text style, theme colors for the whole presentation, transition effects during a slideshow, and more. The buttons on the toolbar change depending on whether you’ve selected image or text on a slide or the slide itself.

Notice that there’s no Save button in the toolbar — or anywhere in Google Slides. That’s because Slides automatically saves any changes you make to your presentation.

Speaker notes: Along the bottom of each slide you’ll see an area marked Click to add speaker notes . Here you can type in brief notes to remind yourself what to do or say when the slide is being shown. Only you will see these notes when you show your presentation to an audience.

Themes sidebar: When you start a new blank presentation, the Themes sidebar opens on the right side of the screen. (You can also open this sidebar at any time by clicking Theme on the toolbar above your presentation.) Themes apply the same fonts, colors, and other design elements to all the slides in a presentation, giving it a consistent look and feel. Click a thumbnail in this sidebar to change your presentation to that theme.

Create and manage slides

Here are the basic things to know about working with slides in a presentation.

Add a new, blank slide to your presentation: Click the + button at the left end of the toolbar above your presentation. Alternatively, if you click the down arrow next to the +, you can choose a layout to use as the basis for a new slide.

Click the down arrow next to the + button in the toolbar to choose a layout for a new slide.

Apply or change a slide’s background: Select the slide’s thumbnail in the left sidebar and click Background on the toolbar above your presentation. On the panel that opens, you can change the slide’s background color or use an image file from your Google Drive, Google Photos account, or PC as the background.

Apply or change a slide’s layout: Select the slide’s thumbnail in the left pane, then click Layout on the toolbar above your presentation. On the panel that opens, select the layout you want to apply to this slide.

Apply or change a slide’s transition: Select the slide’s thumbnail in the left sidebar and click Transition on the toolbar above your presentation. In the Motion sidebar that opens along the right side of the screen, you can apply or change the animated transition effect that is played before this slide.

Choosing a transition style in the Motion pane.

Move a slide to a different spot in the slideshow sequence: Click and hold its thumbnail in the left sidebar, drag it up or down to another place in the sequence, and release it.

Delete a slide: Right-click its thumbnail in the left sidebar and select Delete from the pop-up menu. Alternatively, select its thumbnail and select Edit > Delete from the menu bar or just press the Delete key.

Share and collaborate on a presentation

Presentations are often a group effort, with several team members contributing to and polishing a presentation. In Slides, it’s easy for multiple collaborators to work on a presentation together.

First, you need to share the presentation. When you’re viewing your presentation in Google Slides, click the Share button at the upper-right. Or, from your Google Drive homepage, click to highlight the presentation that you want to share. Then, in the toolbar toward the upper right, click the Share icon (a head-and-shoulders silhouette with a +).

Either way, the “Share” panel will open.

Setting permissions for a file being shared privately.

Share a presentation privately

In the entry box, enter the email addresses (or names of your Google Contacts) of the people with whom you want to share. By default, the people you invite to your presentation can edit it and reshare it with others.

To change access permissions for invitees: Click Editor to the right of the entry box and choose another option from the drop-down menu. Commenter means they can view your spreadsheet and add comments but can’t change it. Viewer means they can view your presentation but can’t edit it or add comments.

To prevent your presentation from being reshared, downloaded, or printed: Click the gear icon at the upper-right of this panel. On the smaller panel that opens, uncheck the boxes by Editors can change permissions and share and Viewers and commenters can see the option to download, print, and copy .

When you’re done setting permissions (and, optionally, typing in a message to your invitees), click Send , and everyone you’ve added will receive an email with a link they can click to access the document.

The shared presentation icon.

A presentation you’ve shared (or that others have shared with you) will have an icon of two silhouetted heads next to it in the presentations list on your Google Sheets and Google Drive home pages.

To limit or change a person’s access to your presentation: With the presentation open in Google Slides, click the Share button at the upper-right. Or, from Google Drive, highlight the presentation and click the Share icon.

The Share panel reopens showing a list of all the people you’ve invited, along with their permission status. Click the down arrow to the right of a person’s name, change their permission level or remove their access entirely, and click Save .

You can change permissions for people you’ve shared a presentation with on an individual basis.

If you have a Google Workspace subscription, another option is to select Give temporary access and, next to Access expires , select a date within one year of the current date. If you set an expiration date for a person that you’ve assigned as Editor, their access will be downgraded to Commenter on the expiration date.

Share a presentation publicly

Most business users will want to share presentations privately with select colleagues or clients, but you do have the option to share a presentation publicly. At the bottom of the Share panel is a “General access” area where you can copy a link to the document. By default, this link is restricted to those you invite to the document. To change it to a public link, click Restricted and select Anyone with the link from the menu that appears.

Click Copy link and the link to your presentation will be copied to your PC’s clipboard. You can share this link by pasting it into a chat message, document, email, forum post, or most other means of online written communication. Anyone who clicks this link will be able to view your presentation online. (Be aware that anyone can copy and reshare this link.)

To allow anyone in the public to comment on or edit your presentation: At the bottom right of the Share panel, click Viewer and select Commenter or Editor from the drop-down menu. Then click the Done button. Now the web link to your presentation will let anyone who clicks it add a comment or edit it.

Sharing a spreadsheet publicly.

To turn off public sharing for your presentation: Bring up the Share panel again. Near the bottom, click Anyone with the link and select Restricted from the menu, then click the Done button.

Note: You can apply both public and private sharing methods to your presentation. For example, you could allow the public to only view your presentation, but allow specific people that you’ve invited to comment on or edit it.

Collaborate on a presentation

The people you’ve shared a spreadsheet with can view or work on it at the same time as you or at other times. Remember that people who have Editor privileges to your presentation can change all aspects of it. Having multiple people making changes to a presentation can get confusing. In most cases, setting everyone to Commenter is the best way to collaborate in Slides: People can attach comments to a slide or to objects in a slide, but their comments won’t alter your presentation’s information or design.

To add a comment to a slide: Right-click its thumbnail in the left sidebar and select Comment from the menu that opens. Alternatively, you can select its thumbnail and select Insert > Comment from the menu bar or click the Add comment button (a speech balloon with a + sign).

A blank comment card with your name on it opens to the right of the slide in the main window. On this card’s entry line, type a brief comment, and when you’re finished, click the Comment button.

Typing in a new comment.

To add a comment to an object on a slide: Right-click the object (a block of text, chart, image, picture, etc.) and select Comment from the menu that opens. Alternatively, you can select the object and select Insert > Comment from the menu bar.

To draw someone’s attention to a comment: As you’re composing the comment, type the @ symbol and begin typing their name, then select the person from the list of suggested Google contacts that appears. They’ll receive an email notifying them of the comment and linking to it.

To read, reply to, or remove a comment: A slide that contains a comment is denoted in the left sidebar with a speech balloon by its thumbnail. Click the slide’s thumbnail to make the slide appear in the main window, and you’ll see all its comment cards on the right.

To reply to a comment, click its card. The card will expand to reveal an entry line where you can add a comment in response.

Replying to a comment.

Clicking the checkmark at the upper right marks the comment card as “resolved” and removes the card from the presentation. Clicking the card’s three-dot icon opens a menu that lets you edit or delete your comment.

To see a list of all comments: Click the Open comment history icon (the speech balloon) to the left of the Slideshow button. A sidebar will open along the right side of the screen; it lists all the comment cards in your presentation. When you click a comment on this list, the view of your presentation in the main window will jump to the cell where the comment is located and open its comment card.

The Comments pane lets you quickly review all comments and jump to specific ones.

For more details about collaborating on your presentation, including what it’s like to collaborate in real time, see “ How to collaborate on a document ” in our Google Drive guide. You can also collaborate on a presentation in Google Chat; that’s covered later in this story.

Recover older versions of a presentation

It’s easy to go too far when making tweaks to a presentation. Fortunately, it’s also easy to roll back to an earlier version of the presentation. Click File > Version history > See version history . This opens a panel on the right that shows a list of older versions of your presentation.

Using Version history to view an earlier version of a presentation. (Click image to enlarge it.)

To view an earlier version of your presentation: Click the date for it in the list. That version of the presentation will then appear in the main window.

To restore an earlier version so it replaces your current presentation: With the version you want to restore showing in the main window, click the yellow Restore this version button at the top of the screen. The restored version will then appear at the top of the version history list.

To give an older version a unique name: Click on its date. You’ll be prompted to type in words to replace the date. (The date and time will then appear in smaller size underneath the new name.)

Give a presentation

When it’s time to play your presentation to an audience, Google Slides has two modes: Slideshow and Presenter view. Slideshow mode essentially shows what your audience will see. Presenter view mode provides additional tools for your eyes only that run alongside Slideshow mode.

Slideshow mode: Click the Slideshow button at the upper-right corner of the screen. Google Slides will expand to full-screen view and show the slide that’s currently in the main window. (If you want to start the slideshow from the first slide in your presentation, click the down arrow to the right of the Slideshow button and select Start from beginning .)

The control bar in Slideshow mode lets you click through the slides, turn on auto-play, use a laser pointer effect, and more. (Click image to enlarge it.)

When you move the on-screen pointer to the lower-left corner of your presentation, a control bar appears. You use this to click forward and back through the slides. Clicking the three-dot icon on the control bar opens a menu with other controls, such as starting auto-play and adjusting how quickly it moves from slide to slide.

On this menu, Turn on the laser pointer turns the mouse pointer into a simulated red laser dot. Captions preferences — available only if you’re using a Chrome browser or Chromebook — lets you turn on real-time, automatic transcribing of your words as you say them (English only) and shows them to your audience as on-screen captions. Open speaker notes takes your presentation out of full screen and opens a separate “Presenter view” window, as described below.

Presenter view mode: Click the down arrow to the right of the Slideshow button and select Presenter view . This shows the presentation in your browser window and launches a separate window that assists you while you’re giving your presentation.

Presenter view lets you (but not your audience) see your speaker notes while presenting. (Click image to enlarge it.)

From the Presenter view window, you can jump to any slide in your presentation, read the speaker notes you wrote for a slide, and control the Q&A feature. There’s also a timer that you can set to remind yourself how much time you’re spending showing a slide — or the entire presentation — to your audience.

Click the AUDIENCE TOOLS tab to use the Q&A feature, which lets you take questions from your audience. To open questions for a slideshow, click the Start new button. A web link appears at the top of your presentation. An audience member watching your presentation on their computer, phone, or tablet can click/tap that link, which will take them to a page where they can type a question for you. You’ll see the question  in your Presenter view window, and you can choose whether to show their question to the rest of your audience during the presentation. To close questions for a presentation, turn the switch from ON to OFF .

Audience members can submit questions from their devices, and the presenter can decide whether to display them as part of the slideshow. (Click image to enlarge it.)

Present in Google Meet

Need to give a presentation during a Google Meet video meeting? As long as you’re using a Chromium-based browser (Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Opera, etc.), it’s easy: Toward the upper right of the Google Slides page, click the Google Meet icon. From the panel that opens, select a meeting that’s scheduled on your Google calendar today, start a new meeting, or type/paste in the web link or code that you have for another meeting.

Click the Meet icon to get started presenting to a video meeting.

If you start a new meeting, a sidebar for the meeting will open on the right. At the bottom of the sidebar, click the Present now icon (a box with an up arrow). On the panel that appears, select your presentation and click the Share button, and you’ll be presenting to the meeting.

Choose which tab or window you want to share and click the Share button. (Click image to enlarge it.)

If you join a scheduled meeting, you have two choices: “Join the call” and “Just present this tab.” If you click Join the call , a sidebar for the meeting will open on the right. Follow the same steps as above to present to the meeting. If you click Just present this tab , you’ll go directly to the panel where you select your presentation and click Share , but you won’t have a sidebar where you can follow the main meeting.

To stop sharing your presentation to the meeting, click the Stop sharing button at the top left of your browser window.

For more details about using Google Meet, see our Google Meet cheat sheet .

Download and export a presentation

Google Slides lets you download presentations for use offline. On the top menu, select File > Download and choose a file format. You can save your presentation to your PC as a PowerPoint (.pptx) file or in other formats such as PDF, or as JPG or PNG for an individual slide.

5 tips for working with Google Slides

Now that you’re comfortable working in Google Slides, try these intermediate tips.

Use the Google Slides mobile app

With the exception of the “Version history” tool, the Google Slides app for Android , iPhone , and iPad has many of the same features described in this guide.

When you have a slideshow open, the toolbar at the top of the screen lets you take a variety of actions:

• To present your slides on your phone or tablet, on a Chromecast device, or in a Google Meet meeting, tap the triangle icon.
• To share your presentation with other people, the headshot silhouette. (See “How to share from the Google Drive, Docs, Sheets, and Slides mobile apps” in our Google Drive cheat sheet .)
• To view all the comments in the presentation, tap the Comments icon (a chat balloon) if you see it in the toolbar, or tap the three-dot icon and select View comments from the menu that appears.
• The three-dot menu also lets you see the presentation’s Q&A history, export it, make it available offline, and more.

The Google Slides Android app.

To edit or comment on a slide: Tap the slide, and a menu will appear that lets you add or view comments for that slide or edit it. Tap an element on a slide, such as text or an image, and tools to edit that element will appear.

Any changes you make to your presentation in the mobile app are automatically saved and will appear the next time you open it in the Google Slides web app.

Get suggested slide layouts and content

Click the Explore icon at the lower-right corner of the screen. The Explore sidebar will open along the right side. In most cases, you’ll be presented with thumbnails of suggested layouts that Google Slides has automatically customized for the slide that’s open in the main window. Click the one you want, and it will be applied to the slide.

Use the Explore tool to get suggested layouts (left) and search for images (right).

At the top of the Explore sidebar is a search box. You can type in a word or phrase to find related content on the web or in your Google Drive. Search results appear on separate Web, Images, and Drive tabs in the sidebar. Click a web or Drive result to open it in a new browser tab. On the Images tab, click the + icon on the upper-right corner of an image to insert it onto your slide.

Create custom slide layouts to use as templates

You can design your own slide layouts to use as templates in any future presentation. First, open a new, blank presentation as described above. Then:

• On the menu bar over the blank presentation, select View > Theme builder .
• The main window switches to a layout editor. Toward the left you’ll see a column with the heading THEME on top and LAYOUTS just below that. Click the thumbnail of any layout in the LAYOUTS list. It will appear in the main window.
• You can remove objects that are already in any layout. For example, click on a block of text. A frame appears around the text. Without selecting the text itself, move the pointer to ward an edge of the frame, right-click, and select Delete from the menu that opens.

Creating a custom slide layout. (Click image to enlarge it.)

• Using the formatting toolbar above the slide, you can add new objects to the slide, including images, image placeholders, shapes, lines, and blocks for text. (Tip: enter placeholder words inside the text blocks.) When you click on any object, a frame appears around it. Drag and drop the frame to relocate it on the slide, or drag its edges to change its shape or size. You can also add or change the border and background colors for any object on the slide and/or change the background color for the whole slide.
• When you’re finished designing your layout, click the Rename button above the slide and give the layout a unique name.
• If you want to create another custom layout, click on the thumbnail of another layout under the column LAYOUTS and repeat the above steps starting from #3.
• When you are finished custom-designing all your layouts, click the X toward the upper-right of the slide layout in the main window.
• Along the top of the screen, click anywhere inside Untitled presentation and start typing. Tip: Use a name that indicates this is a template (e.g., “Annual Budget Presentation – Template”).

In the future, you can make new presentations starting from this template, and your custom slide layouts will be available.

• Open the template presentation you created in the steps above. On the menu bar, click File > Make a copy > Entire presentation . On the panel that opens, type in a name for the new presentation you want to create and click the Make a copy button. Google Slides will open this new presentation in a new browser tab.
• On the toolbar above the first slide of your new presentation, click Layout . From the panel of thumbnails that opens, select one of the layouts that you created. It will then be applied to the slide in the main window.

Collaborate on a presentation in Google Chat

An alternative way to collaborate on a presentation is to share it in Google Chat. Other people in your chat can add comments and help make changes to your presentation.

Start in Google Chat . To the left of the box where you type in your chat messages, click the + icon and select Drive file from the menu that opens. A panel will open over the screen listing the files in your Google Drive. Find and click your presentation to highlight it, then click INSERT on the lower-right corner.

You’ll be taken back to the chat message box. Click the blue right-pointing arrow to the right of the box, and a panel will open over the screen designating permissions for the shared presentation. By default, permissions are set to Comment. To change this, click Comment and select View or Edit . You can also allow the people in the chat to share a web link to your presentation with others outside of the chat by selecting Turn link sharing on .

You can share a presentation to individual or group chats in Google Chats. (Click image to enlarge it.)

After you’ve set the permissions, click SEND , and your message will appear in the chat stream with a large thumbnail of your presentation. To open a presentation in the chat, click the thumbnail. The presentation will open inside a large window that’s laid out alongside the right of the chat stream.

This is actually Google Slides running inside the chat window with your presentation loaded in it. Thus, most of the Slides commenting and editing tools are available for you and others in the chat to use on your presentation (if you granted them permission to comment or edit). The user interface is the same, except there’s no menu bar.

Collaborating on a presentation from within a Google Chat. (Click image to enlarge it.)

Use keyboard shortcuts

Save time in Slides by using keyboard shortcuts for common tasks. Below are some of the most useful to know. For more, select Help > Keyboard shortcuts from the top menu when you have a spreadsheet open or press Ctrl + / (Windows, Chrome OS) or ⌘ + / (macOS).

Handy Google Slides keyboard shortcuts

This story was originally published in September 2019 and updated in August 2022.

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Howard Wen ( www.howardwen.com ) is a longtime contributor to Computerworld . He specializes in explainer guides, how-tos, and reviews of office applications and productivity tools.

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How to autoplay and loop a google slides presentation.

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Set up autoplay and loop when presenting, set up autoplay and loop when publishing to the web.

If you don't want to worry about clicking through your slideshow, you can set up Google Slides to play your presentation automatically. Plus, you can have the slideshow loop, so it starts over at the beginning when it ends.

You might be playing your slideshow at a kiosk, during a conference, or publishing it to the web. These are the ideal times to use AutoPlay and Loop in Google Slides . You can automatically present the show and choose the timing between slides. Then, restart the presentation at the beginning each time it ends.

If you plan to start the slideshow and then let it play, you can set up AutoPlay and Loop , or simply one or the other.

Related: How to Loop a PowerPoint Presentation

Start the presentation by clicking "Slideshow" at the top of Google Slides. You can also use the arrow to pick either "Presenter View" or "Start From Beginning" per your preference.

When the slideshow opens, display the Presenter Toolbar by hovering your cursor over the bottom left corner of the presentation.

Click the three dots on the right of the Presenter Toolbar, then move to AutoPlay. You'll see a pop-out menu that lets you select the advance timing for the slides. You can pick from every second up to every minute.

If you also want to loop the slideshow, select "Loop" at the bottom of the pop-out menu.

When you finish, click "Play" to automatically play your presentation.

To stop the slideshow, simply click on a slide. You can then resume AutoPlay from the Presenter Toolbar by selecting "Play" again.

Maybe you plan to publish your slideshow to the web or embed it on a website rather than play it locally. You can set up AutoPlay and Loop as part of the publish settings.

Related: How to Share a Google Docs, Sheets, or Slides File as a Web Page

Go to File > Publish to the Web in the menu.

Choose either "Link" or "Embed" per your intent. Then use the Auto-Advance Slides drop-down box to choose the timing for the slides. Here again, you can pick from every second up to every minute.

To loop the slideshow, check the box for Restart the Slideshow After the Last Slide.

You can then mark the checkbox for Start Slideshow as Soon as the Player loads if you like, so that the viewer doesn't have to take any action to begin the presentation.

When you finish, click "Publish" and confirm to obtain the link or embed code for the slideshow.

To share a Google Slides presentation that doesn't require you to walk viewers through it, remember these steps to automatically play and loop the slideshow.

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How to Convert Presentations from PowerPoint to Google Slides

Have you ever found yourself needing to convert a PowerPoint presentation to Google Slides? It’s easier than you think! Many professionals and educators prefer Google Slides for its ease of sharing and real-time collaboration features. In this blog, we’ll walk you through the process step-by-step. Plus, we’ll share some handy tips and tricks to make your transition smooth.

Step-by-Step Guide to Convert PowerPoint to Google Slides

Step 1: upload your powerpoint file to google drive.

To start, upload your PowerPoint file to Google Drive. Here’s how:

• Open Google Drive.
• Then, click the “New” button available at the top left corner.
• Select “File upload” from the dropdown menu.
• Choose the PowerPoint file (.pptx) you want to convert and upload it.

Step 2: Open the PowerPoint File with Google Slides

Once your file is uploaded to Google Drive, follow these steps:

• Locate the uploaded PowerPoint file in your Google Drive.
• Right-click on the file.
• Then, select “Google Slides” by hovering over the “Open with” option.

Google Slides will automatically convert your PowerPoint file to a Google Slides presentation. This conversion usually retains most of the formatting and content, but it’s always a good idea to review the presentation to ensure everything looks correct.

Step 3: Review and Edit Your Presentation

After opening your PowerPoint file in Google Slides, take some time to review and edit your presentation. Here are some things to check:

• Formatting: Ensure all fonts, colors, and layouts have been preserved correctly.
• Images and Media: Check that all images, videos, and other media elements are displayed properly.
• Animations and Transitions: Some animations and transitions may not convert perfectly. Adjust them as needed.

Step 4: Save and Share Your Google Slides Presentation

Once you’ve reviewed and edited your presentation, it’s time to save and share it. Since your file is already in Google Drive, it’s easy to share with others:

• Click the “Share” button located in the top right corner.
• Enter the email addresses of the recipients you want to share the presentation with.
• Set their access level to Viewer, Commenter, or Editor, depending on their role.
• Click “Send.”

Additional Tips and Tricks: Use Free Presentation Templates

To make your presentation stand out, consider using free presentation templates available online. These templates can save you time and provide a professional look for your slides. SlideEgg offers a variety of free templates that are easy to customize.

Why Convert PowerPoint to Google Slides?

It’s important to understand why you might want to convert your PowerPoint presentations to Google Slides. Here are a few reasons:

• Collaborate in Real-Time: Google Slides supports real-time collaboration, allowing multiple users to work on the same presentation together.
• Cloud Storage: Your presentations are stored in Google Drive, making them accessible from anywhere.
• Automatic Saving: Google Slides automatically saves your work, reducing the risk of data loss.
• Integration with Google Apps: Seamlessly integrate with other Google services like Google Docs, Sheets, and Forms.

When to Choose a Different Path

While Google Slides is fantastic, it might not be the best fit for every presentation. If you’ve got a super complex presentation with lots of animations and fancy multimedia stuff, converting it might be tricky. In this case, consider saving your PowerPoint as a PDF. Don’t miss our guide on “How to Save Your PowerPoint Presentation as a PDF.”

And remember, practice makes perfect. The more you use Google Slides, the better you’ll get at creating awesome presentations. Want to learn more about presentation tips and tricks ? Head over to our page on presentation hacks.

Ready to conquer Keynote next? We’ve got you covered with our guide on “ How to Convert PowerPoint to Keynote: Stepwise Instructions “.

So, what are you waiting for? Give it a try and see how much easier it is to collaborate and share your work. Happy presenting!

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Arockia Mary Amutha

Arockia Mary Amutha is a seasoned senior content writer at SlideEgg, bringing over four years of dedicated experience to the field. Her expertise in presentation tools like PowerPoint, Google Slides, and Canva shines through in her clear, concise, and professional writing style. With a passion for crafting engaging and insightful content, she specializes in creating detailed how-to guides, tutorials, and tips on presentation design that resonate with and empower readers.

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