how to record slide presentation

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Use slides recording in Google Slides

You can only record your presentations in Google Chrome Browsers. However, you can view, share, and delete recordings from any browser.

Record a slideshow

• There's a 30-minute limit to every recording.
• Information about Slides recordings isn't available in Revision History.
• If you exceed your Drive Storage quota, you can’t create more recordings.
• You must have edit access to the slides in order to create a new recording.
• To open your presentation, go to Google Slides .

• To start over, pause and click Re-record .
• To save your recording, pause and click Save to Drive .

Find your recording

• On your computer, go to Google Slides .
• Open the presentation where you created the recording.
• Select your recording from the list that appears.

Tip: Recordings are saved into a My Drive folder called Slides recordings.

Share your recording

Recordings can be shared to collaborators on the document immediately after creation.

• To share your recording, click the title of the recording from the list.
• The video in the full-screen player layout appears.
• Select the user, audience, or URL visibility rules.

Tip : Alternatively, you can share a recording like you would share any file in Drive.  Learn how to share files from Google Drive .

Remove a recording

• If you created the recording, you also have the option to move the recording file in Drive to Trash. If the recording in Drive isn't moved to Trash, the recording stays visible in Drive to anyone with access.
• If you didn't create the recording, it's still visible in the creator's Drive and anyone to with access.

Use external device

You can use a microphone or camera that isn't built into your computer, such as a USB-based external camera or wireless earbuds.

To get started, set up your camera or microphone device like you would normally use it with your computer.

• Open your presentation.
• When the recording studio opens, at the bottom toolbar, click Settings .
• If your external microphone or camera is available, it's listed in the dropdown of devices available to use while recording.

Troubleshoot camera & microphone

When you create a Slides recording for the first time, it asks for a series of permissions to use the camera and microphone of your computer.

Tip: Camera and microphone access isn't required to start recording.

If you decide not to grant access to your camera or microphone, you can change it later.

• On your computer, open Chrome.
• chrome://settings/content/microphone
• chrome://settings/content/camera
• Adjust the settings to grant access.

Need more help?

Try these next steps:.

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How to Record a PowerPoint Presentation with Narration

Can be helpful in creating a dramatic narrative

Microsoft PowerPoint has a built-in recording tool that allows you to narrate your presentations using recorded audio. You can export and share recorded presentations as video files.

This tutorial covers everything about recording PowerPoint presentations on Windows and Mac computers.

Record PowerPoint Presentation with Narration

Open the PowerPoint file/presentation you want to record and follow the steps below.

Record PowerPoint Presentation on Windows

• Select the slide you want to start recording from on the slide thumbnail pane.

• Head to the Record tab on the ribbon and select the Record button to start recording from the current/selected slide.

To record from the first slide, select the down-facing arrow icon below the Record button and select From Beginning .

You can also record a presentation from the Slide Show tab. Select Slide Show on the ribbon and select Record , From Current Slide , or From Beginning .

That’ll open PowerPoint’s presentation recorder in a fullscreen window.

• Select the Record icon and start speaking after the three seconds countdown.

PowerPoint records the presentation window and captures your voice and webcam feed as you navigate the slides. Select the left-facing and right-facing arrows to move to the previous and next slides in the presentation.

Record PowerPoint Presentation in macOS

• Open the Slide Show tab and select Record Slide Show .

• Select the Record button on the toolbar to start recording your narration.

Use your keyboard arrow keys to move back and forth between slides. Press N or Space Bar to move to the next slide or animation in the presentation. Press P or Backspace to return to the previous slide or animation.

Select Tips in the top-left corner for more keyboard shortcuts and other presentation tips .

Note: The narration tool doesn’t record slide transitions. When moving between slides, wait for the destination slide to appear on the screen before speaking.

PowerPoint Recorder Control/Settings

You’ll find a handful of controls and options on the recording tool. We’ll show you how to use these controls to include voiceovers or audio recordings in your presentation.

Using Presentation Pointer Tools

PowerPoint provides several tools to mark up your slides when narrating your presentation. There’s a pen tool, eraser, laser pointer, and highlighter.

With the Pen tool, you can draw on slides during narration/recording. Press Ctrl + P (Windows) or Command + P (Mac) to use the pen tool. You can also select the Pen icon to convert the pointer to a pen.

The Laser pointer tool converts your cursor to an onscreen laser. Use the laser pointer to draw attention to something on a slide/presentation.

Press Ctrl + L (Windows) or Command + L (Mac) to use the laser pointer. There’s also a Laser pointer icon on the toolbar.

Pressing Ctrl + I (or selecting the Highlighter tool ) converts your cursor to a highlighter.

Use the Eraser tool to remove inks and highlight from slides. Select the Eraser icon or press Ctrl + E and select the ink to erase.

On macOS, select the Erase Pen icon (or press E ) to erase all drawings and highlights on the slide.

You can change the pointer tools ink from the color selection boxes. However, one major limitation is that you can’t change the size of these pointer tools.

Pause and Resume Your Recording

In Windows, press I on your keyboard or select the Pause button in the top-left corner to pause your recording.

Press I again or select the Record icon to resume the recording.

If you use a Mac, select the Pause icon in the top toolbar to pause the recording.

Unmute or Mute Microphone

Check that your microphone is unmuted before recording. Select the microphone icon in the bottom-right corner to mute or unmute your mic.

PowerPoint for Windows allows you to mute and unmute your microphone in real time while recording video/audio narrations. The macOS version of PowerPoint only lets you configure your camera and microphone settings before recording.

Switch Microphone or Camera

Want to record your presentation with an external microphone or camera? Press Ctrl + M or select the audio/camera settings icon in the top-right corner and choose your preferred microphone/camera.

In macOS, select the microphone icon to mute or unmute your microphone. Select the arrow-down icon next to the microphone or camcorder icons to switch input devices.

Enable and Disable Camera

The recorder displays your camera or webcam feed in the bottom-right corner of the presentation slides.

Select the camcorder icon to remove your webcam feed from the recording. Select the icon again to display your webcam feed in the presentation.

You can also use the Ctrl + K keyboard shortcut on Windows computers to enable or disable your camera.

On Mac computers, you’ll find the video control icon on the top toolbar.

Note: The recording tool greys out the camcorder icon if your microphone is turned off.

Enable or Disable Camera Preview

PowerPoint allows you to disable the camera preview without turning off your camera or webcam.

Press Ctrl + J (Windows) or select the Camera Preview icon in the bottom-right corner to disable or enable the camera preview.

End a Recording

Press S on your Windows keyboard or select the Stop icon to end the recording.

Replay or Preview Your Recording

When you end a narration, press V on your keyboard or select Replay to preview or watch the recording.

The recorded narration will include all pen inks, highlights, and laser pointer gestures made during the presentation.

You can also preview/replay the narration outside the recording tool. Open the Slide Show tab and choose to watch the playback From Beginning or From Current Slide .

PowerPoint allows you to preview the playback on individual slides. A speaker/audio icon appears in the bottom-right of PowerPoint slides with narrations.

Choose the slide you want to preview, hover your cursor on the speaker icon in the bottom-right corner, and select Play .

Delete Current Narration/Recording

Did you spot an error when previewing your presentation? Want to delete the current narration and start from scratch?

Select the Clear existing recordings icon and choose whether to Clear Recordings on Current Slide or Clear Recordings on All Slides .

On Mac, select the Bin icon to delete the entire narration/recording.

Close the Narration Tool

Select the X icon on the title bar to close the presentation narration tool and return to Powerpoint.

Select End Show in the top-left corner to close the recording tool on a Mac computer.

Delete Narrations from Slides

Want to delete the narration or timing on an individual slide or the entire presentation? Select the slide with the narration you want to delete and follow the steps below.

• Open the Record tab and select the down-facing arrow below the Record icon.
• Select Clear and choose to clear timing or narration on current or all slides.

Export Recorded or Narrated Presentation

You can export a narrated PowerPoint presentation as a video file. The video output includes ink strokes, recorded audio/video, laser pointer gestures, and webcam/camera recording.

• Open the Record tab and select Export to Video .

Alternatively, open the File menu, select Export on the sidebar, and select Create a Video .

• Choose the quality of the video export in the first drop-down box—Ultra HD (4K), Full HD (1080p), HD (720p), Standard (480p).

• Choose Use Recorded Timings and Narrations in the next drop-down box and select Create Video .

• Give the recorded presentation a file name and select Save .

Narrate Your PowerPoint Presentations

The Microsoft PowerPoint web app doesn’t have a recording tool. As a result, you can only record presentations with narrations using PowerPoint for Windows or Mac.

You might meet issues recording a slide show if you use an outdated version of PowerPoint. Also, the recording tool on older versions of PowerPoint has a different interface and lacks some controls. Update PowerPoint and restart your computer if you cannot record a slide show.

Sodiq has written thousands of tutorials, guides, and explainers over the past 4 years to help people solve problems with Android, iOS, Mac, and Windows devices. He also enjoys reviewing consumer tech products (smartphones, smart home devices, accessories, etc.) and binge-watching comedy series in his spare time. Read Sodiq's Full Bio

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eLearning Desk

Your Online Learning Guide

How to Record a Google Slides Presentation (with Audio & Video)

Whether you’re teaching an online class or having an important meeting, recording your Google Slides presentation can come in handy later for your or your students’ reference.

Stay with us as we break down how to record a Google Slides presentation with audio and video using free software.

• 1.1 Step #1: Ensure You Have the Required Resources
• 1.2 Step #2: Install Required Software
• 1.3 Step #3: Run the Tool
• 1.4 Step #4: Set Up Your Presentation
• 1.5 Step #5: Prepare to Record
• 1.6 Step #6: Start Recording
• 2.1 Related posts:

How to Record a Google Slides Presentation (with Audio & Video)

Before you can begin recording your Google Slides presentation, you will need a few things:

Step #1: Ensure You Have the Required Resources

• A microphone (you can use your laptop’s mic or wear a headset)
• Recording software (we touch on this in the coming section)
• A Google account

Step #2: Install Required Software

There are several software tools available online for free that you can use to record a Google Slides presentation. For the sake of ease and clarity, we use Apowersoft, a free tool that you can download from CNET .  

After downloading the executable, double click on it to run it and complete the wizard to install.

We recommend using this tool because it is 100% free to use and does not limit how much of your presentation you can record. 

While an earlier version of the tool did not add a watermark to recorded videos, in the new version, you will have to sign up with Apowersoft to record videos without a watermark.

It’s important to remember that the basic tool does not offer any editing features. In other words, you will need to record your presentation in one take or use another editing program to piece together the clips of your presentation.

If you’re a teacher, we recommend recording short videos since they’re convenient to make and also easier for students to watch. 

Step #3: Run the Tool

When you launch Apowersoft Free Screen Recorder, it will show you the region you can record with the tool right away.

You can change the region the tool will record by moving the recording area around by clicking and dragging the button in the middle. You can alter the bounds of the recording area by simply dragging the bounds as you please.

Alternatively, you can click on the “Full Screen” icon on the panel on the bottom. Since you need to record a Google Slides presentation, this is the button you want to click.

It’s also important to set up the tool correctly before proceeding to the next steps. If you look at the Apowersoft recorder’s panel, you will find video and audio options next to the record button on the left.

Ensure that the tool is set to record your screen and not your webcam and that the tool is recording audio from the correct microphone. 

Note that if there is a video in your slideshow, you will need to record the sound from your computer. 

Remember that choosing to record the system’s sounds also means that your computer’s error sounds (“bing”) and all other system sounds may also be recorded.

Step #4: Set Up Your Presentation

Before you can start recording, navigate to slides.google.com and find your presentation. Next, click on the “Slideshow” button in the top right corner. This will display the presentation in full-screen mode. 

It’s important to ensure that your slides on Google slides load completely before you start recording. If all the slides aren’t fully loaded, the transitions from slide to slide may look choppy in your recording.

Step #5: Prepare to Record

When both the recording tool and your presentation are ready, you can hit the record button on the panel. Clicking the button will make a popup appear. If you have logged into your Apowersoft account, it will record without a watermark.

You will also see the hotkeys you can use to control the recording in the popup.

If you hit the “OK” button, a 3-second countdown timer will appear before the tool starts recording. If you don’t want the Apowersoft recorder’s panel to appear in your recording, like in the following image:

You will need to navigate to the options menu by clicking on the three dots button on the right side of the panel.

You can then toggle the “Show recording toolbar” option off from the options menu. 

You can also change several other settings from this menu, including the recording format and the “Record” and “Stop Recording” keyboard shortcuts.

Step #6: Start Recording

Navigate to your slideshow window and click the “Rec” button. The tool will start recording after the countdown. You can go through the slides by pressing the right and left buttons. 

One of the most useful features of this tool is that it allows you to pause recording at certain points if you need a moment to proceed to your next talking point.

If you’ve left the recording panel enabled, you can use it to pause the recording whenever you want. 

Alternatively, you can press Ctrl-Alt-F3 to pause the recording. After you’ve caught up with the talking points or taken a moment to focus, you can press Ctrl-Alt-F1 to start the recording again.

After you finish recording the slideshow, press Ctrl-Alt-F2 to stop recording. The tool will then automatically start playing the video you recorded, and you can go through it.

You can use the handles on the extreme left and right of the player to trim the beginning and end of the video. 

However, we suggest that you do not do any trimming with this software since it sometimes ruins the recording by not trimming at the correct point.

If you’re satisfied with the recording, click on the “Save” button on the bottom right to save the video.

A menu with a default name for the recording and the folder where it’ll be saved will open up.

You can rename the file from this menu without any hassle. You can also select where you want to save the video from the “Open Folder” button.

If you’ve signed up with Apowersoft, they will offer you free cloud storage to save your videos. You can upload the video directly to the cloud storage by clicking on the “Upload to the cloud” button in the Save menu. 

Alternatively, you can upload the video you recorded straight to YouTube, Vimeo, Google Drive, or Dropbox by clicking the “Cloud” button instead of the “Save” button.

If you are a teacher, saving the video to Google Drive may be the right way to go. You can easily share the video with your students by making the video sharable and sending them the link to the file.

How to Convert Google Slides to PowerPoint in Simple Steps

While there are many ways to record a Google Slides presentation, using the Apowersoft free video recorder is one of the easiest ways to go about it.

The software is quite intuitive, and you should be able to figure out what buttons perform which function without expressly reading through this guide.

That being said, learning all the functions before you begin using the tool is an excellent way to ensure you get the most out of the tool and make a solid recording for your future reference or for your students.

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This is Maverick. During Covid-19 Pandemic, A School Teacher turned into an online Instructor. Here I Share How you can build your own Online School and offers eLearning to your Students. I'm trying to make the eLearning Desk a resource for Students as well as for Teachers.

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Home Blog PowerPoint Tutorials How to Record a Presentation in PowerPoint

How to Record a Presentation in PowerPoint

Recording PowerPoint presentations can have several benefits. They can serve as recordings of a session that can be uploaded online, shared with participants who might not be able to attend a presentation session, or used as tutorials for passing on instructions.

How to Record a PowerPoint Presentation

PowerPoint provides multiple options for initiating recording for a presentation. You can also choose to record audio and yourself presenting the slides using your camera. When recording your presentations, you can choose PowerPoint templates or something minimalist made by you to record the session. Just be mindful of the graphics to ensure the video does not appear overpowering to the viewer.

How do I Record a PowerPoint Presentation as a Video?

You can start recording your presentation using the following method.

• Record Tab: To record a PowerPoint presentation, go to the Record tab and select whether you wish to record from the beginning, from the current slide, a specific area on the screen, or record audio.
• Slide Show Tab: you can also initiate recording a PPT via Slide Show -> Record to initiate recording from the current slide or the beginning of your presentation.

Record Button: If you’re using the latest version of PowerPoint, you can start Recording your presentation from the current slide via the Record button in the top right corner.

Record from the Current Slide or Beginning of the Presentation

Starting your recording from the beginning of the current slide will open your presentation in recording mode. Hit Record to start the recording.

Screen Recording in PowerPoint

If you initiate screen recording in PowerPoint, you can start recording a screencast by selecting the area you wish to record. This is similar to recording a PowerPoint presentation as a video, with the added advantage of recording other parts of your desktop. This method can also be used for recording a screencast, even if you’re not using a PowerPoint presentation in your video recording.

To start the recording, click Record or use the Windows+SHIFT+R hotkey. To stop the screen recording, click Pause to temporarily halt the recording to resume later or Stop or the Windows+SHIFT+Q hotkey to end the recording session.

The recorded video will be instantly added to your slide once you click Stop .

Record Audio

Another option in the Record tab in PowerPoint is to record audio narrations for your PowerPoint presentation. Simply click Record to start, Pause to temporarily halt, and Stop to stop the recording process.

Once the recording stops, the audio will be added to your PowerPoint presentation.

How can I Annotate Slides in PowerPoint During a Recording?

Once you enter recording mode, you can start annotating your slides using the Pen or Highlighter tool. Other tools in the menu include a Laser pointer and Eraser.

How can I Record a PowerPoint Presentation with Audio?

To enable audio for your Powerpoint recording, unmute the mic from the audio icon on top, CTRL+M hotkey, or click the three dots ( More options for recording menu), followed by the Microphone to select the audio device for recording. You can only record audio if an audio device is connected to your computer. This is a fairly simple process, unlike other presentation platforms. For example, in an earlier article, we showed you how to do a voiceover on Google Slides , which entails a slightly more elaborate process.

How to Record Yourself Presenting a PowerPoint?

Enable the camera during a recording session.

Like turning on audio, you can toggle the camera on or off using the icon on top. The camera input device can also be selected via the Camera option or CTRL+K hotkey, which can be revealed via the three dots from the top menu.

Insert Video Recording in a Slide using Cameo

PowerPoint’s Cameo feature enables recording a video to insert in a slide. You can use the feature to quickly insert a video message in your slides that can be played during a presentation session. This option might also be relevant if you intend to convert PowerPoint to video . If you are looking how to video record yourself presenting a PowerPoint, then follow the steps below.

Once Cameo is turned on, you can also choose to stylize the camera shape, style, border, and add effects. Cameo is quite a unique feature in PowerPoint that currently does not have alternatives in rival presentation apps. For example, you cannot use a similar feature if you wish to convert Google Slides to video .

How to Save Recording for a PowerPoint Presentation?

After you have completed your recording, click Export to save the presentation recording.

You can customize your recording settings via Customize Export or continue the process via Export Video .

Using the Customize Export option, you can choose between a desired output quality for your video, including Ultra HD (4K), Full HD (1080p), HD (720p), and Standard (480p).

Other options in the menu include the ability to choose and preview timings and narrations.

After you are satisfied with your recording settings, you can export your presentation to video.

The video recording of your PowerPoint presentation can be played using any standard video player. The video can also be embedded in PowerPoint slides, uploaded online, such as to a YouTube channel, or shared via cloud storage apps like Dropbox, Box, OneDrive, etc.

Final Words

Recording a PowerPoint presentation can provide a record of a session that might be required for further sharing. The best way to record a presentation is to ensure that your slides aren’t visually overpowering, your audio is clear and audible, and if using a camera, the cam input isn’t hazy, grainy, or too dark.

Once you are familiar with how to record a presentation on PowerPoint, it might take a bit of practice to make your video recording look professional and crisp. It’s best to practice your sessions before recording them until you can seamlessly record presentation decks.

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How to Record a Presentation with Webcam, Narration, and More

Everyone has, at some point, put a load of time and effort into creating the perfect PowerPoint presentation, only to use it once or twice. But isn’t it a shame for all that hard work to be discarded so quickly? Is every slide deck destined for deletion after just a couple of uses? 

Isn’t there a better way to make the most out of your presentations? Well, yes. Yes, there is. 

Rather than simply creating and presenting your work once or twice, recording your presentations can give them a new lease of life. Whether it’s a data report or a self-recorded PowerPoint, you can record a presentation in real-time, or in advance to make it available on-demand.

In this guide, we’ll explore two distinct ways of recording your presentation. First, we’ll discuss how to record a presentation from PowerPoint with audio and webcam, and then we’ll look at how to turn your .ppt slides into a video.

Benefits of Recording a Presentation 

As well as there being many different ways to record a presentation, there are also many benefits of recording them. So, before we show you the ‘how,’ let’s talk about the ‘why.’ 

• Encouraging asynchronous communication : One key benefit is fostering asynchronous communication . By recording presentations, you’re letting your audience engage with the content in their own time, breaking the constraints of time zones and scheduling conflicts. This also ensures your viewers can absorb information at their own pace, and revisit it as needed.
• Boosting SEO : You can use your presentation to create a YouTube video and share it on your website to increase your online visibility and attract prospective customers. This can be a great way to expand your audience, increase web traffic, and establish yourself as an expert in your field.
• Perfecting your presentation : Whether it’s in-person or over Zoom, you don’t get second chances with live presentations. However, a pre-recorded keynote lets you perfect the content and the narration before anyone sees it. This is a great way to combat stage fright while honing your presentation skills and building confidence.

With this in mind, turning your slides into a video is a no-brainer. It’s an easy way to grow your audience and make the information you’re sharing more accessible and easier to digest.

Record your presentation today!

Download a free trial of Snagit to quickly and easily record your presentation.

How to record your presentation (with Snagit)

Depending on your audience and the type of presentation you need to deliver, TechSmith’s Snagit could just be the perfect tool for recording your PowerPoint. With its user-friendly interface and advanced features, Snagit is ideal for capturing top-notch presentation videos, in just a few clicks. 

Now, there’s no denying that presentations are better when you can see the presenter… Fortunately, Snagit lets you capture your screen and webcam at the same time to create a Picture-in-Picture video.

In this section, we’ll guide you through the steps to record your presentation and webcam with Snagit. 

Step 1: Open video capture 

First, open Snagit and navigate to the Capture window. Select the Video tab, and start by clicking the big red Capture button.

Step 2: Select a recording area

Next, you’ll be prompted to choose which parts of your screen you want to record. Use Snagit’s orange crosshairs to select a specific region, window, or your entire screen. 

Step 3: Configure recording settings

With the Video Recording toolbar, you can set options like Cursor Capture and Effects, System Audio, and Webcam. 

If your webcam isn’t showing, click on the webcam icon. If you have an external webcam, select the one you want to use by clicking the dropdown arrow next to the webcam icon. 

Step 4: Adjust your webcam

Next, adjust your webcam options to ensure your Picture-in-Picture recording looks how you want it. Here you can change the Picture-in-Picture placement as well as the shape and size of your webcam recording. You can even toggle between Picture-in-Picture and fullscreen webcam modes as you like.

The best part? You can make these adjustments even while recording.

Step 5: Manage recording

When you’re ready to roll, hit the Record button and click the Stop button when you’re finished. It’s that simple! 

And remember, if there’s an interruption (like an unexpected visit from the mailman), just hit Pause. It’s okay to take a break — your video won’t be ruined by a little interruption.

Step 6: Edit your video

Once you’ve finished recording, Snagit will automatically open your video in the Snagit Editor, which is super easy to use. From here, you can make light edits to the footage as needed. 

For example, if you need to cut or trim your footage , you can! Here’s how: 

• Set Start Point : Drag the Start handle (green) on the timeline to your desired starting point.
• Set End Point : Similarly, drag the End handle (red) to where you want to end the cut.
• Review the Segment : Before making any cuts, you can review the segment by dragging the Playhead (white) left and right across the timeline. This ensures you’re only cutting the footage you intend to.
• Make the Cut : Once you’re satisfied with the selection, click the Cut button, which will pop up once you’ve made a selection.

And that’s all there is to it! If you want to go the extra mile, you can also use Snagit to save individual frames of your video as images , which can be used to create a thumbnail for your video . 

How to record a presentation from PowerPoint with audio and webcam

Now, Snagit is great for recording less formal videos in a flash, but if your presentation is intended for a particularly large or important audience, you might be looking to create something more polished. This is where TechSmith’s Camtasia comes in. 

Camtasia is one of the smartest and most intuitive pieces of editing software out there, but it also makes for a pretty nifty screen recorder too. Camtasia is great for recording presentations when you need more control and editing powers over the final product. 

But best of all, Camtasia streamlines the process by letting you record your presentation and voice over directly within PowerPoint. 

Step 1: Set up your presentation video recording

If you’re a Windows user, you’ll have the option to include a PowerPoint Add-in Toolbar when you install Camtasia. While this feature isn’t currently available on MacOS, the Camtasia Add-in Toolbar allows you to start, stop, and control your recordings from within PowerPoint — so you don’t need to switch between applications.

Just open the presentation you want to record and locate the Add-in toolbar under the Add-ins tab. 

Don’t see the add-in toolbar? Go to File > Options > Add-ins, to enable it. Click on the Manage drop-down, select Disabled Items, then click Go. If the Camtasia Add-in is listed, select it, and click Enable.

If you’re an Apple user, don’t panic! You can still record your screen (with audio) on a Mac using Camtasia, and it’s just as easy. Alternatively, you can skip ahead to the next section and import your slides directly into Camtasia. 

Step 2: Customize your recording options

Now let’s walk through each of the options on the toolbar before we begin recording.

Record audio

The microphone button controls whether or not audio is recorded as part of your presentation. When you enable it, you’ll be able to record your narration using a microphone.

If you are planning to record audio, this is where you’ll select your microphone. If you want to record great audio , we suggest using an external microphone, rather than the one that’s built into your laptop. 

Some of the best microphones for recording video are likely to be less expensive than you think. But, if you’re on a shoestring budget, even the mic that’s built into your headphones could produce better audio than your laptop. 

Once you’re set up, be sure to test the mic and adjust the volume slider as needed. You’ll also need to decide whether or not to record your system audio, which is any sound that comes out of your speakers, such as email notifications. 

Record webcam

If you have a webcam, you can also record your camera during the presentation to create a Picture-in-Picture clip — just as you can with Snagit! 

To customize even more of the recording settings, click the Recording Options button. Here you’ll find settings that let you record with a watermark and adjust your video frame rate . There are a few more options too, but the default settings should work just fine.

When you’re ready, click OK to close this window and save any changes made.

Step 3: Record your presentation

The final step is as simple as clicking the Record button in the toolbar. This will launch your slides into the Presentation Mode and start recording.

When you exit Presentation Mode or reach the end of your slideshow, you can either continue recording your screen, or stop recording and save your file. Pretty easy right? 

Before you get started, let us show you another way to turn your presentation into a video, without recording your desktop . 

How to turn your PowerPoint presentation slides into a video

Another way to create a video from your presentation is to import your PowerPoint slides into Camtasia. This way you can adjust how long each slide appears on screen, as well as add Behaviors and Annotations to personalize your presentation and highlight important information. 

By importing your slides into Camtasia, and recording your voice over separately, you get a lot more flexibility with the editing process, which means you have more control over the finished article. 

If you do decide to record your audio separately, you might want to take a look at TechSmith’s Audiate . This advanced audio recorder will transcribe your voice over in real-time and let you edit the audio file as if it were a text-based document. We don’t want to brag, but it’s probably the best way to add a voice over to a PowerPoint . 

Regardless of how you decide to narrate your PowerPoint, here’s how to turn your presentation into a video: 

1. Import your PowerPoint slides

First, start by importing your PowerPoint slides directly into Camtasia. Once your media is imported, you can edit it by dragging your slides into the Editing Toolbar.

You can now add the images to the Timeline, and edit them like any other media in a Project. 

If you drag your slides to the Timeline, the slides will be placed in the order of the presentation, each with a default 5-second duration.

With your presentation on the timeline, use Ripple Move to create space in between slides to adjust the timing of each one. To do this, hold shift, then click and drag.

Once you’ve imported your slides and adjusted the duration of each one to correlate with your voice over, it’s time to start editing. 

How to edit a presentation video (in Camtasia) 

Add behaviors.

Firstly, add some visual interest with Camtasia Behaviors . A Behavior is an animation that brings movement to your slides, making them stand out on screen. This is a great way to bring parts of your presentation to life and take it from ordinary to extraordinary — because nobody likes a boring presentation . 

To add a Behavior, click and drag the Behavior you wish to use onto the slide you want to animate. Once added, you can adjust the Behavior using the Properties tab.

Add annotations

Another good way to grab and direct your audience’s attention is to add some Annotations, which are great for highlighting important information.  

To insert an Annotation, click the Annotation tab on the left side of the screen and drag it into the designated slide. You can then re-position and edit the Annotation in the Properties tab as needed.

Recording a PowerPoint Presentation, the FAQs

Absolutely! Both Snagit and Camtasia are excellent choices for recording a professional and polished presentation. Snagit is perfect for no-fuss recording and editing. If you require more sophisticated editing capabilities, Camtasia is the ideal choice, offering the added convenience of recording your slideshow and voice over directly within PowerPoint.

Click the Record button in the toolbar to launch your slides into the Presentation Mode and start recording. When you exit Presentation Mode or reach the end of your slideshow, you can either continue recording your screen or stop and save your file.

If you’re planning to record audio, select your microphone in the recording options. The microphone button controls whether or not audio is recorded as part of your presentation. If you have a webcam attached to your computer, you can also record your camera to create a Picture-in-Picture clip, perfect for showing the presenter during the presentation.

With Snagit, you can conveniently record your voice over as you go through your presentation, capturing both the audio and visuals in one go. If you’re looking for more advanced recording and editing options, you might also consider using Camtasia, which allows you to record your voice over while presenting. For even more control, use Audiate to record your audio separately and then import it into Camtasia for fine-tuning.

Justin Simon

Global Content Strategy Manager at TechSmith. I play a lot of golf and watch a lot of football.

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How to Record a Presentation on Google Slides

Recording a presentation can be an excellent way to share information asynchronously, ensure consistent delivery, or prepare for a virtual audience.

While Google Slides is a widely used tool for creating presentations, it does not have a built-in feature to record presentations directly. However, there are effective ways to record your Google Slides presentation, including narration, using various tools and techniques.

This guide will walk you through the process and share some best practices to ensure a professional and engaging recording.

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Step 1: Preparing Your Google Slides Presentation

Ensure that your presentation is complete with all the necessary content, animations, and transitions. It’s important to rehearse and familiarize yourself with the flow of the presentation.

If you plan to include narration, use the speaker notes section at the bottom of each slide to jot down key points or a script for your presentation.

Step 2: Choosing a Screen Recording Tool

Since Google Slides does not natively support recording, you will need to use a screen recording tool.

Choose a screen recording tool that suits your needs. Popular options include Loom , ScreenPal , and OBS Studio . Many of these tools offer free versions with basic features.

Before recording your presentation, spend some time getting to know the screen recording software. Learn how to start and stop recording, how to include your webcam (if desired), and how to capture audio.

Step 3: Setting Up for Recording

Proper setup is crucial for a high-quality recording.

Check Your Microphone and Webcam

If you are including narration or a video of yourself, ensure that your microphone and webcam are working properly. Do a test recording to check the audio and video quality.

Eliminate Distractions and Interruptions

Record in a quiet, well-lit room. Turn off notifications and other potential interruptions on your computer to ensure a smooth recording.

Step 4: Recording Your Presentation

Now you’re ready to record your presentation.

1. Open Your Presentation

Launch your Google Slides presentation and open the screen recording tool. You may have to sign-in to your account, depending on which screen recording tool you use.

2. Start Recording

Begin the recording following the screen recorder’s instructions. For example, when you open Loom, it gives you an interface with several options for recording your presentation.

You can choose whether to record fullscreen or a specific window, include your webcam, and much more.

Once you hit the Start Recording button, it will even give you a countdown to begin the recording. But that feature is only available in Loom.

It’s usually a good practice to wait a few seconds before starting your presentation to ensure the recording captures everything.

3. Deliver Your Presentation

Go through your slides at a steady pace. Use your speaker notes as a guide, but try to sound natural and engaging.

4. End the Recording

Once you’ve reached the end of your presentation, pause for a few seconds and then stop the recording. Save the file in your preferred format and location.

Step 5: Editing and Sharing Your Recorded Presentation

After recording, you might want to edit your presentation for a polished look.

Edit the Recording

Use video editing software to trim the start and end of the recording, remove any mistakes, or add additional elements like music or text overlays.

Free video editing apps like Clipchamp and CapCut are perfect for these simple projects.

Share Your Presentation (Optional)

Upload your recorded presentation to a video-sharing platform like YouTube, Vimeo, or Google Drive, and share the link with your audience.

Some screen recording tools, like Loom, allow you to host your videos and share directly from the platform as well.

Tips for a Successful Google Slides Recording

1. practice makes perfect.

Before hitting the record button, practice your presentation several times. This will help you speak more fluently, maintain a good pace, and reduce the number of pauses or errors during the actual recording.

2. Control Your Speaking Volume and Speed

Speak clearly and at a moderate pace. Avoid speaking too quickly, as this can make it difficult for your audience to follow along. Also, modulate your voice to emphasize key points and keep the presentation dynamic.

3. Test Audio and Video Quality

Do a trial recording to check the audio and video quality. Make sure there’s no background noise, and the microphone is picking up your voice clearly. If using a webcam, check the lighting and camera angle.

4. Utilize Editing to Refine Your Presentation

Post-recording editing can significantly enhance the quality of your presentation. Use editing tools to trim unnecessary parts, correct errors, or add additional visual elements like captions or transition effects.

5. Be Conscious of File Size and Format

Larger video files can be difficult to share and may not be easily accessible to all audience members. Optimize your video for a smaller file size without significantly compromising quality. Also, choose a widely compatible video format like MP4.

6. Plan for Audience Questions

If your recorded presentation is part of a larger event, plan for a live Q&A session afterward or provide a way for viewers to submit questions, such as through a form or email.

In Conclusion

Recording a Google Slides presentation might seem daunting at first, but with the right tools and preparation, it can be a straightforward and rewarding process. By following these steps and best practices, you can create a professional and engaging presentation that resonates with your audience, regardless of where or when they view it.

How to Record a Presentation on Google Slides?

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Recording your presentation can be a very powerful move, as you don’t want to embarrass yourself in front of your audience. Instead of relying on your “inner feelings”, you can check how you sound, how you look, what gestures you make, and how well you play with words and details.

For this guide, we will use some of the most popular online tools on the market (Panopto and Loom) and some totally free options for Windows and Mac computers.

Article overview: 1. Why do people record their presentations? 2. How to record a presentation on Google Slides using Panopto? 3. How to record a presentation on Google Slides using Loom? 4. How to record a presentation on Google Slides using Microsoft Windows? 5. How to record a presentation on Google Slides on a Mac? 6. Other tools you can try

1. Why do people record their presentations?

There is a reason why people record their presentations. Unfortunately, you don’t know how your voice will sound or articulate when you are presenting. In such situations, it will be best to record your presentation to see if there is something you need to change before doing it live. Also, recording your presentations is a very good way to remember what you are about to say. But let’s see the main use cases when recording your Google Slides presentation will make great sense:

• Practice your presentation skills  – you can’t hear yourself while talking. That is why recording your voice might be a good indicator of how you present. Is your tone of voice smooth? Do you need to raise it? Are you mumbling or “like”-ing? Recordings can help you identify problems in advance.
• Save valuable time – instead of recording each lecture, you can save your efforts once, and later sent them.
• When you have stage fright – not everyone has the natural confidence of Elon Musk. If you are a shy person who gets terrified when speaking in front of huge audiences, recording your presentation is a great move.
• Avoid distractions  – during live presentations, interruptions are more common which can affect your flow. A recording of your presentation at home can later be sent as a follow-up.

2. How to record a presentation on Google Slides using Panopto?

There are plenty of tools that could be utilized, so feel free to use anything which you might find suitable. Panopto is a good option since it doesn’t require us to download a software extension, and it has a free plan which is more than enough for starters. Your videos are also stored on Panopto’s drive, so you will avoid issues with cluttering your computer or mobile device.

✔️ Panopto is very easy to use.

✔️ The software is cloud-hosted.

✔️ Speech and OCR (optical character recognition).

❌ Pricing model is scaling.

❌ Slow rendering process.

❌ Issues with captions.

Step 1. Open Panopto.com

When you open the website, you will see there are plenty of options out there.

Step 2. Click on “Record”

Once you’ve opened the website, click on the big red button “Record” (next to Company and before Get Started ).

Step 3. Select your Audio, Video, and Screen Options

The browser will ask for permission, so make sure you grant Panopto access to your webcam(s) and audio source(s). Usually, if you don’t have more than one source, they will be launched by default.

Step 4. Choose what to share

Now, you have to click on Screens and Apps , and select your preferred option.

Entire screen (if you have 2 or more, you can either select one of the screens or all of them), a Window , or a Chrome Tab .

Step 5. Fix the settings

When you click on the “Settings” button (in the bottom right corner), there will be a menu that you can access.

Step 6. Start recording

Click on the big circle in the center to start recording.

Step 7. Save your recording

Once you end your recording, you can send it to Panopto , YouTube , Classroom , or download it on your computer.

3. How to record a presentation using Loom?

Loom is among the most used recording pieces of software globally. It is great for teamwork and has a lot of collaboration tools. Let’s see where it shines.

✔️ It is very easy to use.

✔️ You can share the videos with a single click.

✔️ Developers are constantly updating the app.

❌ The 5-minute free plan is not enough for long projects.

❌ It renders the videos slowly.

❌Lack of options to insert tags and notes in a video.

Step 1. Open Loom.com

The first step is to launch Loom. Just like Panopto, it’s an online-based service, so you don’t have to download or install anything.

Step 2. Sign up

Now, you have to open an account. The good news is you can use your Google Account to log in.

Step 3. Enter the recording settings

In order to start recording, click on New Video , and then from the dropdown menu select Record a video .

Step 4. Start the recording

Once you have selected whether or not you will use your Screen, Camera (or both), you can add some specific options and start recording. You’re limited to five minutes on the free plan, so don’t waste much time.

Step 5. Pause/Finish the recording

On the bottom left corner, you will have the option to pause or finish (the red square button) the recording. Before saving, you will have the options to Trim the Video, change the title (Loom | Free Screen & Video Recording Software – Day/Month/Year is by default), and make some Video Preferences.

Step 6. Share the video

Video Tutorial

4. How to record a presentation using Microsoft Windows?

There is also a free way to record presentations on your Windows computer. If you use Windows 10 or 11, this might be a good option.

✔️ You don’t have a record limit (as long as you have memory).

✔️ It is totally free forever.

❌ It is a very basic recording option.

Step 1. Open Game Bar

Many of you may seem surprised, but Windows has a built-in recording tool. It’s called Game Bar. To access it, you need to press the WIN + G . Of course, make sure it is enabled first.

Step 2. Click on “Capture”

The Capture button is next to the sound button. It will unlock you with the option to record.

Step 3. Click on “Record”

Click on the Record button which is the third from left to right. You can also start recording with Win + Alt + R .

Step 4. Record your clip

Now, you can freely record your clip.

Step 5. Delete or save the clip

Once you have filmed your presentation, you can either go to the folder where your file is stored, or delete it.

5. How to record a video on a Mac?

Last but not least, we have another free option for Apple users.

✔️ QuickTime is free forever.

✔️ There are plenty of recording options.

✔️ You can record an unlimited time.

❌ You are storing the files on your Mac.

❌ Not available on desktop PCs for free.

Step 1. Open QuickTime

The first thing you need to do is open your QuickTime.

Step 2. Click on File -> New Screen Recording

Once you’ve opened QuickTime, you have to select File -> New Screen Recording .

Step 3. Select what portion you would like to be recorded

There are several options that you can choose from.

Step 4. Start recording

After you have selected what portion of your screen you will record, you are free to start recording your screen. You have plenty of options for convenience, such as a timer, built-in microphone, where to save the recording, etc.

Video tutorial

6. Other recording tools

Of course, these 4 are just the tip of the iceberg. There are many more apps that also deserve attention but couldn’t rank higher on our list. Let’s see which they are:

• Zoom  – Zoom is one of the most popular presentation software on the market, and the only reason it doesn’t appear here is because of its significance. We have prepared a separate tutorial on how to record a presentation in Zoom .
• AnyMeeting  – it’s a very powerful presentation recording software. However, over the past few years, it lost some of its sheer power and it got passed by different platforms that offer much more versatility at more affordable prices.
• Camtasia  – what we love about Camtasia is that you can create a next-level video experience. The cross-platform functionality is a great addition. However, it seems too hard for small tasks and the $300 purchase is not the value we are looking for here.
• OBS Studio  – it’s a top solution for cross-platform live streaming. It has high-end functionalities and it is open-source. That’s great but there’s a catch – it’s too complicated for the average user.
• Debut – Debut is a great free tool that allows webcam recording and presentation recordings, too. However, it’s not compatible with any other OS than Windows, and the user interface looks dull.
• Screencast-O-Matic  – it’s a very simple and effective tool but you need to pay a decent amount of money to get value out of the app. The free version doesn’t support HD recordings which limits its capabilities a lot.

Many people wonder how to record a presentation on Google Slides. Fortunately, there are many programs, and you can easily switch to anything you want. We have found that QuickTime and the Game Bar are amazing options for unlimited recording which also comes for free. However, if you’d like to upload your content online with a click of a button, you might fight Panopto and Loom better.

If you liked our presentation about screen recording, you can find these tutorials helpful, too:

• How to Write Scannable Content? Step-by-Step Guide

How to Convert Your PowerPoint Presentation into Google Slides

• How to Start and End a Presentation: 10 Practical Tips to Grab Attention and Make an Impact

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Nikolay Kaloyanov

Nikolay is a copywriter with vast experience in Technology, Marketing, and Design. When he isn't playing with words and crafting texts, he watches sports and asks questions. He is a funny person...until you put him on a diet.

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Record a Slide Show in PowerPoint – Instructions

How to record a slide show in powerpoint: video.

            This video lesson, titled “ Record a Slide Show ,” shows how to record a slide show in PowerPoint. This video lesson is from our complete PowerPoint tutorial , titled “ Mastering PowerPoint Made Easy v.2019 and 365 .”

Overview of How to Record a Slide Show in PowerPoint:

What to know before you start recording a slide show in powerpoint:.

            Before you record a slide show in PowerPoint, you must have a computer with a sound card, speakers, and a microphone. To optionally record video, too, you must have a camera. These tools let you record your presentation, slide by slide, as you deliver it. When recording the slide show, PowerPoint records its narration, slide advancement timings, annotations, and any optional video you record.

            PowerPoint saves this data on a per-slide basis, so you can easily reorganize the slides after recording without losing recorded content. This also lets you re-record only a selected slide if you need to correct a mistake during recording. However, PowerPoint doesn’t record audio or video during slide transitions, so do not speak during slide transitions or it will be lost. You should also give yourself a small buffer before and after a slide transition to ensure all your narration is recorded.

            After you finish recording, you can play the recording in Slide Show view or save the presentation as a video file. This helps you deliver a presentation to others if you cannot deliver it in person.

How to Record a Slide Show in PowerPoint:

            To record a slide show in PowerPoint, click the “Record Slide Show” drop-down button in the “Set Up” button group on the “Slide Show” tab of the Ribbon. Alternatively, if you have the “Recording” tab in the Ribbon enabled in your version of PowerPoint, you can click the same drop-down button which also appears in the “Record” button group there. To start recording from the first slide in the presentation, then select the “Record from Beginning…” command. Alternatively, to start recording from the currently active slide, choose the “Record from Current Slide…” command.

            At that point, the presentation then opens in the Recording window, which is very similar to the Presenter View. The selected slide appears in the center of the window. To record, pause, or stop recording, click the desired button in the upper-left corner of the Recording window.

            Optionally, to disable audio, video, or the video preview, click the desired button in the lower-right corner of the window. To change your camera or microphone, if needed, click the “Settings” button in the upper-right corner of the window, roll over the desired category, and then select your choice from the side menu that appears. To show speaker’s notes, click the “Notes” button at the top of the window.

A picture showing how to record a slide show in PowerPoint using the Recording window in PowerPoint for Microsoft 365.

            To start recording the slide show, click the “Record” button, which looks like a red circle. A three second countdown then starts, after which you can start delivering your presentation. To make annotations, click the desired tool at the bottom of the Recording window. Then select a color to the left, if needed. Then draw the annotation. Annotations are also recorded with the slide.

            To pause the recording, if needed, click the “Pause” button in the upper-left corner of the Recording window after the recording starts. To stop the recording, when finished, click the “Stop” button in the upper-left corner of the Recording window.

How to Clear Slide Recordings, Replay Recordings, and Close the Recording Window:

            To clear all recording from a slide when you are not recording, navigate to the slide in the Recording window. Then click the “Clear” drop-down button towards the upper-right corner of the window. Then select the “Clear Recordings on Current Slide” command from the drop-down menu that appears. You can then re-record the content for the slide. Alternatively, to delete all recordings from all slides, select the “Clear Recordings on All Slides” command from the drop-down menu, instead.

            To play the recording from the current slide, if desired, click the “Replay” button in the upper-left corner of the Recording window. To return to Normal view after you finish recording, press the “Esc” key on your keyboard click the “X” button in the upper-right corner of the Recording window.

Playing a Recorded Slide Show and Clearing Slides in Normal View:

            To play the recorded slide show in Slide Show view, just click the “From Beginning” or “From Current Slide” button in the “Start Slide Show” button group on the “Slide Show” tab of the Ribbon when in Normal view, as usual.

            To clear either recorded slide timings or narrations (meaning audio, video, and annotations) from one or all slides in PowerPoint when using Normal view, first select the desired slide, if needed. Then click the “Record Slide Show” drop-down button on either the “Slide Show” or “Recording” tab of the Ribbon. Then roll over the “Clear” command in the drop-down menu. Finally, select the desired type of element to clear and from which slides to clear it from the four choices in the side menu that appears.

How to Manually Present a Recorded Slide Show:

            After you record a slide show in PowerPoint, you may want to manually present it again without the recorded narrations or slide timings. You can toggle those settings off to accomplish this. If you want to disable recorded timings and/or narrations for a slide show, click the “Slide Show” tab in the Ribbon. To disable slide timings, uncheck the “Use timings” check box in the “Set Up” button group. To disable narrations, uncheck the “Play Narrations” checkbox in the “Set Up” button group.

Instructions on How to Record a Slide Show in PowerPoint:

Things to know before recording a slide show in powerpoint:.

• Before you record a slide show in PowerPoint , you must have a computer with a sound card, speakers, and a microphone.
• To optionally record video, too , you must have a camera.

Instructions on Recording a Slide Show in PowerPoint:

• To record a slide show in PowerPoint , click the “Record Slide Show” drop-down button in the “Set Up” button group on the “Slide Show” tab of the Ribbon.
• Alternatively , if the “Recording” tab of the Ribbon is enabled in your version of PowerPoint, you can click the same drop-down button in the “Record” button group there.
• To start recording from the first presentation slide , select the “Record from Beginning…” command.
• Alternatively, to start recording from the currently active slide , choose the “Record from Current Slide…” command.
• The presentation then opens in the Recording window and the selected slide appears in the center of the window.
• To record, pause, or stop recording , click the desired button in the upper-left corner of the Recording window.
• Optionally, to disable audio, video, or the video preview , click the desired button in the lower-right corner of the window.
• To change your camera or microphone, if needed , click the “Settings” button in the upper-right corner of the window, roll over the desired category, and then select your choice from the side menu.
• If you want to show speaker’s notes , click the “Notes” button at the top of the window.
• To start recording the slide show , click the “Record” button, which looks like a red circle.
• A three second countdown then starts, after which you can start delivering your presentation.
• If you need to make annotations , click the desired tool at the bottom of the Recording window, select a color to the left, if needed, and then draw the annotation. Annotations are also recorded with the slide.
• To pause the recording, if needed , click the “Pause” button in the upper-left corner of the Recording window after the recording starts.
• To stop the recording, when finished , click the “Stop” button in the upper-left corner of the Recording window.

Instructions on How to Clear Slide Recordings, Replay the Recording, and Close the Recording Window:

• If you want to clear all recording from a slide when you are not recording , navigate to the slide in the Recording window.
• Then click the “Clear” drop-down button towards the upper-right corner of the window.
• Then select the “Clear Recordings on Current Slide” command from the drop-down menu that appears.
• You can then re-record the content for the slide.
• Alternatively, to delete all recordings from all slides , select the “Clear Recordings on All Slides” command from the drop-down menu, instead.
• To play the recording from the current slide, if desired , click the “Replay” button in the upper-left corner of the Recording window.
• To close the Recording window and return to Normal view after you finish recording , press the “Esc” key on your keyboard.
• Alternatively, click the “X” button in the upper-right corner of the Recording window.

Instructions on How to Play a Recorded Slide Show and Clearing Slides in Normal View:

• To play the recorded slide show in Slide Show view , just click the “From Beginning” or “From Current Slide” button in the “Start Slide Show” button group on the “Slide Show” tab of the Ribbon when in Normal view, as usual.
• To clear either recorded slide timings or narrations (meaning audio, video, and annotations) from one or all slides in PowerPoint when using Normal view , first select the desired slide, if needed.
• Then click the “Record Slide Show” drop-down button on either the “Slide Show” or “Recording” tab of the Ribbon.
• Then roll over the “Clear” command in the drop-down menu.
• Finally, select the desired type of element to clear and from which slides to clear it from the four choices in the side menu that appears.

Instructions on Manually Presenting a Recorded Slide Show:

• After you record a slide show in PowerPoint, you may want to manually deliver it again without the recorded narrations or slide timings. You can toggle those settings off to accomplish this.
• If you want to disable recorded timings and/or narrations for a slide show , click the “Slide Show” tab in the Ribbon.
• To disable slide timings , uncheck the “Use timings” check box in the “Set Up” button group.
• To disable narrations , uncheck the “Play Narrations” checkbox in the “Set Up” button group.

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How to Record a Video Presentation With Google Slides

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Google Slides now lets you record a presentation with inset video from your webcam. Each recording may be a maximum of 30 minutes long. No longer do you need to turn to a third-party tool or web meeting app, such as Google Meet , to record a presentation. Instead, you can start and finish the task with nothing more than Google Slides on a laptop.

As of March 2024, slide recordings may be made by customers who use Google Workspace Business Standard or Plus; Enterprise Starter, Essentials, Essentials Plus, Standard or Plus; and Education Plus editions.

How to make a basic slide recording in Google Slides

To create a slide recording, you’ll need to use Google Chrome on a computer that has a camera and microphone.

• Go to Google Slides and open your presentation.
• Select the Rec button in the upper right area, then select the Record new video button ( Figure A ).

The system will switch to the screen recording interface, with recording controls displayed below your slides. By default, the system will display your inset (picture-in-picture) video in medium size in the lower right corner of a slide, since this portion of a slide is often empty.

• Optionally, before you start recording, you might adjust three settings:

• Modify the size of the inset video frame. Select the size icon, found to the right of the video inset location icon, then choose either a small, medium or large video frame size.
• Open speaker notes with the button found to the immediate left of the back slide (<) icon. This will display speaker notes for your reference while recording. (Ideally, you would not need to refer to speaker notes, so that you could instead look directly at the camera as you record.)
• When you are ready to record, select the large red button at the bottom of the screen.
• If prompted, you may need to allow access ( Figure C ) to the tab, along with the camera and microphone. For example, when recording on a Chromebook, you may be prompted to “Allow docs.google.com to see this tab?” and “Also allow tab audio.” Select Allow, if prompted.

In a few cases, you may need to visit the following links in Chrome to adjust permissions for:

• Camera: chrome://settings/content/camera.
• Microphone: chrome://settings/content/microphone.
• A brief countdown should display (i.e., 3, 2, 1), then your recording will begin. Record your video, advancing your slides as desired.
• To pause recording, press the large red button at the bottom of the screen.
• Once paused, you may select from two options ( Figure D ):

After you select Save to Drive, wait a bit until the system indicates the file has been saved. If you leave or close the tab too soon, you may lose your recording.

How to select inset video shapes and sizes

On any slide, you may use the Insert | Speaker spotlight option ( Figure E ), then select a shaped video frame. This inserts a frame where the speaker video will display on that slide. You may reposition or resize the frame: Select the shape, and then drag-and-drop it to move it to a different place on your slide, or select a corner and drag it to resize it.

When you insert a speaker spotlight shape, that supplants the position and size you might have selected on a basic recording. In other words, the speaker’s video will display in one of the corners or the center, and in the small, medium or large shape chosen with the settings — unless you’ve inserted a speaker spotlight shape on a page ( Figure F ). Use the speaker spotlight option to convey the most polished professional effect, since it allows precise control over the shape, size and location of a video frame.

How to play, share and manage slide recordings

You may access slide recordings within Google Slides on a computer. However, unlike recording, which requires you to use Google Chrome, you may access and play existing recordings within Google Slides on a variety of modern browsers. For example, the following steps all work when you use Google Slides within either Google Chrome or Apple’s Safari browser.

To access recordings associated with a Google Slides presentation, follow these steps.

• Select the Rec button in the upper right area. The recordings you’ve made of the presentations will display. Importantly, the system shows both the date and duration of each recording.
• To view, share or download a recording, click anywhere on the playback icon or title of the recording ( Figure G ). It should open in a new tab. Within this tab, you might:
• Select the Play icon in the center of the video image to play the recording.
• Select the Share button in the upper right corner of the screen to modify access settings and give other people access to the file.
• Select the Download icon in the down arrow above a tray icon in the upper right area of the screen to download the file.

• Select the three dot menu to the right of a listed recording to:
• Rename a file something other than the default recording title.
• Remove a previously made recording you no longer need.
• Copy link and obtain the Google Drive URL for the recorded file.

All Google Slides recordings are stored in a Slides recordings folder on Google Drive. The recordings are saved as .webm files, which is a widely supported web video format. You may easily open and play .webm files on both Apple and Android mobile phones. Any recordings you make using Google Slides should be easy to view on almost any device.

Does the ability to record a presentation within Google Slides streamline your workflow? What sorts of video presentations will you create with this new capability? Mention or message me on X ( @awolber ) to let me know how you use screen recording within Google Slides.

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How to Record Your PowerPoint Presentation:

1 upload slides and select a layout.

Select from our list of layouts (you may need to click to ‘Allow’ permission to access your screen, camera, or microphone). You can record just your screen, your webcam, or both at the same time! You can either upload your slides or record while you’re presenting.

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All the things you need in a screen recorder

Our video capture software is packed with features that will help you create professional-looking recordings. When you press record, the countdown timer will appear to prompt you when your recording starts. To make sure that your audio is being picked up, check the little microphone icon on the bottom of your screen. It should be animated to indicate that your audio is being recorded. It only takes a few clicks. It’s the best app to record your Microsoft PowerPoint presentations.

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Microsoft does allow you to record your presentation as well as your voice or audio. But you might be limited because you can’t switch screens. Use VEED to record your entire desktop and switch between windows.

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How to Record A Presentation on Google Slides? 2 Options Offered

Aside from PowerPoint, Google Slides is another presentation maker program that many people use. It has been a helpful tool, especially in sharing created presentations across other devices or other people. Yet, some want to record their presentations on Google Slides for work or academic purposes. If you’re also wondering how to record on Google Slides , continue reading this guide. We’ll introduce two ultimate methods you can try to accomplish your task with ease. Ensure to follow the steps we walk you through the reliable screen recorder you can use.

PAGE CONTENT

Part 1. How to Record on Google Slides with Vidmore Screen Recorder

Part 2. how to record with google slides using chrome extension, part 3. faqs about how to record on google slides.

In recording Google Slides presentations with or without audio and webcam, you need a dependable tool to use. That said, we recommend Vidmore Screen Recorder . With it, you can capture all your presentations on Google Slides. In fact, it provides you with options to capture your entire web screen or portion of it. At the same time, you can enable recording your webcam and audio while presenting your slides. During the process, it lets you use annotation tools to draw, highlight, and add shapes, text, callouts, and more. Aside from Google Slides, you can record meetings from Zoom, MS Teams, Google Meet, and so on. What’s more, capturing gameplay, tutorials, etc., is also possible. Finally, it enables you to take a snapshot of your whole screen, part of it, even during recording. Now, here’s how to record a Google Slides presentation with this software.

Step 1. Begin by getting Vidmore Screen Recorder using the Free Download button below. Then, install it on your Windows/Mac computer. After that, open the tool.

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Step 2. Once you’re in the tool’s main interface, choose the Video Recorder option. Also, ensure that your Google Slides presentation has already been opened.

Step 3. In the next interface, set your recording area or the aspect ratio you plan to record. Then, it’s your choice to toggle on options for Webcam, System Sound, and Microphone. Once ready, hit REC to begin.

Step 4. During the process, use the drawing tools for personalization or point out something in your presentation. Then, click the Stop button to stop capturing.

Step 5. Finally, a preview window will appear. From there, you can trim the video to remove unneeded parts in the video. When you’re satisfied, click the Done button to save your recording.

As shown above, Vidmore Screen Recorder provides us with an easy way to record our presentations. In fact, by toggling on the switch of the microphone and webcam, you’ll learn how to record yourself on Google. Plus, during recording, it does not affect whatever I am running on my computer, and the process is smooth. It also provides high-quality video, and you can adjust its resolution up to 4K.

Did you know that there are some Chrome extensions you can utilize for recording Google Slides? Besides the best screen recorder tool mentioned above, an extension can be your companion, too. One of the best Chrome recorder extensions you can try is Loom . We want you to save time and effort by picking the easy yet useful tool for you. It is an extension that you can add as a plugin directly in your browser. It allows you to record your presentations in a hassle-free way as well. It also offers a useful and extensive range of features. It includes webcam overlays, video editing, and instant sharing options. With it, you can capture your Google Slides presentation in one click. Want to know how? Follow the guide below.

Step 1. First off, open your browser and click the three-dot icon at the upper-right corner. From the drop-down menu, choose Extension and click Visit Chrome Web Store.

Step 2. Once there, search for Loom. Then, choose the Add to Chrome button next to its name. Confirm your selection by hitting Add Extension on the pop-up message.

Step 3. After that, sign up to start using it. Open your Google Slides presentation. Now, click the Extension button next to the Google Chrome search bar. Then, choose Loom from the options.

Step 4. Choose your recording options from Window, then click the Start Recording button to begin.

Step 5. When you’ve captured the desired presentation, click the Stop button below to finish recording. Optionally, you can press Alt + Shift + L keys.

There you have it! Those are the steps to adding and using a Chrome extension like Loom to record presentations on Google Slides. Indeed, Loom simplifies the recording process. Yet, it is vital to note some drawbacks. The free version has limitations on video storage, and advanced features may require a subscription. At the same time, its recording result is a bit blurry. Plus, it still relies on an internet connection for recording. Despite these, Loom remains a commendable tool for recording Google Slides presentations.

How do I do a voice recording on Google Slides?

Before you start recording, ensure you enable the Microphone settings. If you’re using Vidmore Screen Recorder, you also need to toggle on the switch for the Microphone. Finally, you can begin recording by clicking the REC on the tool’s interface. Then, you can talk while the recording is ongoing.

How do you make a video on Google Slides?

While it is impossible to make a video on Google Slides, you can add a video to your presentation. To do it, open the desired Google Slides presentation and go to Insert in the menu. From there, you can choose from YouTube or Google Drive. Finally, click Insert again to add your video.

How do I record my screen presentation?

To record any presentation from your screen, use a tool like Vidmore Screen Recorder. Open your presentation, and choose what to include in the recording, like webcam, sound, and so on. Then, hit REC to start.

How to record a Google Slides presentation with voice-over?

If you want to record a Google Slides presentation with voice-over, consider using Vidmore Screen Recorder. With it, you can switch on the Microphone option to record your voice while capturing your screen. You can heed the steps above to learn how.

In the end, you’ve learned how to record a presentation on Google Slides in hassle-free ways. As shown above, Vidmore Screen Recorder makes the capturing procedure easier. Moreover, it is so easy to operate, so whether you’re a beginner or a professional, it will never be a problem. More importantly, it can provide output recording quality up to 4K resolution.

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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 Record Customized Camera Feeds With Cameo in PowerPoint

T he widespread adoption of remote work and virtual meetings has led many people and organizations to realize they don't have to be physically present in the same conference room to make presentations. In fact, you don't even need to conduct them live.

However, recording your PowerPoint slides with your face on them requires technical know-how and third-party apps like OBS. This makes recording presentations a bit difficult and discourages people from doing it.

Thankfully, Microsoft has addressed this issue in PowerPoint 365 with the Cameo feature. Here's what it is and how to use it.

What Is Cameo in PowerPoint?

Cameo is a PowerPoint feature that lets you add your webcam or any other camera feed into your presentation. This makes it easier to present virtually, as your audience can see you from within your slides.

Previously, you needed a third-party app like OBS to overlay yourself on your presentation. You can also use a green screen overlay in Capcut or other similar apps to achieve the same effect. However, this takes a lot of effort and know-how.

But with this feature, you can do it from inside PowerPoint with just a few clicks. Here's how to insert a cameo into your slides.

• Go to Insert > Cameo .
• After clicking on Cameo, PowerPoint will insert a placeholder object on your current slide and open the Camera Format tab.
• You can edit the object as you wish, much like any other shape on PowerPoint. You can also click on the options in the Designer pane on the right side of the screen to help you work faster.
• Once you're happy with its placement on your slide, click on the Preview button to see your live video.

With that, you can start presenting your PowerPoint slides via screen sharing while still keeping yourself on the screen.

How to Record Your PowerPoint Presentation With Cameo

You can also insert a cameo from Record > Cameo . Clicking on this will bring you to the same menu tab and insert a placeholder object for your video. However, even if you didn't set up Cameo beforehand, you can insert it directly while recording your presentation. Here's how:

• Go to Record > From Beginning or Record > From Current Slide .
• In the recording screen, click on the Camera icon at the top. This will insert a round object containing your video in your slides' lower-right-hand section.
• Click on the Red icon to start recording your presentation.
• Go through your presentation as usual. For more information, check out our guide on turning your presentations into videos .
• Once you've finished, click the Red icon again to stop recording.
• Click Export to go to the Export to video screen .
• Change the File Name as needed, then click Browse to select the location where you will save your recorded video.
• Once done, click Export Video .

With that, you don't have to spend much effort to add your video feed to your PowerPoint presentation recording. However, the app only places your video at one location across every slide; it might cover some of your content. That's why it's better to use the Cameo feature when you're building or editing your PowerPoint presentation.

If you're unhappy with your recording, press the Retake Video on the left of the record icon. You can pick between On Current Slide or On All Slides .

What You Need to Record Customized Camera Feeds

You need a webcam and a Microsoft 365 account to record your customized camera feed. Furthermore, you cannot use Cameo or record presentations in the PowerPoint web app. You need to download and install it on your computer to use these features.

The Cameo feature is already available on Microsoft PowerPoint 365 in Windows and Mac. However, recording your presentation with Cameo is only available on Windows. As of the time of writing, this feature isn't available for the main PowerPoint 365 for Mac version.

If you're running macOS, you must be a Microsoft 365 Insider to get this feature. However, since the Cameo recording feature is already announced in the Microsoft 365 Insider blog , we hope it will be available in the mainstream PowerPoint for Mac version in a few months.

Recording Your Presentations Is Now Much Easier

The Cameo feature has made presenting PowerPoint slides in video calls easier. And with the recording function, you no longer need a third-party app to put your video over your presentation.

You can integrate it into each slide, allowing you to control where you are on your screen. And you also save a lot of time and effort, as you can record and save your presentation as a video from within Microsoft PowerPoint.

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How to Make a “Good” Presentation “Great”

• Guy Kawasaki

Remember: Less is more.

A strong presentation is so much more than information pasted onto a series of slides with fancy backgrounds. Whether you’re pitching an idea, reporting market research, or sharing something else, a great presentation can give you a competitive advantage, and be a powerful tool when aiming to persuade, educate, or inspire others. Here are some unique elements that make a presentation stand out.

• Fonts: Sans Serif fonts such as Helvetica or Arial are preferred for their clean lines, which make them easy to digest at various sizes and distances. Limit the number of font styles to two: one for headings and another for body text, to avoid visual confusion or distractions.
• Colors: Colors can evoke emotions and highlight critical points, but their overuse can lead to a cluttered and confusing presentation. A limited palette of two to three main colors, complemented by a simple background, can help you draw attention to key elements without overwhelming the audience.
• Pictures: Pictures can communicate complex ideas quickly and memorably but choosing the right images is key. Images or pictures should be big (perhaps 20-25% of the page), bold, and have a clear purpose that complements the slide’s text.
• Layout: Don’t overcrowd your slides with too much information. When in doubt, adhere to the principle of simplicity, and aim for a clean and uncluttered layout with plenty of white space around text and images. Think phrases and bullets, not sentences.

As an intern or early career professional, chances are that you’ll be tasked with making or giving a presentation in the near future. Whether you’re pitching an idea, reporting market research, or sharing something else, a great presentation can give you a competitive advantage, and be a powerful tool when aiming to persuade, educate, or inspire others.

• Guy Kawasaki is the chief evangelist at Canva and was the former chief evangelist at Apple. Guy is the author of 16 books including Think Remarkable : 9 Paths to Transform Your Life and Make a Difference.

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How to Create Slides That Suit Your Superiors: 11 Tips

When you’re pitching ideas or budgets to execs in your organization, you need to deliver slides that fit those particular people just right. This checklist identifies the key considerations.

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I recently interviewed 20 of my customers, all in senior roles at Fortune 100 companies, and asked them their biggest pain point in presenting to higher-ups and even colleagues. What I heard consistently was that it can feel like Goldilocks bouncing from one option to the next, testing to figure out what’s “just right.” Does the audience want deep reports? Sparse slides? Something in between? Like … what?

Teams often come to presentation meetings with vast amounts of backup content just in case an exec wants to take a deep dive on any given point. There’s often a struggle to anticipate every direction attendees might want to go. It’s frustrating, and it’s not efficient.

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There are many ways to build slides. I’m not just talking about crafting them well versus poorly. I’m talking about all of the important decisions regarding how to organize them, how much text to use, when to lean into a chart, the best ways to use bullets and color, and whether to include an appendix with additional information. Before you make your next proposal or request of the executive team, use this list of 11 tips for your next set of slides as a guide.

Four Things You Must Have in Every Exec’s Slides

Before we drill down into the harder aspects, the ones where your executives’ tastes may vary widely, let’s quickly cover four aspects that you can consider the building blocks — the basics you should never proceed without.

Start with an executive summary. Begin the slide deck with a tight executive summary that follows a three-act structure. First, start with stating the current realities. Second, clearly state the problem or opportunity your idea addresses and its potential impact. Third, explain how your recommendation solves the problem or exploits the opportunity and the next steps you’re proposing.

Have a logical organization. The arc of the deck — the package from beginning to end — should make sense. If your audience reads only the headline of every slide, the order should be coherent and make most of the case for you. The content below each slide’s headline must support the statement made in the title. Remove everything that doesn’t support your point; as writers will tell you, you sometimes need to “kill your darlings” when you’re editing.

Begin the slide deck with a tight executive summary that follows a three-act structure.

Make it skimmable. Help your audience to quickly grasp the point without getting bogged down in details. Create a clear visual hierarchy. Guide the reader’s eye through the content: Use bold headings, bullet points, and numbered lists to break down information into digestible pieces. Highlight key takeaways or conclusions in a different color or font size to draw attention to these critical points.

Focus on concise insights. Succinct statements with clear insights are everyone’s jam. Every slide should serve a purpose and contribute directly to the decision-making process. Distill complex information. Don’t use 100 words when 20 words will nail it. If you’re having difficulty trimming, consider using company-approved AI tools to help you take out the fluff.

Five Preferences to Confirm With the Person You Want to Reach

Now we’ll delve into what your particular audience does and does not want. If you haven’t yet, start by asking the person you’re presenting to what they generally prefer. They probably know themselves well but have not been asked to articulate how they like to receive information.

Ask how dense is too dense. Some executives prefer detailed slides with comprehensive data. Others favor a more high-level approach. You’re weighing how to balance informative content with readability, ensuring that slides are not overloaded yet are sufficiently detailed to support decision-making.

Confirm the delivery format and timing. Some execs like information presented to them. Others prefer a pre-read of the material followed by a discussion. I always recommend our tool Slidedocs (I’ve written a free e-book on them), which are visual documents using both words and images. The templates help presenters organize their thoughts into a document for a pre-read or a read-along. They are designed to be skimmable and able to travel through your organization without the help of a presenter.

I’m a huge fan of pre-reads and prefer to use my time in meetings to ask questions and build alignment. If your audience didn’t review your material in advance, ask at the top of the meeting whether they would like you to present it or would prefer to read through it and then discuss it.

Find out how much data visualization they prefer. Charts, graphs, photos, and illustrations often communicate complex data more clearly than words alone. When execs can see what you’re saying, they often can better understand the impact of your idea. Does the exec want to understand exact numbers? Bar charts allow them to move their eyes across a series of specifics. Does the exec want to know the shape of a trend over time? Line charts can show the pattern. (See “Classic Charts Communicate Data Quickly.”) Some prefer charts with annotations that draw attention to what you think is the most important point. Others want to make their own conclusions from the data.

One of my clients, the CEO of a massive commercial real estate company, doesn’t want anything visualized. He prefers numbers, only in a table, and only in two colors — black and red. You might think this is archaic. But the fact that he’s clear to his teams about what he wants takes all the mystery out of how to communicate with him.

When the stakes are high, have a conceptual thinker help with diagrams and concepts. If you don’t have one on your team, and when it’s high stakes, find an internal designer to help you or hire one. You can’t afford to have the baby (your idea) thrown out with the bathwater (terrible slides).

Identify which details need spelling out. How well do the people you’re presenting to know the landscape and function of the company and products you’re talking about? For example, if your engineering team threw a slide into a deck about an issue that requires executive approval, do the execs all speak geek? Or do you need to explain the technology so that they will really understand the ask? Either eliminate internal jargon and acronyms or unpack those bits, especially if your proposal deeply involves expertise outside of the executives’ domain.

Ask whether appendices will be useful. When you’re organizing a presentation, you often troll data, read through complicated reports, and even hire external experts to figure out what’s best for the company. Do your execs want access to that supporting data? You can add a document to the end of the presentation as an appendix to show all of the data and source material. This allows the main content of the slides to remain focused and accessible while still providing comprehensive background information for those who want more.

Two Tips to Improve Your Presentation Skills

Getting materials in place is the biggest step. They will be your best tools for selling your ideas. But there are two extra areas to pay attention to as a presenter: how you handle questions and how you use every experience to improve.

Anticipate questions, and practice your answers. Before you have your meeting, gather a small team to challenge every point you make. Invite colleagues you trust to role-play as “a rapidly inquisitive exec” or “the doubting naysayer exec” so you are prepared to present your idea well. They’re gonna grill you, and practicing will help you remain unruffled when it happens.

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Ask for feedback after the presentation. Establish a feedback loop with those you presented to. Ask what worked well and how you can improve. If attendees don’t have the time, find people who have had their ideas funded and talk to them about what they did that worked. Advice and some perspective will help you nail your performance even better next time.

Empathetically understanding your audience members and how they process information, whether it’s executives or peers, sets up your ideas for success. Clarity creates efficiency. When a presentation fits just right, you’ve given your great thinking the best chance of moving through your organization and having maximum impact.

About the Author

Nancy Duarte is CEO of Duarte Inc. , a communication company in the Silicon Valley. She’s the author of six books, including DataStory: Explain Data and Inspire Action Through Story (Ideapress Publishing, 2019).

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