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A guide to Google’s free PowerPoint alternative
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Did you know that Google has a free product that lets you create presentations? Yes! Microsoft PowerPoint isn't the only way to make slideshows. This tutorial will show you how to make a PowerPoint-like presentation using Google Slides. Presentations can be used for school, business, and so much more.
Steps
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1Go to Google Slides . Use this web-browser version of Google Slides from any browser on your computer. Since it’s web-based, it works on just about any operating system (e.g., Windows, Mac, or Chromebook). If you're using a phone or tablet, you can download the Google Slides mobile app for free!
- If you don't have a Google account, learn to create one now!
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2Click one of the options under Start a new presentation . You’ll see this header near the top of the window. Click the Blank presentation option to start with a simple, unformatted slideshow, or select one of the preset templates. [1] X Research source
- If you’re using the mobile app, tap the colorful + sign in the bottom right corner to start a new presentation. Select either Choose template or New presentation (for a completely blank and unformatted presentation).
- If you have a PowerPoint that you want to use in Google Slides, upload it to your Drive , then go to File > Import Slides and select the PowerPoint in your Google Drive.
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Select a theme to start with. Click Theme in the editing ribbon above your project to see a selection of themes to the right. Click one to select it.
- This works a little differently in the mobile app. Once you tap New presentation , you’ll be prompted to name your presentation. Then, if you want to choose a theme, tap ••• at the top right corner of the screen and select Change theme . Tap your selected theme to apply it to your presentation.
- If you want to work from a template, select the "Template" icon to the far right. It looks like a filled-out card. Different templates will show in the panel on the right side of your screen. Click one to select it, and choose if you want to use all the slides in the presentation; you can delete unnecessary slides.
- In the mobile app, select the Choose template option when creating a new presentation, then browse the available templates.
- At a loss for creating a slideshow? Use these prompts in ChatGPT to get you started.
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4Give your presentation a name. Click the "Untitled presentation" text on the top right side of the presentation and type something in to rename your presentation. This will appear in the browser bar when you or someone is viewing the presentation.
- In the mobile app, you’ll be prompted to enter a name for your presentation as soon as you select New presentation . Enter the name, then tap Create to continue to the next screen.
- On the first slide, you’ll be prompted to click (or double tap, in the mobile app) on the text fields on the slide to add a title and subtitle.
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5Click + to add a slide. Choose from one of the preset slide templates or choose a blank slide to create something from scratch. If you don't know what to create, tap the icon of a slide with a star; this will prompt AI to help you create a new slide with the features you want.
- In the mobile app, tap the icon that looks like a rectangle with a + in the lower right corner to add a new slide. Choose one of the preset slide formats from the menu or select Blank if you want to format a slide from scratch.
- You can also change a pre-existing slide's layout by clicking the layout option on the upper editing bar.
- In the mobile app, tap and hold the thumbnail image of the slide at the bottom of the screen. A new set of menu options will appear at the top of the screen. Tap the icon that looks like a black square divided into three sections to change the slide layout.
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6Insert images by going to Insert and selecting Images . A menu will pop up with various image options: you can upload your own image from your computer, create an image with AI, take a picture with your webcam, paste an image URL, find an image from your Google photo albums, find a picture from your drive, or search for one online with Google, LIFE, or stock images.
- You can also create a gradient background , add a background image, or add a solid background color by clicking the Background button.
- In the mobile app, tap + at the top of the screen, then select Image . Select either From photos or From camera .
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7Add a new text area by clicking Tt . It's between the pointer and the shapes icons in the editing bar above your project. You then need to click and drag on your slide to create a new text box. Click the box to select it so you can add text–you should see a blinking cursor icon inside. Enter text, then press ESC or click outside of the text box to move your cursor out of it. If you don't position it perfectly, that's ok! You can single-click the box and drag it to a new location.
- Double-click inside the text box to edit the text inside.
- This and any text on the slide is formattable, meaning you can make it any color, any size, underlined, italic, bold, and so on. You can also make checkboxes .
- If you’re using the mobile app, tap +
and then select Text
to insert a text box.
- Just like in the web version of Slides, you can drag the handles on the sides of the box to adjust its size or tap and drag the whole box to move it.
- Tap the box to open your keyboard so you can add text. Use the text formatting tools above your device’s keyboard to edit the text, or tap A at the top of the screen for even more formatting options.
- When you’re done making edits to your text box, tap ✓ at the top of the screen to close your keyboard. Tap anywhere outside the text box to deselect it.
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8Insert shapes, lines, and other objects. In addition to images and text boxes, there are all kinds of elements you can add to snazz up your slides. These include tables, charts, shapes, lines, and even whole prefabricated “building blocks,” which are kind of like mini-templates that you can insert into individual slides. There are a few ways to insert these features:
- Click the symbol in the ribbon menu that looks like a circle overlapping a square to insert a shape. A dropdown will open with a huge array of shapes, from basic squares and circles to fancy arrows, mathematical symbols, and even scrolls and speech bubbles. You can also access these options from the Insert
menu.
- In the mobile app, tap + > Shape and select the category of shape you want, then tap a shape to insert it.
- When you select a shape by tapping or clicking on it, additional formatting options will appear in the menu bar. For instance, you can change the fill color, border color, or border thickness.
- Click the down arrow next to the symbol that looks like a line segment to insert a line. Choose the type of line you want–the options include straight lines, arrows, and various kinds of curved, angled, or freehand lines. You can also go to Insert
> Line
and select an option.
- In the mobile app, tap + > Line and select a line type.
- Tap or click your line to see additional formatting options in the menu bar.
- Find other types of objects in the Insert
menu. This is where you’ll find options like charts, tables, diagrams, and building blocks. You can also access building blocks in the small menu bar to the right of your main slide window.
- There are fewer options in the mobile version, but you can insert a table by tapping + > Table . Select the number of columns and rows you want, then tap Insert Table .
- Click the symbol in the ribbon menu that looks like a circle overlapping a square to insert a shape. A dropdown will open with a huge array of shapes, from basic squares and circles to fancy arrows, mathematical symbols, and even scrolls and speech bubbles. You can also access these options from the Insert
menu.
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9Add animations to your slide show. Did you know that you can animate almost everything in your presentation? To do this, right-click text or a picture or object, preferably the one you want to animate first, and navigate to the bottom of the drop-down menu where it says Animate . Your selected element should be highlighted in blue. From there, click on the rectangle that says something like Fade in or Appear . Select an animation from the drop-down menu. Beneath it is another rectangle that says On click . Click on this to choose if you want the animation to occur manually or automatically. You can check if you want it to animate by paragraph, which is recommended for bulleted lists. Underneath that, you can adjust the speed of each animation by dragging the bar.
- As you add animations to each element by clicking the blue + Select an object to animate , they will begin to pile up. Click on each one to edit it.
- Change the transition from slide to slide by clicking the default Slide: No transition option at the top of the sidebar. You can choose whether to apply to all slides or just one.
- Preview your animations by clicking Play at the bottom of the sidebar.
- Remove an animation by clicking the small x on its rectangle, and drag each animation up or down to change the order.
- You can also add music and videos from the Insert menu.
- Animations, or moving elements, make a slideshow more visually engaging, according to Visual Content Marketing Expert & Entrepreneur Vikas Agrawal
- These options aren’t available in the mobile version of Google Slides, so you’ll need to use the web version if you want an animated slideshow.
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10Press the share button to edit permissions for your presentation. It looks like a person’s head and shoulders next to a +. Search for people you want to share with by their names or email, or edit the general permission settings to make the document restricted or viewable to anybody with a link. Depending on the permission settings you choose, people you share the presentation with can either view it, edit it, or comment on it. Click Copy Link to get a link to the presentation that you can email or text directly to other people. When you are done, click Done .
- If you want to print the slideshow, go to File > Print . Print your speaker notes with your Google Slides in File > Print preview > 1 slide with notes > Print .
- In the mobile version of Google Slides, use the Add people or groups field at the top of the share menu to share your document with specific contacts. Tap Manage Access at the bottom of the screen to open a second menu where you can edit specific editing permissions, change general access settings, or copy a shareable link.
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11Click Slideshow to view the presentation. This button is in the upper right-hand corner. Navigate from slide to slide by using the arrow keys on your keyboard or the arrows at the bottom of the screen. Click the squiggle at the bottom to turn on the laser pointer, the four outstretched arrows for fullscreen, the name of the current slide to navigate to another one, and the gear for settings. You can also turn on presenter view, which allows you to accept audience Q&A and view speaker notes.
- If you’re using the mobile app, tap the triangular Play button at the top of the screen to start the slideshow. You can choose to play the slideshow on your device, cast it to a screen with Chromecast, or present it in a remote meeting using Google Meet .
- Did you know that you can also draw on your slides ? This is extra useful if you want to bring attention to something on the slide. If your drawing is simple, use the Scribble Tool in Google Slides. For more complex drawings, go to Google Drive, then select New > More > Google Drawings . Alternatively, use the Annotate extension to draw on your Google Slides.
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Community Q&A
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QuestionHow do I make a template to share with my class so they can add their own information on the slide?Community AnswerYou will have to make a template, and share it with your class. For easiness on your end, you should only allow them to view it. Then, have them open it and do the following: Go to the FILE menu. Click on "Make a copy." Name it something like "My Name - Project name." Click "Ok."You can now edit the slides and all information.
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QuestionHow do I upload a Google Sheets spreadsheet to my google drive presentation?Community AnswerInsert --> chart --> from Google Sheets. If you are not importing a chart, try copying and pasting.
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QuestionHow do I create a presentation with Google Docs?Community Answer1) Go to drive.google.com and log in. 2) Click the blue "New" button toward the top left corner of the page. 3) Select "Google Slides" next to the orange icon on the drop-down menu. 4) Drive will open your new presentation. Just start editing!
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wikiHow Video: How to Create a Presentation Using Google Slides
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Tips
- If you have a pop-up blocker, make sure to disable it so Slides can work properly.Thanks
- Hover over each tool to see its keyboard shortcut and function.Thanks
- Remember, these are the basic functions – Google Slides contains many more tools that you can work with as you explore the creator.Thanks
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About This Article
Article Summary
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To create a new Google Slides presentation, open a web browser and go to Slides.Google.com. If you want to start from a template, you can choose one from the template gallery. Otherwise, click "Blank" to create a new blank presentation. Your blank presentation starts with a single simple slide with space to enter a title and subtitle. You can personalize this slide, as well as other slides you add, by editing the placeholder text, as well as choosing a slide theme from the panel to the right. To insert another slide, click the "Insert" menu and select "New Slide," or press "Control M" for a quick keyboard shortcut. You'll also find other things you can add to your slide on the Insert menu, including the option to add an image, a text box for typing, videos, shapes, charts, and other features. After adding a new slide, click the "Layout" menu to choose a slide layout—you can give each slide its own layout or reuse the same layout as much as necessary. Edit the placeholder text, and then insert objects from the Insert menu. To move an object, click the arrow in the toolbar, hover the mouse cursor around the object's border line until it turns to a 4-point arrow, and then click and drag it. Each slide you add will have a thumbnail in the left panel—click a slide's thumbnail to open that slide for editing. To see your presentation as a viewer would, click your first slide in the left panel, and then click "Present" at the top corner. Click the Escape key to go back to editing. Google Slides also has some built-in effects you can access from the "Transition" menu—here you can animate a slide's transition into the next slide, as well as animate individual objects. To apply an effect, background, theme, layout, or any other setting to more than one slide at once, select the slides in the left panel by holding down the Control key as you click each thumbnail. Your presentation will automatically save to your Google Drive as you work—type a name for the presentation in the top-left corner so you can easily find the file when you need it.
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