Navigation and Getting Started

  • When creating a Google Slide, users can include animations, images, videos, and more! Google Slides also allows for sharing and collaboration and users can alter the options for sharing as they see fit.

  • You are always able to quickly see how your Slide will present with the easy-to-access "Present" button at the top right corner of the design page.

  • Watch the video for tips on getting started and/or click the help button under the video for more information!

The Interface

This is a screenshot of the Google Slides interface with colorfully labeled menus and buttons. The areas indicated by labels are: Naming the file, Main Menu bar, Quick Access Tool Bar, Design Tabs, Present Button (Which can present from current page or from beginning), Share Button (which can share with individuals with edit, comment, or view rights), Explore Button (click to add web content without leaving the Slide), and the Notes area (type notes for each page that only you can see!).

The Basics for Google Slides

Adding Transitions to Slides

  • Select "Transition" from the Tool Bar in the Design Tab section.

  • Select the drop down menu and pick a transition!

  • After you select a transition, you can alter the speed of the transition using the scrubber.

  • The transition can be applied to all slides, or just the current slide!

This is a GIF animation showing how to add transitions to slides in Google Slides. The animation also shows how to select a transition, change the speed of the transition, and preview/play the transition for the slide you're on.

Import Slides

This is a GIF animation showing how to import a slideshow from a Powerpoint file into a Google Slide deck.

  • Google slides offers the ability to import .pptx and .pps files and converts them to Google presentations in seconds!

  • Select "File" from the main menu bar, then select "Import Slides".

  • Select the slide presentation you wish to import from your PC and voila!

Linking Slides

  • Users can copy and paste slides from different slide decks. When doing so, Google prompts the user if s/he would like to "link" the slides.

  • Linking slides provides the function of updating the newest location of a slide whenever the original slide is altered.

  • This allows teachers to be sure that every occurrence of a slide that has been used in multiple presentations will be updated with the latest information.

Linking Slides.mp4

Presenting Slides

  • Google offers several cool features when presenting a Slide deck, two of which are closed captioning and Q&A.

  • Closed captioning allows the viewers of the presentation to see what is spoken. This feature makes the information and presentation more accessible to all students.

  • The Q&A feature, when initiated, invites viewers to join a question and answer session using a URL from their phones or other device. Viewers can then pose (anonymous, if preferred) questions that the presenter can then answer throughout the presentation.

  • Good/popular questions can even be displayed for the whole class at the click of a button.

  • Each new Q&A session is archived and can be accessed in Slides by clicking "Tools">"Q&A History".

Presenting Slides.mp4
This is a screenshot of the presentation toolbar that appears when presenting a deck in Google Slides. Among several button options, two are emphasized: Q&A (initiates Q&A session for your presentation) and Captions (initiates the closed captioning feature).