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How to Edit Master Slide in Google Slides

The master slide editor in a presentation app is meant to enable editing of the theme and layouts for the presentation deck . Slide Master in PowerPoint is often used to make changes to PowerPoint templates by editing the sample layouts to cater to the presenter’s needs. The master slide in a Google Slides template can be used for the same purpose.

How to Edit Slide Master in Google Slides

To edit the master slide in Google Slides, go to Slide -> Edit Theme .

Edit Office Theme in Google Slides

The master slide or Office Theme can be edited to reflect major changes to the entire template. This is the slide at the very top of the slide master. In this example, we added a logo to the master slide to reflect the change across all slides in the template.

Customize Google Slides Layouts

Similarly, you can look for individual layouts and make changes to them. When you select a layout, a count will show how many slides are currently using the layout. This can be found on the top of the layout. In the example below, the layout is ‘used by 1 slide’, as indicated in the image below.

By making changes to the master theme or layouts in the slide, you can incorporate minor and major changes. These can include changes to reflect your custom branding, layout designs that you might need to use often, or other preferences that can help you make the most of the edited template version.

Final Words

Be it the master slide or individual layouts that need to be edited to reflect changes to match the presenter’s needs, slide master in Google Slides works pretty much the same as in PowerPoint.

With a few tweaks, you can reflect minor or major changes to your Google Slides templates and enhance productivity by circumventing the need to periodically edit slides to fit them to a specific layout format.

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How to Format Slides in Google Slides? [Complete Guide!]

By: Author Shrot Katewa

Google Slides is a great cloud tool for you to create presentations whether you are a student or a business executive. However, with mismatched layouts and backgrounds, the audience can get a negative impact or easily get distracted from the message you want to deliver. So, it is important that your presentation must look professional and consistent.

Do you want to learn how well you can streamline your slides while creating a presentation?

To change the background of slides, choose “Change Background” from the “Slide” menu. Click on “Color” or “Choose image” to set a color or an image as the slide background. To add it to all slides, click on the “Add to theme” button in the dialog box of “Change Background”.

Google Slides allows an easy way to make sure that your set style of slides remains true to your brand or the message you want to convey. In this article, we will provide a complete guide about how to set images or any basic color as slides background, edit master slides, change layouts, themes or even the size of the slides.

Let’s get started!

1. How to Add Background Color to a Slide in Google Slides?

In Google Slides, you can add background color to a slide using the “Change background” option. All you have to do is follow the 3 simple steps.

Step-1: Click on the “Change background” option

The first step is to open the slide. Then click on the “Slide” option in the menu bar at the top of the screen. Click on the “Change background” option in the “Slide” menu.

Step-2: Click on the “Color” option

In the “Background” dialog box, click on the arrow in the “Color” box. This will open a dialog box. You can select a background color from the dialog box.

You can also click on the “+” icon under the “Custom” section to add a custom color to the slide background.

Step-3: Click on the “Done” button

After selecting the preferred background color, all you have to do is click on the “Done” button at the bottom of the “Background” dialog box to change the background color of the open slide.

1.1 How to Add Background Color to All Slides in Google Slides?

To add a background color to all the slides in a Google Slides presentation, you have to first open the “Background” dialog box and select a background color. Refer to section 1 for the detailed steps.

Then all you have to do is click on the “Add to theme” button at the bottom of the “Background” dialog box to add the selected background color to all the slides.

1.2 How to Remove Background Color of Slides in Google Slides?

In the “Background” dialog box, you can remove a background color added to a Google Slides slide. To do so, click on the “Reset” option in the “Background” dialog box. Then all you have to do is click on the “Done” button to remove the background color.

2. How to Add Background Image to Slides in Google Slides?

In Google Slides, you can add a picture as the background of a presentation slide. To add a background image to a slide, follow the 4 quick steps.

In the presentation, you have to first open the slide where you want to add the background image. Then click on the “Slide” tab in the menu bar located at the top of the screen. In the “Slide” menu, click on the “Change background” option.

Step-2: Click on the “Choose image” option

In the “Background” dialog box, click on the “Choose Image” option. This will open the “Insert background image” dialog box.

Step-3: Select the image source

In the “Insert background image” dialog box, click on the image source in the top row. To insert a picture from your device, click on the “Upload” option. Then click on the “Browse” button to select an image from your device.

Step-4: Click on the “Done” button

The selected image will automatically be set as the background of the open slide. To save the new image as the slide background, all you have to do is click on the “Done” button at the bottom of the “Background” dialog box.

2.1 How to Change Background Image from Slides in Google Slides?

To change the background image of a slide in Google Slides, you have to follow the same steps as adding a new picture as the slide background. For the detailed steps, refer to section 2 of this article. 

2.2 How to Remove Background Image from Slides in Google Slides?

To remove the background image from a slide, you have to first open the “Background” dialog box from the “Slide” option in the menu bar. Then all you have to do is click on the “Reset” button in the “Background” dialog box to remove the background image.

3. How to Change Slide Size in Google Slides?

Google Slides offers the “Page Setup” feature that you can use to change the size of the slides in a presentation. To learn more about slide sizes in Google Slides, you can read my article here . To change the slide size, follow the 3 quick steps.

Step-1: Click on the “Page Setup” option

In the menu bar at the top of the screen, click on the “File” option. In the dropdown “File” menu, click on the “Page setup” option to open the “Page setup” dialog box.

Step-2: Click on the “Page Size” box

In the “Page setup” dialog box, click on the “Page size” box. Now you can select a preferred page size option in the pop-up menu. You can also click on the “Custom” option to customize the slide size.

Step-3: Click on the “Apply” button

Finally, all you have to do is click on the “Apply” button at the bottom of the “Page setup” dialog box to change the slide size.

4. How to Change Theme for Only One Slide in Google Slides?

In a Google Slides presentation, you cannot use multiple themes in a single file. For each presentation file, you can only use one theme. To change the theme for only one slide in the presentation, you can edit that slide as a separate file. Then copy the slide and paste it into the original file.

5. How to Edit Master Slides in Google Slides?

The “Theme builder” option in Google Slides allows you to edit the master slide and the slide layouts in the presentation. You can read my other article on slide master in Google Slides to learn more about using and editing the master slide in Google Slides.

To edit the master slide, follow the 4 simple steps.

Step-1: Click on the “Theme builder” option

The first step is to click on the “View” option in the menu bar located at the top of the screen. In the dropdown “View” menu, click on the “Theme builder” option.

Step-2: Click on the “Theme” slide

In the “Theme builder” screen, click on the master slide which is the slide under the “Theme” section. It is located in the slide layout pane on the left side. Now you can edit the master slide using the features available in the toolbar and the menu bar at the top of the screen.

Step-3:  Click on a “Layouts” slide

You can also edit the slide layouts in the “Theme builder” screen. The slide layouts are available under the “Layouts” section in the slide layout pane on the left side.

Step-4: Click on the “Close” option

Finally, you can click on the “Close” option which is the “X” icon at the top right corner of the “Theme builder” screen. This will return the screen to the normal view after automatically saving the changes to the master slide.

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Google Slides

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• 1 All About Google Drive arrow_forward_ios ✓ Learn all about using Google Drive.
• 2 Getting Started with Google Drive arrow_forward_ios ✓ Get started using Google Drive.
• 3 Creating Google Docs arrow_forward_ios ✓ Learn how to create new documents, spreadsheets, presentations, forms, and drawings.
• 4 Uploading Files to Google Drive arrow_forward_ios ✓ Learn how to upload and sync Google Drive files.
• 5 Managing Your Files arrow_forward_ios ✓ Learn how to manage and organize your Google Drive files.
• 6 Sharing and Collaborating arrow_forward_ios ✓ Learn how to share and collaborate on Google Drive files.
• 7 Converting and Printing Docs arrow_forward_ios ✓ Learn how to convert, download, and print Google Drive files.
• 8 Getting Started with Your Presentation arrow_forward_ios ✓ Learn how to get started with your Google Slides presentation.
• 9 Slide Basics arrow_forward_ios ✓ Learn how to insert, arrange, and change the layout of slides.
• 10 Text Basics arrow_forward_ios ✓ Learn how to cut, copy, paste, and format text in Google Slides.
• 11 Adding Pictures and Shapes arrow_forward_ios ✓ Learn how to add pictures and shapes to your Google Slides presentation.
• 12 Adding Transitions and Animations arrow_forward_ios ✓ Learn how to add transitions and animations to your Google Slides presentation.
• 13 Presenting Your Slide Show arrow_forward_ios ✓ Learn how to present your slide show.
• 14 Editing Master Slides and Layouts arrow_forward_ios ✓ Learn all about editing master slides and layouts in Google Slides.
• 15 Inserting and Editing Diagrams arrow_forward_ios ✓ In this lesson, you'll learn how to insert and edit diagrams into your presentation.
• 16 Audience Q&A arrow_forward_ios ✓ In this lesson, you'll learn how to use the Audience Q&A tool to accept and share audience questions.
• 17 Linking Between Slides arrow_forward_ios ✓ In this lesson, you'll learn how to link between slides.
• 18 Inserting and Editing Videos arrow_forward_ios ✓ Learn how to insert and edit videos in Google Slides.
• 19 Adding and Editing Free Templates arrow_forward_ios ✓ Learn how to add and edit free Google Slides templates.
• 20 Installing Add-ons arrow_forward_ios ✓ Learn how to install add-ons for Google Slides.
• 21 Printing and Creating PDF Files arrow_forward_ios ✓ Within Google Slides, learn how to print and create PDF files.
• 22 Skipping Slides arrow_forward_ios ✓ Learn how to use the skip slide tool to hide slides from your presentation.
• 23 Voice Type Speaker Notes arrow_forward_ios ✓ Learn how to use the voice type speaker notes feature.
• 24 Arranging Objects arrow_forward_ios ✓ Learn how to arrange objects on your slides.
• 25 Inserting Charts from Google Sheets arrow_forward_ios ✓ Within Google Slides, learn how to insert charts from Google Sheets.
• 26 Google Slides Quiz arrow_forward_ios ✓ Test your knowledge of Google Slides by taking our quiz.

20 Google Slides Tutorials To Master Your Presentation Skills

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Learning how to work with Google Slides and master the popular presentation software  won’t be in vain. Many people know what Google Slides is and are taking good advantage of it.

Both students and teachers can use it for free , and on top of that, many business professionals can also implement it in their work free of charge, thus making it a valuable presentation software.

In this article, we will provide you with some beginner and some advanced Google Slides tutorials that you can utilize for your needs. In the end, you will know how to use all the features in Google Slides and speed up your workflow .

1. Getting started – Complete beginner tutorial

This is an amazing Google Slide tutorial that has more than 20 subtopics. You will learn how to create a Google account, start your first presentation, and do a whole lot of other things.

We usually start our articles with big video tutorials, as you can see how to achieve everything. Still, it’d be best that you have a separate tutorial for each action you need, as compressed tutorials are always straight-to-the-point and don’t add many examples.

2.  How to create a Google Slides presentation?

Creating a Google Slides presentation from scratch is an important first step in being successful with your project. It’s critical to have a Google Account first, so make sure you have one before you start.

In this beginner Google Slides tutorial, you will see how to create a new presentation, add a theme, and see how to share your Google Slides presentation with others.

3. How to add images to Google Slides?

Images are a crucial part of any design, so it’s not a coincidence that Google Slides offers not one but six ways to add them, and all of them have their benefits.

In this Google Slides tutorial, you will learn how to add images and then modify them to fit your presentations the best way possible. Another thing we liked is how you can use shapes and embed the images into them, to get a special “vibe”.

4. How to add a video to Google Slides?

Videos are a crucial element of presentations today. Why? Because they convert! Statistics show that video is the leading source of web content, with 82% attribution .

In this tutorial for Google Slides, you will learn how to embed a video, trim it, and customize it to fit your presentation agenda.

5. How to add fonts in Google Slides?

Learning how to add fonts to Google Slides is crucial for your presentation. It can give you an extra bit of creativity but could also make the difference if you want to add more branding.

In our Google Slides tutorial, you will see in which case it’s a good idea to add fonts, how to use fonts properly, and how to change and add fonts from the selection. The steps on the guide are “served” with image guidelines for easier navigation.

6. How to add charts to Google Slides?

If you want to sound more professional in your presentation, then talking the talk won’t be enough. Adding charts to your Google Slides presentation will make it more credible and useful.

In this Google Slides tutorial, you will learn how to create a chart from scratch, or import a chart from Google Sheets. You will also see how to stretch the chart and modify the data inside.

7. How to create a flyer on Google Slides?

A friend of mine (a teacher) asked me if he could do something more than a standard presentation on Google Slides. And my reply consisted of a single video – this one.

While this is an advanced Google Slides tutorial, you can clearly see how you can optimize all the resources available for something much different than a normal presentation. All you need to do is make your slides vertical and show some imagination.

8. How to insert an Animated GIF into Google Slides?

Adding GIFs to your Google Slides presentations will add a lot of value to them. More importantly, you will keep your audience’s attention for longer which is crucial

In our tutorial, we will show you why and how you should add GIFs to your Google Slides presentations. During the guide, we will also show you when it’s appropriate to use GIFs and some good places where you can find resources.

9. How to insert infographics in Google Slides?

Infographics are a great way to showcase your skills. Fortunately, there’s no need to reinvent the wheel, as there are plenty of free infographic templates out there.

In this Google Slides tutorial for teachers, you will learn how to add your infographics and customize them. It is important to align them with the theme and tone of your presentation.

10. How to print a Google Slides presentation?

Sometimes, you need to print your Google Slides presentation if it contains a lot of details that your audience should have available in front of them.

In this Google Slides tutorial, you will quickly see how to print your presentation and ensure you won’t leave your audience guessing.

11. How to add speaker notes in Google Slides?

You can’t be a good presenter without knowing how to add speaker notes . They bring a lot of value to your confidence, as you will easily remember what you’re about to say in each slide.

In the article, you will first see the reason why speaker notes are crucial for you. Then, we will move forward to the next part – adding them. The third part of the article will go through the way you display them, and last but not least – we will show you a couple of free tips on how to write your speaker notes.

12. How to add a hanging indent in Google Slides?

Learning how to add a hanging indent is crucial in academic environments. Knowledge of APA and MLA citation styles shows that you have done enough resources to know how to use someone else’s information and credit them when due.

Our article is a detailed Google Slides tutorial with plenty of images and instructions on how to move the ruler, in order to fully customize it according to the best practices in each citation standard.

13.  How to make a radial chart in Google Slides?

Data visualization is critical for the success of any presentation. People love to see images, instead of large text batches. Audiences remember data much faster if presented in a visual way.

Learning how to make a radial chart in Google Slides will help you present data in a more “digestible” way, thus conveying your message better. In the article, you will learn why people create radial charts and see a step-by-step guide with images of each step, in order to not miss a detail.

14. How to group/ungroup elements in Google Slides?

Grouping elements have been a common thing in design platforms like Illustrator and Figma but it is certainly a novelty in Google Slides.

Well, in this Google Slides guide you will learn how to group and ungroup elements in just under a minute. However, this could save you valuable time, especially if you plan to merge different elements – like icons and images.

15. How to create a timeline in Google Slides?

Timelines are the perfect tools if you have a presentation in which you explain chronological events – for example, company annual growth between Q1-Q4, or so. Luckily, Google Slides offers you an option to insert a timeline but you can also many Google Slides templates .

This Google Slides tutorial shows you how to create a timeline chart from scratch, and then add interesting details. What we loved here is the idea of creating catchy messages.

16. How to design a concept map in Google Slides?

Concept maps are perfect when it comes to displaying relationships between different ideas. In order for your audience to understand the main topic, you can break it down in to subtopics and explain how they are related to each other.

In this video tutorial, you will see exactly how you can create a concept map in Google Slides. Of course, if you don’t want to bother creating something from scratch, you can always check out some templates.

17.  Google Slides transitions & animations: Complete guide

Transitions and animations are a significant part of Google Slides. You can add extra depth to your slides, provided that you don’t “overanimate”.

This Google Slides tutorial shows you where to access animations & transitions, and how to do them correctly. What we loved about the guide is that it shows you in real-time what is the “after effect”.

18.  Create a professional business card on Google Slides

We all know graphic design apps and we’re not going to lie – they are a better fit for business cards. But are they free? I doubt so. With Google Slides, you can create a business card free of charge.

What we love in this advanced Google Slides tutorial is how detailed each step is. For just under 15 minutes, you can create your first (or next) business card, and then print it, if you like.

19. How to make a social media post in Google Slides?

If you’re a marketing agency, you will probably laugh at the idea of using Google Slides ahead of Illustrator , CorelDRAW, Photoshop , etc. But that’s not the case with small businesses that don’t have large budgets.

Is this the case with you? Then, this Google Slides video tutorial is for you. You will see how to create social media graphics utilizing stock images and the large font selection available from Google.

20. Edit images in Google Slides: Complete tutorial

We have already shown you how to add images in Google Slides. However, there is a way to actually edit them semi-professionally.

This Google Slides tutorial will show you how to add and then process an image in Google Slides. And that’s not all – it’s done by a professional designer who will also show you how to use text and add it as part of the image!

Google Slides is an app that can do a lot of things. While you might consider it as an online presentation software, it can achieve a lot more things.

If you found this article helpful, you can also check some of our other content:

• How to Convert Your PowerPoint Presentation into Google Slides
• How to Make Google Slides Look Good And Add a Touch of Finesse?

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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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When using a template to work on a presentation, you might want to create new slides, keeping the design included in the template. Or sometimes, you might prefer to duplicate an existing slide to reuse its elements, such as text boxes. In addition to this, you can perform other actions, such as deleting slides, moving or even hiding them so that they’re not visible during your presentation.In this tutorial, you’ll learn how to do all of this to turn any of our templates into your own presentation.

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Let’s take the most famous formula: E=mc^2, Einstein’s relativity equation. It wouldn’t be the same if it was E=mc2, right? Okay, yes, some people write it like that because it’s very famous and it won’t be misunderstood. But technically… It can! This is where the sophistication of superscript or subscript enters the room! Do you know how to write them in equations, copyright brands or even footnotes in your presentations? Let’s figure out how.

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

Guide to Making Great Presentations (Free eBook Download)

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

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

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

Quick Google Slides Ideas to Use Today (Quickstart Video)

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

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

Jump to content in this section:

Tip 1. Use a Pro Google Slides Template

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Here's what to do:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Microphone icon appears on your screen:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Here's the Publish to the web dialog box:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

5 Top Google Slides Presentation Design Trends for 2024

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

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

1. Highly Visual Slides

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

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

2. Short and Sweet Slide Decks

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

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

3. Making Data Visual With Infographics

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

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

4. Use a Memorable Design When It Fits

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

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

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

5. Bringing Apps and Websites to Life With Mockups

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

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

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

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

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

Find Google Slides Templates

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

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

Advantages of Using Google Slides vs PowerPoint

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

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

Some of my favorite features in Google Slides include:

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

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

More Professional Google Slides Template Resources for 2024

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Learn More Techniques to Use Google Slides Effectively

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

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

Go Build a Google Slides Presentation Today

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

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

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

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

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Break these bad habits to browse the web faster, i love google chrome's new tab organization feature, quick links, what is google slides, how to sign up for an account, how to create a blank presentation, how to import a microsoft powerpoint presentation, how to check your spelling in google slides, how to collaborate on presentations, how to see all recent changes to a presentation, how to link to a specific slide, how to insert special characters into a slide, how to use google slides offline.

If you’re just getting started with Google Slides, its extensive features and add-ons can be a little overwhelming. Here are some tips to help you get going with this powerful alternative to Microsoft PowerPoint.

If you’ve heard of Google Slides before, feel free to skip ahead; if you haven't, here’s a crash course on what you need to know. We’ll go over the basics and get you brushed up on what Google Slides is and how you can get started right away.

Slides is a free, web-based presentation program designed to compete with Microsoft Office PowerPoint. It's part of G Suite---Google's complete office suite (though some people refer to it all as Google Docs). The other main services included in the cloud-based suite are Sheets (Excel) and Docs (Word).

Related: What is Google Workspace, Anyway?

Google Slides is available on all devices and platforms; all you need is an internet connection and a web browser (or, in the case of mobile, the Android and iOS apps ). Google does the rest and handles the brunt of the heavy lifting, while it runs the software in the cloud.

Slides supports several file types, including  .ppt, .pptx , .odp, .jpg, .svg, and .pdf. This makes it easy to view or convert Microsoft Office files directly from Google Drive or insert images directly into a slide.

Related: What Is a PPTX File (and How Do I Open One)?

And since Slides is an online presentation program, you can share and collaborate with multiple people on the same file, and track revisions, changes, and suggestions, all in real-time.

Have you heard enough? Let’s get started.

Before you can use Google Slides, you have to sign up for a Google account (an @gmail account). If you already have one, feel free to move on to the next section. If not, we’ll go over the simplest way to create a Google account and get you set up with Slides.

Head over to  accounts.google.com , click "Create Account," and then click "For Myself."

On the next page, you provide some information---first and last name, username, and password---to create your account.

Also, you have to verify your phone number, so Google can make sure you’re not a bot.

After you verify your phone number, the subsequent pages require you to provide a recovery email address and your date of birth and gender. You must also agree to the privacy statement and terms of service. After that, you’re the proud new owner of a Google account.

Now that you have a Google account, it’s time to create your first presentation. Head over to  Google Slides  and place the cursor on the multicolored "+" icon in the bottom-right corner.

The + turns into a black pencil icon; click it.

Pro Tip: Type 

 into the address bar from any browser and hit Enter to automatically create and open a new blank document.

Even if you’re new to Google Slides, you might already have a collection of Microsoft PowerPoint files you’d like to be able to use. If that’s the case, then you have to  upload all your presentations  before you can view them. While it might not support some of the more advanced features and effects of some PowerPoint presentations, it works pretty well.

When you import a PowerPoint presentation, you can use either Google Slides or  Drive  to upload your files. Both methods let you drag and drop a file from your computer directly into the web browser for easy uploads. Your Drive houses all of your uploaded files, but---for the sake of convenience---when you go to the Slides homepage, it only shows you presentation-type files.

From the Slides homepage, click the folder icon in the top right, and then click the "Upload" tab. Now, drag and drop any files you want to upload directly into this window.

Once the file uploads, Slides opens it automatically, and it's ready for you to edit, share, or collaborate.

To open a PowerPoint presentation that you want to edit, click the filename with the "P" next to it from your Google Slides homepage.

Click to either view the PowerPoint file or edit it in Slides.

After you’ve finished editing your file, you can download and export your presentation back into a Microsoft PowerPoint format. Just go to File > Download As, and then click the "Microsoft PowerPoint" option.

If you’d rather download your presentation as a PDF, ODP, JPEG, TXT, etc., you can do that here, as well.

Related: How to Import a PowerPoint Presentation into Google Slides

Now that you have a few presentations, it’s time to make sure your  spelling and grammar are correct . Slides is equipped with a spellchecker. If you misspell something, it underlines the error with a squiggly line and prompts you to make a change.

This should be on by default, but you can make sure in Tools > Spelling > Underline Errors.

To see spelling corrections and suggestions, right-click the word with the line underneath. Alternatively, press Ctrl+Alt+X (Windows) or Command+Alt+X (Mac) to open the Spell Check and Grammar tool.

Along with a spellchecker, Google Slides comes loaded with a built-in dictionary and thesaurus. To use them, highlight a word, right-click it, and then click "Define [word]."

While this should get you started, we have  a deeper dive into Google’s spelling and grammar checker  if you want more info.

Related: How to Check Your Spelling in Google Docs

One of the best features of Google Slides is its ability to  generate a shareable link.  Anyone you share the link with can view, suggest edits to, or directly edit the presentation. This eliminates the hassle of sending a file back and forth between collaborators. Each person has her own text entry cursor to use on her computer.

To do this, click the orange "Share" button in the file you want to share. Next, choose how and with whom you want to send a link to the file. You can type email addresses or click "Get Shareable Link" in the top corner to hand out the invitation yourself.

From the drop-down menu, you can select one of these options for what other users can do:

• Off:  Sharing is disabled. If you’ve previously shared a link with others, it will no longer work and revokes any permissions they once had.
• Anyone with the link can edit:  Gives the shared users full read/write access. They still can’t delete it from your Drive, though---this is just for the contents of the file.
• Anyone with the link can comment:  Allows shared users to leave comments which is handy for team projects.
• Anyone with the link can view : Shared users can view the file, but can’t edit it in any way. This is the default action when you share a file, and it's the best option if you’re trying to share a file for download.

You can do a lot more with these shareable links, as they also work with other Drive files and on mobile. For a deeper look at how links work and how to generate them,  check out our post .

Related: How to Create Shareable Download Links for Files on Google Drive

When you share documents with others, it’s difficult to keep track of all the small changes that happen if you’re not present. For that, there’s  revision history . Google keeps track of all the changes that occur in a document and groups them into periods to reduce clutter. You can even revert a file to any of the previous versions listed in the history with a click of your mouse.

You can view a list of all recent changes by clicking File > Version History > See Version History. Alternatively, you can press Ctrl+Alt+Shift+H (Command+Option+Shift+H on Mac).

Related: How to See Recent Changes to Your Google Docs, Sheets, or Slides File

You can also share a link to a specific slide in your presentation with a friend or coworker, without having to mention which one you're referencing. When someone clicks the link and the presentation loads, it jumps directly to the slide you're referencing. You do have to enable file sharing before you can link to a specific slide in your presentation, though.

Because each slide has a unique URL, all you have to do to link to one is click it in the left pane, and then copy the URL from the address bar.

Google Slides also has a character insertion tool. This allows you to insert special characters into your presentation without having to remember any Alt-codes. There are tons of symbols, characters, languages, and so much more. So, whether you want an arrow, different language scripts, or if you just want a few silly emojis to spruce up your presentation, Google Slides makes it easy to include them.

To open the character insertion tool, click "Insert," and then click "Special Characters."

From here, you can manually search for specific characters with the drop-down menus.

Use the search bar to find a specific character or emoji.

You can also use your drawing skills to search.

Related: How to Insert Symbols into Google Docs and Slides

What happens if you need to access Google Slides but don’t have an internet connection? Although Slides is a web-based product, that  doesn’t mean you can’t use it offline . Any changes you make to the file offline will update the next time you connect to the internet. First, download the extension for Chrome.

To enable a presentation for offline use, go to the Google Slides’ homepage and, in the top-left corner, click the Hamburger menu > Settings. Once here, toggle "Offline" to the On position, and then click "OK."

To save storage space on your local machine, Google only downloads and makes the most recently accessed files available offline. To manually enable a file, click the three dots icon, and then toggle "Available Offline" to On.

Related: How to Use Google Docs Offline

Google Slides is a powerful, feature-rich alternative to Microsoft Office's PowerPoint. It's also completely free to use with an internet connection and a Google Account, making it a legitimate competitor for Microsoft.

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How can I apply a new version of a master layout to my existing slides with an older version of that master layout?

My company offers a PowerPoint template for business presentations that contains multiple slide masters (with multiple layouts). They recently updated this template. Now I need to update my existing presentations that still use an older version of that template.

What I tried:

I created a new presentation from the new template. I then copied all slides from my old presentation into that new presentation.

Result: All slides changed their layouts to the corresponding layout of the first slide master (in the list of all slide masters) instead of keeping their slide master with the same name.

I opened my old presentation. I copied all new slide masters from the template into the old presentation and then removed all old slide masters from it.

Result: Again, all slides changed their layouts to the corresponding layout of the first slide master (in the list of all slide masters) instead of keeping their slide master with the same name.

With my last try I effectively replaced the existing slide masters, but technically it was a copy and remove operation. So that's probably why the slides lost their reference to the correct slide masters.

Is their a way to technically replace a slide master, so that its new layout(s) apply to existing slides?

• microsoft-powerpoint

• Have you opened the master slides of the old presentation and directly editing them? That is, removed the objects within the existing master slide and then creating the new layout within the same master slide. That is, do not ever delete the master slides. You can probably copy the objects from within the new master slide and paste them into the existing old master slide without deleting the slide itself.. Unless I misunderstood what you, you haven't tried this. –  Brian Commented Jul 19, 2023 at 15:29
• I do not want to repeat the work that someone else already did, when updating the template. In other words, I do not want to apply every change (he/she did to the slide masters of the old template) to the slide masters of my presentation manually. This just does not scale well. I am looking for a way to take the new slide masters (with all their changes at once) and apply them to my old slides without knowing all the detailed changes. –  stackprotector Commented Jul 19, 2023 at 15:43
• 1 Hopefully I'm wrong but I don't see any other way. "Normal" slides are linked to their respective master slide and only change when that slide changes. And I don't see how copying the objects in a new master slide and pasting them onto an old master slide is repeating the work. The purpose of the master slide is that all "normal" slides that are linked to it so that you do not need to be individually changed should there be a change to the template; only the template (i.e. master slide) needs to be edited. –  Brian Commented Jul 19, 2023 at 15:50

Currently, there does not seem to be a way to apply a newer version of a slide master conveniently. So you have to do it the hard way:

Copy and paste the new slide masters into your existing presentation.

Change every single slide to use a layout of the new slide masters.

Remove the old slide masters.

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