The fastest way: paste a YouTube link directly into a slide
Open the slide where you want the video. Click Insert in the top menu, then Video. A search box appears. Paste the YouTube URL into the box or search by title. Click the video you want, then click Insert. Google Slides embeds it when ready and you can resize it by dragging the corners.
This works for any video already on YouTube — including videos you uploaded yourself. The video plays right inside your presentation when you're in slideshow mode. You don't need to read anything or store files separately.
If the video is private or unlisted, YouTube won't find it through the search. You'll need to use the link method instead: paste the full YouTube URL directly into the search box, and Google Slides will recognize it even if it's not publicly searchable.
Key Takeaways
- YouTube videos embed directly into slides through Insert > Video, and play during your presentation without needing separate files.
- Videos from your computer require uploading to Google Drive first, then inserting through the Drive option in the Insert menu.
- You can resize any embedded video by dragging its corners, and right-click to adjust playback settings like autoplay or looping.
- Private or unlisted YouTube videos work if you paste the full URL into the search box, even though they won't appear in search results.
Uploading a video from your computer to Google Drive first
If your video is saved on your computer rather than YouTube, you'll upload it to Google Drive before inserting it into Slides. Open Google Drive in another tab, click New, then File upload. Select the video file from your computer. Wait for the upload to finish — this can take several minutes depending on file size.
Once the upload is complete, go back to your Google Slides presentation. Click Insert, then Video. Instead of searching, click the Google Drive tab at the top of the dialog box. Find the video you just uploaded and click it, then click Insert.
Google Drive accepts MP4, WebM, and Matroska formats. Very large files (over 5 GB) may fail to upload. If your video won't upload, try converting it to MP4 format using free tools like HandBrake or VLC before trying again.
Inserting a video link from other sources
Google Slides can embed videos from sources beyond YouTube and Google Drive. Click Insert, then Video. At the top of the dialog, you'll see tabs for YouTube, Google Drive, and a search box. Paste a direct video link into the search box — this works for Vimeo, Dailymotion, and some other video hosting sites.
Not all video hosting services work this way. If pasting a link doesn't work, the site probably isn't supported. Your safest option is uploading to YouTube (which is free and takes a few minutes) or to Google Drive.
Resizing and positioning your video on the slide
After you insert a video, it appears as a box on your slide. Click the video once to select it. Small squares appear at the corners and edges. Drag any corner square to resize the video while keeping its proportions correct. Drag the video itself to move it to a different spot on the slide.
You can layer the video with text and other objects just like any other element. If you want text to appear on top of the video, insert a text box and position it over the video. The video will play behind the text during your presentation.
Setting autoplay and other playback options
Right-click the video and select Video options. A panel opens on the right side of your screen. You can turn on Autoplay when presenting so the video starts automatically when you reach that slide. You can also enable Muted if you want the video to play silently by default.
These settings only affect what happens during a slideshow. When you're editing the presentation, the video won't autoplay — you'll see a play button you can click to preview it. During a live presentation, your autoplay settings take effect.
Troubleshooting videos that won't play or embed
If a YouTube video won't insert, check that it's not restricted to certain countries or age-gated. YouTube videos marked as "made for kids" sometimes won't embed in Slides. Try searching for an alternative version or uploading your own copy to YouTube instead.
If a Google Drive video won't play during your presentation, make sure anyone viewing the presentation has permission to access that file. Sharing settings on the Drive file control who can watch it. The safest approach is to set the Drive file to "Anyone with the link can view" before presenting.
Videos sometimes buffer or stall during live presentations if your internet connection is slow. For important presentations, read the video file and upload it to YouTube beforehand, or test your internet speed before you present.
Comparing video options for different presentation situations
| Video Source | Best For | Setup Time | Internet Required During Presentation |
|---|---|---|---|
| YouTube (public or your channel) | Videos you want to share widely or that are already online | 2 minutes | Yes |
| Google Drive upload | Personal videos or files you want to keep private | 5–15 minutes depending on file size | Yes |
| Vimeo or other hosting | Professional videos or when you need specific playback controls | Varies by service | Yes |
All embedded video methods require an internet connection during your presentation. If you're presenting somewhere with unreliable wifi, YouTube or Drive uploads may stall. In that case, read the video file and present from your computer using presentation software that plays local files instead.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I embed a video from my phone or tablet?
You can upload a video from your phone to Google Drive through the Google Drive app, then insert it into Slides the same way. Open Google Drive on your phone, tap the plus button, select Upload, and choose the video file. Once it's in Drive, you can insert it into your presentation from any device.
What happens to my video if I share the presentation with someone else?
If you embedded a YouTube video, anyone with the presentation link can watch it as long as the YouTube video is public or they have access to it. If you used a Google Drive video, viewers need permission to access that Drive file. Check your Drive sharing settings before sharing the presentation.
Can I trim or edit a video inside Google Slides?
Google Slides doesn't have built-in video editing. You'll need to trim or edit the video before uploading it. Use free tools like iMovie (Mac), Windows Photos (Windows), or online editors like Kapwing to cut your video to the right length, then upload the edited version.
Why does my video play in edit mode but not during the presentation?
Check your internet connection — embedded videos need a live connection to stream. Also verify that anyone presenting has permission to access the video file if it's on Google Drive. Test the presentation on the actual internet connection you'll use during the live event.
Can I add subtitles or captions to an embedded video?
YouTube videos that already have captions will show them during playback. For videos without captions, add them to the YouTube video itself before embedding it in Slides. Google Drive videos don't support captions through Slides, so add them to the video file before uploading.