Open Google Slides and start with a blank presentation
Go to slides.google.com in any web browser. If you are not already signed into a Google account, sign in now — you need one to use Google Slides, and it is free to create.
Once you are signed in, you will see a homepage with your recent presentations and a large plus sign (+) in the top left. Click that plus sign to start a blank presentation. Google will open a new slideshow with one blank slide ready for you to edit.
The blank slide comes with two text boxes: one for a title and one for a subtitle. You can use these as-is, delete them, or replace them with your own text. Nothing is locked in yet.
Key Takeaways
- Google Slides works in your web browser and saves automatically to your Google Drive, so you never lose work if your computer crashes.
- You add slides by clicking the plus button in the toolbar, and you change the layout of any slide by right-clicking it and choosing a different template.
- Text, images, and shapes all go into the Insert menu — there is no separate toolbar to hunt for.
- You can share a slideshow with others by clicking the Share button in the top right, and they can view it, comment on it, or edit it depending on what permission you give them.
- Google Slides keeps a version history, so if you accidentally delete something, you can recover it from the File menu.
Add slides and choose a layout for each one
To add a new slide, click the plus button (+) in the toolbar at the top, or press Ctrl+M on Windows or Cmd+M on a Mac. A new slide appears after the one you are currently viewing.
Each new slide starts with a default layout — usually a title and content area. To change the layout of a slide, right-click on the slide thumbnail on the left side of the screen. A menu appears with layout options: title only, title and two columns, title and image, blank, and several others. Click the layout you want, and the slide reshapes itself when ready.
You can also change the layout by clicking the Layout button in the toolbar at the top. Both methods do the same thing — use whichever feels faster to you.
Add text, images, and shapes
To add text to a slide, click directly on any text box that already exists, or click Insert in the menu bar and choose Text Box. A text box appears on the slide. Click inside it and start typing. You can move the text box by clicking and dragging it, and you can resize it by dragging the corners.
To add an image, click Insert and then Image. Google gives you four options: upload from your computer, search the web, use Google Drive, or paste a URL. Choose the option that matches where your image is stored. Once you pick an image, it appears on the slide. You can move it, resize it, or right-click it to crop it or adjust its brightness.
To add shapes — rectangles, circles, arrows, callout boxes — click Insert and then Shape. A menu of shape categories appears. Pick a category, then pick the shape you want. Click and drag on the slide to draw the shape. You can change its color by right-clicking it and choosing Fill Color, and you can add text inside it by double-clicking it.
Format text and explore a consistent design
To change how text looks, select the text first by clicking and dragging across it. Then use the toolbar buttons to make it bold, italic, or underlined. You can also change the font, the size, the color, and the alignment from the toolbar.
To explore a consistent design across all your slides, click the Design button in the toolbar (it looks like a palette). Google shows you a list of pre-made themes. Click any theme, and it applies to every slide in your presentation when ready. You can still edit individual slides after explore a theme — the theme is just a starting point.
If you want to change the background color or add a background image to just one slide, right-click that slide's thumbnail on the left and choose Change Background. A panel opens where you can pick a solid color or upload an image.
Organize slides and add speaker notes
The slide thumbnails on the left side of the screen show you the order of your slides. To rearrange them, click and drag a thumbnail to a new position. To delete a slide, right-click its thumbnail and choose Delete Slide.
To add speaker notes — text that only you see when presenting, not your audience — click the Notes button at the bottom of the screen. A notes area appears below the slide. Type anything you want to remember when you present: talking points, timing cues, or reminders. These notes stay hidden during the slideshow itself.
Save and share your slideshow
Google Slides saves your work automatically as you type, so you do not have to click Save. Your presentation is stored in your Google Drive under the name you gave it. To rename it, click the title at the top of the page and type a new name.
To share your slideshow with others, click the Share button in the top right corner. A dialog box opens. Type the email address of the person you want to share with, then choose what permission they get: Viewer (they can only watch), Commenter (they can leave feedback), or Editor (they can make changes). Click Share, and Google sends them an email with a link.
If you want to share a link without typing individual email addresses, click the Share button, then click Change to Anyone with the Link. Copy the link and send it however you want — email, text, Slack, or anywhere else.
Present your slideshow and use presenter view
To start presenting, click the Play button (it looks like a triangle) in the top right corner of the screen, or press F5 on Windows or Cmd+Shift+F5 on a Mac. Your slideshow goes full-screen. Click or press the right arrow key to move to the next slide. Press Escape to exit the slideshow and go back to editing.
If you are presenting on a computer while your audience watches a projector or external screen, use Presenter View. During the slideshow, press the letter N on your keyboard. Your screen shows the current slide, your notes, a preview of the next slide, and a timer — while your audience sees only the current slide on the projector. This way you can read your notes and see what is coming without your audience seeing them.
If Presenter View does not set up with the N key, check that you are using Chrome as your browser — Presenter View works most reliably there.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use Google Slides offline?
Yes. Go to myaccount.google.com, click Security on the left, scroll down to Your devices, and turn on Offline. Then open your presentation in Google Slides, click File, and turn on Offline. You can edit it without internet. When you reconnect, Google syncs your changes automatically.
How do I undo a change I made several minutes ago?
Click File in the menu bar, then Version History. Google shows you a timeline of every change made to your presentation, with timestamps. Click any earlier version to see what it looked like, then click Restore This Version to go back to it. Your current version is not deleted — you can always move forward again.
Can I embed a video in my slideshow?
Yes. Click Insert, then Video. You can search YouTube, paste a video URL, or upload a video from your computer. The video appears on the slide. During the presentation, click the video to play it. Audio and video both work during the slideshow.
What happens if someone else edits my presentation while I am working on it?
Google shows you a notification that someone else is editing. Their cursor appears on the slide they are working on, so you can see where they are. Changes appear in real time — if they add text, you see it appear on your screen when ready. This is called real-time collaboration.
Can I read my slideshow as a PowerPoint file?
Yes. Click File, then read, then Microsoft PowerPoint (.pptx). Google converts your slideshow and downloads it to your computer. Some formatting may change slightly because PowerPoint and Google Slides handle certain features differently, but the content stays intact.