Google Slides

Hovering over the border of an empty slide before dropping in an image (from your desktop, Content Library or another webpage) will now set the image as the background in Google Slides. Dropping the image anywhere else will simply insert the image onto the slide.

The new Speaker Spotlight command allows you to add your video feed directly into your slide content when you are presenting slides. Speaker spotlight also integrates seamlessly with Meet and Slides Recordings for more engaging virtual or recorded presentations. 

Find out more in our how-to video:

You can now record yourself presenting slides, then share the presentations with colleagues. You can record webinars, employee training, demonstrations and more without having to leave Slides. 

You can now add GIFs and stickers to your slides directly from a new pane in Google Slides. 

You can now add an emoji reaction to a comment in Google Slides to quickly and creatively express your opinions about slide content.

If you are collaborating on a presentation with colleagues, each person can turn on a live pointer, allowing everyone else to see exactly where they are in the presentation. Click on the View menu and choose Live Pointers to turn your pointer on or off in a presentation. 

When presenting in Google Slides, you can now add annotations with the pen tool, allowing you to draw shapes, underline or make notes. 

Find out more in our how-to video:

Your Google Workspace administrator can set a default Slides template for your domain, which will appear when you create a new presentation in Google Slides. You can choose to use this template or continue with a blank presentation. 

To make it easier to find commands in Google Docs, Sheets and Slides, a new tool search will be available in the command bar of these apps. This can be used to find a specific tool, and will also show suggested actions while you are creating your document. 

There is a new-look share button near the top-right corner of the screen, along with the Meet button, comments and last edit button. The activity dashboard can now be viewed via the Tools menu. Comments now show in a different shade to make them easier to view in a document, without disrupting document flow. 

Find out more in our how-to video:

In Google Slides, Docs, Sheets and Drawings, you can now select colours in the any colour dialog box (text, background, etc.) by using RGB values. You can also use the eyedropper tool to use any colour currently showing on your screen, and can still enter the HEX value of a colour too. 

If you join a Google Meet meeting from a Google Doc, Sheet or Slide, you can now quickly share the current file with meeting attendees. A link will appear in the meeting chat, and you will be able to choose how meeting attendees will be able to access the file.

Find out more in our how-to video:

The dialog box for sharing docs, sheets and slides has been improved to include all sharing options in a single screen. 

Find out more in our how-to video

You can now join a Google Meet call directly from Google Docs, Sheets and Slides. From the Google Meet icon, click on Join the call to quickly join and present a document, spreadsheet, or presentation to all attendees, allowing everyone in the meeting to collaborate while having a conversation.

Find out more in our how-to video:

In Google Slides, the filmstrip shows on the left-hand side of the screen, allowing easy access to all slides in the presentation. This pane can now be collapsed by clicking on the arrow along the bottom of the pane.

In Google Chat, you can now open and edit a Slide presentation in a side-by-side view. Click on a slide preview image in your chat stream to open it in side-by-side view, or click on the blue link to open it in Google Slides. 

When customising themes in Google Slides, you can now add image placeholders to your slides, to ensure that images added to the slide are positioned and sized correctly. 

Find out more in our how-to video:

You can now present content from Google Docs, Sheets and Slides directly into a Google Meet call. If you are not currently in a Google Meet call, you can choose to join a scheduled call or enter the code of the call you wish to join.

Find out more in our how-to video:

The Master view in Google Slides will be renamed to Theme Builder and will be accessible via the View menu in Google Slides. 

The presenter toolbar in Google Slides has been updated to show only the main controls usually required for presentations, with easy access to additional tools as needed. 

Find out more in our how-to video:

If your Google Slides presentation contains a video or audio clip, you can click on the clip to view a Link to Drive button which will open the original video or audio file when clicked.