There are many ways to enhance your Google Slides presentations that include creating engaging content and a pleasing appearance. But another way to improve your slideshow is with sound. Whether a sound effect, background music, or a narrative, you can insert an audio file easily.
We’ll walk you through how to add audio to Google Slides along with how to customize the playback and audio icon. You’ll also learn ways that the Plus AI add-on for Google Slides can take your slideshows to the next level.
{toc}
Audio file formats in Google Slides
You may see variations in the list of audio file formats that Google Slides supports. And while you can try different formats, you’re safest with MP3 and WAV files as of this writing.
If you have a file format that isn’t working in Google Slides, convert it to one of the aforementioned formats and try again. You can use a free online file converter for most audio files.
How to add audio to Google Slides
In order to add audio to Google Slides, you’ll need to have the audio file in your Google Drive using the same account. Whether it’s a file you upload yourself or one that was shared with you.
- Visit Google Drive, select New on the top left, pick File upload, and open the file.
- Head to Google Slides, choose the slide where you want the audio, and select Insert > Audio in the menu.
Tip: For background sound throughout the presentation, choose the first or second slide.
- Pick the Google Drive tab containing the audio file, select the file, and click Insert.
You’ll see the audio icon (speaker) display on your slide which you can drag to move elsewhere if you like. You can also resize the icon just like an image --- drag a corner or edge in or out.
Preview and adjust the volume or speed
To preview the sound, select the audio icon and press Play. You can also mute or change the volume level by selecting the speaker icon in the player.
In some cases, like using the Google Chrome web browser, you have the option to adjust the playback speed for the sound.
Select the audio icon to show the player, click the three dots on the right, and pick Playback speed to choose an option.
How to customize audio playback in Slides
After you add your audio file to your slideshow, you can adjust a few settings that can make a big difference with how your audio is presented. The way you customize these settings may also depend on the type of audio you’re including. Let’s take a look at these settings and include some tips on using them.
Select the audio icon on your slide and open the Format Options with one of the following:
- Click Format options in the top toolbar.
- Right-click and pick Format options.
- Select Format > Format options in the menu.
When the sidebar opens, expand Audio playback and you can adjust the settings below.
Start playing
On click: This silences the audio until you click its icon on the slide. This is good for sound effects throughout your narration or when introducing the audio.
Automatically: This plays the audio automatically when you land on the slide containing the file. This works well for playing background music or if the audio is the only element on the slide.
Options
Volume when presenting: Drag the slider, enter a percentage, or use the arrows to increase or decrease the volume level. It’s easiest to set this to 100 percent and adjust the volume using your device if you need to lower it.
Hide icon when presenting: This does exactly what it says, it hides the audio icon when you present the slideshow. The setting is only available when you choose Automatically in the above section and is ideal for a musical or sound backdrop.
Loop audio: This restarts the audio as soon as it ends and continues until you stop it or the presentation. This is also handy for automatically playing slideshows where the audio isn’t as lengthy as the show.
Stop on slide change: This stops the audio as soon as you advance to the next slide. This is convenient if you have various audio files on the remaining slides. For background music throughout all slides in your presentation, make sure to uncheck the box.
Icon formatting
If you plan to display the audio icon on the slide during your presentation, you do have a couple of options to customize its appearance.
First, you can expand the Recolor, Adjustments, Drop shadow, and Reflection sections in the Format Options sidebar to see settings that give the icon some pizzazz.
Alternatively, you can use a different icon like your logo or one to match your theme. Select the audio icon, pick Replace image in the toolbar, and choose an option for the image you’d like to use.
How to enhance your slideshow with Plus AI
Creating an engaging slideshow isn’t an easy task. From the content and appearance to presenting the slideshow itself, there’s a lot to cohesively bring together.
With Plus AI for Google Slides, you can get help with all of it. You can create new presentations and edit existing ones by just telling Plus what you want. With simple prompts or even a few words, you can set up an informative, interesting, and attractive presentation. Best of all, you can do it in mere minutes!
As an example, we want our content to really sell the audience. So, we ask Plus AI to make it more effective for sales and Plus handles it for us, no problem!
Visit the Plus AI website for complete details, to view the template gallery, see examples, and start your free trial!
Conclusion
You may want to add a sound byte for a dramatic effect, music for a soothing background sound, or a welcome message from your CEO. Whatever it is, you can include that sound file in your slideshow easily.
Now that you know how to add audio to Google Slides, take a look at how to insert a timer into Google Slides.
FAQs
Why is my audio not showing up in Google Slides?
If you’ve successfully added the audio to your Google Slides presentation, but cannot hear the sound when you play it, there are a few basic things to check.
First, make sure that the web browser tab isn’t muted. Right-click the tab and confirm the Mute setting is turned off. Second, be sure the audio file volume is at a noticeable level. Select the audio icon, open the Format Options sidebar, and adjust the Volume below Options. Finally, confirm that your device speaker is working and hasn’t been silenced.
Why can’t I add audio to Google Slides?
Confirm that you’re using a supported audio file format. If you’re not able to add your audio, use an online tool to convert the file into an MP3 or WAV format and then try to add it.
Can I add my voice to Google Slides?
While PowerPoint allows you to add narration to presentations, Google Slides doesn’t yet have this feature. Consider using a voice recording application to create the narration and then add the audio file to the slide.
