Looking for an easier way to manipulate items on your Google Slides? If you have images, shapes, or similar objects, you can group them together. This allows you to work with the entire group as if it was a single item.
You can group items temporarily for quick maneuvers or permanently for consistency throughout your slides. Our guide explains how grouping works and shows you how to group and ungroup items on Google Slides.
As an added bonus, we’ll explain how Plus AI can help you adjust your slide layout and content for a more compelling presentation.
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Grouping items in Google Slides
The benefit to grouping things like shapes and images in your Google Slides presentation is that you can manage those items as a set.
With a group in Google Slides, you can:
- Move the group to the spot you want on your slide which is convenient if you layer the items and want to retain their exact positions.
- Resize the entire group at once which is handy if you want all items to maintain their aspect ratio in relation to each other.
- Rotate or flip the group which is ideal for creating a unique appearance.
- Copy and paste the group which makes adding it to other slides super easy.
Aside from the above advantages to grouping slide elements, there are few things to keep in mind:
- You can only group items on the same slide.
- You cannot group videos, text boxes, or tables.
- You can only change individual group items by ungrouping them.
- If you animate individual items, this automatically updates to include all items in the set when you group them.
How to group items on Google Slides
If you’re ready to group objects, shapes, or images on your slide, you’ll start by selecting them. You can choose a couple or all elements on your slide and then group them one of a few different ways.
Select items on a slide
You can select the objects you want to group using the method that’s easiest for you.
For multiple items on a slide, do one of the following:
- Select the first item, hold your Shift key, and select each additional item.
- Click and drag your cursor across the items.
For all items on a slide, do one of the following:
- Open Edit in the menu and pick Select all.
- Click and drag your cursor across all items on a slide.
- Use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + A on Windows or Command + A on Mac.
Group items on a slide
Once you have the items selected, you can group them a few different ways:
- Open Arrange in the menu and pick Group.
- Right-click and pick Group.
- Use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + Alt + G on Windows or Command + Option + G on Mac.
After you group your items, you can move the group, resize, rotate, flip, or copy and paste it.
How to ungroup items on Google Slides
If after you group shapes or objects on a slide you want to return them to their individual states, you can simply ungroup them.
Select the group and do one of the following:
- Open Arrange in the menu and pick Ungroup.
- Right-click and pick Ungroup.
- Use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + Alt + Shift + G on Windows or Command + Option + Shift + G on Mac.
You can then make changes or move the items as you did before you grouped them.
Remix layouts or rewrite text with Plus AI
Finding the right placement for your slide elements can be challenging at times. After all, presentations are meant to be visually appealing. With Plus AI for Google Slides and Docs, you can get help making slides that look attractive as well as get your point across.
If you already have a Google Slides presentation, you can edit it quickly and easily with Plus AI. For instance, you might want to try a more effective layout for your slide elements. You can choose from a variety of templates and layouts that present your items in a structured yet pleasing way.
Along with the appearance of your slides, you can use Plus AI to enhance your content. You might want more details on a certain topic, need to shorten lengthy text to make it more digestible, or would like to make the content more entertaining. Simply pick a Rewrite preset or tell Plus AI how you want the text.
Having trouble getting started with your slideshow? With Plus AI, you can also create entire presentations. Just choose an eye-catching template, enter a prompt with instructions, and watch Plus AI build your whole slideshow in no time.
Conclusion
Manipulating elements on your Google Slides doesn’t have to be difficult or time-consuming. By grouping images, shapes, or objects, you can control a set of items instead of individual ones. And with Plus AI, you can get some help creating the exact look and feel you need for a successful presentation.
FAQs
Why won’t Google Slides let me group items?
If the Group option is grayed out in Google Slides, confirm that you have more than one item selected and that the items aren’t already grouped. Also, keep in mind that all items must be on a single slide and you cannot currently group elements like videos, tables, and text boxes.
Why can’t I group certain objects in PowerPoint?
Grouping slide elements in PowerPoint works similar to Google Slides. You can group images, shapes, and objects, but not text boxes or tables. If you select multiple items and see the Group option grayed out, then either you can’t group those types of items or they’re already grouped.
How do you organize pictures in Google Slides?
You can align images in Google Slides so that they’re properly placed, bring pictures forward or send them to the back for just the right positioning, and even rotate or flip your images. Check out the Arrange menu in Google Slides along with the Format Options to experiment with organizing your pictures.
