Last week I streamed a live webinar all about Google Slides (you can register HERE for the replay if you’re interested 
). After the live event, I received a question that I hadn’t really expected. I guess since I’ve been using Google products for so many years now, I just take for granted that everyone uses it. Well, as I have learned, that is clearly not the case. The question was, “How do I get Google Slides?” You know, I am so glad that this question was asked because I would have just continued on in my ignorance, assuming everyone knows the answer. Well, for anyone who may not know how to get Google Slides, this blog post is for you.
How Do I Get Google Slides?
Thankfully, this is a rather quick question to answer. In order to get access to Google Slides, you will need to sign up for a Google Account. Once you have done that, you will have immediate access to a wide range of Google tools such as Slides, Gmail, Docs, and Sheets to name a few.
How Do I Sign Up?
A Google account gives you access to a large range of different products. With a Google account you can access email, create a presentation, write an essay, and more. You can even get super creative with Google products and use them in imaginative ways. They are versatile and collaborative. You can learn about a creative use of Google Slides in my blog post, Google Slides Are More Than Simple Slides.
If you have ever signed into a Google product before, chances are you already have an account. The image below depicts many of Google’s more common products that you may have used in the past. You can use the username and password you created for that product to sign into any other Google product.
If you have never used any of Google’s products in the past, your first step will be to create a new account. You can do that at the following address: https://accounts.google.com/signup OR by clicking on the “Create An Account” button to the left.
When you setup your account, you will be asked to provide some basic information. This information is used to help make sure your experience with Google’s services are optimal. It is also used to make sure that your account is secure. You will follow the steps on the screen and provide the information needed to complete the sign up process.
Once you have created the Google account, you will then be able to use those same login credentials for ANY of Google’s products. That includes Google Slides!
Other Options:
The other way that you can get access to a Google account is through your school or work. If you are a student or faculty member of a school that has set up GSuite for Education accounts, you will have access to Google’s products through that account. Likewise, if you have a workplace account created through the Google for Business program, you will also have access to Google’s range of products.
How Do I Create A New Presentation?
Now that you are all set up with a Google account and access to Google Slides, you might be asking yourself, “How do I create a new presentation?” One thing that I really like about all Google products is that they make things so easy. They also provide a number of different options for common tasks. Tasks just like creating a new presentation. There are three different ways that you can easily create a new presentation.
Method #1
This first method is probably my most favourite because it is so simple! All you need to do is open a web browser – I personally recommend Google Chrome. Then, in the omnibox (traditionally known as the address bar), type “slides.new”. A brand new Google Slides presentation file will be created for you as you can see in the video below.
This method is great for when you need a basic Slides presentation file quickly. Some of the drawbacks are that you aren’t able to place it directly into a folder for organization purposes. This, however, can be done after the file has been created. Additionally, using this method we are unable to choose a specific template to use when creating the file. This too can be done following the creation of the file.
Method #2
The second method takes a few more clicks to complete. However, it also gives us the option to begin with a pre-made template. Once again, you begin by opening a web browser. This time, you will type “slides.google.com” into the omnibox. Your Google Slides dashboard will open. Here you will be able to see options for different templates, previous Slides files, and the option to start from scratch.
The benefit with using this method is that you have the option to open a previous Slides file or to begin a new one using a blank presentation or a pre-designed template. But just like in the previous method, there is no specific way to organize the file into folders etc. This leads us to the third and final method that we will discuss today.
Method #3
Finally, the third way we can create a new Google Slides presentation is directly in our Google Drive. To do this, you will open your web browser and type in “drive.google.com”. This will open up your Google Drive. It is the place where all of your files are housed. You can create or upload new files in your Google Drive or create new folders that can help organize your files.
Once your Google Drive is open, you will click on the “+ Create” button in the upper left-hand corner and then choose “Google Slides”. This will open a new tab with a fresh Google Slides presentation file. From here, you can name the file, choose a theme, and add content. The file is automatically saved in the main section of your Google Drive.
Within Google Drive, you are able to organize your Google Slides, Docs, Sheets, Forms, etc. into folders so that you can easily find them again. One of the major advantages to creating the file this way is that you can control what folder it is organized into right off the bat. If you have a particular folder that you want your new file to be located in, you can navigate to that folder and open it, then click on the “+ Create” button. This will place the newly created file directly in the folder in choose.
How Do You Present With Google Slides?
Once you have designed and formatted your Google Slide presentation, you will want to know how to actually present it. There are a couple of ways you can do this and which one you choose will depend on your specific needs when presenting. You can share your presentation in full-screen mode or you can share within the web browser window.
The first method would be to simply click the “Present” button in the upper right-hand side of the file (next to the “share” button). This will bring up the presentation in full screen mode and you will find navigation tools at the bottom of your screen. You can also use the arrow buttons on your keyboard to navigate through the presentation.
The second method is to click on the down-arrow on the side of the “Present” button and choose “Presenter View”. Instead of the presentation filling your whole screen, it will fill the web browser. You will also have the option to see speaker notes.
How Can I learn More?
If you are interested in learning more about Google Slides as well as other Google products, sign up to become a Rochford On Demand Insider and be notified whenever a new webinar is scheduled. Each month we aim to present a new webinar filled with information on using various Google products in creative ways.
