Adding Music and Sound to Google Slides Presentations
6 minutes read
Your Google Slides presentation isn’t done just yet. Learn how to add music or interesting sounds to Google Slides to give your presentation more impact.
The Importance of Sound in Presentations
Music can provide just the right element of interest to your Google Slides presentation. Most people relate well to music, and the right track can help your presentation to be more memorable.
Whether you’re working on a business presentation or need to submit a presentation for a class, you can add sound to Google Slides. You just need to know what to do.
In this tutorial, we’ll show you a few different methods that will allow you to add sound to your Google Slides presentation. (You’ll need access to a computer with an Internet connection during your presentation.)
Choosing the Right Soundtrack
When selecting music or sounds for your Google Slides presentation, keep the following three factors in mind:
- Your Audience: Consider what types of audio will attract or repel your audience when you add audio to Google Slides.
- Your Topic: Think about the subject of your presentation and how the audio matches the occasion.
- Your Brand: Ensure that the audio fits your image and existing brand.
While it may be tempting to pick a soundtrack based on personal taste, remember that it might not resonate well in a professional setting.
Also, decide whether you plan to speak over the soundtrack or wait for it to finish before speaking. If using the soundtrack as background music, opt for softer instrumental music rather than loud vocals.
Always ensure that you own the rights to use the music or sounds you include in your presentation. You can look for royalty-free music or share your own tracks. Great royalty-free soundtracks can be found at Envato’s AudioJungle marketplace, along with free stock music at Mixkit.
How to Quickly Add Audio to Google Slides
Adding audio to Google Slides is a great way to enhance the context and character of your presentation designs. Here’s how to do it in five simple steps:
1. Choose Your Audio Source
Before adding music to Google Slides, you need to consider its source. Most audio found online is copyrighted, but there are excellent options available for you.
Your first option is to record audio yourself, such as narration. Use a microphone connected to your computer or phone to capture your narration. Save the audio file in either .mp3 or .wav formats, as these are supported by Google Slides.
Another option is to utilize Envato Elements, which provides access to over 90,000 audio tracks available for download. This is a fantastic way to find suitable music for your slides without worrying about copyright violations.
Join Envato Elements today to get started!
2. Import Audio into Google Slides
Once you have your audio file ready, you need to import it into Google Slides. Navigate to your Google Drive dashboard and click on New in the upper left corner. From the dropdown, select File Upload.
Browse for the audio file on your computer, click on it, and then click Choose for Upload. Google Drive will import the selected file.
If you plan to share your presentation with others, remember to share the audio file as well. Open the audio file in Google Drive, click on the three dots in the upper right corner, select Share, enter the email addresses of the users you want to share it with, and then click Done.
3. Adding Audio to Your Slides
Now that you have uploaded your audio, it’s time to add it to your slides. Open an existing Google Slides presentation or create a new one. Navigate to the slide where you want to insert audio.
Go to the Insert dropdown on the menu bar and select Audio. If you’ve already uploaded audio to Google Drive, you can see its thumbnail in the Files section. Click on it, then choose Select. Google Slides will add the music to your slide.
A small speaker icon will appear on your slide, which you can move around to an unobtrusive area.
4. Configure Playback Settings
After adding music to your slides, you can customize how and when it plays back. A Format Options sidebar will open on the right side of your screen, providing various playback settings:
- On Click: The music will play when you click the speaker icon.
- Automatically: The audio starts playing as soon as the slide appears.
You can also choose to loop the audio, allowing it to play continuously.
5. Playing the Audio
To test your audio, click Present in the upper right corner. Navigate to the slide with your music and click on the speaker icon. Your imported audio will start playing.
Once you know how to add audio to Google Slides, you can elevate your presentation to new heights using stock audio from Envato Elements and Google Slides’ built-in features.
Adding Music via Streaming Services
In addition to uploading audio files, you can also link a streaming music service to your presentation. Here’s how to do it:
Step 1: Open Your Presentation
Start by opening your Google Slides presentation. This example will continue using the Boom template.
Step 2: Use Your Music Service
Open the music service you have rights to use (e.g., SoundCloud, Spotify, or Apple Music) and find the track you want to use.
Step 3: Insert a Graphic Link
To make your audio link less obtrusive, consider using a graphic. Copy an icon from your presentation template and insert it into the desired slide. Update any surrounding text to indicate that it’s an audio option.
Step 4: Insert a Link
Copy the URL of your selected soundtrack. Back in your presentation, select the graphic and click Insert > Link. Paste the link you copied into the prompt and click Apply.
Step 5: Playing the Link
To play the music during your presentation, click the linked graphic or text. This will open a new tab in your browser with your audio, allowing you to control playback manually.
Method 2: Insert a Video with Sound
Another effective method for adding audio is by embedding a YouTube video. This approach allows you to use the AutoPlay feature, making it easier to manage presentations that may be viewed online.
Steps for Embedding Video
- Open your presentation and go to the desired slide.
- Select Insert > Video and search for or enter the URL of your YouTube video.
- Resize and position the video on your slide.
- Change the video settings to Play (automatically) using the Format Options menu.
- When you present, the YouTube video will play automatically on the slide.
Conclusion
You’ve now learned how to add music and sound to your Google Slides presentations! Whether linking to a streaming service or embedding a YouTube video, these methods help make your presentations more engaging and memorable. Adding sound enhances audience attention, making your presentation more impactful.
Explore the powerful tools available in Google Slides to engage your audience creatively.