Speaker notes in Google Slides are an excellent tool to enhance your presentation without cluttering your slides with too much information.

These notes serve as a reference during your presentation, helping you stay on track while delivering key points.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to use speaker notes effectively in Google Slides, from adding them to viewing them during a presentation.

How to Use Speaker Notes in Google Slides: A Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Open Your Google Slides Presentation

Begin by opening your Google Slides presentation in Google Slides. Make sure you’re in the slide where you want to add speaker notes.

You can either create a new presentation or open an existing one from your Google Drive.

Step 2: Access the Speaker Notes Section

To add speaker notes, locate the panel at the bottom of the slide.

If you don’t see the speaker notes section, click on the "View" tab at the top of the screen and select "Show Speaker Notes."

This will open a small box below each slide where you can type your notes.

Step 3: Add Notes to Your Slides

Once the speaker notes section is visible, click inside the box to start typing.

You can add details like key talking points, reminders, or extra information that you’ll refer to during your presentation.

Repeat this step for each slide where you need speaker notes.

Step 4: Present with Speaker Notes

When you're ready to present, click the "Present" button at the top-right corner of your screen.

Then, to view your speaker notes during the presentation, hover your mouse at the bottom of the screen and select "Presenter View."

A new window will open, showing your current slide on one side and your speaker notes on the other.

This allows you to reference your notes without displaying them to the audience.

Step 5: Adjust Speaker Notes for Printing or Sharing

If you need to share or print your slides with speaker notes, go to the "File" menu, select "Print settings and preview," and choose the "1 slide with notes" option.

You can download the presentation as a PDF or print it directly with the notes included.

Now that you're using speaker notes effectively, check out how to add a template to PowerPoint to help maintain consistency and structure across your slides.

Conclusion

Speaker notes in Google Slides are a powerful feature that lets you deliver a more organized and confident presentation.

By adding key points and reminders to each slide, you ensure that your delivery is smooth without overwhelming your audience with too much text.

Whether you're presenting in person or online, Google Slides’ speaker notes feature can help make your presentation a success.

FAQs are here to help!

Can my audience see the speaker notes during the presentation?

No, the audience only sees the slides. Speaker notes are visible to the presenter using Presenter View.

Can I customize the size of the speaker notes section?

Yes, you can resize the speaker notes panel by clicking and dragging the border of the notes section up or down.

Are speaker notes included if I export the presentation as a PowerPoint file?

Yes, when you export to PowerPoint, the speaker notes are included in the file and can be viewed in PowerPoint’s notes view.