Adding motion and animations to your Google Slides presentations can make them more visually engaging and help emphasize key points. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk you through how to add animations to text, images, shapes, and other objects in your Google Slides presentations.
Step 1: Select the Object You Want to Animate
The first step is to select the text, image, shape, or other object that you want to animate in your Google Slide.
To select an object:
- Text: Simply click on the text box that contains the text you want to animate. The text box will have a border around it when selected.
- Images/Shapes: Click on the image or shape you want to animate. A border will appear around the selected object.
- Multiple objects: You can select multiple objects by holding down the Ctrl key (on a PC) or Command key (on a Mac) while clicking on each object.
Step 2: Open the Animations Pane
Once you have selected the object(s) to animate, you need to open the Animations pane. There are two ways to access the Animations pane:
Method 1: Insert Tab
- Click on the Insert tab at the top of Google Slides
- Click on Animation
Method 2: Right-click Menu
- Right-click on the selected object
- Hover over Animate and select Add Animation
Either method will open the Animations pane on the right side of your screen.
Step 3: Select an Animation
In the Animations pane, you’ll see a list of animation types you can apply to the selected object(s). Some popular options include:
- Fade in/out
- Fly in from left/right/top/bottom
- Zoom in/out
- Spin
- Bounce
- Grow/Shrink
Click on the animation you want to use. A preview will show you how that animation will look.
Step 4: Customize the Animation
Below the list of animations, you can customize options like:
- Start: Choose if the animation starts on click, after the previous animation ends, or at the same time as the previous animation.
- Duration: Length of time the animation takes. Drag the slider to adjust.
- Delay: Add a delay before the animation starts.
Play around with these options to achieve the desired effect.
Step 5: Add Multiple Animations
You can add multiple animations to the same object:
- In the Animations pane, click Add Animation.
- Select another animation type and customize the options.
The animations will play in the order they are listed in the Animations pane. Drag animations up/down to reorder them.
Step 6: Animate Text By Paragraph
For text boxes, you can choose to animate text line-by-line:
- In the Animations pane, check the box for By paragraph
- Each paragraph/line of text will animate individually on clicks
This is great for revealing bullet points one at a time while presenting.
Step 7: Preview and Edit Animations
Once you’ve added animations, click Preview at the top right of Google Slides to see the animations in action.
If you need to make any changes:
- Click View animations above the slide canvas
- Click an animation in the list to edit its options
Fine-tune the animations until you have the desired motion effects!
Tips for Using Animations Effectively
Here are some best practices for working with animations in Google Slides:
- Use subtle, simple animations instead of over-the-top effects
- Animate images/text when you want to emphasize key points
- Reveal bullet points line-by-line to pace your presentation
- Make sure animations enhance your content rather than distract
- Be consistent with animation styles throughout the presentation
With these tips in mind, adding animations to your Google Slides can take them to the next level visually without going overboard.
Common Questions about Google Slides Animations
Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about animations in Google Slides:
How do I remove an animation?
In the Animations pane, click the trash icon next to the animation you want to delete.
Can I copy animations from one slide to another?
Yes! You can copy all animations from one slide and paste them onto other slides:
- Click View animations above the slide canvas
- Click the three-dot icon next to “Animations”
- Select Copy animations to clipboard
- Navigate to the slide you want to paste the animations
- Click the three-dot icon next to “Animations”
- Click Paste animations from clipboard
Why aren’t my animations working in present mode?
Some browsers don’t fully support animations. For best results, preview or present slides in Google Chrome. Also make sure you are clicking to trigger animations marked “On Click.”
And that’s everything you need to know to add polished animations to text, images, and objects in your next Google Slides presentation! With these simple steps, you can create smooth and impactful motion effects.