Adding voice narration to your Google Slides presentations can make them more engaging and accessible. With voice over, you can guide your audience through the information instead of having them read everything on their own.

In this step-by-step guide, you’ll learn two easy methods for adding voice recordings to Google Slides using built-in Google tools. Both options work whether you want to pre-record audio or narrate your slides live.

Prerequisites

Before we get started, make sure you have the following:

A Google account
The latest version of Google Slides
A computer with a working microphone and speakers or headphones

If you plan to pre-record audio, you’ll also need an audio recording software or app that can export files in .mp3 format. Some options include Audacity (PC/Mac), Voice Recorder (Windows 10), or any voice memo app on mobile.

Method 1: Insert Audio in Google Slides

The easiest way to add voice overs is by inserting audio clips directly on the slides you want them to play on. Here are the steps:

Open your presentation in Google Slides and select the slide you want to add audio to.

In the top menu, click Insert > Audio. Insert audio option in Google Slides
In the pop-up window, select Upload audio to choose an audio file from your computer. Supported formats include .mp3, .wav, .wma (Windows only), and .m4a (Mac only). Alternatively, select Record audio to narrate your slide live.
Select the part of the slide where you want the audio icon to appear. This will indicate to viewers where to click to play the audio.

Adjust audio options like Start time, Playback length, and Volume:
- Start time – Delay the audio by a few seconds if needed.
- Playback length – Trim long recordings to match slide duration.
- Volume – Increase or lower the volume.
Click Save when you’re done. The audio icon will now be embedded on your slide.
Preview the slideshow to ensure the audio plays as expected.

To remove audio, click the audio icon and press Delete on your keyboard.

The benefit of this method is you can insert multiple audio clips throughout your presentation. The limitation is that viewers have to manually click the icons to play each clip.

Method 2: Record Slideshow With Audio

If you want to narrate your entire slideshow from start to finish, use the Record slideshow feature. This will save your presentation as a video file with your voice over.

Follow these steps:

Open your Google Slides presentation.
Click File > Record slideshow. Record slideshow option in Google Slides

Choose whether to include slide animations and slide transitions in the recording.
Click the microphone drop-down and select your microphone.
Click Record and start narrating your slides. Speak clearly and pause on each slide long enough for viewers to digest the information. Click the forward arrow to advance slides.

When you reach the end, click Stop to end the recording.
The recording processes for a few seconds and you then have the option to preview or download the presentation. Your narration is now embedded in the video!

The advantages of recording the full slideshow is that you don’t have to edit together multiple audio clips. Viewers also don’t have to manually play audio on each slide.

The only limitation is that you have to record the voiceover in one take from start to finish.

And that’s it! With these two methods you can easily add narration to your Google Slides presentations.

Tips for Great Voice Overs

Here are some quick tips to help you create effective and professional voice overs:

Speak slowly and clearly. Don’t rush through the information.
Keep volume consistent across slides. Use audio editing software to adjust levels if needed.
Add pauses after making key points to allow viewers time to digest concepts.