How to Change the Background in Google Slides

Changing the background in Google Slides is an easy way to customize the look of your presentations. With just a few clicks, you can apply colors, gradients, textures or images to make your slides more visually appealing.

In this step-by-step guide, you’ll learn four different methods to modify backgrounds in Google Slides.

Method 1: Change Background of a Single Slide

1. Open your presentation in Google Slides
2. Select the slide you want to edit by clicking on it
3. Click on the “Slide” menu at the top and select “Change Background”
4. This will open the background editing options. You can choose to:
   • Apply a solid color
   • Use a gradient
   • Select an image from your device or Google Drive
   • Search for images on the web
   • Choose from Google’s background patterns/textures
5. Once you’ve selected your preferred background option, click “Done” to apply it

This will change the background only for your selected slide. To apply the same background to multiple slides or the entire presentation, select “Add to theme” instead of “Done” after choosing the background.

Method 2: Change Theme

The slide theme in Google Slides controls the fonts, colors, and background applied to all slides. To change backgrounds throughout your presentation:

1. Click on the “Slide” menu
2. Select “Change Theme”
3. Browse through the available themes and hover over one you like
4. Click on the theme to preview it with your content
5. Select the theme you want to use
6. Google Slides will now apply that theme, including its background, to all your slides

The benefit of changing the theme rather than background individually is that it automatically gives your entire presentation a cohesive look and feel.

Method 3: Use a Custom Image

For full customization over your background, you can use your own image files:

1. Click on “Slide” then “Change Background”
2. Select “Image” from the background options
3. Click on “Choose” to pick an image from your device or Google Drive
4. Once selected, click “Done” to add it to only the current slide or “Add to theme” to apply it presentation-wide

When applying custom images, make sure to:

• Pick high-resolution photos so they don’t appear blurry or pixelated
• Adjust transparency so text remains clearly visible
• Consider color contrast between background image and text
• Check that your image file size is under 50MB

Method 4: Add Visual Interest with Shapes

In addition to changing slide backgrounds, you can overlay shapes to make your slides more visually compelling:

1. Select the “Insert” menu and click on “Shapes”
2. Choose a shape like rectangles, circles, arrows etc.
3. Draw the shape by clicking and dragging your mouse
4. With the shape selected, adjust transparency, borders and fills via the side toolbar

Experiment with layering semi-transparent shapes of different colors and sizes over your slides. This creates depth and draws the viewer’s eye across the slide.

Customizing Backgrounds for Better Presentations

Spending a few extra minutes to customize Google Slide backgrounds makes a huge difference in presentation quality. Well-designed backgrounds not only look more professional, but also hold audience attention better.

Follow the tips in this article to quickly change up backgrounds using colors, images and themes. Overlaying shapes creates visual interest and focal points on your slides.

With these easy methods, you can make sure your presentation content shines by creating the best possible backdrop for your ideas to stand out.