Adding audio to your Google Slides presentations can make them more engaging and impactful. Unfortunately, Google Slides does not have a built-in audio recording feature. However, you can easily record audio separately and then add it to your slides.
In this comprehensive guide, you’ll learn different methods for recording audio and inserting it into Google Slides using both free and paid tools.
Why Add Audio to Google Slides?
Here are some of the key benefits of adding audio elements like music, voiceovers, or sound effects to your Google Slides presentations:
- Enhances engagement: Audio captures attention and keeps your audience tuned in. This leads to better retention of information.
- Adds personality: Voiceovers using your own voice make your slides feel more personal and human.
- Improves accessibility: Audio narration assists visually impaired users. Closed captions also help make content accessible.
- Saves time: Quickly explain concepts without typing lengthy speaker notes or captions.
- Increases clarity: Sound effects or music set the mood and tone for each slide.
Step 1: Record Your Audio
You cannot directly record audio in Google Slides. So first, you need to record your audio externally using any of these tools:
Voice Recorders
- Windows Voice Recorder (free built-in app for Windows PCs)
- Voice Memos (free built-in app for iPhone and iPad)
- Online voice recorders like Vocaroo or SpeakPipe
Audio Editing Software
- Audacity (free open-source audio editor)
- Garageband (free with Mac computers)
Screen Recording Tools
- Screencast-o-matic (free web-based screen recorder)
- ActivePresenter (paid screencasting software)
Make sure to save your recordings as common audio formats like WAV, MP3, M4A that Google Slides supports.
Step 2: Upload Audio to Google Drive
Google Slides can only insert audio files saved on Google Drive.
To upload:
- Go to drive.google.com
- Click New > File Upload
- Select your audio file and click Open
- Wait for the upload to finish
The audio will now be available to insert.
Step 3: Insert Audio into Google Slides
- Open your Google Slides presentation
- Navigate to the slide where you want to add audio
- Click Insert > Audio
- Select the audio file you uploaded and click Select
The audio file will be inserted into the slide.
Step 4: Configure Audio Playback Settings
Click the audio icon on the slide, then click Format options to access settings:
- Start time: Trims the beginning of the audio clip
- Playback: Choose auto-play or play on click
- Loop: Repeats the audio
- Volume: Increases/decreases loudness
Tweak these options to control how your audio plays.
Step 5: Share Google Slides Presentation
To allow others to play embedded audio files:
- Right-click the audio file from your Google Drive
- Click Share to give access
- Share Google Slides file as usual
And that’s it! By following these five simple steps you can easily enhance your Google Slides presentations by inserting audio recordings.
The key is recording your audio separately using free or paid tools, saving files to Google Drive in supported formats, inserting them into slides, and configuring playback — it just takes a few minutes.
So go ahead, add some intro music, insert voiceovers, sprinkle sound effects, and take your Google Slides presentations to the next level!
Citations:
[1] https://riverside.fm/blog/how-to-record-audio-on-google-slides
[2] https://support.google.com/docs/thread/118621204/troubleshooting-with-adding-audio-in-google-slides?hl=en
[3] https://www.notta.ai/en/blog/how-to-record-audio-on-google-slides
[4] https://support.google.com/docs/thread/41110335/is-there-an-audio-limit-in-google-slides?hl=en
[5] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNEy-U8_944
[6] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EF-omQKwELY
[7] https://myelearningworld.com/add-voice-over-to-google-slides/
[8] https://www.wikihow.com/Record-Audio-on-Google-Slides
[9] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vdo_lm-aIVU
[10] https://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/how-to-record-audio-on-google-slides/
[11] https://support.google.com/docs/answer/14221290?hl=en
[12] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9oWHo-hy_RQ
[13] https://www.reddit.com/r/techsupport/comments/yhvru8/how_to_add_an_audio_file_to_my_google_slides/
[14] https://support.goguardian.com/s/article/Add-Audio-Recordings-to-your-Slides-1629743280923
[15] https://ilifehacks.com/google-slides-audio-not-playing/
[16] https://www.thinkific.com/blog/voice-over-powerpoint-or-google-slides/
[17] https://www.panopto.com/blog/can-you-panopto-a-google-slides-presentation/
[18] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6U3TLSRtig
[19] https://democreator.wondershare.com/screen-recorder/record-audio-on-google-slides.html
[20] https://www.slidesai.io/blog/how-to-record-audio-in-google-slides
[21] https://recorder.easeus.com/screen-recording-tips/how-to-record-audio-on-google-slides.html
[22] https://support.mote.com/hc/en-us/articles/360054567272-Help-How-do-I-use-Mote-for-Google-Slides-Troubleshooting-tips
