Adding music to your Google Slides presentations can make them more engaging and memorable for your audience. With some simple steps, you can insert audio files and background music into your slides.
Table of Contents
Why Add Music to Google Slides
Here are some of the key benefits of adding music to your presentations:
- Sets the mood and tone
- Engages your audience
- Makes presentations more memorable
- Allows you to add narration or voiceovers
- Creates more dynamic, multimedia presentations
Whether you want to add subtle background music or an intro/outro soundtrack, incorporating audio can take your slides to the next level.
Supported Audio Formats
Before adding music, it’s important to note that Google Slides only supports certain audio formats:
- MP3
- WAV
So if your music file is in a format like M4A or FLAC, you’ll need to convert it first to MP3 or WAV before adding it to Slides.
There are many free online converters available to handle this quickly.
Step-by-Step Guide
Follow these simple steps to add music files to your Google Slides presentations:
1. Convert Audio File (If Needed)
As mentioned, you may need to convert your music file to MP3 or WAV format first if it’s not already in one of those formats. Use a free audio converter to handle this.
2. Upload File to Google Drive
Add the music file to Google Drive using the same Google account you use for Slides. Click “New” then “File Upload” to add it from your computer.
3. Open Google Slides Presentation
Open the specific Google Slides presentation you want to add music to. You can insert audio on any slide.
4. Insert Audio
Click “Insert > Audio” from the top menu. A window will open showing audio files from your Google Drive. Select your music file and click “Select.”
5. Position Audio Icon
An audio icon will now be inserted. Click and drag this icon to position it where desired on the slide.
6. Adjust Playback Settings
In the audio toolbar, choose playback options like when the music starts and ends.
And that’s it! The music will now play on that slide based on your settings.
You can insert audio on multiple slides to have background music play throughout your presentation.
Additional Tips
- Adjust volume – Use the audio toolbar to control the volume of the music.
- Transition music between slides – Add fade in/out effects in the “Format Options” so music transitions smoothly.
- Link audio file for sharing – If you plan to share your Slides file externally, also share access to the music file in Google Drive.
- Add narration or voiceovers – Use a recording tool like Riverside or Descript to capture high-quality audio and insert it.
- Respect copyright – Only use music you have rights to. Talk to your students about copyright and fair use policies.
Presenting with Music
When you present your Google Slides that contain music, the audio will play for your audience when advancing through those slides.
Having the right music can make your presentation much more dynamic, memorable, and impactful!
Summary
Adding music to Google Slides is easy:
- Convert audio to MP3/WAV (if needed)
- Upload music file to Google Drive
- Insert audio into your presentation
- Adjust playback settings as desired
Incorporating music sets the tone, engages your viewers, and makes your message stick. Take your Google Slides presentations to the next level with audio!
