How to use Presenter View in Google Slides

Whether you're just looking for slides, speaker notes, or the Q&A feature, let's explore Presenter View in this Google Slides tutorial!

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Presentation Mode Types in Google Slides

There are three presentation modes in Google Slides.

If you click the 'Slideshow' button or press Ctrl/Cmd + F5, your presentation will start directly without any speaker notes. This is the most widely used and simplest option.

Next to the 'Slideshow' button, there is a drop-down arrow. Click it to see the available presentation modes:

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Presenter View

In this mode, you'll be able to view presenter notes, check the timer, and adjust other settings, such as audience questions.

To see the different tools, after clicking on "Presenter View", move your mouse to the lower left corner of the screen. You will see the slide number, previous & next slide arrows, and three dots. Click on the dots and here are your options:

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Open speaker notes

This will enable the speaker notes and make them visible. If you click that button, you can exit full screen mode. To return to full screen mode, press Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + F or click the 'Full Screen' button.

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Turn on laser pointer

A red dot will appear on the screen, which you can move to indicate any element in your presentation.

Full screen mode

Click this button (or press Ctrl+Shift+F) to enter or exit full screen mode.

Exit

Click this button to finish the presentation or press the Esc key.

Autoplay

Click "Auto-play", you will see more options: Click 'Play' and the slides will automatically advance (by default, every 2 seconds).

Annotation settings

If you have a microphone set up, you can turn on captions. Click the drop-down arrow to adjust the text size and position on the screen.

Q&A

If you click 'More', you can enable the Audience Q&A panel by clicking the first option that appears.

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Start from scratch

Your presentation will start from the first slide (press Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + F5).

Here's what you need to know about Presenter View in Google Slides, and with a little practice, it will change your work. Not only will it help you look like a professional presenter, but it will also streamline the process of making important points.

Marvin Fry

Update 09 December 2024