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How to Cite a PowerPoint in APA Style | Format & Examples

Published on November 6, 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on December 27, 2023.

To reference a PowerPoint presentation in APA Style , include the name of the author (whoever presented the PowerPoint), the date it was presented, the title (italicized), “PowerPoint slides” in square brackets, the name of the department and university, and the URL where the PowerPoint can be found.

You can also use our free  APA Citation Generator to cite a PowerPoint presentation quickly and easily.

Table of contents

Citing a powerpoint your readers can access, citing a powerpoint your readers can’t access, citing information quoted in a powerpoint, frequently asked questions about apa style citations.

PowerPoint presentations should only be included in the reference list if your reader can access them for themselves.

PowerPoints on password-protected platforms

A login is often required to access a file on your university’s LMS (e.g. Blackboard, Canvas). In these cases, the URL included should be the login page rather than the specific location of the PowerPoint.

PowerPoints on public sites

With slides that are available on a public site, rather than from your university, replace the department and university name with the name of the website.

The same format can be used for other kinds of slides or lecture notes. Just replace “PowerPoint slides” with an appropriate description.

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If your readers won’t be able to access the PowerPoint you want to cite, it should instead be cited as a personal communication .

This often depends on who will be reading your paper. For example:

• If you’re writing a paper for class, and you want to cite a PowerPoint that’s available on your university’s Blackboard site, you can use the standard format, because your teacher can access the slides.
• If you want to cite the same PowerPoint in a paper you’re submitting to a journal, you’ll have to cite it as a personal communication, because the journal’s readers can’t access it.

Personal communications are not included in the reference list; just mention them in parentheses in the text.

If a lecturer included an interesting quote or statistic in their slides that you want to cite, it’s best to find the original source rather than citing the PowerPoint itself.

This allows both you and the reader to see the information in context. Only cite second-hand information from a PowerPoint if you’re unable to access the original source.

The source of the information will generally be listed in the PowerPoint itself or on a handout. With this, you can locate the original source online or at your university’s library. If the source isn’t stated in the presentation, try asking the lecturer for more information.

When no individual author name is listed, but the source can clearly be attributed to a specific organization—e.g., a press release by a charity, a report by an agency, or a page from a company’s website—use the organization’s name as the author in the reference entry and APA in-text citations .

When no author at all can be determined—e.g. a collaboratively edited wiki or an online article published anonymously—use the title in place of the author. In the in-text citation, put the title in quotation marks if it appears in plain text in the reference list, and in italics if it appears in italics in the reference list. Shorten it if necessary.

When you quote or paraphrase a specific passage from a source, you need to indicate the location of the passage in your APA in-text citation . If there are no page numbers (e.g. when citing a website ) but the text is long, you can instead use section headings, paragraph numbers, or a combination of the two:

(Caulfield, 2019, Linking section, para. 1).

Section headings can be shortened if necessary. Kindle location numbers should not be used in ebook citations , as they are unreliable.

If you are referring to the source as a whole, it’s not necessary to include a page number or other marker.

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

Caulfield, J. (2023, December 27). How to Cite a PowerPoint in APA Style | Format & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved April 2, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/apa-examples/powerpoint-slides/

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Gladhill Learning Commons FAQ: Citations

How do i cite powerpoint/google slides lectures using the apa format.

If the PowerPoint/Google Slides lecture was uploaded to a course management site, like Blackboard, the general format for your references list would be:

Instructor's Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial if given. (Year,  Month Day Presentation was created).  Title of presentation: Subtitle if applicable  [type of presentation]. Course management system. URL of login page for course management system. 

For example:

Sloan, C. (2020, May 20). Crafting an argument  [PowerPoint slides]. Blackboard.  https:// frederick.blackboard.com/

If the PowerPoint/Google Slides lecture is posted on a website, use the following format:

Instructor's Lastname, First Initial. Second Initial if given. (Year, Month Day Presentation was created).  Title of presentation: Subtitle if applicable  [type of presentation] . Publisher. URL

For example: 

Sloan, C. (2020, May 20).  Crafting an argument  [PowerPoint slides]. SlideShare. https://www.slideshare.net/fictionalurl

The in-text citations for both of these example would be the same:

In-text paraphrase:

(Sloan, 2020)

In-text quotation: 

(Sloan, 2020, Slide 4)

If the PowerPoint/Google Slides is not available online, you can cite it as personal communication. To do this, you would only cite it in-text and would leave it out of your references list.

Creating an outline is key to crafting a well-formed argument  (C. Sloan, personal communication, May 25, 2020).

More Resources:

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APA Citation Style 7th Edition: Class Handouts, Presentations, and Readings

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Presentation slides from moodle, presentation slides from cams, powerpoint presentation slides from a website, class handouts from moodle, class handouts from cams, class handout in print, class lectures (notes from).

Note : All citations should be double spaced and have a hanging indent in a Reference List.

A "hanging indent" means that each subsequent line after the first line of your citation should be indented by 0.5 inches.

In-Text Citation or References List

Handouts distributed in class and presentation slides such as Powerpoint should be cited both in-text and on the References list.

Your own notes from lectures are considered personal communications in APA style. They are cited within the text of your assignment, but do not get an entry on the References list, since they are not a published source.

Instructor's Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial if given. (Year Presentation Was Created). Title of presentation: Subtitle if any [PowerPoint presentation]. Moodle. URL of Moodle login page

Instructor's Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial if given. (Year Presentation Was Created). Title of presentation: Subtitle if any [PowerPoint presentation]. CAMS. URL

Author's Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial if given. (Year Presentation Was Created). Title of presentation: Subtitle if any [PowerPoint presentation]. Name of Website if given. URL

Note about h yperlinks:

It is acceptable for hyperlinks to be blue and underlined (live) or black without underlining.

All hyperlinks must include https://

Instructor's Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial if given. (Year Handout Was Created if known). Title of handout: Subtitle if any [Class handout]. Moodle. URL of Moodle login page

Note: To cite other readings , follow the model for that type of document: eg a chapter from a book with an editor, an article from a library database, etc.. You do not need to identify Moodle as the source. If the instructor has not provided details that are necessary to to cite the reading, contact them to ask for these.

Instructor's Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial if given. (Year Handout Was Created if known). Title of handout: Subtitle if any [Class handout]. CAMS. URL

Instructor's Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial if given. (Year Handout Was Created if known). Title of handout: Subtitle if any [Class handout]. Columbia College, Course code.

Note : Your own notes from a lecture are considered personal communications in APA style. They are cited within the text of your assignment, but do not get an entry on the References list. Put the citation right after a quote or paraphrased content from the class lecture.

(First Initial of Faculty Who Gave Lecture. Second Initial if known. Last Name, personal communication, Month Day, Year lecture took place)

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Citing Sources in PowerPoint Slides

• PowerPoint - In-text Citations
• PowerPoint - References List

Note:  APA does not have specific rules about the format of PowerPoint slides.  Rasmussen University does have recommended guidelines outlined below and in the attached PPT presentation.

PowerPoint slides  may   need citations, depending on what type of information is included on the slide.

If the text on a slide is a quote (someone else's words, verbatim) or someone else's ideas in the presenter's own words, then a citation is needed.

If the text placed on a slide is simply a word or phrase that represents a topic that the presenter will be discussing in greater detail, then a citation is not needed.

The table below includes two PowerPoint slides (left side). The column on the right tells whether or not the information would need to be cited and why.

Speaker Notes:  Some assignments require text in the Speaker Notes area of the PowerPoint slide. If information from a source is quoted, summarized, or paraphrased in that area, an in-text citation and reference will likely be required. Ask your instructor for clarification.

• Presentations & APA Citation Style at Rasmussen University Great resource to share with students if they are having struggles with APA in PPTs.

PowerPoint Slides - References

There are two ways to include the Reference list in your presentation:

• Coordinating reference lists are typically handed out during or after the presentation either in print if presenting in person, or electronically if presenting online. This is the preferred method of including a Reference list of the sources cited in your slide deck.
• Include a Reference list in the last slide of the presentation. This is an acceptable method if there are not many resources to include. Avoid adding so many resources to the list that the type is not legible to those attending the presentation

Creating the Reference List Slide

• If you use outside sources in your presentation (noted in your in-text citations), you must cite those sources on a References page/slide.
• Your Reference page can be created in NoodleTools, exported to Microsoft Word, and distributed or submitted with your slides to those who attend your presentation. Ask your instructor if they would like a Reference slide as the last slide of your presentation. Note that you may need more than one slide depending on how many references are needed.

See the slide deck below for more information.

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How to Cite a Lecture Slide in APA

Last Updated: December 21, 2023

Listing References

Creating in-text citations.

This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Jennifer Mueller, JD . Jennifer Mueller is a wikiHow Content Creator. She specializes in reviewing, fact-checking, and evaluating wikiHow's content to ensure thoroughness and accuracy. Jennifer holds a JD from Indiana University Maurer School of Law in 2006. This article has been viewed 31,367 times. Learn more...

If you want to use the slides from a lecture as a source in a research paper, include an in-text citation at the end of every sentence in which you quote or paraphrase that slide, as well as a full citation in your Reference List at the end of your paper. If you're using the American Psychological Association (APA) citation style, you have 2 options when citing a lecture slide, depending on whether the lecture slides are publicly available. [1] X Trustworthy Source Purdue Online Writing Lab Trusted resource for writing and citation guidelines Go to source

• If you retrieved the slides from a class website, such as Canvas, that requires a password to access, you would normally still include a Reference List entry. A reader could contact the author of the slides for access.
• If you have a downloaded copy of the slides but they aren't available to the general public, you would still normally cite them as personal communication. Check with your instructor or advisor to see if they would like for you to attach a copy of the slides to your paper as an appendix.

• Example: McGonagall, M.

• Example: McGonagall, M. (2018).

• Example: McGonagall, M. (2018). A guide to advanced transfiguration [PowerPoint slides].
• If the slides were saved in a different format, use the name of that format. For example, if the lecturer used Apple Keynote, you would list the format as "[Keynote slides]." If the slides were saved in document format, list the format of the document followed by the word "document," such as "[PDF document]" or [Word document]."

• Website example: McGonagall, M. (2018). A guide to advanced transfiguration [PowerPoint slides]. https://www.hogwarts.edu/transfiguration/slides/chapter_4
• Canvas example: McGonagall, M. (2018). A guide to advanced transfiguration [PowerPoint slides]. Retrieved from WebCampus.

Reference List Format:

Author, A. (Year). Lecture title in sentence case [Format]. URL

• For example, you might write: Although people usually consider dark arts the most dangerous, transfiguration has landed more Hogwarts students in the hospital (M. McGonagall, personal communication, May 4, 2018).

• For example, you might write: Transfiguration is not only one of the most difficult and complex skills mastered by Hogwarts students, but also one of the most dangerous (McGonagall, 2018).

• For example, you might write: McGonagall (2018) noted that it would be a mistake not to take the inherent danger in transfiguration seriously.

• For example, you might write: Advanced transfiguration spells are attempted only by the top students at Hogwarts (McGonagall, 2018, slide 4).

Expert Q&A

You might also like.

• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa6_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/general_apa_faqs.html
• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa6_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/reference_list_electronic_sources.html
• ↑ https://guides.himmelfarb.gwu.edu/APA/lecture
• ↑ https://purdueglobalwriting.center/apa-style-formatting-in-powerpoint/

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In-Text Citation or Reference List?

Handouts distributed in class and presentation slides such as PowerPoint should be cited both in-text and on the Reference list.

Your own notes from lectures are considered personal communications in APA style. They are cited within the text of your assignment, but do not get an entry on the Reference list.

Presentation Slides from a Website

Author, A. A. (Year, Month Date). Title of presentation  [Lecture notes, PowerPoint Slides, etc.]. Publisher. URL

Kunka, J. L. (n.d.). Conquering the comma [PowerPoint presentation]. Purdue Online Writing Lab. http://owl.english.purdue.edu/workshops/pp/index.html#presentations

Presentation Slides from WebCampus (Canvas)

Instructor, I. I. (Year Presentation Was Created).  Title of presentation  [PowerPoint presentation]. WebCampus. URL

Graham, J. (2013).  Introduction: Jean Watson  [PowerPoint presentation]. WebCampus. https://unr.instructure.com/login/canvas

Note : The first letter of the word Watson is capitalized as it is part of a person's name.

Class Handouts from WebCampus (Canvas)

Instructor, I. I. (Year Handout Was Created if known).  Title of handout  [Class handout]. WebCampus. URL

Magowan , A. (2013).  Career resources at the library   [Class handout]. WebCampus. https://unr.instructure.com/login/canvas

Class Handout in Print

Instructor, I. I. (Year Handout Was Created if known).  Title of handout  [Class handout]. University Name, Course code.

Wood, D. (2013).  Laboratory safety overview  [Class handout]. University of Nevada, Reno,  BIO173.

Class Lectures (Notes from)

Note : Your own notes from a lecture are considered personal communications in APA style. They are cited within the text of your assignment, but do not get an entry on the Reference list. Put the citation right after a quote or paraphrased content from the class lecture.

(I. I. Instructor who gave lecture, personal communication, Month Day, Year lecture took place)

"Infections are often contracted while patients are recovering in the hospital" (J. D. Black, personal communication, May 30, 2012).

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Home / Guides / Citation Guides / APA Format / How to Cite a Lecture in APA

How to Cite a Lecture in APA

Lecture and PowerPoint presentations are often great sources of information for specific papers. This guide will show you how to cite lectures and PowerPoint presentation slides following APA 7th edition guidelines. The type of lecture (e.g., classroom, conference, etc.) and format of the information (saw lecture, accessed slides, etc.) will determine what citation format you use.

Guide overview

Citing a conference presentation

Citing a classroom presentation/lecture slides.

• Citing a classroom presentation/lecture you watched
• Citing a recorded presentation (video)

Troubleshooting

Presenter #1 Last name, F. M., & Presenter #2 Last Name, F. M. (Year, Month Day of conference). Name of presentation [Presentation format]. Name of Conference, Location. URL

Jacobson, T.E., & Mackey, T. (2013, April 10-13). What’s in the name?: Information literacy, metaliteracy, or transliteracy [Panel session]. Association of College & Research Libraries, Indianapolis, IN, United States. https://www.slideshare.net/tmackey/acrl-2013

In-text citation structure & example:

(Lecture Last Name, Year)

(Jacobson & Mackey, 2013)

If you are citing a classroom presentation file you’ve viewed or accessed, use the following structure.

Lecturer Last name, F. M. (Year, month date). Title of lecture [Description of file type]. Department name, university name. URL

Prosser, M. (2021, October 18). Introduction to rhetorical forms [PowerPoint slides]. English and Modern Languages Department, California Polytechnic State University. https://https://english.calpoly.edu/

(Lecturer Last Name, Year)

(Prosser, 2021)

Citing a presentation/lecture you have watched

If you are citing information you learned through a presentation/lecture you attended, FIRST see if you can find the documented source (e.g., book, article, etc.) the presenter got the information from. If the information is original and the presentation was the primary source, treat the information as personal communication.  This means you ONLY need to cite it in an in-text citation and no reference list entry is needed.

In-text citation structure & examples:

(Presenter First Initial., Last Name, personal communication, Month Day, Year of presentation)

(L. Koerte, personal communication, March 17, 2021)

L. Koerte (personal communication, March 17, 2021)

Citing a recorded presentation/lecture (video)

Cite the recording as you would cite a regular video. The person or channel who uploaded/published the video is credited as the “author” even if they did not conduct the presentation/lecture.

Uploader Last name, F. M. (Year, month date). Title of video [Video]. Website Name. URL

Stanford. (2002, January 13). Einstein’s general theory of relativity | Lecture 1 [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbmf0bB38h0

(Uploader Last Name, Year)

(Stanford, 2002)

Solution #1: Citing a presentation that comes from a classroom’s website or learning management system (LMS)

If the slides you are citing come from a classroom website or learning management system (LMS) like Canvas or Blackboard, and you are writing for an audience that has access to the site, then provide the name of the site and the URL for the login page.

Reference page structure:

Last name, F. M. (Date). Presentation title in sentence case [PowerPoint slides]. LMS name@University name acronym. Link to login page

Reference page example:

Vincent, P. (2020).  Recognizing rhetorical devices in visual rhetoric  [PowerPoint slides]. Blackboard@ULV. https://idp.quicklaunchsso.com/laverne

In-text citation structure: 

Narrative citation: Last Name (Year)

Parenthetical citation: (Last Name, Year)

In-text citation examples:

Narrative citation: Vincent (2020)

Parenthetical citation: (Vincent, 2020)

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How to Cite a PowerPoint Presentation in APA 7?

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💡 Before we show you how to cite a PowerPoint in APA, we would like to tell you that all examples and explanations are about APA 7th edition .

In your PowerPoint presentation, you’re going to use a combination of texts and images to present information. You’ll need to cite the sources for these documents and media so your audience knows where to find out more about the topic.

This way, you will both adhere to the rules of using copyrighted information and show that your knowledge on the topic is well researched and you have spent time finding the resources.

What we will discuss in this article is the APA standard and how to make a proper PowerPoint citation in APA standard. Let’s dig deep.

Article Overview: 1. What is Apa? 2. Why do people use APA as a standard? 3. How to cite a PowerPoint presentation in APA? 4. How to Cite a Picture in PowerPoint?

1. What is APA?

APA is one of the most popular and widely used styles for writing research papers. This style of writing citations and citing sources is used in most social sciences – mainly psychology, sociology, and education. The acronym comes from A merican P sychological A ssociation. You can check APA’s website for more information .

2. Why do people use APA as a standard?

Before we tell you how to cite a PowerPoint presentation in APA style, we need to clarify the main reason why people use this style. As the most common standard, it is widely accepted around the world, and the manuals have been sold millions of times.

What makes the APA citation style so popular among educational institutions is that it gives “weight” to the documents that are being examined. Adding the sources and using the right way to present the sources could greatly influence the credibility of any thesis or PowerPoint presentation.

3. How to cite a PowerPoint presentation in APA?

There aren’t one or two ways to cite a Powerpoint presentation in APA. Why? Because there are different conditions that can affect the accessibility of the original source. Let’s see some of the most common occasions in citing PowerPoint presentations in APA style.

3.1. Citing a PowerPoint in APA – Accessible Documents

This is probably the best-case scenario for citations, as your readers will have access to the information, thus they can easily find the original source. Bear in mind you should not include PowerPoint presentations in the reference list if your audience cannot access them.

3.1.1. Citing in PowerPoint from public sites

When you have the source and it is an available webpage, you will have to link directly to the original source.

N.B.  You should always  cite the original source. If you have found a piece of statistics somewhere – let’s say a WeForum article , it is not the original source, thus you cannot refer to information that has not been published by the author.

3.1.2. Citing PowerPoints on password-protected portals

When it comes to citing from a university or other password-protected website, you should refer to the login page, as a direct link will lead to it. Let’s see an example I’ve made up myself.

N.B.  Sometimes, there is no author mentioned. In such cases, we proceed in two ways:

• If there is no author, but an organization that is behind the source:

What we have done is we have replaced the author’s name with the name of the organization that has published the report.

• If there is an unknown author.

In case there’s an unknown author, we replace their name with the title.

3.2. Citing a PowerPoint in APA – Inaccessible Documents

In case your PowerPoint slide is inaccessible to readers, then you have the option to cite the source as personal communication. Let’s see how this happens.

During the presentation, Peterson made a prediction that low-fare airlines will become dominant by 2030 (personal communication, June 3, 2022).

You can add personal communication citations in parentheses somewhere in the text but not in the reference list, as the original source cannot be directly tracked.

3.3. Citing a PowerPoint Slide

Sometimes, a slide during a presentation makes a great impression and you want to add it to your sources. When this happens, it’s better to cite the original source, rather than the PowerPoint slide itself, because of the requirements we discussed in 3.1.1.

4. How to Cite a Picture in PowerPoint?

If you want to learn how to cite a picture in PowerPoint in APA format, then you should apply some different techniques. What you need to do first is to have a very detailed look at the terms and conditions of the original image. Some images require attribution while others don’t.

Once you insert the image, you need to then create a new text box, align it at the center and write the following:

Figure 1. Image Description. Adapted from SOURCE . Retrieved from  SOURCE LINK.  Copyright by  COMPANY NAME COPYRIGHTS  (located at the bottom).

Let’s see how it’s done in practice.

Figure 1. Carbon Footprint and Renewable Energy. Adapted from GraphicMama. Retrieved from https://graphicmama.com/design-bundle/infographic-template-collection#flat-tree-vector-ecology-infographic-template. Copyright by © 2022 GraphicMama.com

Learning how to cite a PowerPoint presentation correctly is crucial if you are submitting your thesis or working on a serious project. The APA style has specific rules that should be followed for your presentations or paper dissertations to look formatted and credible.

If you found our content useful, why don’t you check some of our other tutorials related to PowerPoint and presentations in general:

• 10 Practical Tips to Grab Attention and Make an Impact in Your PowerPoint Presentation
• How to Add Audio to PowerPoint: The Quick Step-by-Step Guide
• How to Get Started with PowerPoint + Guide and Resources

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APA Formatting and Style (7th ed.) for Student Papers

• What's New in the 7th ed.?
• Principles of Plagiarism: An Overview
• Basic Paper Formatting
• Basic Paper Elements
• Punctuation, Capitalization, Abbreviations, Apostrophes, Numbers, Plurals
• Tables and Figures
• Powerpoint Presentations
• Reference Page Format
• Periodicals (Journals, Magazines, Newspapers)
• Books and Reference Works
• Webpage on a Website
• Discussion Post
• Company Information & SWOT Analyses
• Dissertations or Theses
• ChatGPT and other AI Large Language Models
• Online Images
• Online Video
• Computer Software and Mobile Apps
• Missing Information
• Two Authors
• Three or More Authors
• Group Authors
• Missing Author
• Chat GPT and other AI Large Language Models
• Secondary Sources
• Block Quotations
• Fillable Template and Sample Paper
• Government Documents and Legal Materials
• APA Style 7th ed. Tutorials
• Additional APA 7th Resources
• Grammarly - your writing assistant
• Writing Center - Writing Skills This link opens in a new window
• Brainfuse Online Tutoring

Formatting a Powerpoint Presentation in APA 7th Style

The apa 7th manual and the apa website do not provide any specific rules about using apa format or citation in powerpoint slides. , here are some recommended guidelines:, 1. always follow any specific instructions given by your instructor., 2. you will need in-text citations on a powerpoint slide where you are quoting, paraphrasing, or summarizing someone else's ideas. , 3. you also will include a reference list as your powerpoint's last slide (or slides). , this youtube video from smart student shows you how to create apa7th in-text citations and a reference list: .

• Citing and Referencing in Powerpoint Presentations | APA 7th Edition This video will show you how to create APA 7th in-text citations and a Reference page for your PowerPoint presentation.
• << Previous: Tables and Figures
• Next: Reference Page Examples >>
• Last Updated: Apr 1, 2024 10:02 AM
• URL: https://national.libguides.com/apa_7th

How to Cite a PowerPoint Presentation in Apa

If you’re working on a research project or presentation, citing your sources is an essential part of the process. In this article, we’ll guide you through the process of citing a PowerPoint presentation, specifically using APA citation style. We’ll cover everything from the importance of citing your sources to the formatting requirements for references pages. So, let’s get started!

Table of Contents

Understanding APA Citation Style for PowerPoint Presentations

APA (American Psychological Association) citation style is one of the most commonly used citation styles in academia. The APA citation style is used by social scientists and researchers alike to give credit to the sources they used in their research. The APA citation style is particularly useful for citing PowerPoint presentations because it provides a clear structure for citing sources that can help you avoid plagiarism and ensure your work is credible.

When citing a PowerPoint presentation in APA style, it is important to include the author’s name, the date the presentation was created, the title of the presentation, and the location where it was presented. Additionally, if the presentation was retrieved from an online source, the URL or DOI should be included in the citation. It is also important to note that any images or graphics used in the presentation should be cited as well, following the same guidelines as other sources.

Introduction to APA Guidelines for Citing PowerPoint Presentations

The APA guidelines for citing PowerPoint presentations are relatively easy to follow, and they can be broken down into two main parts: in-text citations and references. In-text citations are used when you are directly quoting or paraphrasing information from a PowerPoint presentation. References are a list of sources that you have cited in your work and may include the author, date of publication and other details such as the title and location of the presentation.

It is important to note that when citing a PowerPoint presentation, you should also include a description of the format in brackets after the title. For example, if the presentation was a lecture, you would include [Lecture slides] after the title. Additionally, if the presentation was retrieved online, you should include the URL or DOI in the reference. Following these guidelines will ensure that your citations and references are accurate and complete.

Why is Citing Sources in PowerPoint Presentations Important?

Citing sources in PowerPoint presentations is crucial because it helps you to avoid plagiarism and gives credit to the author of the original content. Citing sources also helps you to support your arguments with evidence and gives credibility to your work. A properly cited PowerPoint presentation can also help your audience to follow your argument and verify the information presented.

Moreover, citing sources in your PowerPoint presentation shows that you have conducted thorough research and have a deep understanding of the topic. It also demonstrates your respect for intellectual property and academic integrity. By citing sources, you are contributing to the academic community by acknowledging the work of others and building upon their ideas.

The Basic Elements of a PowerPoint Presentation Citation in APA Style

The basic elements of an APA citation for a PowerPoint presentation include the author’s name, the date of the presentation, the title, and the location of the presentation. The format for in-text citations includes the author’s last name and date of publication of the presentation. For example: (Smith, 2018).

It is important to note that if the PowerPoint presentation was retrieved from an online source, such as a website or database, the citation should also include the URL or DOI. Additionally, if the presentation was part of a larger conference or event, the citation should include the name and date of the conference or event. It is crucial to follow APA guidelines for citations to ensure proper credit is given to the original source and to avoid plagiarism.

How to Cite a PowerPoint Presentation in APA: Step-by-Step Guide

To cite a PowerPoint presentation in APA style, follow these steps:

• Begin with the surname of the author or presenter of the PowerPoint presentation.
• Follow the author’s name with their first initial
• Provide the date of the presentation in parentheses, followed by a period.
• Add the title of the presentation in italics.
• Add the retrieval statement, which includes the URL or DOI of the presentation if available.
• Here’s an example of a complete APA citation for a PowerPoint presentation:

Meyer, G. (2016). The Impact of Social Media on Adolescents. Retrieved from https://www.slideshare.net/GinaMeyer/the-impact-of-social-media-on-adolescents

It is important to note that if the PowerPoint presentation was part of a larger work, such as a conference or symposium, you should include the name and location of the event in the reference list entry, not in the in-text citation. Additionally, if the presentation was not publicly available online, but was accessed through a private source, such as an email attachment or personal communication, it should be cited as a personal communication instead of a PowerPoint presentation.

Finally, it is recommended to double-check the citation format with your instructor or the publication you are submitting to, as different sources may have slightly different requirements for citing PowerPoint presentations in APA style.

Tips and Tricks for Accurate Citation of PowerPoint Presentations in APA Style

Citing a PowerPoint presentation in APA style can be challenging, especially if you are new to the citation process. Here are some tips and tricks that can help you cite your sources accurately.

• Consider getting a reference management system that can help you keep track of your sources and generate citations automatically.
• Use citation generators to create your citations quickly and easily, but be sure to check the accuracy of the generated citations manually.
• Double-check your references before submitting your work to ensure they are complete and accurate.

It is important to note that when citing a PowerPoint presentation, you should include the author’s name, the date the presentation was created, the title of the presentation, and the location where it was presented. If the presentation is available online, you should also include the URL or DOI. Additionally, if you are citing specific slides within the presentation, you should include the slide number(s) in your citation.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Citing a PowerPoint Presentation in APA

Even though citing PowerPoint presentations in APA style is relatively straightforward, there are some common mistakes that you should avoid.

• Not including all the necessary information in the citation, such as the author’s name, date, and title of the presentation.
• Forgetting to italicize the presentation title, which is a requirement in APA style.
• Inconsistently formatting your citations throughout your work.
• Failing to include in-text citations for direct quotes or paraphrasing information from the presentation.

Another common mistake to avoid when citing a PowerPoint presentation in APA style is failing to include the URL or DOI (Digital Object Identifier) of the presentation. Including the URL or DOI is important because it allows readers to easily access the presentation if they want to learn more about the topic. Additionally, if the presentation is not publicly available, you should include a note indicating that it is an unpublished presentation.

How to Reference a PowerPoint Presentation in APA: Examples and Samples

The following are examples of how to reference a PowerPoint presentation in APA style:

Buchanan, E. (2017). Encouraging Self-Regulated Learning in Higher Education. [PowerPoint presentation]. Retrieved from https://www.slideshare.net/EmmaBuchanan1/encouraging-selfregulation

Armitage, G. (2018). “Introducing Cryptocurrency”. [PowerPoint presentation]. Teesside University.

When referencing a PowerPoint presentation in APA style, it is important to include the author’s name, the year of publication, the title of the presentation, and the source of the presentation. Additionally, if the presentation was presented at a conference or event, it is important to include the name and location of the event.

Another important consideration when referencing a PowerPoint presentation in APA style is to ensure that the formatting is consistent with other references in your paper. This includes using proper capitalization, italicizing the title of the presentation, and using proper punctuation.

How to Cite Multiple Authors in a PowerPoint Presentation Using APA Style

To cite multiple authors in a PowerPoint presentation using APA style, follow these guidelines:

• For two authors, list both names separated by an ampersand (&).
• For three or more authors, list the first author followed by “et al.”
• If the authors are listed on the presentation slide, include only the first author’s name in the in-text citation, followed by “et al.”

Differences Between In-Text Citations and References for PowerPoint Presentations in APA Style

In-text citations and references are two essential parts of the citation process and are often confused with one another. In-text citations appear in the body of your work and are used to signal that you are using someone else’s ideas or words. On the other hand, references appear on a separate references page at the end of your work and provide the reader with detailed information about the sources cited in your work.

How to Cite Images, Graphs, and Tables from a PowerPoint Presentation in APA Style

Images, graphs, and tables are commonly used in PowerPoint presentations, and you may need to cite them in your work. Here are some guidelines for citing these elements in APA style:

• Use the author’s name, date, and title of the image, graph, or table to create an in-text citation. Example: (Smith, 2018, Figure 2).
• To cite images, include the type of medium in brackets. Example: [Image].
• To cite graphs or tables, include the type in brackets. Example: [Table].
• Include a full reference for each image, graph, or table in your references page.

How to Format Your References Page for APA Citations of PowerPoint Presentations

The references page is an essential part of the citation process, and it’s where you list all the sources you cited in your work. Here’s how to format your references page for APA citations of PowerPoint presentations:

• Start your references page on a new page at the end of your document.
• Title your references page “References” and center it at the top of the page.
• List your sources alphabetically by the author’s last name.
• Include the title of the presentation in italics, followed by the date of the presentation and the URL or DOI if available.

Best Practices for Properly Citing Sources in Your PowerPoint Presentation

Now that you know how to cite a PowerPoint presentation in APA style, here are some best practices to keep in mind:

• Always cite your sources accurately and completely, including authors, dates, titles, locations, and any other information needed to identify the source.
• Consistently use APA style formatting for in-text citations and references.
• Check the accuracy of your citations manually, even if you use citation generators or reference management software.
• Double-check any specific citation requirements from your professor or institution.

Conclusion: Mastering the Art of Citing a PowerPoint Presentation Using APA Style

Citing a PowerPoint presentation in APA style is an essential part of the research process, and it can be challenging if you are not familiar with APA citation guidelines. By following the guidelines provided in this article, you’ll be well on your way to mastering the art of citing a PowerPoint presentation in APA style and creating high-quality, credible, and well-researched work.

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• Research Guides

Citing Business Sources in APA Style

7. citing sources in presentations.

• 1. About this guide
• 2. Citing references in-text
• 3. Citing sources in your reference list
• 4. Reference List Examples: Brock Library Business Databases
• 5. Reference List Examples: Statistical Sources
• 6. Reference List Examples: Audiovisual Sources

7.3: Using Reference Lists in Presentations

7.4: apa style powerpoint help.

• The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA Style) was designed to assist writers in preparing research papers (such as journal articles) and therefore does not actually contain any guidelines on preparing powerpoint presentations according to APA Style.
• Typically, if you are required to create a presentation according to APA Style, you should clarify with your professor if he/she actually just expects you to put your in-text citations and references in APA Style.

7.1: In-text citations in Presentations

• You can cite references within the text of your presentation slide using the same APA format for in-text citations (Author, Date) as in a written essay.
• Remember to cite sources for direct quotations, paraphrased materials, and sources of facts (such as market share data in the example slide).
• Your Reference List must include the sources cited on your presentation slides.

7.2: Using Images on Slides

If you use images, such as photographs or clipart, on your slides, you should also credit the source of the image. Do not reproduce images without permission. There are sources for clipart and images that are "public use" according to Creative Commons licensing such as:

• Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/creativecommons/
• Google Advanced Image Search allows you so filter results by usage rights (e.g., free to use or share):  https://www.google.com/advanced_image_search
• ClipSafari:  https://www.clipsafari.com
• Openclipart.org:  https://openclipart.org/
• Noun Project:  https://thenounproject.com   (free membership, must give credit to creator of icon following a specific format)

Photographs are treated as figures in APA Style. Therefore, the citation for the source of the image is included as a footnote in the figure caption underneath the photograph which includes the figure number and a description. The source of the image obtained is attributed using the following model:

Figure 1. Blah blah blah. From Title of Image , by Author, Year. Retrieved from URL.

Figure 1. Photograph of a sculpture in Cupertino, California. From Infinite Loop II by Kurafire (2007, January 3).  Retrieved from https://www.flickr.com/photos/kurafire/343629962/.

Another option for citing image sources is to create a separate slide titled "Photo credits" or "Image Sources". For more assistance on the various ways to cite images in presentations (but not necessarily in APA format), see:

• Image Citation Guide (UBC Copyright Office)
• How to credit photos (Photoshare.org). Provides examples of various ways to credit image sources in Powerpoint, on webpages, and in print materials.
• How to cite clip art or stock image references (APA Style website) Consult the APA Style site for the latest guidance on how to cite images according to the 7th edition.

Option 1: Create a References handout (recommended)

Option 2: Create a References slide (if you only have a few items in your list)

• use a large enough font (e.g., 24 points)
• limit to 12 lines of text on each slide

• Power up your PowerPoint (gradPSYCH at APA.org) Seven research-backed tips for effective presentations. Includes links to digital extras: "the worst PowerPoint presentation ever made" and "Comedian Don McMillan's PowerPoint pet peeves".
• << Previous: 6. Reference List Examples: Audiovisual Sources
• Last Updated: Apr 21, 2023 9:32 AM
• URL: https://researchguides.library.brocku.ca/APABusiness

Purdue Online Writing Lab Purdue OWL® College of Liberal Arts

APA PowerPoint Slide Presentation

Welcome to the Purdue OWL

This page is brought to you by the OWL at Purdue University. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice.

Copyright ©1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use.

Note:  This page reflects APA 6, which is now out of date. It will remain online until 2021, but will not be updated. The equivalent APA 7 page can be found here .

Media File: APA PowerPoint Slide Presentation

This resource is enhanced by a PowerPoint file. If you have a Microsoft Account, you can view this file with   PowerPoint Online .

Select the APA PowerPoint Presentation link above to download slides that provide a detailed review of the APA citation style.

APA Style 7th Edition

• In-Text Citations
• Reference List Citations
• Reference List - Web Resources
• Changes from APA 6th ed.
• Bias-Free Language
• Formatting References within Slides

Citations and References within Slide Presentations

Formatting in-text citations and references within a slide deck is nearly identical to formatting in-text citations and references in a paper. Use in-text, narrative, or oral citations in tandem with a final References slide containing complete metadata for all sources used in your presentation.

Using Images

• When referring to images, cite the original source image.
• Tip : Reproducing an image (or other creative content like video, music, etc.) requires permission from the original content creator. 
• Creative Commons images attributions by license type .
• Also found in sections 10.12 -10.14 of the APA Publication Manual, 7th ed.

Finding Images

• Creative Commons Images / Openverse . Search by license type.
• Google Images . Search by license type. See screenshot.
• Flickr photos . Search by license type. Requires free Flickr account and login. See screenshot.
• Pixabay images , free to use with attribution. 

• << Previous: Bias-Free Language
• Last Updated: Mar 18, 2024 1:56 PM
• URL: https://libguides.massgeneral.org/APA7

Cite a presentation or lecture in APA style

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• Select style:
• Archive material
• Chapter of an edited book
• Conference proceedings
• Dictionary entry
• Dissertation
• DVD, video, or film
• E-book or PDF
• Edited book
• Encyclopedia article
• Government publication
• Music or recording
• Online image or video
• Presentation
• Press release
• Religious text

Use the following template or our APA Citation Generator to cite a presentation or lecture. For help with other source types, like books, PDFs, or websites, check out our other guides. To have your reference list or bibliography automatically made for you, try our free citation generator .

Reference list

Place this part in your bibliography or reference list at the end of your assignment.

In-text citation

Place this part right after the quote or reference to the source in your assignment.

Popular APA Citation Guides

• How to cite a Book in APA style
• How to cite a Website in APA style
• How to cite a Journal in APA style
• How to cite a DVD, video, or film in APA style
• How to cite a Online image or video in APA style

Other APA Citation Guides

• How to cite a Archive material in APA style
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• How to cite a Conference proceedings in APA style
• How to cite a Court case in APA style
• How to cite a Dictionary entry in APA style
• How to cite a Dissertation in APA style
• How to cite a E-book or PDF in APA style
• How to cite a Edited book in APA style
• How to cite a Email in APA style
• How to cite a Encyclopedia article in APA style
• How to cite a Government publication in APA style
• How to cite a Interview in APA style
• How to cite a Legislation in APA style
• How to cite a Magazine in APA style
• How to cite a Music or recording in APA style
• How to cite a Newspaper in APA style
• How to cite a Patent in APA style
• How to cite a Podcast in APA style
• How to cite a Presentation or lecture in APA style
• How to cite a Press release in APA style
• How to cite a Religious text in APA style
• How to cite a Report in APA style
• How to cite a Software in APA style

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Google Slides cheat sheet: How to get started

How to use Google Slides to create, collaborate on, and lead business presentations.

Need to build a slide presentation for a meeting, training, or other event? Google Slides is an easy-to-use web app that comes with the essential tools and more. It stores your presentations in the cloud with Google Drive. Anyone with a Google account can use Slides and Drive for free, and they’re also included with a Google Workspace (formerly G Suite) subscription for business and enterprise customers. There are Google Sheets mobile apps for Android and iOS, too.

This guide will help you become familiar with the Google Slides web interface and show you how to start a new presentation, upload a Microsoft PowerPoint file to edit in Google Slides, collaborate with others on your presentation, and finally, present it to others.

Create or open a presentation

Log in to your Google or Workspace account. Then:

From Google Slides : At the top of the home page, you’ll see a “Start a new presentation” header, with a row of thumbnails underneath. To start a new, blank presentation, click the Blank thumbnail. To start a new presentation in a template, select one of the thumbnails to the right or click Template gallery toward the upper-right corner, then click any thumbnail on the page that appears.

The Google Slides home page. (Click image to enlarge it.)

Below the “Start a new presentation” area you’ll see a list of presentations that are stored in your Google Drive or shared with you. To open a presentation, click it in this list.

The list of your presentations appears in reverse chronological order starting with the presentation you most recently opened. Clicking the “AZ” icon at the upper right of this list changes the sort order to Last modified by me , Last modified , or in alphabetical order by presentation title. You can also browse to a specific folder by clicking the folder icon next to the “AZ” icon.

From Google Drive : Presentations stored in your Google Drive are listed in the main window of the Drive home page. To see a listing of presentations that others are sharing with you, click Shared with me in the left column. From either list, double-click a presentation to open it in Google Slides.

To start a new, blank presentation, click the New button at the upper-left of the screen and then click Google Slides .

If you want to use a template to start a new presentation, click the New button, then move the cursor over the right arrow next to Google Slides and select From a template . The template gallery for Google Slides will open; click a thumbnail to start a new presentation in that template.

Creating a new presentation from Google Drive.

From Google Slides or Drive: You also can use the search box at the top to find presentations in your Google Drive or shared with you. Enter words or numbers that may be in the presentation you’re looking for.

Upload a PowerPoint presentation to Slides

You can edit a Microsoft PowerPoint presentation in Google Slides, but first you must upload it to Google Drive.

From Google Slides: Click the folder icon ( Open file picker ) that’s above and toward the right corner of your presentations list. On the panel that opens, click the Upload tab. Drag-and-drop your PowerPoint file (.ppt or .pptx) onto this panel, or browse your PC’s drive to select it.

From Google Drive: Click the New button, then File upload , and select the PowerPoint file from your PC’s drive and click Open .

Traditionally, when you uploaded PowerPoint files to Google Drive, they were automatically converted to Slides format. That’s still the case when you upload PowerPoint files via the Google Slides home page .

However, Google now supports the ability to edit Microsoft Office files in their native format. By default, any .pptx files that you upload via Google Drive will remain formatted as PowerPoint documents. You can edit and collaborate on a PowerPoint file right in Slides, with all changes made by you or your collaborators saved directly to the PowerPoint file.

On the Google Slides and Drive home pages, native PowerPoint files will be denoted with an orange “P” icon, and when you open a native PowerPoint file in Sheets, you’ll see a “.PPTX” flag to the right of the document title.

Native PowerPoint files show the PowerPoint icon (top) instead of the Google Slides icon (bottom).

If you’d rather have Google convert PowerPoint files to Slides format automatically when you upload them via Google Drive, click the gear icon in the upper-right corner of the Drive home screen and select Settings from the drop-down menu. In the Settings box next to “Convert uploads,” check the checkbox marked Convert uploaded files to Google Docs editor format .

Work in a presentation

When you open a new or existing presentation, its first slide appears in the main window of Google Slides. Here’s a breakdown of the toolbars, menus, panes, and sidebars that appear around your presentation.

The left pane shows thumbnails of all the slides in your presentation. Click a thumbnail, and the slide it represents will appear in the main window, where you can edit it.

The Google Slides editing interface. (Click image to enlarge it.)

Your presentation’s title appears along the top of the screen. To change it, click anywhere inside the title and start typing.

The menu bar below your presentation’s title has a complete set of tools for working with presentations. These are the main submenus to know:

• File has commands for taking action on the whole presentation, including Print, Rename, and Share.
• Edit lists the standard editing commands such as copy, cut, paste, delete, duplicate, and find and replace.
• View lists several ways that you can view your slides as you design and edit them. This includes arranging them into a grid, previewing them as a slideshow, or zooming in on them. You can also watch the transition effect that takes place between slides when they’re played in a slideshow.
• Insert lets you add several objects to your slides, including charts, diagrams, pictures, tables, and text. You can also add links to YouTube videos or sound or video files that are stored in your Google Drive.
• Format lets you change the look of your slides. Certain functions on this submenu become clickable depending on whether you’ve selected an image or text on a slide, or selected the slide itself.
• Slide is where you can add, delete, or duplicate a slide that you’ve selected. You can also add a preset layout to a slide, change its background or theme color, or add and edit a transition effect that takes place between slides when your presentation is played as a slideshow.
• Arrange lists tools that let you group or reorder objects on a slide in relation to another. For example, you can place an image behind another image or group an image and a block of text together to make them easier to move at once.
• Tools leads to several miscellaneous functions. These include letting you record a voice clip to go with a slide, running a spell checker, and showing you a list of objects in your presentation that are linked to other files.

The toolbar directly above your presentation puts commonly used commands in easy reach. From this toolbar, you can click buttons to add to a slide or change its background, comments, layout, objects (images, lines, shapes, text), text style, theme colors for the whole presentation, transition effects during a slideshow, and more. The buttons on the toolbar change depending on whether you’ve selected image or text on a slide or the slide itself.

Notice that there’s no Save button in the toolbar — or anywhere in Google Slides. That’s because Slides automatically saves any changes you make to your presentation.

Speaker notes: Along the bottom of each slide you’ll see an area marked Click to add speaker notes . Here you can type in brief notes to remind yourself what to do or say when the slide is being shown. Only you will see these notes when you show your presentation to an audience.

Themes sidebar: When you start a new blank presentation, the Themes sidebar opens on the right side of the screen. (You can also open this sidebar at any time by clicking Theme on the toolbar above your presentation.) Themes apply the same fonts, colors, and other design elements to all the slides in a presentation, giving it a consistent look and feel. Click a thumbnail in this sidebar to change your presentation to that theme.

Create and manage slides

Here are the basic things to know about working with slides in a presentation.

Add a new, blank slide to your presentation: Click the + button at the left end of the toolbar above your presentation. Alternatively, if you click the down arrow next to the +, you can choose a layout to use as the basis for a new slide.

Click the down arrow next to the + button in the toolbar to choose a layout for a new slide.

Apply or change a slide’s background: Select the slide’s thumbnail in the left sidebar and click Background on the toolbar above your presentation. On the panel that opens, you can change the slide’s background color or use an image file from your Google Drive, Google Photos account, or PC as the background.

Apply or change a slide’s layout: Select the slide’s thumbnail in the left pane, then click Layout on the toolbar above your presentation. On the panel that opens, select the layout you want to apply to this slide.

Apply or change a slide’s transition: Select the slide’s thumbnail in the left sidebar and click Transition on the toolbar above your presentation. In the Motion sidebar that opens along the right side of the screen, you can apply or change the animated transition effect that is played before this slide.

Choosing a transition style in the Motion pane.

Move a slide to a different spot in the slideshow sequence: Click and hold its thumbnail in the left sidebar, drag it up or down to another place in the sequence, and release it.

Delete a slide: Right-click its thumbnail in the left sidebar and select Delete from the pop-up menu. Alternatively, select its thumbnail and select Edit > Delete from the menu bar or just press the Delete key.

Share and collaborate on a presentation

Presentations are often a group effort, with several team members contributing to and polishing a presentation. In Slides, it’s easy for multiple collaborators to work on a presentation together.

First, you need to share the presentation. When you’re viewing your presentation in Google Slides, click the Share button at the upper-right. Or, from your Google Drive homepage, click to highlight the presentation that you want to share. Then, in the toolbar toward the upper right, click the Share icon (a head-and-shoulders silhouette with a +).

Either way, the “Share” panel will open.

Setting permissions for a file being shared privately.

Share a presentation privately

In the entry box, enter the email addresses (or names of your Google Contacts) of the people with whom you want to share. By default, the people you invite to your presentation can edit it and reshare it with others.

To change access permissions for invitees: Click Editor to the right of the entry box and choose another option from the drop-down menu. Commenter means they can view your spreadsheet and add comments but can’t change it. Viewer means they can view your presentation but can’t edit it or add comments.

To prevent your presentation from being reshared, downloaded, or printed: Click the gear icon at the upper-right of this panel. On the smaller panel that opens, uncheck the boxes by Editors can change permissions and share and Viewers and commenters can see the option to download, print, and copy .

When you’re done setting permissions (and, optionally, typing in a message to your invitees), click Send , and everyone you’ve added will receive an email with a link they can click to access the document.

The shared presentation icon.

A presentation you’ve shared (or that others have shared with you) will have an icon of two silhouetted heads next to it in the presentations list on your Google Sheets and Google Drive home pages.

To limit or change a person’s access to your presentation: With the presentation open in Google Slides, click the Share button at the upper-right. Or, from Google Drive, highlight the presentation and click the Share icon.

The Share panel reopens showing a list of all the people you’ve invited, along with their permission status. Click the down arrow to the right of a person’s name, change their permission level or remove their access entirely, and click Save .

You can change permissions for people you’ve shared a presentation with on an individual basis.

If you have a Google Workspace subscription, another option is to select Give temporary access and, next to Access expires , select a date within one year of the current date. If you set an expiration date for a person that you’ve assigned as Editor, their access will be downgraded to Commenter on the expiration date.

Share a presentation publicly

Most business users will want to share presentations privately with select colleagues or clients, but you do have the option to share a presentation publicly. At the bottom of the Share panel is a “General access” area where you can copy a link to the document. By default, this link is restricted to those you invite to the document. To change it to a public link, click Restricted and select Anyone with the link from the menu that appears.

Click Copy link and the link to your presentation will be copied to your PC’s clipboard. You can share this link by pasting it into a chat message, document, email, forum post, or most other means of online written communication. Anyone who clicks this link will be able to view your presentation online. (Be aware that anyone can copy and reshare this link.)

To allow anyone in the public to comment on or edit your presentation: At the bottom right of the Share panel, click Viewer and select Commenter or Editor from the drop-down menu. Then click the Done button. Now the web link to your presentation will let anyone who clicks it add a comment or edit it.

Sharing a spreadsheet publicly.

To turn off public sharing for your presentation: Bring up the Share panel again. Near the bottom, click Anyone with the link and select Restricted from the menu, then click the Done button.

Note: You can apply both public and private sharing methods to your presentation. For example, you could allow the public to only view your presentation, but allow specific people that you’ve invited to comment on or edit it.

Collaborate on a presentation

The people you’ve shared a spreadsheet with can view or work on it at the same time as you or at other times. Remember that people who have Editor privileges to your presentation can change all aspects of it. Having multiple people making changes to a presentation can get confusing. In most cases, setting everyone to Commenter is the best way to collaborate in Slides: People can attach comments to a slide or to objects in a slide, but their comments won’t alter your presentation’s information or design.

To add a comment to a slide: Right-click its thumbnail in the left sidebar and select Comment from the menu that opens. Alternatively, you can select its thumbnail and select Insert > Comment from the menu bar or click the Add comment button (a speech balloon with a + sign).

A blank comment card with your name on it opens to the right of the slide in the main window. On this card’s entry line, type a brief comment, and when you’re finished, click the Comment button.

Typing in a new comment.

To add a comment to an object on a slide: Right-click the object (a block of text, chart, image, picture, etc.) and select Comment from the menu that opens. Alternatively, you can select the object and select Insert > Comment from the menu bar.

To draw someone’s attention to a comment: As you’re composing the comment, type the @ symbol and begin typing their name, then select the person from the list of suggested Google contacts that appears. They’ll receive an email notifying them of the comment and linking to it.

To read, reply to, or remove a comment: A slide that contains a comment is denoted in the left sidebar with a speech balloon by its thumbnail. Click the slide’s thumbnail to make the slide appear in the main window, and you’ll see all its comment cards on the right.

To reply to a comment, click its card. The card will expand to reveal an entry line where you can add a comment in response.

Replying to a comment.

Clicking the checkmark at the upper right marks the comment card as “resolved” and removes the card from the presentation. Clicking the card’s three-dot icon opens a menu that lets you edit or delete your comment.

To see a list of all comments: Click the Open comment history icon (the speech balloon) to the left of the Slideshow button. A sidebar will open along the right side of the screen; it lists all the comment cards in your presentation. When you click a comment on this list, the view of your presentation in the main window will jump to the cell where the comment is located and open its comment card.

The Comments pane lets you quickly review all comments and jump to specific ones.

For more details about collaborating on your presentation, including what it’s like to collaborate in real time, see “ How to collaborate on a document ” in our Google Drive guide. You can also collaborate on a presentation in Google Chat; that’s covered later in this story.

Recover older versions of a presentation

It’s easy to go too far when making tweaks to a presentation. Fortunately, it’s also easy to roll back to an earlier version of the presentation. Click File > Version history > See version history . This opens a panel on the right that shows a list of older versions of your presentation.

Using Version history to view an earlier version of a presentation. (Click image to enlarge it.)

To view an earlier version of your presentation: Click the date for it in the list. That version of the presentation will then appear in the main window.

To restore an earlier version so it replaces your current presentation: With the version you want to restore showing in the main window, click the yellow Restore this version button at the top of the screen. The restored version will then appear at the top of the version history list.

To give an older version a unique name: Click on its date. You’ll be prompted to type in words to replace the date. (The date and time will then appear in smaller size underneath the new name.)

Give a presentation

When it’s time to play your presentation to an audience, Google Slides has two modes: Slideshow and Presenter view. Slideshow mode essentially shows what your audience will see. Presenter view mode provides additional tools for your eyes only that run alongside Slideshow mode.

Slideshow mode: Click the Slideshow button at the upper-right corner of the screen. Google Slides will expand to full-screen view and show the slide that’s currently in the main window. (If you want to start the slideshow from the first slide in your presentation, click the down arrow to the right of the Slideshow button and select Start from beginning .)

The control bar in Slideshow mode lets you click through the slides, turn on auto-play, use a laser pointer effect, and more. (Click image to enlarge it.)

When you move the on-screen pointer to the lower-left corner of your presentation, a control bar appears. You use this to click forward and back through the slides. Clicking the three-dot icon on the control bar opens a menu with other controls, such as starting auto-play and adjusting how quickly it moves from slide to slide.

On this menu, Turn on the laser pointer turns the mouse pointer into a simulated red laser dot. Captions preferences — available only if you’re using a Chrome browser or Chromebook — lets you turn on real-time, automatic transcribing of your words as you say them (English only) and shows them to your audience as on-screen captions. Open speaker notes takes your presentation out of full screen and opens a separate “Presenter view” window, as described below.

Presenter view mode: Click the down arrow to the right of the Slideshow button and select Presenter view . This shows the presentation in your browser window and launches a separate window that assists you while you’re giving your presentation.

Presenter view lets you (but not your audience) see your speaker notes while presenting. (Click image to enlarge it.)

From the Presenter view window, you can jump to any slide in your presentation, read the speaker notes you wrote for a slide, and control the Q&A feature. There’s also a timer that you can set to remind yourself how much time you’re spending showing a slide — or the entire presentation — to your audience.

Click the AUDIENCE TOOLS tab to use the Q&A feature, which lets you take questions from your audience. To open questions for a slideshow, click the Start new button. A web link appears at the top of your presentation. An audience member watching your presentation on their computer, phone, or tablet can click/tap that link, which will take them to a page where they can type a question for you. You’ll see the question  in your Presenter view window, and you can choose whether to show their question to the rest of your audience during the presentation. To close questions for a presentation, turn the switch from ON to OFF .

Audience members can submit questions from their devices, and the presenter can decide whether to display them as part of the slideshow. (Click image to enlarge it.)

Present in Google Meet

Need to give a presentation during a Google Meet video meeting? As long as you’re using a Chromium-based browser (Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Opera, etc.), it’s easy: Toward the upper right of the Google Slides page, click the Google Meet icon. From the panel that opens, select a meeting that’s scheduled on your Google calendar today, start a new meeting, or type/paste in the web link or code that you have for another meeting.

Click the Meet icon to get started presenting to a video meeting.

If you start a new meeting, a sidebar for the meeting will open on the right. At the bottom of the sidebar, click the Present now icon (a box with an up arrow). On the panel that appears, select your presentation and click the Share button, and you’ll be presenting to the meeting.

Choose which tab or window you want to share and click the Share button. (Click image to enlarge it.)

If you join a scheduled meeting, you have two choices: “Join the call” and “Just present this tab.” If you click Join the call , a sidebar for the meeting will open on the right. Follow the same steps as above to present to the meeting. If you click Just present this tab , you’ll go directly to the panel where you select your presentation and click Share , but you won’t have a sidebar where you can follow the main meeting.

To stop sharing your presentation to the meeting, click the Stop sharing button at the top left of your browser window.

For more details about using Google Meet, see our Google Meet cheat sheet .

Download and export a presentation

Google Slides lets you download presentations for use offline. On the top menu, select File > Download and choose a file format. You can save your presentation to your PC as a PowerPoint (.pptx) file or in other formats such as PDF, or as JPG or PNG for an individual slide.

5 tips for working with Google Slides

Now that you’re comfortable working in Google Slides, try these intermediate tips.

Use the Google Slides mobile app

With the exception of the “Version history” tool, the Google Slides app for Android , iPhone , and iPad has many of the same features described in this guide.

When you have a slideshow open, the toolbar at the top of the screen lets you take a variety of actions:

• To present your slides on your phone or tablet, on a Chromecast device, or in a Google Meet meeting, tap the triangle icon.
• To share your presentation with other people, the headshot silhouette. (See “How to share from the Google Drive, Docs, Sheets, and Slides mobile apps” in our Google Drive cheat sheet .)
• To view all the comments in the presentation, tap the Comments icon (a chat balloon) if you see it in the toolbar, or tap the three-dot icon and select View comments from the menu that appears.
• The three-dot menu also lets you see the presentation’s Q&A history, export it, make it available offline, and more.

The Google Slides Android app.

To edit or comment on a slide: Tap the slide, and a menu will appear that lets you add or view comments for that slide or edit it. Tap an element on a slide, such as text or an image, and tools to edit that element will appear.

Any changes you make to your presentation in the mobile app are automatically saved and will appear the next time you open it in the Google Slides web app.

Get suggested slide layouts and content

Click the Explore icon at the lower-right corner of the screen. The Explore sidebar will open along the right side. In most cases, you’ll be presented with thumbnails of suggested layouts that Google Slides has automatically customized for the slide that’s open in the main window. Click the one you want, and it will be applied to the slide.

Use the Explore tool to get suggested layouts (left) and search for images (right).

At the top of the Explore sidebar is a search box. You can type in a word or phrase to find related content on the web or in your Google Drive. Search results appear on separate Web, Images, and Drive tabs in the sidebar. Click a web or Drive result to open it in a new browser tab. On the Images tab, click the + icon on the upper-right corner of an image to insert it onto your slide.

Create custom slide layouts to use as templates

You can design your own slide layouts to use as templates in any future presentation. First, open a new, blank presentation as described above. Then:

• On the menu bar over the blank presentation, select View > Theme builder .
• The main window switches to a layout editor. Toward the left you’ll see a column with the heading THEME on top and LAYOUTS just below that. Click the thumbnail of any layout in the LAYOUTS list. It will appear in the main window.
• You can remove objects that are already in any layout. For example, click on a block of text. A frame appears around the text. Without selecting the text itself, move the pointer to ward an edge of the frame, right-click, and select Delete from the menu that opens.

Creating a custom slide layout. (Click image to enlarge it.)

• Using the formatting toolbar above the slide, you can add new objects to the slide, including images, image placeholders, shapes, lines, and blocks for text. (Tip: enter placeholder words inside the text blocks.) When you click on any object, a frame appears around it. Drag and drop the frame to relocate it on the slide, or drag its edges to change its shape or size. You can also add or change the border and background colors for any object on the slide and/or change the background color for the whole slide.
• When you’re finished designing your layout, click the Rename button above the slide and give the layout a unique name.
• If you want to create another custom layout, click on the thumbnail of another layout under the column LAYOUTS and repeat the above steps starting from #3.
• When you are finished custom-designing all your layouts, click the X toward the upper-right of the slide layout in the main window.
• Along the top of the screen, click anywhere inside Untitled presentation and start typing. Tip: Use a name that indicates this is a template (e.g., “Annual Budget Presentation – Template”).

In the future, you can make new presentations starting from this template, and your custom slide layouts will be available.

• Open the template presentation you created in the steps above. On the menu bar, click File > Make a copy > Entire presentation . On the panel that opens, type in a name for the new presentation you want to create and click the Make a copy button. Google Slides will open this new presentation in a new browser tab.
• On the toolbar above the first slide of your new presentation, click Layout . From the panel of thumbnails that opens, select one of the layouts that you created. It will then be applied to the slide in the main window.

Collaborate on a presentation in Google Chat

An alternative way to collaborate on a presentation is to share it in Google Chat. Other people in your chat can add comments and help make changes to your presentation.

Start in Google Chat . To the left of the box where you type in your chat messages, click the + icon and select Drive file from the menu that opens. A panel will open over the screen listing the files in your Google Drive. Find and click your presentation to highlight it, then click INSERT on the lower-right corner.

You’ll be taken back to the chat message box. Click the blue right-pointing arrow to the right of the box, and a panel will open over the screen designating permissions for the shared presentation. By default, permissions are set to Comment. To change this, click Comment and select View or Edit . You can also allow the people in the chat to share a web link to your presentation with others outside of the chat by selecting Turn link sharing on .

You can share a presentation to individual or group chats in Google Chats. (Click image to enlarge it.)

After you’ve set the permissions, click SEND , and your message will appear in the chat stream with a large thumbnail of your presentation. To open a presentation in the chat, click the thumbnail. The presentation will open inside a large window that’s laid out alongside the right of the chat stream.

This is actually Google Slides running inside the chat window with your presentation loaded in it. Thus, most of the Slides commenting and editing tools are available for you and others in the chat to use on your presentation (if you granted them permission to comment or edit). The user interface is the same, except there’s no menu bar.

Collaborating on a presentation from within a Google Chat. (Click image to enlarge it.)

Use keyboard shortcuts

Save time in Slides by using keyboard shortcuts for common tasks. Below are some of the most useful to know. For more, select Help > Keyboard shortcuts from the top menu when you have a spreadsheet open or press Ctrl + / (Windows, Chrome OS) or ⌘ + / (macOS).

Handy Google Slides keyboard shortcuts

This story was originally published in September 2019 and updated in August 2022.

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Howard Wen ( www.howardwen.com ) is a longtime contributor to Computerworld . He specializes in explainer guides, how-tos, and reviews of office applications and productivity tools.

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Google Slides: How to add GIFs and stickers to your presentation

G oogle Slides helps you make impressive presentations with its diverse template library, collaboration options, and seamless integration with Google apps. You can use it on your Android phone, iPhone, desktop PC, laptop, or affordable Chromebook . Your audience might lose interest if your slides appear uninspired. Break the monotony by including an occasional GIF or sticker. This tutorial shows you how to add GIFs and stickers to Google Slides.

When to add GIFs and stickers to Google Slides

A GIF (Graphics Interchange Format) is an image file that uses a series of pictures to create an animated sequence. It's like a video without sound and is typically used to express reactions or make memes.

If you think your presentation might cause audience members to nod off to sleep, add a GIF or two to your Google Slides. There's a time and place for humor, so use it sparingly. For instance, a funny Star Wars GIF or sticker will attract your classmates' attention. But it might not fly during a board meeting presentation.

How to autoplay your Google Slides presentation

How to get gifs and stickers for your presentation.

If you can't find a particular GIF or sticker online, go to Giphy or Tenor.com and enter your search term. You can also explore the trending section to find popular GIFs. If you're using a phone, download the Giphy app from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store. You'll also find other third-party apps for Android and iOS.

How to add GIFs and stickers on desktop

We walk you through three ways of adding GIFs and stickers to Google Slides. The first method adds them from the web, the second accesses GIFs downloaded to your desktop PC, and the third uses a web link.

How to add GIFs and stickers from the web

• Open Google Slides .
• Click Insert from the toolbar.
• Select Image .
• Choose GIFs and stickers .
• Enter your search term.
• Select the GIF or sticker you want to add.
• Click Insert .
• To resize the image, click and drag any corner.

How to add GIFs and stickers saved on your computer

Adding GIFs and stickers from your computer is the easiest way to include them in your slideshow. You must download them to your PC before following these steps.

• Click Upload from computer .

How to add GIFs and stickers via URLs

First, keep your GIF or sticker's URL handy.

• Choose By URL .
• Paste the link.
• Click Insert image .

How to add GIFs and stickers on mobile

The Google Slides mobile app isn't as feature-rich as the desktop version. However, it will do in a pinch. First, download the GIFs or stickers you want on your phone. You can't add them to your presentation via URL.

The following steps work on Android and iOS. We use an Android smartphone in this tutorial, but iPhone users can follow along.

• Open the Google Slides app.
• Tap the plus icon in the upper-right corner.
• Select Image . Close
• Tap From photos .
• Choose a GIF or sticker from your gallery. Close

Why can't I add a GIF or sticker to Google Slides?

There are many reasons why your GIF or sticker might not load correctly despite following the steps listed above.

• Older versions of Google Slides might have issues with GIF playback, so get the latest update.
• GIFs and stickers may not appear as intended if you have poor internet connectivity. To avoid issues, download and add them to your slides instead of using URLs.
• Large GIF files may not work well with Slides. Compress the images or replace them with smaller files.

The best Google Slides templates for work, school, and home

How to edit gifs and stickers in google slides.

You can customize GIFs to match the theme of your presentation. You can add a border, crop, resize, and recolor images.

How to crop an image

• Double-click the GIF or sticker.
• Drag the black tabs until the image gets cropped to your preference.
• When you're happy with the final image, press Enter . If you aren't, type Ctrl + Z to undo the changes.

How to use formatting options

Use Google Slides' formatting options to change your GIF or sticker's orientation, size, color, opacity, and brightness.

• Select your GIF or sticker by clicking it.
• Select Format from the toolbar.
• Click Format options .
• Adjust the orientation or size from the Size and Rotation section.
• Change the tone of the image from the Recolor section.
• Customize your image's opacity, brightness, or contrast from the Adjustments section.

How to add a border

• Click the GIF or sticker.
• Select the pencil icon from the menu bar.
• Choose a border color.
• Click the border weight icon to adjust the thickness.

Get your point across with GIFs and stickers

If a picture is worth a thousand words, animated GIFS are worth even more. Pique your audience's interest by adding GIFs and stickers in Google Slides. If you want to make custom GIFs on Android, we have a guide for creating GIFs from stop-motion photos .