Discover how to leverage Google’s generative AI to craft slides, create or modify images, refine text, and even develop entire presentations. Here’s a comprehensive guide.
Google’s generative AI assistant, Gemini, provides a variety of tools accessible directly within Google Slides to help you create and refine your presentations. Furthermore, you can develop complete presentations within the standalone Gemini app and then import them into Slides for further customization.
The Gemini app is freely available to anyone with a Google account. To use Gemini directly within Google Slides, you’ll need a subscription to a Google Workspace Business Standard, Business Plus, or Enterprise plan, or a Google AI plan. Alternatively, you can enroll in Google Workspace Labs with a free Google account to access some of the functionalities detailed in this article.
Please note: If you utilize Google Workspace for professional purposes, your administrator might need to authorize Gemini’s use within Google Slides.
This guide will walk you through utilizing all these features. If Google Slides is new to you or you need a quick review, consult our Google Slides cheat sheet beforehand to get acquainted.
As with any generative AI tool, remember that Gemini can produce inaccuracies or fabrications, so always verify its output for correctness.
In this article, you will find:
- How to create a full presentation using Gemini.
- How to generate individual slides with Gemini.
- How to use Gemini to produce images for your slides.
- How to edit images within your slides using Gemini.
- How to refine text in your slides with Gemini.
1. Utilizing Gemini to Develop a Presentation
You have the ability to instruct Gemini to craft an entire presentation comprising multiple slides. Currently, this functionality isn’t integrated directly into Slides. Instead, you accomplish this via the Canvas feature in the Gemini web application. Based on your input, the AI can generate a series of slides that you can then export as a single presentation to Google Slides.
Launch the Gemini web app in your browser. At the bottom of the chat interface, click on Tools. From the dropdown menu that appears, select Canvas.
To begin, select the Canvas tool within the Gemini web app.
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Then, in the chat box, enter your prompt. It should be comprehensive and clearly defined. Start by explicitly stating “Build a presentation” or “Create a presentation.” Subsequently, you can detail the general or specific content you wish to include on each slide. Here are some examples:
- Generate a presentation for a digital marketing firm aiming to pitch its offerings to prospective clients.
- Design a presentation template for reporting my company’s quarterly earnings. It should include the following slides:
- Slide 1 will be the introduction, featuring text to explain the presentation’s objective.
- Slide 2 will display a chart template for the First Quarter.
- Slide 3 will display a chart template for the Second Quarter.
- Slide 4 will display a chart template for the Third Quarter.
- Slide 5 will display a chart template for the Fourth Quarter.
- Slide 6 will serve as the conclusion.
You can also click the + icon on the toolbar to attach a file from your Google Drive or upload one from your computer, such as a document or spreadsheet. Gemini will attempt to use this as source material to generate a series of slides for your presentation. For instance:
- Create a presentation from the attached spreadsheet. Develop presentation slides using the provided document.
Once you have finished composing your prompt, press the Enter key or click the right arrow icon located at the bottom right of the chat box. Gemini will then commence generating the presentation, which will appear in the chat window above the chat box. You can scroll through it to preview the content.
The primary window of the Gemini app will display a preview of the generated presentation.
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If you’re satisfied with the outcome and wish to export it to Slides, click the Export or Export to Slides button located at the top right of the presentation preview. The presentation will then be saved as a Google Slides file within your Google Drive.
For more detailed information on using Canvas in the Gemini app, including how to modify Gemini’s output, please refer to our Gemini Canvas guide.
2. Employing Gemini for Individual Slide Creation
With a paid Google Workspace subscription, you can utilize the Gemini sidebar directly within the Slides application to assist you in building and adjusting various components of your presentation. For instance, Gemini can generate individual slides, which can serve as foundational templates for your information or as initial drafts tailored to your specific requirements.
Consult our Google Slides cheat sheet for detailed instructions on using Gemini to generate slides.
3. Using Gemini to Create Images for Your Slides
You can also instruct Gemini to produce an image and place it onto a slide.
With your presentation open, go to the slide where you wish to add an image, or create a new slide specifically for the image.
On the vertical toolbar positioned to the right of the slide, click the Generate an image button (represented by a picture icon with a sparkle in the upper right corner). Alternatively, from the menu bar at the top, select Insert > Image > Generate an image. The Gemini sidebar will then appear on the right side of your presentation, showing various tools for image creation.
Upon selecting Generate an image, the Gemini sidebar will present you with image creation tools.
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Within the chat box, type a prompt that precisely describes the image you want Gemini to generate. Feel free to be creative!
- Generate an image of a US dollar symbol with an upward-pointing arrow behind it.
- Create an image depicting a man indicating a chalkboard with the word GOALS inscribed.
You can also click Add a style in the sidebar and choose a specific artistic style for Gemini to use when creating your image, such as Photography, Vector art, or Watercolor.
Gemini will produce four images based on your prompt and display their thumbnails in the sidebar. Click any of these thumbnails to view a larger preview of how the image will appear on your slide. You can then use the < and > buttons to cycle through the other generated images.
A preview of the images generated by Gemini.
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If you find an image you prefer, click its Insert button. The image will be positioned on your slide at the current cursor location.
Should none of the images generated by Gemini meet your needs, you can modify your prompt or enter a new one in the chat box to request another set of images.
4. Leveraging Gemini to Modify Images in Your Slides
Gemini offers assistance in applying AI-generated modifications to images within your presentation. This includes changing an image’s background or editing it in various ways, such as altering its size or adding imaginative elements. While these features might seem primarily for photographs, you can also experiment with charts or other illustrations to achieve intriguing results.
With your presentation open, navigate to the slide containing the image you wish to edit. Select the image on the slide. A small toolbar will appear beneath the selected image; click Edit image on this toolbar. Alternatively, you can right-click the image and choose Edit image from the context menu.
Select the desired image and click Edit image on the toolbar that appears below it.
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This action will open the Gemini image editing sidebar on the right side of your presentation. Here, you’ll see two selectable options: Edit image and Replace background. Choose the option you wish to use.
Within the Gemini image editing sidebar, you can choose between Edit image or Replace background.
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The chat box will display an example prompt. Enter a prompt that describes the specific modification you want Gemini to perform, then click the Create button.
Examples for “Replace background”:
- Place this chart against the backdrop of a nighttime cityscape.
- Incorporate subtle drawings of small seashells as background elements behind this logo.
Examples for “Edit image”:
- Expand this photograph horizontally to span the full width of the slide.
- Add a person seated at this laptop.
Gemini will generate a modified version of the image based on your prompt and display a thumbnail in the sidebar. Click View more to prompt Gemini to create an additional image.
The Gemini sidebar will show a thumbnail of the modified image.
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Click on a thumbnail to see a preview of how it will look on your slide. You can then use the < or > buttons to scroll through the other generated images.
If you find one you like, click the Replace button. The AI-generated image will then substitute the existing image on your slide. Alternatively, you can click the down arrow next to the Replace button and select Insert, which will place the generated image at the cursor’s position.
5. Utilizing Gemini to Refine Text in Your Slides
Another powerful application of Gemini within Slides is its ability to rewrite text blocks on your slides. This text-refinement feature can help condense lengthy passages for improved readability during presentations or adjust the overall tone of the writing.
With your presentation open, navigate to the slide that contains the text you wish to refine, be it a list, paragraph, or title. Click on this text block, then click the Refine button (a pencil with a sparkle icon) located at the bottom left of your selected text. This action will open the Refine menu, presenting you with the following choices: Shorten, Rephrase, More formal, or Bulletize.
The options available for refining text on a slide.
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In certain instances, Gemini might have already preselected one of these options for you. For example, if your text exceeds the available space on the slide, Gemini may default to showing Shorten. You can click the down arrow next to Shorten to view the other refinement options.
You can choose one of these options or click inside the box labeled Modify with a prompt, where you can enter a prompt describing how you want Gemini to rephrase the selected text. Examples include:
- Adjust these words to sound more informal and approachable.
- Convert this into a numbered list.
- Extend the length of this content slightly.
After you’ve made your choice or entered your custom prompt, a rewritten version will be generated and displayed in a panel overlaying the slide.
You have the option to insert the Gemini-generated rewritten text or apply further refinements.
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If the result is satisfactory, click the Replace button. The original text on your slide will be substituted with the newly generated version. Alternatively, you can click the down arrow to the right of the Replace button and select Insert, which will place the generated text at the cursor’s position.
To further refine the generated text, you can either enter a prompt in the “Refine with a prompt” text box or click the Refine button again and choose a different rewrite option. To prompt Gemini to generate an alternative result based on your initial input, select Retry from the Refine menu.
Related Articles:
- Google Slides quick reference: Your guide to getting started
- Top 5 efficient tips for Google Slides
- How to create documents and more using Gemini Canvas
- Google Workspace: Seven excellent uses for the Gemini AI sidebar
- Google Workspace advanced tips: Harnessing cross-application productivity
- Additional Google Workspace tips and tutorials
