Google Slides

Software Overview

Google Slides is a cloud-based presentation program included in the Google Workspace suite. Anyone with a Google account can use Google Slides to create personal and business presentations and slide shows, including project proposals, recipe books, reports, and photo albums. Users can then save and share their presentations over the web or by downloading them as .PPTX, .ODP, or .PDF files.

Microsoft PowerPoint users will recognize the majority of Google Slides' features. Google Slides allows users to create presentations from templates, open pre-existing PPTX, ODP, and .PPT files, add text, media, and drawings to slides, format slides' layout, and add animations and transitions. It even allows multiple users to open and edit the same presentation at the same time, which is a boon to those creating group presentations. While Slides does not include as many templates as PowerPoint or support some of PowerPoint's most advanced features, such as macros, Google continually adds new features to Google Slides. Because Slides is a web-based program, those new features are made available instantaneously, making it simple for users to take advantage of additional and upgraded functionality.

However, while Google Slides' connection to the web is its greatest strength, it is also its greatest weakness. Google Slides automatically saves users' presentations to Google Drive, which allows users to open, edit, and share presentations from any PC or mobile device - provided they can access the Internet. Google Slides users who encounter unexpected or prolonged Internet outages may struggle to access important presentations unless they've previously made those presentations available to edit offline. When editing offline, a user's changes are not applied to the online version of their presentations until after they connect their device to the Internet.

While Google Slides is primarily a web-based app, limited versions of the application are available for Android and iOS devices. This makes the app perfect for those who like to create, edit, or refer to presentations on-the-go. Google Slides is also free-to-use provided you do not exceed Google Drive's free 15 GB storage limit, though again, you must sign up for a Google account to use Google Slides.

Summary

Google account users who prioritize web-optimized storage, sharing, and collaboration features over Microsoft PowerPoint's depth and reliability should consider using Google Slides. For the price, Slides performs a satisfactory job of replicating PowerPoint's main features, while also making it easy for users to access and share presentations over the Internet and across a variety of devices. Just be careful not to rely on Google Slides in situations where Internet access is not guaranteed.

Primary File Type

.PPTXMicrosoft PowerPoint Presentation

Supported File Types

Additional Related File Types