10 BEST Google Slides HACKS for Teachers

[@pennyp1766]

The Word Art tip is a game changer for me! Literally, in the past two hours I've been working on a slide presentation and felt that frustration once again about no drop shadow, etc. Thank you so much!

[@heidijorgenson8072]

Thank you Michelle! You help me survive the pandemic as an older teacher who knew nothing about anything with slides and now I use them just like my right hand. I retire next year. But I’m still learning every single day! Thanks for your tips

[@warriors1erwin]

I don't know if it's been mentioned before, but if you made a shape with the fill color and border that you like, as long as you are clicked on that shape, you can then create a new shape and it will also already have the same fill and border that you just made!

[@PocketfulofPrimary]

Oh my gosh... I LOVE this! I had no idea about this one... that's awesome! Thank you for sharing and for watching! 🖤

[@CrisisRescue]

Thanks - and - I haven't played with G Slides before. Is there an option in menu to choose shapes, then a color palette, etc.? That's why I watched video - hoping the training covered this.

[@asky314]

Thank you, Michelle! I truly appreciate how your background as a teacher allows you to sift through the chaff of endless videos on tech hacks and boil them down to the most practical and immediately applicable to educators. This video is "goldilocks" length and packed with useful tips we can use RIGHT NOW. Thank you so much!👏🏼

[@PocketfulofPrimary]

Aww, thank you so much for your kind feedback! I really appreciate you taking the time to watch and comment... plus, I love hearing that this was useful for you! Thank you for all your support! 🖤

[@wendyrivas5241]

Thank you!! Great advise on adding video. Do you have your math notes available???

[@PocketfulofPrimary]

Thank you so much! I don't have them available in my store yet but it is on my list!

[@amynavo223]

Thank you for the hacks. I still use some of the google slides help you gave in an early video. Do you have any suggestions on music without ads? I hate when I choose an instrument music link then it starts playing an ad.

[@wendyrivas5241]

I get a link through Safeshare and add that link to my Google Slide.

[@PocketfulofPrimary]

Hi Amy! I've personally found that adding KZbin videos to Google Slides will bypass the ads when you're playing them from a Google Slides slideshow. But, as Wendy mentioned, you can use other websites like Safeshare that prevent ads from being played. Hopefully that helps! Thanks for watching! 🖤

[@kellybasocourbitaes5510]

You're such a darling! But more importantly, your directions are so easy to follow. I went through 4 other videos on Google Sheets and they were too hard to follow. They went too fast, used jargon that I do not know yet, or were so boring I couldn't take the time to finish. Then I found you, again! Your videos got me through distance learning! Thanks so much for your delightful and informative videos. You're the best!

[@dhines3804]

Great video, Michelle! I love your teeny tiny music video idea! I’ll be trying that this week with my slides. I also use Google keep for clipart or GIFs that I frequently use in my daily slides.

[@PocketfulofPrimary]

Aww, thank you so much for watching and commenting! 🖤 Also, I love that idea for Google Keep! So smart... especially because you can easily access Keep in the sidebar when you're using Google Slides. You're a genius!

[@kimwoods7131]

Oh my gosh!! Just when I thought you had taught me all the things….you teach me more!!! Super stuff presented in an understandable way!! Thank you!! ❤

[@PocketfulofPrimary]

Aww, yay! I'm so happy you found this helpful Kim! Thanks for watching! 🖤

[@lanawhaley6852]

This was amazing! Your videos are the best. The resizing word art without distortion hack is life-changing for me lol

[@russellpalatiere8852]

So simple! I’m thinking of building my math tutoring website with slides as a reteaching tool for students. Many of these hacks blew my mind! I love creating custom substitutions. It’s a great math term and also a great way to save typing time!

[@PocketfulofPrimary]

Yesss Russell! I'm happy you got some ideas! The custom substitutions is perfect for math! I hope you're doing well!

[@trishgrabowski790]

We need a book update! I love your videos, give me so many ideas!

[@taratracy4549]

Love these! If you insert a video from KZbin will it still play ads?

[@melissamartinez-FireLights-]

In my experience, if the video is impeded in the side ads are bypassed.

[@PocketfulofPrimary]

I've had the same experience as Melissa... it usually bypasses the ads. But, I can't guarantee it will always be that way because Google loves to change things up, lol.

[@stringbean8844]

I am so glad II found this video. Hack 1 and 2 I already use, but Hack 3!!! I am so excited to implement this hack into my future slide presentations. A game changer! Thanks so much.

[@mrsfed.4110]

Thanks Michelle! When using word art you can also get fancy using the format options to create reflections and shadow effects. I use this for announcement or posters

[@PocketfulofPrimary]

Yes! You can edit it with all the fancy effects like all the old school Word Art which is great! Thanks for watching and commenting! 🖤

[@tiabellm4917]

Anytime I watch one of your tips/tricks videos I find new ways of how I can use something in a new way! As a special education teacher, I use google slides all the time to create visuals, schedules, and more for students. I don't use them as slides, but am able to do much more in slides then in docs to create what I need to then print for use.

[@lindachamberlain3307]

OMG! Great video! I am an Elementary Art Teacher K-5. This is year 20 for me. I use your google slide lesson system, which is by far my FAVORITE system I have learned from you :) Hack#8 Link to a slide thru google keep is great... I will be using that trick starting tomorrow. I love all things tech, please keep it coming! This video was so informative, I did not realize Word Art was available on google slides! Unlike most of your followers... I am not bothered that you left the classroom, I think you are right where you need to be. Continue to follow your heart. I look forward to each and every video! Shout out to Bridget Spackman @ #teachingonthedouble/#teachingtothetop , love that podcast as well. Double the advice and information, they sell an awesome digital planner. I bought one last year & it has saved me soooo much time. I will never go back to a paper planner. Thank you for all your wisdom, love & support! Michelle you are amazing!

[@PocketfulofPrimary]

Hi Linda! Thank you SO much for taking the time to watch, comment, and share all your kind words! I'm so happy my Google Slide system works well for your lessons and that you were able to learn some new hacks from this video that you can start using right away! Thank you for all your continued support... I appreciate you more than you know and I'm very grateful that you listen to our podcast as well and are enjoying your digital planner! That's SO GREAT to hear because we truly wanted it to be time saving. Thank YOU so much and I hope you have a great week ahead! 🖤🖤🖤

[@blue67ccm]

I use Google slides DAILY for my Kindergarten classroom. These hacks are AMAZING! Thank you so much! 💓

[@PocketfulofPrimary]

Aww, yay! I'm so happy you enjoyed it Rachel! Thanks for watching! 🖤

[@lizcurtis3798]

Hi Rachel, what are some of the things you can do with your littles?

[@EricMallet-ACS]

Girl - you're cold blooded ! Great job!

[@robinbench3969]

Thank you! I can't wait to try some of the new things that I learned. My high school kids like the vibrant slides that I use...learned from you!

[@PocketfulofPrimary]

Aww, thank you so much Robin! I'm happy you enjoyed it and that your students enjoy it! Thanks for watching! 🖤

[@marlenabooker2385]

Michelle, Thanks so much for these hacks! I learn so much from you!

[@LJHGTUSHISTORY]

Thanks for all the hacks! I love using /template/preview instead of /copy. Users can look at the file before deciding if they want to make the copy or not. :)

[@soniasuttles3324]

I just learned about the Pocketful of Primary, and I love it !

[@SamuelGarcia-rf4th]

this is so great! for hack 2 do you ever run into the issue of ads when embedding youtube videos? if you do, how do you overcome them?

[@nelliefranco2668]

Wow!! I really appreciate all of those hacks. Do you recommend always adding “Make available offline?”I love google slides. It allows teachers to be organized, helps keep students engaged with all of the visual and audio features you can add and it really helps students know what to expect. Thanks for sharing them. I can’t wait to try the Google Keep one!

[@PocketfulofPrimary]

Aww, thank you so much Nellie! I'm so happy you found it helpful and enjoyed it! Thanks for watching! 🖤 As for making slides available offline, I think it depends on your situation. If the internet tends to be spotty at your school, it's probably worth it. But, if this rarely happens, it may not be a priority... if that makes sense.

[@SusanVincentz]

The image and shape application was simply genius. I've been a tech coach for over 15 years and hadn't thought of that. I learn something new from you every week, Michelle. Great ideas in this video.

[@PocketfulofPrimary]

Ahhh, thank you Susan! I really appreciate it and I'm so happy you're able to learn something new! Thanks for watching! 🖤

[@kaitEBee]

Awesome video... the Google Keep Tip was my favorite. I'm thinking of so many ways that could help me!

[@PocketfulofPrimary]

Yesss! There are so many ways it could be used! Thanks for watching! 🖤

[@nichole102501]

You are my hero for these, especially numbers 8 and 9! Keep up the great videos!

[@reneealexanderthechampteac3218]

I would love to have those Math Notes if they are available 🙏🏼 please tell me where I can purchase the math notes?

[@PocketfulofPrimary]

Aww, thank you! I don't have them available in my store yet but they are on my list!

[@reneealexanderthechampteac3218]

@@PocketfulofPrimary omg I’m super excited bc they are perfect and my whole vibe for my 4th grade Math class in Texas

[@reneealexanderthechampteac3218]

@@PocketfulofPrimary I shared this video to my fellow Math teachers and they ALL said the same thing! When are the Math Notes coming out 😂😂😂

[@KathleenScanlon-r5c]

You are amazing! Thank you for sharing all of your knowledge!

[@katielewisquilting]

This is such an awesome, info-packed video! Thank you!

[@wendyelskamp1532]

Thank you so so much for the very detailed informative videos requiring Google slides. I am a substitute teacher and your videos really really help me. Thank you so much.

[@Growthmindset-2025]

Thank you for this great video!! Question, when you create a new slides , how do you keep your colors that you like to use?

[@PocketfulofPrimary]

Thank you so much for watching Heather! 🖤 Great question... personally, I just have the color codes saved as a note and reference the codes if I forget (because I do have some of them memorized) BUT you can always make a copy of other slides you have created that use the colors or copy an element that has the colors (such as a table with each cell the color you want to use).

[@mrsparhamsclass]

Michelle, this was the most helpful set of tips I have seen on Google Slides. I hope I never lose the link. Thank you.

[@PocketfulofPrimary]

Aww, yay! I'm so happy this was helpful for you! Thanks for watching! 🖤

[@anndorais3973]

super clear and helpful. I made google slides from your presentation so I would retain what I learned. Thank you.

[@frankluna8712]

Question: Will there be ads playing first, when you insert a YT video?

[@moviememer3024]

Was wondering about this too! How do you ensure there won't be ads?

[@victoriaLL345]

So informative and time saving. Thanks for all your hard work!

[@PocketfulofPrimary]

I'm so happy you enjoyed it Victoria! Thanks for watching! 🖤

[@pillows3ptb]

Nice video. Thanks for the tips. Really liked the linking to other slides. Great idea.

[@nicolettehendricks9636]

My favorite is to add a 1x1 table for answers. That way students can just click and begin typing right away!

[@PocketfulofPrimary]

Yes! I've done that too! You can also align the text vertically as well as horizontally with a table which is awesome! Thanks for watching! 🖤

[@daphyneshine3222]

Thanks for the tips. I was wondering how to share a copy of slides where a user is promoted to create their own copy. Now that’s a hack I can use. 💛

[@anntrce]

Can the music file from KZbin be positioned in the order of back, like behind all of your slide info and still play?

[@PocketfulofPrimary]

Yes it can! Just don't forget it's there, LOL! You can definitely hide it behind other elements though!

[@fernandobotello1190]

This was actually really really informative. Thank you!

[@robinwilson133]

Hi Michelle. I learned how to use Google slides from you several years ago and I continue to learn. I can’t say thank you enough, but I’ll try. Thank you!!

[@PocketfulofPrimary]

Aww, thank you so much Robin! I'm happy you were able to learn some new things and I appreciate you commenting! Thanks for watching! 🖤

[@PatriciaRamirez-tk2pd]

This is great!! Thank you so much. Your videos are always so helpful!

[@shirlieyazidjian8136]

So helpful! I love the idea of using Google Keep notes to track where I leave off in a long slide deck. Genius!

[@mariyacallaway3718]

I love the crop to shape hack! I never knew about that!

[@PocketfulofPrimary]

Aww, yay! I'm so happy you were able to learn something new! Thanks for watching!

[@kennajames6491]

Thank you Michelle, I'm in my final student teaching placement until December and hopefully I will be able to have my own classroom soon after that or at least in the 2024-2025 school year. I already know a lot about Google slides but you just taught me 2 new things I didn't know and will definitely be using in the future. Thank you so much.

[@joytimmerman6185]

So many cool ideas I will definitely be using these ideas!

[@PocketfulofPrimary]

Wonderful! I'm happy you got some ideas to use! Thanks for watching Joy! 🥰

[@UrLocalOne2K11hatesDoubleShare]

I appreciate all the hacks. I love google slides. Thank you for sharing them.

[@PocketfulofPrimary]

I'm so happy you enjoyed it! Thanks for watching! 🖤

[@stefylovesCeline]

🤩🤩🤩 You rock dear Michelle!

[@amandawilkins8403]

Awesome video! I will definitely be saving this one to refer back to again and again, as it is jam packed with helpful tips. There was a lot I didn't already know, so I am excited to learn more. Thanks, Michelle! 😊

[@PocketfulofPrimary]

You're so sweet Mandy! Thank you as always and I appreciate you watching and commenting! 🖤

[@rbarbone5939]

I love the timer on the slides!❤ Thank you Michelle 😊

[@PocketfulofPrimary]

Thank you so much for watching and commenting! 🖤

[@melissamartinez-FireLights-]

Great hacks, thank you! Question: if videos from KZbin are in slides and you’re watching “offline” will the videos still work?

[@PocketfulofPrimary]

Thanks for watching! 🖤 Great question! If you're adding a video from KZbin, it won't be available offline.

[@melissamartinez-FireLights-]

@@PocketfulofPrimary Gotcha! Some slides still better than no slides! Thank you!

[@tarwiyahhazziez4424]

Thank you for this. If I set my slide to offline, will my youtube videos which are linked be able to use offline as well?

[@dinahorgan]

Thanks Michelle!! I have learned so much from you and your videos! Can you tell me, is there any way to get a KZbin video to start to play in one slide, then continue into another when presenting?? Thanks!!

[@justplainpeachy9352]

Amazing! Thank you for all these ideas and hacks. Such a great resource!

[@PocketfulofPrimary]

Whoop whoop! I'm so happy you liked it! Thanks for watching! 🖤

[@janekrapid]

Awesome tutorial as always from You👏👍Thank You

[@mrwire9681]

I am going to use this google slides hacks sometime, thanks!

[@melchabs8616]

Thank you for posting! Love your google hacks. Please do more!!

[@PocketfulofPrimary]

Aww, thank you Mel! I definitely might need to do a part 2 to this! Thanks for watching! 🖤

[@faychambers7401]

Hi Michelle, thank you for this informative video. I will definitely use these tips to enhance my google slides. Looking forward to seeing more videos like this one.

[@suzanneawtrey6346]

You rock, girl! This was packed with great information. I have been teaching for 30 years and your videos and podcasts have helped me tremendously with my organization which makes me want to keep teaching. Thank you 😊

[@PocketfulofPrimary]

Aww, great! Thank you for taking the time to watch and comment Suzanne! I'm happy to hear that you enjoyed it and that I've been able to help you... that's amazing! I appreciate all your support! 🖤

[@JerickReyes-ry9hl]

Thank you so much for this video❤❤❤

[@albagarcia4883]

I really love your videos Michelle thank you so much 😍

[@lisasavage8355]

Thank you so much, Michelle! This was so incredibly helpful! ❤

[@Miracles4Lif]

Very helpful! Thank you! Something I would like to learn is finding clips from movies or TV shows that relate to what I'm teaching. I want to add them to the slides, too! 😊

[@DeniseMcCollaumMusicStudio]

Hello, Michelle! I have a question about links within a Table of Contents. Is it possible for me to link to a specific slide within a different set of slides? I don't want to link to an entire slide set, just one slide only. Thank you so much for your videos! They are so helpful!

[@Saveapetcoupon]

Thanks sooo much for all the hacks!!! Amazing video!!! 🎉

[@PocketfulofPrimary]

Aww, you're so welcome Tina! Thanks for watching! 🖤

[@emileemorgan]

MICHELLE. Thank you for this video! I’m a google slides fan too, and there were definitely hacks I hadn’t heard of before. I’m especially excited to try out the “photos into shapes” for my states or matter unit and the “slides for tomorrow” google keep hack. 🤩

[@PocketfulofPrimary]

Aww, thank YOU Emilee for watching and taking the time to comment! 🖤 I'm so happy you enjoyed it and were able to learn some new hacks. I love, love, love hearing that! I hope your lesson goes well!

[@AngelaRichardson-y3q]

Thanks for these great tips! I love making my slides more interesting for students. If I use KZbin music on my slides, how can I make sure that ads aren't included? Keep on sharing your knowledge! Teachers greatly appreciate your talents!

[@SusanDPhoto]

What a great video. Thank you.

[@cynwest288]

Love, love, love this!!!! Thank you so much! 🙏

[@PocketfulofPrimary]

I'm so happy you loved it! Thanks for watching! 🖤

[@kausarkhan2302]

Hey Michelle Happy Holidays I wanted to know when we make files for homework test assignments in Google Drive can you make a copy of those homework test and lessons folders and copy them to units so you don’t have to keep doing those files over and over again.

[@Mandymei8]

You’re amazing! And I love your videos! I’m curious, does Google slides have automatic transition between slides? I love using Google but I just don’t know how to auto transition my slides like PowerPoint.

[@twheeldeal]

Omg you are the best! Many thanks from a first year teacher 💙💕

[@karengregory1034]

Thank YOU so much!! YOU are beyond amazing!!!! 💖

[@1mariavicky]

I really love these ideas! ♥ Thank you!!!

[@PocketfulofPrimary]

I'm so happy it was helpful for you! Thanks for watching! 🖤

[@lateceidlebird7514]

You are awesome!! Thank you so much!!

[@roxanneludvich-willis883]

Thank you for all the great tips. When you are trying to link to another slide or other available something or other...and dropdown falls off your desktop and have to move stuff around or enlarge the screen...well. what I do, is just type on the line "Slide 4" and it pops up at the top so I can click on it. That is a shortcut I found for that anyway. lol

[@mathworld1254]

That's awesome. Thank you so much for the hacks. I am a big fan of yours . I make the same google slides as yours. I am enjoying it

[@PocketfulofPrimary]

I really appreciate that! Thanks for watching! 🖤

[@907chickadee]

I like the text substitutions. Is there a way to do substitutions with Windows/Chrome so they can be accessed in Google Classroom for making grading comments?

[@diradeb]

You are my dream teacher! I love the idea of spooky side effects for Halloween. Your students must adore you 🧡

[@PocketfulofPrimary]

Aww, thank you so much Deborah! I appreciate that so much!

[@mrs3cobb]

You're Awesome...Thanks for sharing

[@AngBuck59]

I LOVE the timer hack. I was wondering if there was any way to use a timer for kindergarteners drag and drop created slides in Google? I know those cannot be used in presentation mode so I was wondering if there were any options.

[@djthereplay]

+Pocketful of Primary Michelle, It sounds like I missed out on a lot because this wasn't there back when I was a school student and trust me I could have used some background music to help me when I am overwhelmed and feeling lost at school and away from home. - Dwight

[@PocketfulofPrimary]

Absolutely Dwight! Thanks for watching and commenting as always! 🖤

[@creativityreimagined7517]

Thank you this really helped. 🎉😊

[@Miss_CK]

Hi Michelle! Thank you so much for these hacks and I am loving The Office clips you include in your tutorials - huge fan of the Office and now a huge fan of you and your hacks! Thank you for blowing my mind in the best way - your delivery is warm, super informative, and makes the impossible feel achievable. Happy Friday!!

[@precious12360366]

Hi, thank you for your slide presentation. I would like to keep slides up at the same (all the time) and be able to read my notes at the same time....where the students cannot see them, just myself. Is that possible?

[@deborahdick9712]

Michelle, Is it possible to use google slides to make a multipage newsletter that can be emailed to students.

[@shelbyk2197]

Thank you! Excited to try out these great hacks!

[@PocketfulofPrimary]

Wonderful! I'm so happy you enjoyed it Shelby! Thanks for watching! 🖤

[@susanveligor364]

EXCELLENT🎉 Thank you, Michelle. 👍🏼

[@PocketfulofPrimary]

You're very welcome! Thank YOU for watching! 🖤🥰

[@jimmcleod7286]

Michelle, in your substitution example, why was there a case change from "Today we will" to "today we will"?

[@suzannedelonas392]

If you use an mp3 audio instead of a video audio you can put the audio icon off the slide entirely and it will still play. If you want audio from a video try using a KZbin to mp3 converter 🙂

[@PocketfulofPrimary]

Yes! That's a great tip! You can also hide the video under other elements on the slide. Personally, I feel like it's easiest to just shrink it but there are definitely other options! Thanks for watching and sharing! 🖤

[@juliemiller1669]

I am not a primary teacher or even elementary - but I can use these even as a middle school teacher. Thank you!

[@colleenspillers4547]

Can I set a new default font in my google slides? will it STAY each time I open them up?

[@IAmAmiraGolden]

I have also tried this by following some instructions I found from Google and it didn’t work for me… I hope Michelle answers this I get so annoyed with the Arial default

[@PocketfulofPrimary]

At this time, there isn't a super easy way to set a "default" font in Google Slides. Basically, you'd want to create a theme that has the fonts/colors you want to use. Then, you can either select that theme when you create a new set of Slides or you can make a copy of a set of slides with that theme already applied. Hopefully that helps (and hopefully Google adds the default font option to Google Slides soon).

[@colleenspillers4547]

@@PocketfulofPrimary Thanks - I was using Oswald - but then decided to change all of my fonts! I know!!! But Didact Gothic uses the lower case "a" the way I want my 1st graders to print it - and that they recognize it...soooo....I've been fixing so much up. I'd just like it to stick.

[@latishabrown4042]

Thanks Michelle!! We still use Microsoft based programs, ppt being one of them. I like the freedom and choices Google Slides provide. Now just the time to play around with it…lol. Seriously though, thank you for the hacks and I plan on using Google a little more.😊

[@kidsteachkidscorp]

What font do you use for the title (like where it says 'social studies' or 'assignments'?

[@Mortarion1202]

As a student this is very helpful thank you .

[@thinkcuriolearning]

MICHELLE. This is a gift. (Prompt to copy, in particular.) Thank you! -New TPT seller

[@debconroy2819]

Always awesome shares, Michelle! Love those video for all the timesavers and also adding pizzazz to Slides. Question on the SHOW MORE department which shows the Hack numbers and video time, why the specific Hacks are not described? Thank you for all your work!

[@janeburgh8126]

Michelle, your tips are awesome! You have taught me so much. I have a question, is there anyway after you download a pdf, to make it a google slide? I download pdf's but I can only print them out. There is no way to make them a google slide. Any help would be great. Thank you for all your hard work.

[@IAmAmiraGolden]

I think she talks about this in her teacher portfolio video. You can insert it as the background but you may need to convert it to JPEG first. 😊

[@PocketfulofPrimary]

Hi Jane! Thank you so much for your kind words! Abriana is correct... you would have to first convert the PDF to images (either JPEG or PNG) and then you can insert those images on Google Slides (either as the background or inserting the image on top of the slide). Hopefully that helps and thanks for watching! 🖤