A Google Meet window displaying the different functions of sharing Slides.
Image: Andy Wolber/TechRepublic

In October 2022, Google added the ability for a presenter to display and control a Google Slides presentation directly within the Google Meet interface. This ensures that the slides, presentation controls, participant video images and all other Google Meet tools display and are readily available to the presenter. There’s no need to switch back and forth to a separate window or tab while presenting. This all-in-one display of slides alongside participant video may make it possible to gauge people’s reactions as you present, which can lead to more meaningful conversations.

Additionally, the ability to present Slides in Meet also may be useful when you want to record a presentation to be used later, such as for training purposes. Set your browser full-screen, share your Slides in Meet and record the session. The resulting recorded file shows both your slides and video, side-by-side. For this to work, you’ll need access to an account that supports Meet recording.

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The steps below assume that you use Google Chrome on a computer, and that you have already confirmed that audio, video and standard screen presenting are all working as expected. Presenting Slides in Meet as described below is available to people with Google Workspace Business Standard or Plus; Enterprise Essentials, Standard or Plus; Education Standard or Plus; the Teaching and Learning Upgrade; and Nonprofit edition accounts.

How to present to a tab to share Google Slides in Google Meet

Before you present in Google Meet, review your Google Slides for content size. When you present Slides within Google Meet, each slide displays on only a portion of the screen. This is because the browser interface, Meet controls and participant video frames all occupy space. Adjust the text and images on each slide to be as large as feasible to ensure readability when you present Slides in Google Meet.

Start your Google Meet session in Chrome, then follow these steps to present Slides in your session.

1. In a separate Chrome tab, go to Google Drive (or Google Slides), navigate to your presentation and then open it in Google Slides. You should then have at least two tabs open: One for Google Meet and one for Google Slides (Figure A).

Figure A

Open the "Activities" options on the Google Meet tab and the Slides presentation opened on another tab.
First, open your Google Slides presentation in a separate tab.

2. Select the present icon, then choose A Tab (Figure B).

Figure B

Select "A Tab" in the Google Meet Present settings.
Select the Present icon, then choose A Tab.

3. From the displayed list of open tabs, select the tab with your Slides presentation (Figure C). If you have any embedded audio or video in your presentation, make sure to check the box by the Share Tab Audio option. Select Share to continue.

Figure C

Select the Google Slides presentation tab.
Select the Chrome tab with your Slides presentation, then select Share.

4. At this point, Slides displays within Meet for you, but is not yet displayed to meeting participants. Select the Start Slideshow button (Figure D) to begin your presentation.

Figure D

Select the Start Slideshow button to begin the presentation.
Select the Start Slideshow button to begin the presentation.

5. Select from one of the following presentation controls (Figure E) as desired.

Figure E

Use the arrow key controls to navigate slides, or click in the slide number box to pick and display any slide.
Use the arrow key controls to navigate slides, or click in the slide number box to pick and display any slide.
  • Right or left arrow keys display next or previous slides, respectively.
  • Click on the slide number to either select a slide directly or type in a number to jump to a slide.
  • Select the exit slideshow, which displays on the left of the slideshow controls as an arrow pointing to the right in a box, to pause the slideshow.

To end the presentation, select the Present now icon, then choose the Stop Presenting menu option.

Be sure you sound and look professional during your next Google Meet call by downloading TechRepublic Premium’s guide to a great home video setup.

What’s your experience presenting Slides in Google Meet?

Do you find the ability to present slides within the same Google Meet browser tab helpful? Do the expressions of meeting participants help provide useful feedback as you present? Does the ability to access other Meet tools, such as chat or hand-raising, while you present enhance your meetings? Mention or message me on Twitter (@awolber) to let me know how you use Google Meet to present Google Slides.

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