By annotating in Google Slides once you current, your displays shall be extra participating, interactive and impactful.
Google added a pen device to let a presenter add marks on Google Slides; the pen joins the laser pointer choice as a approach to attract consideration to elements of your presentation. Whereas laser pointer strains disappear quickly after you draw them, pen marks persist whilst you current and go away once you exit the slideshow.
The pen and laser pointer instruments provide help to direct consideration or emphasize some extent; nevertheless, solely the pen device makes it attainable to attract in your slides as you current. And, because the annotations stay on the slides solely all through your presentation, it’s possible you’ll use the pen so as to add info that you simply may not need to in any other case completely place on a slide.
This tutorial covers find out how to use the pen device in Google Slides once you current from the net or Apple cell gadgets. If you wish to ship a drawing-centric presentation utilizing one other Google device, Jamboard is price exploring.
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Methods to use the pen in Google Slides
Initially, discover the methodical method to entry the pen once you current. This sequence exposes a wide range of different Google Slides controls, equivalent to entry to speaker notes, captioning and auto-play choices.
- Open your presentation with Google Slides in an internet browser.
- Choose the Slideshow button within the upper-right space.
- Choose the three dot button to entry the choices menu within the lower-left, subsequent to the slide advance indicator.
- Choose the Flip On The Pen choice (Determine A).
Determine A
With the pen enabled, it’s possible you’ll click-and-hold to attract with a mouse or touchpad, or with a stylus on a touchscreen machine. Your complete display screen, apart from the management space within the lower-left, can function your canvas. Within the occasion your slides don’t fill the display screen, equivalent to once you current 4:3 format slides on a 16:9 display screen, it’s possible you’ll make marks within the margins. Simply ensure to make use of a shade that contrasts with the show background — a black pen on a black background received’t go away a visual mark.
Later, be taught the keyboard shortcut to toggle the pen: Shift+L. One reminiscence help for that is to recall that the L key toggles the laser (begins with L) pointer whereas presenting with Google Slides. So the pen toggle is the laser key plus Shift.
Methods to change the pen shade in Google Slides
The presentation pen is crimson by default, however it’s possible you’ll swap it to black, blue or inexperienced at any time. To take action, observe these steps.
- Transfer the mouse into the decrease left nook space. The presentation controls will show.
- Choose the pen icon to entry the pen menu.
- Choose any of the 4 obtainable colours: Pink, Black, Blue or Inexperienced (Determine B). The menu additionally gives a Flip Off choice.
Determine B
- Return to drawing in your slides as desired.
Methods to erase pen annotations in Google Slides
Your annotations solely stay in your slides once you current; in the event you exit the presentation, they’ll mechanically be eliminated. Alternatively, it’s possible you’ll take away all annotations by urgent Shift+A at any time.
If the pen is lively, you may additionally entry the eraser icon from the pen menu by following these steps.
- Transfer the mouse into the decrease left nook space. The presentation controls will show.
- Choose the eraser icon to entry the erase menu.
- Choose Erase All (Determine C). The entire pen marks you might have made all through your presentation shall be erased.
Determine C
How to attract on Google Slides within the cell apps
Whenever you current from Google Slides to Google Meet with the cell apps on iPhone or iPad, a pen icon shows on the high of the show (Determine D, high). Choose it and it’s possible you’ll attract crimson on the slide. Faucet the Clear drawing button on the backside (Determine D, backside) to take away your annotations.
Determine D
Not like once you current from the net, your annotations don’t persist as you progress between slides; they disappear as quickly as you progress to a different slide. (The draw function just isn’t obtainable when presenting from Google Slides to Google Meet on Android.)
Wish to protect annotation or collaboration? Discover Jamboard
Google Jamboard means that you can give one thing nearer to an old-school chalk speak, which is a chat delivered by a presenter accompanied solely by textual content or illustrations drawn on a chalkboard, with out ready slides. You technically might give the sort of speak with a clean slide in Google Slides and the pen device, however Jamboard gives a extra strong set of instruments for drawing.
SEE: Methods to use 5 Jamboard options to create, illustrate and collaborate (TechRepublic)
To get began, entry the Whiteboarding device in Google Meet by going to Actions | Whiteboarding or go to https://jam.new in a contemporary browser. Jamboard lets extra folks draw concurrently (as much as 50, slightly than simply the presenter in Google Slides), with extra pen choices (4, slightly than one in Slides) and extra pen colours (six, slightly than 4 in Google Slides) (Determine E). The Jamboard eraser enables you to erase strains, not simply all annotations as in Google Slides. Jamboard additionally enables you to rapidly add shapes, pictures and notes.
Determine E
Nevertheless, remember that Google has introduced that Jamboard will wind down in late 2024, so you will have to hunt an alternate earlier than then.
Point out or message me (@awolber) on Mastodon to let me understand how you utilize the pen and laser pointer in Google Slides to annotate your displays or how effectively Jamboard serves your drawing-centric presentation wants.
