How to Change the Size of a Google Slide? A Step-by-Step Tutorial

The size of your slides is crucial, especially when presenting on big screens or for different types of content. For larger screens, using a widescreen format is essential, and you might need to tweak it to fit perfectly. Likewise, certain infographics and illustrations may need adjustments in slide orientation to show up right during your presentation. Just like in PowerPoint, you can also modify slide dimensions in Google Slides.

Tools and Requirements: 

• A Google account
• Access to Google Slides
• Basic know-how of using Google Slides

What Are the Dimensions of a Google Slide? 

1. Regular Slide Layout (4:3)

The regular 4:3 slide layout shows content in a slightly smaller size than widescreen layouts. This layout was popular in older versions of PowerPoint and Google Slides when projectors and screens didn’t support widescreen slides well. It’s still used for smaller slides and screens where content might look better in a standard size. This could include images, diagrams, tables, and other content that might look too stretched on a widescreen layout.

2. Wide Screens (16:9)

The 16:9 widescreen format is very common and often seen as the regular size for modern presentations. It became popular after 2008, replacing the 4:3 aspect ratio, as screens and display standards changed for monitors, projectors, and TVs worldwide.

3. Wide Screens (16:10)

While not as popular as 16:9, the 16:10 widescreen format is frequently used on tablets and computer monitors. It’s a bit closer to the Golden Ratio of 1.618, but the higher cost of making devices has led manufacturers to mostly stick with 16:9 for electronic gadgets.

4. Custom Orientation

Google Slides offers a feature called custom orientation, allowing you to select the slide size in inches, centimeters, points, or pixels. This option is handy when you want to adjust the slide layout for a particular document, image, infographic, and more. For instance, you can switch to 8.5 x 11 inches for a Letter layout or 8.27 inches for A4 size. You can also make adjustments using pixels, points, or centimeters.

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How to Change Dimensions of Google Slide? 4 Easy Steps

Step 1: Click on the File menu in the upper left of the Google Slides app.

Step 2: Choose Page Setup.

Step 3: In the new window, click on the current aspect ratio to open its menu. You’ll see options like 4:3, 16:9, and 16:10. If these don’t suit your needs, choose Custom to set specific measurements in inches, pixels, or other preferences.

Step 4: Click Apply when you’re finished. Now, the full-screen mode will match the chosen aspect ratio.

“Enhance your presentations by learning how to make Google Slides vertical. Find out how here“

Why It Is Necessary to Change Dimensions of Google Slides? 

1. Different Screens 

Depending on where you’ll present, the size of your slides might change. Different screens have different shapes, so you’ll need to adjust your Google slides size based on where you’re presenting. For instance, you might present on a tablet, mobile phone, or wide laptop, each with different screen sizes.

2. Flexibility 

This feature gives you the ability to adjust if you’re not sure what kind of screen your presentation will be on. You can create your presentation for the most common format, like widescreen (16:9), and then change it if you’re presenting on smaller screens like mobile phones, which have a 4:3 aspect ratio.

3. Printing Slides

If you’re thinking of printing your slides, the 4:3 ratio works best for that.

Tips and Best Practices for Changing Dimensions Of Google Slides

1. Plan Ahead: Think about your audience and where they’ll see your slides before you change anything. Consider what devices and screens they’ll use. Pick dimensions (aspect ratio) that work best for how they’ll view your presentation.

2. Resize Everything: When you change sizes, make sure everything on each slide gets resized the same way. This means text boxes, pictures, shapes, and other things. Don’t stretch or squish things, or your slides might look weird.

3. Save Copies and Back Up: Before you make changes, save a copy of your presentation and back it up. This way, if something goes wrong, you can go back to an earlier version and not lose your work.

4. Get Opinions: Once you’ve resized your presentation, ask your colleagues or friends for their thoughts. They might notice things you didn’t and can help you fix any problems or mistakes you missed.

Common Mistakes to Avoid While Changing Google Slides Dimensions

1. Forgetting Aspect Ratios: When using Google Slides, pick the right aspect ratio (like 4:3 or 16:9) for the device you’re using. If you don’t, your slides might look stretched or cut off.

2. Ignoring Content Placement: Be careful when changing slide dimensions, as it can move or resize text, images, and shapes unexpectedly. After resizing, double-check each slide to make sure everything is correctly aligned.

3. Neglecting Font Sizes: Changing dimensions can affect how big or small the text appears. Make sure to adjust font sizes so that your audience can easily read the text on all slides.

4. Overlooking Image Quality: Enlarging slides might make images look fuzzy or pixelated. Always use high-quality images or vectors, and if you have to resize lower-quality images, do it carefully to maintain image clarity.

5. Ignoring Slide Transitions and Animations: Altering dimensions can mess up slide transitions and animations. Review each slide to fix transitions and animations for a smooth presentation.

6. Not Checking Compatibility: Ensure your presentation works well on different devices. Various devices may handle slide dimensions differently, so test your presentation on different devices to avoid display issues.

7. Disregarding Backgrounds and Themes: Resizing slides can change how backgrounds and themes look. Adjust them to fit the new dimensions while keeping a consistent look throughout your presentation.

8. Failing to Save Versions: Before making major changes to dimensions, save a version of your presentation. This way, you can go back to the original if needed and avoid irreversible mistakes.

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Closing Thoughts

And there you have it – a straightforward guide to conquering Google Slides dimensions. Whether you’re a professional or just getting started, now you know how to make your slides look top-notch on any screen. Go ahead, rock that presentation, and show the world what you’ve got!