When making a presentation, it would be helpful to have notes and other information readily available on the screen. However, if you add notes to your slideshow directly, your audience will see it.

So, how can you add notes that only you can see on Google Slides? Let’s explore the Speaker Notes feature in the browser and mobile apps.

1. How to Add Speaker Notes in Google Slides

Adding notes to each slide will help you have a smoother presentation. This feature ensures that you don’t have to use an external app, sticky notes, or a physical notebook, thus reducing distractions. But how do you add notes when you’re creating a presentation in Google Slides? Find out below.

Using Google Slides for the Web

When using the browser version on your PC, you can add notes by clicking on the Click to add speaker notes subwindow at the bottom of the screen. After clicking on it, you’re free to type and add notes for that slide. Once you’re done, you only need to click away, and your notes are automatically saved.

When you move to another slide, you’ll notice that the speaker notes field is empty. You can click on this again to fill it with notes for this specific slide.

Using the Google Slides iOS and Android App

Adding speaker notes on the app version is a bit more complicated. First, open the Slides app and the presentation you want to work on. Tap on the slide you want to add notes to, then choose Edit slide.

Once the slide loads into the edit view, tap on the menu in the upper-right corner, then choose Show speaker notes. You’ll then see a Tap to add speaker notes subwindow appear at the bottom of the screen. Tap on it, and it will fill your screen. You are then free to type the notes you need.

Once you’ve finished adding your notes, tap on the Check Mark on the upper-left corner of the screen. You will return to the edit view with your notes shown at the bottom. To add notes to other slides, you need to swipe to the slide you want to edit, then repeat the process noted above.

2. Viewing Speaker Notes While Presenting

When you’re launching your presentation, you have to launch it under Presenter view to see the notes you added earlier. Here’s how you can open your presentation in the said view.

Opening Presenter View on Your Browser

When you’re ready to show your presentation, don’t click on the Slideshow button. Instead, click on the down-pointing arrow beside it to show a dropdown menu, then choose Presenter view.

Once the slideshow starts, you’ll see your presentation appear on the main tab; then, you’ll see a Presenter view window open. In the small window, you should see your notes appear under the Speaker Notes tab on the right side. You can also control your slideshow by clicking on the Next and Previous slide previews on the left side of the Presenter view window.

Opening Presenter View on the Mobile App

If you’re using the mobile app, you can only see your notes if you present at a Google Meet meeting. To do so, tap on the Play icon at the top menu. In the options that appear, choose Present to a meeting. You then have to input the Meeting ID of the Google Meet you’re presenting to. Once you have typed the correct code, tap on Done.

You’ll then join the Google Meet room in presentation mode. Your slide will appear as the main window, but you’ll see your notes on the lower part of your mobile device’s screen.

3. Asking Your Audience

One way you can interact with your audience is to answer their questions. However, this isn’t easy if you’re presenting to a large crowd. You may not be able to get to all the participants, or some might be too intimidated to ask a question publicly. So, to help you interact with your audience, you can launch Audience Tools.

How to Ask for Questions With the Browser

In the presenter view, click on the Audience Tools tab. Under it, you’ll see a Start New button. Click on it, and this flag will appear on top of your presentation:​​​​​

Ask a question at slides.app.goo.gl/[code].

All your audience needs to do is type the link on their browser, and they’ll be redirected to a new tab where they can type their questions. There, they can type in their questions and submit them to you. They can even ask anonymous questions by clicking on the Ask anonymously check box.

When your audience sends their questions, you’ll receive them under the Audience Tools tab. If you find a particular question interesting, you can click on the Present button under the question, so you can flash it on your presentation. You’ll also see audience reactions to the question, with the number of positive or negative reactions the audience has to it.

If you want to move on and want to stop receiving questions, click on the On slider to switch it off.

How to Ask for Questions With a Mobile App

When you’re in the presenter view, tap on the Audience Q&A icon. It’s in the upper-right corner of your screen, the one before the right-most speaker notes icon. You must then tap Start New in the next view.

Once you’ve turned on Audience Q&A, your audience will see the Ask a question flag on top of your presentation. They then need to type that address on a browser to see the questions page.

You will see the questions they typed on your mobile device, and you can then tap on it to flash it on your presentation. If you want to move to the next slide, you must press the back button in the upper-left corner of the screen. Once you’re done answering questions, you can slide the toggle at the upper-right corner of the Audience Q&A view.

4. Draw on the Screen in Your Google Slides

One other nifty feature of Google Slides is that it allows you to draw on the presentation screen. However, you can only do it from a tablet, like an iPad. To use this feature, you must again launch your presentation under Present to a meeting.

Once you’re in the presenter view, tap on the pen icon in the upper-right corner of the screen, beside the Q&A icon. After it’s activated, you’re free to scribble on the active slide. However, once you change slides, all your on-screen annotations will disappear. To turn off the feature, you just need to tap on the pen icon again.

Create an Interactive Presentation With Google Slides

Google Slides provides many features that let you have an interactive presentation. You can become an effective speaker and pass your knowledge to others more efficiently with these tools. And if you’re having difficulty creating a design, why not check out these sources for Google Slides themes.