We’ve shown you how to enhance your Google Slides presentation by adding animated transitions between slides. But maybe you want to animate text, images, or objects in addition or instead. Here’s how to add animations in Google Slides.
In Microsoft PowerPoint, you can use animations to control when a picture appears or to reveal one line at a time. The good news is that you can add these same types of animations in Google Slides. Whether you want to spruce up your slideshow or emphasize content, it’s easy to do and we’ll walk you through it.
Add an Animation in Google Slides
You can animate text and other elements with a variety of effects in Google Slides. Additionally, you can control when the animation starts.
Open your presentation in Google Slides and select a slide with an item you want to animate.
Animate Objects
To animate an image, object, or shape, select it. Click to View > Motion in the menu to open the Motion sidebar on the right.
At the bottom of the sidebar, below Object Animations, click “Add Animation.”
Use the first drop-down box you see to choose the effect for the animation. You can pick from options like fade in or fade out, fly in or fly out, or spin.
It’s important to note that if you use an effect like fly in, this brings the image onto the slide. This is considered an entrance effect. Whereas if you use fly out, this takes the image off the slide as an exit effect.
Use the second drop-down box to select how you want to control the animation. You can start the effect by clicking or have it start automatically after or with a previous animation.
Finally, use the slider to choose the speed for your animation.
Click “Play” to see a preview and “Stop” when the animations finish.
Animate Text
Animating text in Google Slides is almost the same as animating objects with one slight difference. You have the option to animate a line or paragraph at a time if you like.
Follow the same steps to select your text box and open the Motion sidebar. When you move down to the Object Animations section, you’ll see a checkbox for By Paragraph. Simply check this box to animate the lines or paragraphs in the text box.
If you prefer to animate the entire text box rather than the lines or paragraphs within it, leave the box unchecked.
Once you add one or more animations, you’ll see an icon next to the slide in both Filmstrip and Grid View.
Rearrange, Edit, or Remove Animations
When you animate elements on a slide, these effects by default occur in the order you add them. So if you animate an image and then a text box, the animations play in that order. You can change this if needed.
Open the Motion sidebar by selecting View > Motion in the menu.
Go to the Object Animations section to see all effects on the slide. To move one, click the grid of dots on the right side and you’ll see a four-sided arrow. Then, drag the animation up or down where you want it.
You can edit an animation you add anytime by expanding it in the sidebar and making your changes.
If you decide you no longer want animation, expand it in the sidebar and click the trash can icon to delete it.
For additional ways to include motion in your presentation, learn how to add videos in Google Slides.
