The two ways to add video to a Google Slides presentation

You can add video to Google Slides in two ways: by uploading a video file from your computer, or by inserting a link to a video hosted elsewhere (like YouTube, Vimeo, or Google Drive). Uploading works best for short clips you own; linking works best for videos already online. Both methods take about a minute once you know where to click.

The upload method stores the video inside your presentation file, which makes the file larger but means the video plays even if you lose internet during your talk. Linking to an external video keeps your file smaller and lets you update the video without re-uploading, but requires an internet connection to play during your presentation.

Key Takeaways

  • Upload a video file from your computer by going to Insert > Video > Upload from computer, then selecting your file and waiting for it to process.
  • Link to a video already online by going to Insert > Video > Search or paste URL, then pasting the link to YouTube, Vimeo, or another supported platform.
  • Uploaded videos make your presentation file much larger; linked videos keep the file small but require internet to play during your talk.
  • You can resize, move, and trim videos after adding them by clicking the video and using the handles or the trim button that appears.
  • Test your video in slideshow mode before presenting, because playback sometimes behaves differently in edit mode than during the actual presentation.

How to upload a video file from your computer

Open your presentation in Google Slides and click on the slide where you want the video to appear. Go to the menu bar and click Insert, then click Video. A dropdown menu will appear with three options: Upload from computer, Search, and By URL. Click Upload from computer.

A file browser window will open. Navigate to the video file on your computer — Google Slides accepts MP4, WebM, OGV, and MOV files. Select the file and click Open. Google Slides will begin uploading and processing the video. This can take anywhere from a few seconds to several minutes depending on the file size and your internet speed. You'll see a progress bar while it uploads.

Once the upload finishes, the video will appear on your slide as a thumbnail. You can click and drag it to move it around, or grab the corners to resize it. The video is now part of your presentation file, so the file size will increase noticeably — a 5-minute video can add 50 to 100 megabytes or more to your presentation.

How to link to a video already online

If your video is already on YouTube, Vimeo, Google Drive, or another platform, you can link to it instead of uploading. Click on the slide where you want the video, then go to Insert > Video > Search or paste URL.

A dialog box will appear. You can either type the video's full URL (the web address from your browser's address bar) or search for a video by title. If you search, Google Slides will show you results from YouTube and other sources. Click the video you want, and it will appear on your slide as a thumbnail.

Linked videos keep your presentation file small because the video itself stays on the original platform — your presentation just contains a link to it. The trade-off is that you need an internet connection to play the video during your presentation, and if the video is removed from the original platform, the link will break.

Resizing, moving, and trimming your video

After you add a video, click on it to select it. You'll see small squares at the corners and edges of the video thumbnail. Drag these handles to resize the video — drag a corner handle to resize while keeping the same proportions, or drag an edge handle to stretch it in one direction.

To move the video, click and drag it anywhere on the slide. To trim the video (cut out the beginning or end), click the video and look for a Trim video button that appears in the toolbar above. Click it, and a timeline will appear showing the full length of the video. Drag the handles at the start and end of the timeline to set where you want the video to begin and end playing.

You can also right-click the video to access more options, like replacing it with a different video, adjusting the playback speed, or changing how it appears on the slide.

Testing your video before you present

Before you present, always test your video in slideshow mode. Click the Slideshow button (or press the spacebar) to start the presentation from the current slide. Click on the video to play it and make sure the sound works, the video plays smoothly, and it stops when it should.

Videos sometimes behave differently in edit mode than they do during an actual slideshow. A video that plays fine when you click it in edit mode might stall or fail to play if you're presenting over a weak internet connection, especially if you linked to an external video. If you're presenting in a location with unreliable internet, uploading the video is safer than linking to it.

If you're using a linked video and you're worried about internet reliability, download the video file to your computer and upload it instead. This takes more time upfront but removes the risk of the video failing to play during your talk.

Supported video formats and file size limits

Google Slides accepts these video file formats for upload: MP4, WebM, OGV, and MOV. If your video is in a different format (like AVI, WMV, or MKV), you'll need to convert it first using a free tool like HandBrake or CloudConvert before uploading.

There's no official file size limit stated by Google, but very large files (over 500 megabytes) can be slow to upload and may cause your presentation to load slowly or become difficult to share. If your video is very long or high resolution, consider trimming it or reducing the quality before uploading.

For linked videos, Google Slides works with YouTube, Vimeo, Google Drive, and a few other platforms. If your video is hosted on a less common platform, try copying the video's URL and pasting it into the "By URL" option — it may work even if the platform isn't listed.

Common problems and how to fix them

The video won't upload. Check that your file is in one of the supported formats (MP4, WebM, OGV, or MOV). If it is, try uploading a smaller file first to see if the problem is the file size. If the upload keeps failing, convert the video to MP4 format using a free tool and try again.

The video plays in edit mode but not during the slideshow. This usually means an internet connection issue. If you linked to an external video, download and upload the file instead. If you uploaded the video, try playing it again — sometimes a temporary connection glitch causes this, and playing it a second time works fine.

The video is too large and slowing down my presentation. If you uploaded the video, consider trimming it to remove unnecessary sections. You can also delete the video, download a lower-resolution version from the original source, and upload that instead. If you linked to the video, this won't be a problem.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I add captions or subtitles to a video in Google Slides?

Google Slides doesn't have a built-in captioning tool. If your video is on YouTube, you can add captions there and they'll appear when the video plays in your presentation. For other videos, you'll need to add captions using a separate tool before uploading, or add a text box next to the video with a transcript.

What happens to my video if I share the presentation with someone else?

If you uploaded the video, it travels with the presentation — the person you share it with can play it without needing the original file. If you linked to an external video, the other person needs internet access to play it, and if the video is removed from the original platform, the link breaks for them too.

Can I autoplay a video when a slide appears?

Yes. Click the video, then right-click and select Video options. Check the box for Autoplay when presenting. The video will start playing automatically when you reach that slide during your presentation.

How do I replace a video I already added?

Right-click the video and select Replace video. You can then upload a new file or paste a new URL. The new video will take the same size and position as the old one.

Will my video play if I download the presentation as a PowerPoint file?

Uploaded videos usually convert and play in PowerPoint, though sometimes the quality drops or playback is slower. Linked videos may not work in PowerPoint — PowerPoint doesn't always recognize the same platforms Google Slides does. If you need to present in PowerPoint, test it first, or upload the video instead of linking to it.