Google Slides lets you embed audio files directly into slides

You can add music to a Google Slide in two ways: insert an audio file you've already uploaded to Google Drive, or embed a YouTube video that contains the music you want. The audio plays when you click it during a presentation, and you control the volume and playback from within the slide itself. Google Slides does not let you upload audio files directly from your computer — the file must live in your Google Drive first.

The process takes about two minutes once your audio file is ready. You'll need a Google account, access to Google Slides, and either an MP3 file stored in Google Drive or a YouTube link to the music you want to use.

Key Takeaways

  • Audio files must be stored in Google Drive before you can insert them into a slide — you cannot upload directly from your computer.
  • Google Slides supports MP3, WAV, OGG, and M4A audio formats when inserting files from Drive.
  • You can also embed a YouTube video containing music, which gives you a video player on the slide instead of just an audio icon.
  • During a presentation, you click the audio icon or video to start playback, and the sound plays through your device's speakers.
  • Audio inserted this way does not auto-play when the slide appears — you must click to start it.

Upload your audio file to Google Drive first

Open Google Drive in your web browser and sign in with your Google account. Click the New button on the left side, then select File upload. Choose the audio file from your computer — Google Slides accepts MP3, WAV, OGG, and M4A formats. Wait for the upload to finish; you'll see a checkmark next to the filename when it's done.

You don't need to do anything else with the file in Drive. Once it's uploaded, you can insert it into your slide. If you're using a YouTube video instead, skip this step and go straight to the YouTube method below.

Insert audio from Google Drive into your slide

Open your Google Slides presentation and click on the slide where you want the music to appear. Go to the menu and click Insert, then select Audio. A window will open showing files in your Google Drive. Find the audio file you uploaded and click it once to select it, then click Select.

An audio icon will appear on your slide — it looks like a speaker symbol. You can drag it to reposition it, or resize it by dragging the corners. The icon is what viewers will click during a presentation to play the music. You can add a text label next to it if you want to tell people what the audio is.

Embed a YouTube video with music instead

If you want to show a music video or have more control over the player appearance, you can embed a YouTube video instead. Go to Insert in the menu, then click Video. Search for the YouTube video by title or paste the video's URL directly. Click the video you want, then click Select.

The video player will appear on your slide. During a presentation, clicking the play button starts the video and audio together. This method is useful if you want viewers to see the music video, album artwork, or lyrics while the song plays. The YouTube player gives you a larger, more visible control interface than the audio icon method.

Test the audio before you present

Click the audio icon or video player on your slide to make sure the sound works and plays at a volume you're happy with. If you're presenting on a different device, test it there too — speaker quality and volume vary between computers and projectors.

During a live presentation, you control when the music starts by clicking the icon. The audio will not play automatically when the slide appears. If you want music to play as soon as the slide shows up, you'll need to click it immediately as you advance to that slide, or use a YouTube video set to autoplay (though autoplay is restricted on some browsers).

Adjust audio settings and troubleshooting

Right-click the audio icon on your slide to see options. You can replace the audio file, delete it, or adjust how it appears. If the audio doesn't play, check that the file is still in your Google Drive — if you delete the Drive file, the link breaks and the audio won't work.

If you're sharing the presentation with others, make sure they have permission to access the audio file in your Drive. Go to the file in Drive, click Share, and set the permission to Viewer or Editor so others can hear it. If the file is set to private, other people won't be able to play it even if they can see the slide.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make the audio play automatically when the slide appears?

Google Slides does not have an auto-play setting for audio files inserted from Drive. You must click the icon to start playback. If you use a YouTube video instead, you can set it to autoplay, though some browsers block this feature for security reasons.

What audio file formats does Google Slides support?

Google Slides accepts MP3, WAV, OGG, and M4A files. If your audio is in a different format like FLAC or WMA, convert it to MP3 first using a free tool like Audacity or an online converter, then upload the converted file to Drive.

Will the audio work if I download the presentation as a PowerPoint file?

Audio inserted from Google Drive may not transfer properly when you download as a .pptx file. YouTube videos embed more reliably. If you need to use PowerPoint, test the download on another device before presenting to make sure the audio still works.

Can I trim or edit the audio file before inserting it?

Google Slides does not have built-in audio editing. If you need to trim the beginning or end, edit the file in Audacity or another audio editor before uploading it to Drive, then insert the edited version into your slide.

What happens to the audio if I move or delete the file from Google Drive?

The audio will stop working. Google Slides links to the file in your Drive rather than copying it into the presentation. If you delete the Drive file or move it to trash, the link breaks and the audio icon will show an error during playback.