Google Slides lets you embed audio files directly into your presentation

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 can set it to play automatically when the slide appears. The file itself stays in your Drive — Google Slides doesn't copy it into the presentation.

The process takes about two minutes once you have your audio file ready. You'll need the file in a format Google Drive accepts (MP3, WAV, OGG, or M4A work best), or a YouTube link if you're using the video route.

Key Takeaways

  • Audio files must be uploaded to your Google Drive first — Google Slides pulls from there, not from your computer directly.
  • You insert audio through the Insert menu by choosing Audio, then selecting the file from your Drive.
  • During a presentation, you click the audio icon to play the music; it won't play automatically unless you set it to.
  • YouTube videos with music can be embedded as an alternative if you don't have an audio file saved.
  • Audio files larger than 100 MB may upload slowly or fail, so keep files under that size when possible.

Upload your audio file to Google Drive first

Google Slides can only access files that are already in your Google Drive. If your music file is on your computer, you need to upload it to Drive before you can insert it into a slide.

Open drive.google.com in your browser. Click the New button on the left side, then select File upload. Find your audio file on your computer and select it. The file will upload to your Drive's main folder. Depending on file size, this can take anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes.

Once the upload finishes, you can close the Drive tab and go back to your Google Slides presentation. You don't need to keep Drive open — the file is now accessible to Slides.

Insert audio through the Insert menu

Open the Google Slide where you want the music to appear. Click the Insert menu at the top of the page. Scroll down and click Audio.

A window will open showing files in your Google Drive. You'll see your uploaded audio file in the list. Click it once to select it, then click the Insert button at the bottom right of the window. The audio will appear as a small speaker icon on your slide.

You can drag the speaker icon anywhere on the slide to position it where you want it. The icon itself is what people click to play the audio during a presentation — it doesn't play automatically unless you change the settings.

Set the audio to play automatically or on click

By default, the audio only plays when someone clicks the speaker icon during the presentation. If you want it to start playing as soon as the slide appears, you can change this.

Click the speaker icon on your slide to select it. On the right side of the screen, a panel will appear with audio options. Look for the setting that says Start playing. You'll see two choices: On click (the default) or Automatically. Select Automatically if you want the music to begin without anyone clicking.

You can also adjust the volume using the slider in the same panel. If you want to hide the speaker icon during the presentation so people don't see it, check the box that says Hide during presentation. The audio will still play, but the icon won't be visible.

Use YouTube videos if you don't have an audio file

If you don't have an audio file saved but you found music on YouTube, you can embed the video instead. This works well if you only need a short clip or if the song is part of a longer video you want to show.

Click Insert at the top of your slide, then select Video. Search for the YouTube video by title or paste the YouTube link directly. Select the video from the results and click Select. The video will embed on your slide, and you can resize it by dragging the corners.

During your presentation, clicking the video will play it. You can set this to autoplay as well using the same panel that appears when you select the video — look for the Start playing option and choose Automatically.

Troubleshoot audio that won't insert or play

If the audio file doesn't appear in the list when you try to insert it, the file may not have finished uploading to Drive yet. Go back to drive.google.com and check that the file shows up there. Wait a few minutes if it's still uploading, then try inserting again.

If the file is in Drive but still won't insert, check the file format. Google Slides works best with MP3, WAV, OGG, and M4A files. If your file is in a different format (like FLAC or WMA), you may need to convert it using a free online converter before uploading.

If the audio plays fine in your Drive but won't play during a presentation, make sure you're in Presentation mode (press the play button at the top right, or press S on your keyboard). Audio doesn't play in edit mode — only when you're actually presenting.

Share your presentation with audio included

When you share a Google Slides presentation with others, the audio file goes with it as long as the people you share with have access to your Drive. If you share the presentation link with someone who doesn't have Drive access, they won't be able to hear the audio.

To share with people outside your organization, click the Share button at the top right. Add their email addresses and choose whether they can view, comment, or edit. Make sure the permission level is set to at least Viewer so they can access the audio file.

If you're downloading the presentation as a PowerPoint file (by going to File > Download > Microsoft PowerPoint), the audio will be included in the downloaded file as long as it's under 100 MB.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I record audio directly in Google Slides instead of uploading a file?

No, Google Slides doesn't have a built-in recording tool. You'll need to record audio on your computer using a program like Audacity (free) or Voice Memos on a phone, then save it as an MP3 file and upload it to Drive.

What's the largest audio file I can upload to Google Drive?

Google Drive allows files up to 5 TB, but audio files larger than 100 MB may upload slowly or cause playback issues in Slides. Most music files are well under 100 MB, so this is rarely a problem unless you're uploading a long recording or high-quality audio.

Will the audio play if I share the presentation as a link with someone who doesn't have a Google account?

No. People without Google accounts can view the slides, but they won't be able to access the audio file. They'll see the speaker icon but won't hear anything when they click it. You'll need to share the presentation with their Google account or download it as a PowerPoint file instead.

Can I trim or edit the audio after I insert it into a slide?

Google Slides doesn't have audio editing tools. If you need to trim the audio or change the volume, you'll need to edit the file in a separate program like Audacity before uploading it to Drive, then re-insert the edited version.

Does the audio file need to stay in my Google Drive for the presentation to work?

Yes. If you delete the audio file from Drive, the presentation will no longer be able to play it. Keep the file in your Drive as long as you're using that presentation.