How to Add Background Music to Google Slides Presentation

Adding background music to Google Slides can transform a simple presentation into an engaging and dynamic experience. If you’ve ever wondered, “Can you add music to Google Slides?” the answer is a resounding yes!

Whether you’re creating a business pitch, a classroom lecture, or a personal slideshow, the right music can captivate your audience, emphasize key points, and enhance the overall mood. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk you through how to add music to a Google Slides presentation. We’ll also cover important topics such as choosing the right audio formats, managing playback settings, and ensuring you have the correct music licenses for personal or commercial use.

Ready to make your Google Slides presentation more engaging with background music? Let’s dive in!

Why Add Background Music to Your Google Slides?

Adding background music to Google Slides is a great way to enhance engagement and mood, whether you’re preparing a business deck, an educational presentation, or a personal slideshow. Music can set the tone, evoke emotion, and keep your audience focused on the content.

Looking for the perfect soundtrack for your presentation? Be sure to check out Foximusic’s catalog and explore our hand-curated playlists. With a wide variety of genres and styles, you’re sure to find the perfect audio accompaniment for your next presentation.

Music helps to:

• Increase Engagement: Background music keeps your audience interested and emotionally invested.
• Mood Setting: The right music can create the appropriate atmosphere, whether it’s calm, energetic, or inspiring.
• Narrative Enhancement: Music can help guide viewers through complex ideas or punctuate key points.

Prerequisites for Adding Background Music

Before adding music, make sure that:

• You have a Google Drive account to store and access your audio files.
• Your audio is in a Google Slides-supported format: MP3, WAV, OGG, or AAC.

Step 1: Uploading Audio Files to Google Drive

To upload your audio files:

1. Open Google Drive.
2. Click the New button in the upper-left corner and select File Upload.
3. Browse your computer for the audio file and upload it.
4. Wait for the upload to complete.

Step 2: Adding Background Music to Google Slides

Once your audio file is uploaded to Google Drive:

1. Open your Google Slides presentation.
2. Select the slide where you want the music to play.
3. Click on Insert from the top menu, then choose Audio.
4. Choose the audio file from your Google Drive and click Select.
5. A speaker icon will appear on your slide to indicate the audio file has been added.

Step 3: Controlling Audio Playback

Google Slides offers several options to control how and when your audio plays:

• Automatic vs. Click-to-Play: Set the audio to play automatically when the slide opens or require the presenter to click the speaker icon to start the audio.
• Looping and Stopping Audio: Choose to loop the audio or stop it when transitioning to the next slide.
• Volume Control: Use the volume slider to adjust how loud the music will play during your presentation.

Step 4: Hiding the Audio Icon

You can hide the speaker icon during the presentation for a cleaner look:

1. Select the speaker icon.
2. In the Format options panel, check the box labeled Hide icon when presenting.

Step 5: Adding Multiple Audio Files to Your Presentation

To add multiple audio files:

1. Repeat the steps for inserting audio for each slide where you want music.
2. Customize the playback options for each audio clip individually.

There’s no limit to how many audio files you can add.

Step 6: Adding Narration to Google Slides

If you need to add narration:

• Pre-recorded Narration: Record your narration using a voice recording tool, upload it to Google Drive, and insert it into your presentation.
• Record Audio in Google Slides: Use third-party tools like Screencastify or Mote to record narration and add it to Google Slides.

Managing Audio Files: Deleting, Replacing, and Editing

You can manage your audio files by following these steps:

• Deleting Audio: Go to the slide with the audio, right-click the speaker icon, and select Delete.
• Replacing Audio: There’s no direct replace option, so you’ll need to delete the audio and insert a new file.
• Editing Audio: Google Slides doesn’t allow in-app editing. You can edit your audio in a tool like Audacity or any other free audio editing tool, then re-upload it to Google Drive.

How to Fade Audio in Google Slides?

To add fade-in or fade-out effects:

1. Use an audio editing tool like Audacity or Online MP3 Cutter.
2. Apply the fade effects in the editor.
3. Export the audio in MP3, WAV, OGG, or AAC format and upload it to Google Drive.
4. Insert the edited audio into your Google Slides presentation.

Can I Add Spotify Songs to Google Slides?

While it’s technically possible to embed Spotify songs in Google Slides, it’s important to note that you cannot legally use Spotify songs for personal or commercial purposes without obtaining the proper music licenses. Spotify’s terms of service restrict using its music outside of personal, non-commercial use, and embedding songs into a public or commercial presentation without the appropriate license could result in legal issues.

Here are a couple of workarounds for adding Spotify music to your slides, but they come with limitations:

Method 1: Embedding Spotify Links (Legal Only for Personal Use)

1. Open Spotify and find the song or playlist you want to add.
2. Click the three dots next to the song title and select Share > Copy Song Link.
3. In Google Slides, select the text or object where you want to add the link, then right-click and choose Insert Link (or press Ctrl + K).
4. Paste the Spotify link.

During the presentation, clicking on this link will open Spotify, where the song will play. However, this method is only appropriate for private, personal presentations where no commercial use is involved.

Method 2: Embedding YouTube Music (Legal Only with Proper Licenses)

If the same song is available on YouTube, you may be able to embed it, provided that:

1. You obtain a proper music license that allows for public or commercial use.
2. The video uploader has shared the song legally and made it available for such purposes.

To embed a YouTube version of the song:

1. Go to Insert > Video in Google Slides.
2. Paste the YouTube URL of the song.
3. Position the video outside the visible slide area so that the music plays without the video being visible during the presentation.

Note: Embedding music from Spotify or YouTube for presentations without the appropriate license can lead to copyright infringement, especially for public or business use. Always ensure that the music you use is properly licensed for your intended purpose.

For commercial or public presentations, consider using licensed royalty-free music or purchasing tracks from platforms like Foximusic, which offer legal, licensed music for a one-time fee.

Foximusic Standard License: One-Time Purchase

One affordable pay-per-track option for legally licensed music for business presentations is the Foximusic Standard Commercial License. For a one-time fee, you can purchase tracks that are cleared for commercial use. This allows you to use the music without worrying about copyright infringement in business or professional settings.

Final Thoughts

Adding background music to your Google Slides presentation can significantly enhance its impact and engagement. By following this guide, you can easily insert audio into Google Slides, control playback, and ensure that your music is legally licensed for your presentation. Whether you’re using free music for Google Slides, embedding Spotify links, or purchasing a one-time license from platforms like Foximusic, you have a wide range of options to elevate your presentation with the perfect soundtrack.

Remember to consider other ways to enhance your slides, such as using AI-powered slide generation tools for content creation, implementing custom theme designs for a unique look, or exploring text-to-slides conversion for quick presentation building. With these tools at your disposal, you’re well-equipped to create captivating and memorable presentations that will leave a lasting impression on your audience.

Written by Andrew Williams
Music Licensing and Marketing Enthusiast at Foximusic.

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