While Google Slides has been around for two decades in some form, with slight changes to the branding by Google, many people are still new to discovering this PowerPoint alternative. Such users are likely to face common questions, such as how to download Google Slides. If you are someone who needs a local copy of your Google Slides presentation for sharing, printing, or presenting offline, here is a simple guide to download Google Slides in the format you need.
How to Download Google Slides
To download a Google Slides presentation, follow these simple steps:
Step 1: Go to slides.google.com and sign in or open the Google Slides mobile app. You’ll land on your recent presentations page.
Step 2: Select the presentation file you want to export.
Step 3: With your deck open, use the built-in export options via File -> Download and choose the format you want to download the file in. This also addresses the question of how to export a Google Slides presentation. Google Slides supports PPTX, PDF, ODP, TXT, PNG, JPEG, and SVG formats.
- Microsoft PowerPoint (PPTX): Saving your Google Slides deck in this format is suitable when you will be presenting or editing it in PowerPoint. This keeps layouts editable and is the most common choice.
- Portable Document Format (PDF): This is a print-friendly format, ideal for sharing a read-only version, printing, or sending via email with stable formatting.
- OpenDocument Presentation File Format (ODP): ODP is an open-source standard format for presentations that can contain text, images, animations, and multimedia. This format is supported by open source Office applications such as Apache OpenOffice and Libre Office, works with Google Slides and various mobile apps, and also opens in PowerPoint. However, you may have a few formatting issues when using ODP with PowerPoint for editing and viewing slides.
- Plain Text (TXT): This exports slide text only, which can be handy for review of text or content repurposing.
- Common Image Formats (PNG / JPEG image): Exports each slide as an image. This format is used for downloading individual slides as a PNG or JPEG image. This is commonly used for social posts or placing slides inside other documents.
- Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG): Since SVG is a format that preserves vector quality (per slide), it is very useful for design workflows. This might include exporting a slide in a graphic design application such as Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, or CorelDRAW.
How to Download a Slide from Google Slides
If you want to download a single slide, go to File -> Download -> PNG/JPEG/SVG while the desired slide is selected. This way, Google Slides will export the current slide as an image file.
How to Download Audio from a Google Slides Presentation
If your Google Slides presentation includes audio, test the exported file to check if it is available after conversion. PDF won’t carry audio. With .pptx, behavior can vary depending on how audio was added in Slides. If playback doesn’t transfer, re-attach the audio in PowerPoint by selecting it from your device. In the example below, we downloaded a Google Slides presentation with an audio file to PPTX format, where the audio file did not transfer, and only an image icon remained after download. In such a case, the audio file will need to be reattached in PowerPoint via Insert -> Audio.
If you are wondering how to download Google Slides with audio, consider reattaching the file later, since a direct download from Google Slides might not retain the audio file.
Bonus Tip: How to Download a Google Presentation from a Link
You can create a link that forces a .pptx for a Google Slides download. This enables sending a deck to teammates or clients using the Google Slides downloader, without asking them to click through menus.
Setting up a PPTX Direct Link
Step 1: Start with your normal share link, which looks like:
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/Your File ID/edit?usp=sharingStep 2: Replace everything after the file ID with: /export?format=pptx
Example of Link:
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/Your File ID/export?format=pptxSharing that URL in this format will immediately download the PowerPoint version.
Setting up a Direct Link for Other File Formats
Similar to the PPTX method, you can also create a PDF direct link by using export?format=pdf in the URL. Likewise, if you need a direct link for an image format, you can use export?format=png to download a single slide as an image file. Using this format, Google Slides can be configured to download files in various supported file formats via a direct link.
Tip: Make sure the file’s sharing permissions allow “Anyone with the link” to View; otherwise, recipients may hit a permissions wall.
How to Get Google Slides if You Have a PowerPoint File
To import your PowerPoint files into slides, you can upload and convert via File -> Save as Google Slides. Here’s a detailed walkthrough to convert PowerPoint to Google Slides.
Final Words
Downloading a Google Slides presentation is about ensuring your content is ready for the next step. A sales team may need a PowerPoint file for a sales pitch, while a trainer might prefer a PDF handout for participants. Likewise, designers may want to repurpose slide images in other creative projects, and managers often keep a PDF archive for compliance purposes. By knowing your export options and even creating direct download links, you make it easier for colleagues and clients to access the correct version.
If you’re someone new to Google Slides, understanding the file export options for presentation decks can enable you to export them in a format that is easy to use for you and your teams according to specific requirements.
