How to Change the Slide Size in Google Slides

Google Slides is an excellent tool for creating presentations. It allows you to take your projects to an entirely different level by including worksheets, flyers, and much more.

However, to make the most of these options, you’ll need a thorough understanding of Google Slides. And one of the essential features for creating the most effective presentation is knowing how to change the size of slides. In this article, you’ll learn how to do just that, as well as learn how to make the slides present correctly.

How to Change the Slide Size in Google Slides on a PC

Changing the slide size in Google Slides on a PC is relatively straightforward. The process consists of the following steps:

1. Navigate to the webpage for Google Slides and open an existing or create a new presentation.
   
2. In the menu bar, go to “File.”
   
3. Click on “Page setup” to view page options.
   
   • You’ll see the Page setup popup box with the page size drop-down menu. The default size for Google Slides pages is 16:9.
4. Click on the drop-down menu and choose the preferred page size. Alternatively, you can go to the “Custom” option and enter page dimensions manually. Whichever option you choose, hit “Apply” once you’ve selected the desired size.
   

One thing you should note regarding this method is that, when choosing “Custom” size, you’ll need to know the exact size you want. Choose the unit type – like centimeters, inches, points, or pixels – and enter the precise values.

The options in the “Page setup” menu have certain limitations. For example, if you want to change your slide size to A3 or A4 format, those aren’t offered in the drop-down. For these page sizes, you’ll need to choose “Custom” and enter the following values:

• A3 page size is 11.7 inches wide and 16.5 inches long
  
• A4 pages are 8.3 inches in width and 11.7 inches in length
  

How to Change the Slide Size in Google Slides on the iPhone App

Unfortunately, you can’t change the slide size directly from your iPhone app. Yet, that doesn’t mean there are no options for iPhone users. You can use your computer to adjust page settings for your presentation and have them take effect the next time you open a slide on your iPhone. Use the following method:

1. Find and copy the address of your presentation on your phone. If you’ve only been working on the presentation from your computer, you won’t need to do this step.
2. On the computer, open your browser and go to the presentation address.
   
3. Locate the “File” menu on the left side of the window and choose the “Page setup” option.
   
4. A popup menu will appear. On it, you’ll be able to select the slide size from a drop-down. The default size is 16:9, and you can choose to change it to one of the offered sizes. If the size you want isn’t in the menu, go to “Custom” and enter the desired values manually.
   
5. Hit “Apply” to save changes. The next time you open the presentation on your iPhone, the slides will be the size you’ve selected.
   

Note that certain common page sizes aren’t present as options in the drop-down menu. If you want your slides to be on A3 or A4 pages, you’ll need to set them up by going to “Custom.” Here are the measurements for those page sizes:

• A3 is 11.7 x 16.5 inches
  
• A4 is 8.3 x 11.7 inches
  

How to Change the Slide Size in Google Slides on the Android App

The Android phone Google Slides app doesn’t have the option to change slide size. You can only make the change through your computer, but the next time you open the Google Slides app on your phone, it will display the presentation with the slide sizes you’ve chosen.

Here’s how to change the slide size in Google Slides on your computer:

1. Open the presentation you wish to change in your browser.
   
2. Click on “File” and then on “Page setup.”
   
3. Click page setup. In the popup window that appears, there’ll be a drop-down menu with various page sizes to choose from. Either pick one of the offered options or go to “Custom” to enter page dimensions manually.
   
4. When you’ve chosen the page size you like, click on “Apply.”
   

You’ll find several different page sizes in the drop-down menu. However, some options, such as A3 and A4, are lacking. To set up your slides to these sizes, choose “Custom” from the drop-down and enter these page dimensions:

• For A3, enter 11.7 inches in the first, and 16.5 inches in the second box.
  
• For A4, enter 8.3 and 11.7 inches in the first and second boxes respectively.
  

How to Change the Slide Size in Google Slides on an iPad

Just like with the iPhone app, it isn’t possible to change the slide size on an iPad through the app. However, you can still make the change using your browser – it can be Safari or another browser of your choice. The method for changing slide sizes on your iPad this way consists of several easy steps:

1. Open the Google Slides app on your iPad and find the “Options” sidebar.
2. Go to “Share & export” and tap “Copy link.”
3. Now you’ve copied the presentation link to the clipboard. Exit the app and open your browser.
4. Paste the presentation link to the address bar in your browser and go to the presentation page.
5. In the “File” menu, open the “Page setup” dialogue. You’ll see a popup window with the page size menu.
6. Select one of the offered slide sizes or choose a custom size. Once you’re satisfied with your choice, hit “Apply” to save changes.

Additional FAQs

How do I make an 8.5 by 11 slide in Google Slides?

The “letter,” or 8.5 x 11-inch page size is very common, especially in the U.S., where it’s considered the standard. You can easily set your page size to “letter” in Google Slides by using your computer’s browser.

Here’s the method for doing just that:

1. Go to Google Slides in your browser.

2. Open an existing or create a new presentation.

3. Navigate to “File” in the menu bar, then to “Page setup.”

4. In the popup window that appears, choose “Custom” from the drop-down menu. The menu will show 16:9 as the default page size.

5. Once you see the page size options, enter 8.5 in the first, and 11 in the second box. Make sure the units used are inches – not centimeters, points, or pixels.

6. Choose “Apply’ on the lower-right to save changes.

How do I make sure that the new slide size isn’t distorted?

Images and text can appear distorted on the slide after you change the page size. This issue can appear due to several options not being set up properly. To ensure your slides appear correctly, check the following parameters:

• Aspect ratio

• Image resizing options

• Stretching the image to cover the slide

You can resolve any distortion issues by locking the aspect ratio for your images.

Getting Your Google Slides the Right Size

You can give very effective presentations using Google Slides, especially if you know how to set them up so that they fit the display. Now that you’ve learned how to change slide size on Google Slides, this shouldn’t be a problem.

What slide size do you prefer for your presentations? Did you manage to change the size to fit your needs? Tell us in the comments section below.