Tag Archives: Google Slides

Update your G Suite mobile and desktop apps before August 12, 2020, to ensure they continue working

Quick summary

In 2018, we began making changes to our API and service infrastructure to improve performance and security. As a result of these changes, some older versions of G Suite desktop and mobile apps may stop working on August 12, 2020. In particular, versions released prior to December 2018 may be impacted.

To ensure their workflows are not disrupted, your users should update the following Google apps to the latest versions as soon as possible:

Getting started
  • Admins: Encourage your users to upgrade their apps. If you deploy Drive File Stream to your organization, ensure you’re using the latest version.
  • End users: Upgrade the apps listed above to the latest versions as soon as possible.
Rollout pace

Availability
  • This impacts all G Suite customers and users with personal Google accounts.

New comment interface for Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides on Android

What’s changing 

We’re updating the user interface for comments and action items in the Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides apps for Android. Some of the changes you may notice include:

  • Larger, clearer interface to make it easier to see comments and their context in a document. 
  • Shortcuts and gestures to help you quickly scroll through and respond to multiple comments. 
  • Quick access button to reply, “@” mention someone, and assign action items. 


Who’s impacted 

End users

Why it matters 

Commenting is a powerful way to collaborate on documents while remote. Comments can help you ask questions, document discussions, make sure other users see something, assign action items, and more. They’re particularly useful when working remotely, enabling multiple users to be part of discussions whenever and wherever it's convenient for them.

Getting started 

  • Admins: There is no admin control for this feature.
  • End users: This feature will be ON by default. To get started, tap on a comment when using the Docs, Sheets, or Slides app on an Android device. Use the Help Center to learn more about using comments and action items on Android. 

Rollout pace 



Availability 


  • Available to all G Suite customers and users with personal accounts. 

Resources 


New document save status and offline indicator for Docs, Sheets, and Slides

Quick launch summary 

We’re updating the interface which tells users about the file save status and whether they’re working online or offline in Google Docs editors and Drawings. The changes will help users understand where the file is saved, whether they’re connected to the network, and if the file is available to edit offline.

This is an update to the interface only - there are no changes in the underlying functionality. The changes you may notice include:

  • A new location for document save status next to the document name. 
  • More descriptive text to indicate whether a document is saved to the cloud (when online) or to the device (offline). 
  • A new way to enable offline by clicking on the document status icon. Previously, you had to go to File > Make available offline. 


For users in domains where admins have turned off Docs editors offline access, we will adjust the message shown to users in order to minimize confusion regarding settings controlled by their admin. 

See images below for more details.

Getting started 



The saved file indicator is now next to the document name and features more descriptive text 


You can enable offline by clicking the document status icon 

Rollout pace 



Availability 


  • Available to all G Suite customers and users with personal Google Accounts. 

Resources 


New sharing dialog for Google Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Forms

What’s changing 

We’re updating the interface you use to share files from Google Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Forms on the web. This will replace the previous interface used to share files and manage members of shared drives. These changes will make it easier to share files only with specific people without expanding access beyond what’s needed.

Who’s impacted 

End users

Why it matters 

Sharing files is critical to collaboration. This is especially true now, as more workforces are remote and collaborating on files from different locations. By making it easier to share files with specific people, we hope to improve collaboration while reducing the risk of access by unwanted users. 

Additional details 

We’ve made several changes to the sharing experience. These make it easier to perform common tasks, avoid accidental permission changes, and quickly see who has access to a file. Specifically you may notice:

  • Separated, task-focused interface: The new sharing dialog highlights essential user tasks like sharing a file, changing permissions, and viewing file access. The redesign also visually separates sharing with people and groups from link-sharing. 
  • Quick “copy link” button: We’ve added a “copy link” button to make it easier to get the link without changing link permissions. 
  • Easily see current access: The new interface more clearly shows who currently has access to the item, making it easier to quickly audit and change permissions. 


The new sharing interface for Google Drive and Docs editors files 


The old sharing interface for Google Drive and Docs editors files 

Getting started 


  • Admins: This change will take place by default. There is no admin control for this feature. 
  • End users: This feature will be ON by default. Use our Help Center to learn more about how to share Google Drive files. 

Rollout pace 



Availability 


  • Available to all G Suite and Drive Enterprise customers, as well as users with personal Google Accounts 

Resources 



Roadmap 


More options for copying presentations in Google Slides

Quick launch summary 

When creating a copy of an existing Google Slides presentation, you'll now be able to:
  • Select specific slides to copy instead of the whole deck. 
  • Remove the speaker notes from the copy. 
This feature makes it easier to parse out and share the most relevant content with your team, audience, or other stakeholders.

Getting started 

End users: To remove speaker notes from a full-deck copy, go to File > Make a Copy > Entire Deck and check “Remove all speaker notes.”

Removing speaker notes from presentation copy



To copy only certain slides, go to File > Make a Copy > Selected Slides. There, you’ll also have the option to remove all speaker notes from the selected slides.

Select specific slides to copy instead of the whole deck

Rollout pace 



Availability 


  • Available to all G Suite customers

Rollout update for adding audio to Google Slides presentations

Quick launch summary

Earlier this year, we announced the ability to add audio to Google Slides presentations. This feature is fully available to Rapid release domains now. It’s currently rolling out to Scheduled release domains and should be fully available to all users by the end of November.

Availability

Rollout details


G Suite editions

  • Available to all G Suite editions. 


On/off by default? 

  • This feature will be ON by default.


Stay up to date with G Suite launches

Instantly create new docs, events, spreadsheets and more from your browser

Quick launch summary

You can quickly create new files directly from your browser with “.new” domains for several Google products. For example, you can type “Cal.new” into your browser to create a new Google Calendar event.



The current “.new” domains are:

Availability

Rollout details



G Suite editions

  • Available to all G Suite editions


On/off by default?
  • This feature will be available by default.


Stay up to date with G Suite launches

Customize text size and position for captions in Google Slides

Quick launch summary

You can now personalize caption text size and position while presenting in Google Slides. These features can help make captions easier to read, like ensuring all audience members can view captions in a large room. Or, you could make your text smaller to maximize the number of words on screen at once.


While presenting, select the dropdown menu next to the Captions button on the toolbar. From there, you can then set the text size and position.


See our Help Center to learn more about presenting Slides with captions.


Availability

Rollout details

G Suite editions
  • Available to all G Suite editions

On/off by default?
  • This feature will be available by default.

Stay up to date with G Suite launches

A new look for the Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides Android apps

Quick launch summary 

Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides now have a new look and feel on Android devices. While there are no functionality changes, users will notice visual improvements, including a restyled document list, highly-legible typefaces, consistent controls, and updated iconography.

This redesign is already reflected in the latest versions of the Google Docs and Slides Android Apps. It will begin rolling out to Sheets on Android today.

Screenshots of Google Docs, Slides, and Sheets with the Material redesign.


This Material redesign is part of a larger effort to bring consistency to the look and feel of our G Suite apps, with ease-of-use in mind. See here for more information on the Google Drive Material redesign on iOS and Android and here for the Docs, Sheets, and Slides redesign on the web. 

Availability 

Rollout details 
G Suite editions 
  • Available to all G Suite editions 

On/off by default? 
  • This feature will be ON by default.

Stay up to date with G Suite launches

Better line spacing support for branding in Google Docs and Slides

Quick launch summary

You can now set custom line spacing to be less than one in Google Docs and Google Slides. This allows for more detailed control of line spacing so you can better control the appearance of your fonts. Our users have told us this is a critical need for meeting brand guidelines or creating documentation that requires visual polish. Additionally, this will help preserve formatting when importing and exporting files in legacy formats.



To customize your line spacing, go to Format > Line Spacing > Custom Spacing.

Availability

Rollout details


G Suite editions

  • Available to all G Suite editions


On/off by default?

  • This feature will be ON by default.


Stay up to date with G Suite launches