Google Slides video playback can begin when you advance the presentation or automatically without a click. Choose the behavior that matches the talk’s timing. This is different from manual playback, which requires clicking directly on the embedded video player.
Open the video controls
In the desktop editor, select the video on the slide. Open Format options from the toolbar or the video’s context menu, then expand Video playback. Confirm that you selected the intended clip when several media objects share a slide.
Choose click or automatic playback
Google’s current guidance identifies Play (on click) as the default: the video plays when you advance. Choose Play (automatically) when the clip should begin without a click. Read the option labels instead of assuming an old deck uses the current default.
Consider the spoken introduction. Automatic playback can start before you finish explaining why the audience should watch, while on-click playback gives you a deliberate transition into the clip.
Rehearse the actual sequence
Start the slideshow from the preceding slide and navigate normally into the video slide. Check when the clip begins, whether sound is audible, and what happens when you continue. Test the remote clicker if one will be used. Do not assume a successful editor preview establishes live presentation behavior. Verify source access and the intended browser as well, since an appropriate timing setting cannot fix a video that the presenter is not authorized or technically able to play. Include the opening words you will speak before the video in that rehearsal.
References
Reviewed against the linked official product guidance on November 3, 2026. Features, limits, screen labels, and access can vary by account, platform, region, and organization policy.