Speaker notes can help you deliver a Google Slides talk without placing every detail on the audience’s slide. Use the presenter notes view to read those prompts while showing the slideshow. Treat the notes as part of the presentation file, not as a secure private notebook.
Open the notes view
On a computer, open the arrow beside Slideshow and choose Presenter view. Select Speaker notes in the presenter controls. Google’s presenting guidance gives this route for viewing notes during a talk.
Prepare useful prompts
Write concise cues, transitions, and supporting facts that match the current slide. Check dates and figures against the audience text so you do not read a different number from an older note. Keep any pronunciation help or timing reminders clear to the person actually presenting.
If another presenter will use the deck, explain abbreviations and optional sections instead of assuming they understand your personal shorthand.
Verify screen separation
Rehearse with the intended monitor and meeting setup. Confirm that viewers see the audience slideshow and that your notes are readable in the presenter window. Screen sharing can expose the wrong surface, so inspect the actual sharing route before relying on separate windows. Google’s screen-reader guidance distinguishes notes from the normal presentation display, but that does not mean notes are inaccessible to collaborators with file access. Remove inappropriate confidential material before sharing the deck, and test the specific view used for the live delivery. Check long notes for obsolete examples that no longer match the visible slide.
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.