Skipping a slide lets you keep optional material in a presentation while leaving it out of the normal delivery sequence. This is useful for a shorter talk or an appendix you might need for questions. It does not remove the material from the shared presentation.
Choose material to omit from the talk
In Google Slides on a computer, locate the slide in the filmstrip and read it before changing its state. Decide whether the slide is optional or genuinely unsuitable for the audience. Sensitive material should be removed from an audience distribution copy rather than merely skipped.
Toggle the skip setting
Right-click the slide thumbnail and choose Skip Slide. You can select several slides first if they all need the same treatment. To include a skipped slide again, right-click it and select Skip Slide once more. This toggles the presentation behavior without deleting the slide.
A skipped slide remains part of the editable file. Google explicitly warns that other people with access to the presentation can still see skipped slides. Do not describe the setting as hiding information from collaborators or restricting file access.
Test the audience sequence
Run the slideshow from a slide before the skipped material and advance through the section. Confirm that the visible explanation still makes sense and does not refer to an example you omitted. Review any handout or exported copy separately, since a successful live rehearsal does not prove what another delivery format contains. Before sharing the deck itself, inspect all slides, including the ones you do not plan to present.
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.