Google Slides supports a limited set of Markdown-style typing shortcuts for text emphasis and links. This can speed up writing short notes on a slide, but it is not the same as importing a complete Markdown document or using every Markdown feature available in Google Docs.
Enable the preference
On a computer, open the presentation and choose Tools > Preferences. Check Enable Markdown if you want the typing shortcuts active. Uncheck it when you need to type the punctuation literally without the associated automatic formatting.
Use supported text patterns
Google’s guidance describes surrounding a word with a single asterisk or underscore for italic, two for bold, and three for bold italic. A single tilde on either side marks strikethrough. For a link, place descriptive text in square brackets immediately followed by the URL in parentheses.
Try a short example in an ordinary text box and inspect the result before applying the convention throughout a deck. Avoid treating the Slides feature as support for every syntax extension used by a code editor.
Keep Docs-only workflows separate
The same help page describes headings, Markdown import and export, and paste-from-Markdown operations for Google Docs. Those sections should not be assumed to exist in Slides. Review the actual text on the canvas and correct any punctuation that remained literal. Use the normal toolbar whenever that gives a clearer result. Markdown shortcuts change text formatting; they do not create slide layouts, speaker-note structures, or a complete presentation from a Markdown file.
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.