How to Add Audio to Google Slides: Drive Files and Tips (2026)

Audio makes a slide deck feel alive: a welcome message from you, a client's voice note, a bit of background sound for a stand at an event or a recorded talk that plays while people click through at their own pace. The good news is that Google Slides has a built-in way to do it. The slightly less good news is that it's pickier than you'd expect about where your file lives.

This guide sticks to what Google's help pages state, and I've flagged the places where they go quiet so you can check the menus on your own screen.

The file types Google Slides accepts for audio

Google's help says you can add .mp3 and .wav files stored in your Drive to a presentation. That sentence contains the two rules that matter:

• The format has to be MP3 or WAV.
• The file has to be in Google Drive, not just sitting on your desktop.

Google also lists the browsers where you can use .wav files: Chrome, Firefox, Safari and Microsoft Edge. If your recording is in a different format, convert it before you upload it, and use a converter you already trust, because I'd rather not point you at random websites.

Uploading your audio file to Drive first

Because Slides only picks from Drive, the first job is getting the recording there. Open Google Drive in your browser, add the file, and wait until it has finished uploading before you go back to your deck. A half-uploaded file is one of the top reasons it doesn't appear later.

Give the file a name you'll recognise, such as Welcome message or Event background, so you can spot it in the list. It also helps to keep presentation audio in one folder.

Putting audio on a slide in Google Slides, step by step

1. Open your presentation in Google Slides on a computer.
2. Select the slide where you want the sound to sit.
3. Click the Insert menu and choose Audio.
4. Pick your file from the list that opens.
5. Click Select.

An audio item then appears on the slide. Drag it somewhere tidy, such as a corner, so it doesn't sit on top of your text. Google's help doesn't describe audio-specific playback options in the part I could read, so look for Format options after selecting the item, and be prepared for menus to vary between versions. Test it in present mode rather than assuming.

Sharing a Google Slides deck that contains audio

Embedding sound is only half the job. Everyone who opens your deck needs permission to play the file too. Google says the access checker automatically suggests permissions for new users of presentations with audio files and video files.

1. Open Share from the top right of your presentation.
2. Add the people or groups you want.
3. Set their role to Editor, Commenter or Viewer.
4. Read the access checker's suggestion about the audio file before you confirm.

Then do what I always do: open the deck as a viewer would, or ask a colleague to, and press play. It's the only reliable way to know your recording works for someone else.

Older Google Slides decks with audio

Google's help includes a tip about updating older presentations so format options such as audio and video play automatically. If you're recycling a deck from a couple of years back and the sound behaves differently from a fresh one, look for that tip on Google's page and apply it.

Ways to use audio in a Google Slides presentation

Idea	Where it works well
A spoken welcome on slide one	Decks you send to clients who read in their own time
A client voice note	Case-study slides where the words matter more than the picture
Short background sound	A looping stand display or a waiting-room screen
A narrated walk-through	Training decks people go through without you

Keep each clip short. People tolerate a few seconds of audio on a slide. They don't tolerate a surprise two-minute track while they're trying to read.

Using audio without breaking the rules

• Use your own recordings, or sound you have permission to use. Music from your favourite artist isn't yours to put in a client deck.
• Tell people before sound plays in a meeting. Nothing derails a presentation like an unexpected noise.
• Have a plan B. If the room's speakers don't work, can your slide still make sense without the sound?

That last point is worth a pause. If you're planning a talk, my guide to building a presentation covers how to make slides that survive technical hiccups, and my notes on stage fright cover the nerves that arrive when the sound doesn't play.

If you can't add audio to Google Slides

1. Check the file is an MP3 or WAV. Google lists those two.
2. Check it's in your Google Drive and has finished uploading.
3. Check you're using Insert, then Audio, on a computer rather than a phone app, where menus may differ.
4. If the Audio list is empty, look in the folder or drive where you saved it, and try a different, known-good MP3.
5. Check you can open the file in Drive yourself. If you can't play it there, Slides won't play it either.

If audio still isn't right for the job, a deck might not be the best home for it. My roundup of Google Slides alternatives compares other tools that handle narration differently.

Frequently asked questions

How do I add audio to Google Slides?

Open the presentation on a computer, select the slide, click Insert, then Audio, choose a file from Drive and click Select.

What audio formats work in Google Slides?

Google's help says you can add .mp3 and .wav files stored in your Drive.

Can I add audio that is not in Google Drive?

Google's help describes audio files stored in your Drive, so upload the file to Drive first and then insert it from there.

Why can't others hear the audio in my shared Slides deck?

Usually it's file permissions. Google says the access checker suggests permissions for presentations with audio files, so read its message when you share, then test the deck as a viewer.

Does Google Slides play audio automatically?

Google's help mentions updating older presentations so audio and video play automatically, but doesn't describe audio playback options in detail. Check Format options on the audio item and test it in present mode.