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Google Slides presenter toolbar redesigned to be less intrusive

The presenter bar in Google Slides is getting redesigned to offer a “less intrusive experience” for presenters and viewers alike. Overall, the new toolbar is more hidden and not as distracting.

Instead of a long dark gray strip, the new presenter toolbar in Google Slides is significantly shorter, with only four buttons and a lighter background. You can select the previous or next slide with a count/field in between to quickly jump. 

Everything else has been hidden in the three-dot overflow menu. This menu is split into two sections, starting with: Open speaker notes, Turn on the last pointer, Enter full screen, and Stop presenting. Rounding out the list is Auto-play, Captions preferences, and More, with each opening a more granular menu.

Besides the new visual design, Google has reduced the size of the trigger zone so that the presenter bar is less likely to be accidentally invoked and obstruct content:

We heard from our customers that the old presenter toolbar in Google Slides was getting in the way of content and creating a distraction for presenters and their audience. As a result, we have condensed the presenter toolbar down to the controls you need most so that now you can present with confidence. 

This new Google Slides presenter bar is rolling out now and will be available to all Workspace customers and personal accounts over the coming days.

We hope these improvements help you present and engage with your audience more confidently, without worrying about potential disruptions. 

More about Google Slides:

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Avatar for Abner Li Abner Li

Editor-in-chief. Interested in the minutiae of Google and Alphabet. Tips/talk: abner@9to5g.com