Printing Google Slides presentations in a one-slide-per-page format can be unnecessary and even costly. This is due to the typical orientation and design of Google Slides presentations (which are often colorful and in landscape mode).
Luckily, Google Slides lets you print multiple slides on a single page, which optimizes your printing process while conserving resources.
Our step-by-step article guides you through the simple steps of how to print multiple slides on one page of Google Slides.
Table of Contents
How To Print Multiple Google Slides on One Page
Printing a Google Slide — or any document — doesn’t necessarily mean producing physical copies. In fact, “printing” a Google document is one of the first steps toward converting it into another file type (e.g., .pdf, .xps).
On one sheet of paper, you can fit a total of nine slides. This is an excellent way to save on printing costs and minimize file sizes. In addition, it’s as easy as printing with default settings, with just a few additional steps.
To print multiple slides on one page in Google Slides, simply follow the steps below:
- Create a new Google Slides presentation or open an existing one.
- Click on “File” > “Print” from the drop-down menu.
- Scroll to the bottom of the print settings pane and select “More Settings.”
- Click the “Paper Size” dropdown list and select from the available sizes (e.g., legal, letter, tabloid, A4).
- Under the Paper Size option, locate the “Scale” settings. There are three scaling options:
- Fit to Printable Area: This option automatically resizes each slide to fit within the printer’s margins.
- Actual Size: This scale setting rearranges the slides on a single sheet without altering their original size.
- Custom scale setting: Below the “Actual Size” scale setting, you can enter a custom size of your choice.
Note: To fit multiple slides on one page on Google Slides without unwanted trimming, avoid entering a value larger than the size of your paper or printable area. You won’t receive an error message or a warning, so be sure to check the layout pane to ensure all of your slides are visible.
The example shows four slides on one page using a custom scale of 110%. Going beyond this scale will cause your slides to exceed the column and page borders.
6. To print more than one slide on a page in Google Slides, choose the number of pages to include per sheet. Under the “Scale” options, you’ll find the “Pages per sheet” drop-down list.
Note: Your scale setting will be applied as you change the “Pages per sheet” number. The more pages you have per sheet, the lower your scale setting should be. Whenever you adjust the number of Pages per sheet, you should modify your Scale settings accordingly.
7. Once you’re satisfied with the display in the “Print Preview” pane, click the “Print” button within the print dialog box to start printing your Google Slide presentation.
How To Print Multiple Google Slides on One Page Using Print Preview
Another way to print multiple Google Slides on one page is by accessing the “Print Preview” mode. This method can also be found in the “File” menu. Instead of taking you to the “Print” window, you can edit your handouts directly from the Google Slides window.
To access the “Print Preview” mode and print multiple slides on one page in Google Slides, follow these steps:
- Go to “File” > “Print Preview” > “Print Preview.”
- In the first drop-down list, set the number of pages to be printed on one sheet. While you can choose a maximum of 9 pages, we’ll use 6 slides in this example.
As you select the number of slides per page, the preview will update accordingly, giving you an idea of how your printed slides will look.
For this example, after selecting the “Handout – 6 slides per page” option. Your “Print Preview” window should look like this:
- You can change the orientation of your handouts. Next to the “Number of Slides” drop-down list, another drop-down list allows you to choose between portrait and landscape orientations.
Tip: It’s recommended to try both orientations, as one may yield better results.
For example, landscape orientation often provides better space utilization for 4 slides on one sheet.
- Once you’re satisfied with the content displayed in your “Print Preview” window, you can print your Google Slides as handouts (or convert your presentation to PDF). The options to “Print” and “Download as PDF” can be found in the “Print Preview” bar on the right.
How To Skip Unwanted Slides While Printing Multiple Slides in Google Slides
Google Slides also lets you exclude certain slides from being printed. To skip unwanted slides while printing multiple slides in Google Slides, here’s what you can do:
- Open your Google Slides presentation.
- In the navigation pane, right-click the slide thumbnail you want to skip when printing. Then, select “Skip slide.”
- To select multiple slides, simply press and hold the “Ctrl” key on Windows (or the “Command” key on Mac).
- While holding the “Ctrl” key, click on the thumbnails of the additional slides you want to skip. This will select multiple slides at once.
- Once you’ve selected all the slides you want to skip, right-click on any of the selected slides.
- From the context menu that appears, choose the option “Skip slide.” This will mark the selected slides as skipped.
- Click on “File” > “Print Preview.”
- In “Print Preview” mode, ensure that the “include skipped slides” option in the Print Preview bar is deselected.
- Once you’ve finished editing your handouts, print them or convert them to a PDF. Click “Download as PDF” or “Print” in the Print Preview bar on the right.
Related: How to Hide a Slide in Google Slides (in 2 Seconds)
What Are the Benefits of Printing Multiple Google Slides on One Page?
Printing multiple slides on one page in Google Slides offers several benefits:
1. Cost and Resource Savings
Printing multiple slides on a single page reduces paper usage, ink, cost, and environmental waste.
2. Compact and Convenient
Condensing your presentation reduces bulk, making it more compact and easier to handle.
3. Quick Reference
By creating a handout or reference document with multiple slides, audiences can quickly refer to specific slides without flipping through multiple pages.
4. Presentation Planning
Fitting your entire presentation on a single sheet can help with planning and structuring your presentation, allowing you to see the flow and organization of your content at a glance.
5. Efficient Review
Having multiple slides on one page facilitates better analysis of sequences, transitions, and overall voice.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Many Slides Maximum Can We Print on One Page?
The maximum number of slides you can print on one page in Google Slides depends on the options available on “Print preview.”
Typically, you can choose to print 2, 4, 6, or 9 slides per page. These options allow you to condense multiple slides onto a single sheet of paper, optimizing space and resource usage.
The specific number of slides you can fit on one page will depend on the size and layout of your slides and the printing settings you choose.
How To Print Multiple Slides with Notes on One Page of Google Slides?
To print multiple slides with notes on one page in Google Slides, simply follow the steps below:
- Select “File” > “Print preview.”
- In the “Print Preview” toolbar, locate the first dropdown list and select “1 slide with notes.”
- Click the “Print” button and select the desired number of pages under the appropriate option (e.g., Pages per sheet, Layout).
- Proceed by printing the selected presentation.
Final Thoughts
Knowing how to print multiple slides on one page of Google Slides is something all Google Slides users should know. It’s a valuable skill for creating professional and presentable handouts for your audience, whether in physical or digital form. At the same time, it’s also effective at minimizing costs and saving storage space.
Looking for spreadsheet templates to kickstart your work? Check out our premium templates today and enjoy 50% OFF all templates with the code “SSP.”
Related: