A timer isn’t something you typically expect in Google Slides, but using it can significantly enhance the professional look of presentations. Knowing how to insert a timer into Google Slides is something that users can greatly benefit from — even if the platform lacks a direct feature for it.
To make your slides automatically advance during presentations, you can use the “Autoplay” function (which you can find under the “Options” menu when in “Slideshow mode.”
There are various other ways to improve this feature. Let’s dive right in!
Table of Contents
How Does a Timer for Google Slides Work?
Google Slides doesn’t have a built-in timer function, but there are two ways you can enable a timer-like functionality in your presentation:
- Use the “Autoplay” feature to automatically advance slides during a presentation.
- Add a third-party video or animated GIF on a slide to display an on-screen timer.
However, it lacks visual timers to indicate when the slides will advance. To address this, you can insert a timer video from YouTube into your slides to provide a visual countdown. Although Google Slides doesn’t offer a native timer, incorporating a timer video can enhance your presentation and keep you and your audience on track.
How To Insert a Timer to Google Slides Using Autoplay Function
The Autoplay function in Google Slides allows you to skip manually changing slides during presentations. When adding a timer to Google Slides, you can choose between one second and one minute before your presentation auto-advances.
This function is especially useful when you don’t have the ability to advance your slides (or don’t have anyone to control your presentation while you’re presenting). You can also use this function for quizzes where your audience is given a limited amount of time to view and respond to questions.
To use the Autoplay function in Google Slides, follow these steps:
- Open Google Slides and create a new presentation or open an existing one.
- In the top-right corner of the Google Slides window, you’ll find the “Slideshow” button beside the “Share” button. Right-click to select.
- To enter “Slideshow” mode, use the Slideshow shortcut keys Ctrl + F5 (Windows) or Command + F5 (Mac).
- Once in Slideshow mode, hover your mouse over the bottom-left corner of the screen. Click on the “ellipsis” icon, which represents the Slideshow options menu.
- From the options menu, select “Autoplay.“
- Select an Autoplay timing for your slides. You can choose between “Every second” and “Every minute.”
- After selecting the Autoplay timing, open the Slideshow options menu again and navigate to “Autoplay.” Select “Play” to initiate the slideshow with the newly configured Autoplay timing.
How To Embed a Timer in Google Slides
There will be times when the Autoplay function in Google Slides won’t be sufficient, and having a visual timer on your slideshow is preferable.
Unlike PowerPoint (where you can use an animate feature to create a visual timer), there is no Embed Timer function integrated into Google Slides. However, you can use the “Insert” tool to import or add a video timer from YouTube and other video-sharing websites.
Simply follow these steps:
- Go to YouTube or other video-sharing websites.
- Search for a timer video. Be specific about finding a video that matches your presentation’s theme (e.g., “5-minute timer with classroom theme and no music”).
Note: You can also check Google Images for timer GIFs instead. It will work the same way as a video but always play on a loop. That means you won’t be able to pause, play, or rewind: It will autoplay and repeat whenever you replay the slide.
- Copy the link to the YouTube video or save the timer GIF.
- Open Google Slides and either create a new presentation or open an existing one.
- Select the slide where you want the video timer to go.
- Insert the YouTube video by selecting “Insert” > “Video.”
- Select the “YouTube” tab in the Insert Video window, then paste the link in the address bar. In the search results, select the YouTube video that will appear.
- Click “Insert” to embed the video into your slide.
- Adjust the size of the video on your slide as needed.
- Modify the video’s timer and play settings. Right-click on the video and select “Format Options.” On the right-hand side of your Google Slides window, customize the timer and play settings of the video (e.g., mute, resize, reposition).
What Play Settings Can I Choose?
- Play (automatically): This option will automatically start playing the video as soon as the slide appears in the slideshow.
- Play (manually): The video will pause until you manually click the Play button.
- Play (on click): You’ll initiate the video playback by clicking anywhere on the slide. This is particularly useful when using a wireless remote, clicker, or mouse.
Related: How To Change Slide Size in Google Slides [Easy Guide]
Benefits of Adding a Timer to Google Slides
Once you learn how to insert a timer in Google Slides, you can significantly enhance the overall quality of your presentations. A timer can help control the time spent on each slide — perfect if you have limited presentation time.
It’s also an excellent way to let your audience know how much time they have left to answer a question or read a slide. Before your presentation starts, you can also use a timer to alert your audience that you’re about to start.
Related: Learn How to Draw on Google Slides in 2 Minutes (Too Easy)
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do You Make a 20-Second Timer on Google Slides?
To auto-advance slides in Google Slides after 20 seconds, use the “Publish to Web” function. Simply follow these steps:
- Go to “File” > “Share” > “Publish to Web” > “Auto-advance Slide.”
- Select “Every 10 seconds” from the available options.
- After publishing, you will receive a generated public link.
- Edit the public link and find the section at the end that says “delayms=10000.”
- Modify the value from “10000“ to “20000,” indicating a delay of 20 seconds instead of 10.
How Do You Add a Timer to Google Slides Without YouTube?
To add a timer to your Google Slides presentation without using YouTube, use the AutoPlay function. This feature allows your slides to advance automatically without informing you or your audience.
To add a timer using the AutoPlay function in Google Slides, follow these steps:
- Open your Google Slides presentation.
- Click on the “Slideshow” button (top-right corner of the window) or use the shortcut keys Ctrl + F5 (Windows) or Command + F5 (Mac).
- Hover your mouse over the screen’s bottom-left corner and click the “ellipsis” icon to access the “Slideshow options” menu.
- From the options menu, select “Autoplay” and choose the timing interval for slide transitions (e.g., Every second, Every minute).
Can You Play a Timer Video on Google Slides While Offline?
Yes, you can play a timer video on Google Slides while offline. You’ll need to download the YouTube video and insert it as a video file into your presentation (instead of using the YouTube video link).
To play a timer video on Google Slides while offline, follow these steps:
- Find a timer video on YouTube.
- Use a YouTube video downloader tool to download the video file to your computer. Ensure that you comply with the terms of service and copyright regulations when downloading videos.
- Open your Google Slides presentation and locate the slide where you’ll insert the timer.
- Click “Insert” > “Video.”
- In the video insertion dialog box, upload the video file from your computer.
- Locate and select the downloaded timer video file.
- Resize and reposition the video and adjust settings (e.g., autoplay, looping) by right-clicking on the video and selecting “Format options.”
Final Thoughts
It’s never been easier to ensure a smooth, well-timed presentation. We hope you’ve learned how to insert a timer into Google Slides with ease!
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