Got an upcoming presentation, but don't have the time to design your slides from scratch? Google Slides has a solution - custom templates. Not only do they save time, but they also allow you to maintain a consistent look and feel throughout your slides. Here's how to create your own custom template in Google Slides.
First off, let's clear one thing: Google Slides doesn't offer a built-in template creation feature. But don't worry, we'll guide you through a workaround using a hack that involves making a copy of your presentation as a template.
Creating Your Custom Template
Alright, let's dive straight into creating your custom template. Remember, you'll be creating a master slide first, and then using it as a base for your template.
Designing Your Master Slide
Start by formatting the slides in the presentation you want to use as a base. Make sure to include your brand's color scheme, font styles, logo placement, and any other design elements you want tokeep consistent.
Once you're satisfied with the look, select all the slides (except the cover or title slide) and then go to the 'Slide' menu. Here, click on 'Edit Master' to open the master slide editor.
Duplicating the Master Slide
In the Master slide editor, it's a good idea to duplicate the slides first to avoid losing the original ones. Select the slide and then click on 'Duplicate slide' at the top. Name this new slide (like 'Slide Master') and hit 'Save & Close'.
Now, you can use this as your template, but remember, any changes you make to the master slide will apply to all the slides in the presentation. So, use this feature wisely.
Setting Up Your Template
With your master slide all set up, it's time to turn it into a template. Here's how:
Renaming Your Presentation
First, rename your presentation to include 'Template' in the title. This ensures everyone knows not to use this directly as a presentation.
Here's the catch: Google Slides templates aren't auto-discoverable. If you want others to use your template, you'll need to share the link. We'll cover this later.
Hiding Confidential Information
If your presentation contains sensitive information, make sure to hide or remove it before turning it into a template. You don't want anyone who uses your template to have access to that data.
Once everything's set, you're ready to share your template. Here's how to do it:
Click on the 'Share' button at the top right corner. Set the sharing permissions to 'Anyone with the link can view'. Now, anyone with the link can use your template to create their presentation. They just need to find the 'Template gallery' in Google Slides, where they can search for your template by its title.
Remember, this is Google's workaround for creating custom templates. While it's not perfect, it serves the purpose and can save you time in creating consistent and branded presentations. Happy templating!