“With the new pen tool, you can circle, underline, draw connections or make quick notes directly on your presentation,” Google said.
The tool will allow users to highlight or emphasise key content while they are presenting inGoogle Slides.
“Whether in a board meeting or a brainstorming session, annotations can help make your presentations more engaging, interactive and impactful,” it added.
The feature is similar to Microsoft PowerPoint which has long enabled users to doodle on their decks.
How to access the tool
Google says that users can access the tool from the three-dot menu available on the bottom left of the screen while presenting.
- Open ‘slideshow mode’ by clicking the ‘Slideshow’ button in the app bar
- Mouse over the bottom-left side of the viewer and open the three-dot menu by clicking on the ellipsis icon
- Select “Turn on the pen”. There are four pen colours to choose from: blue, red, green, and black.
- To erase annotations, use the eraser tool in the bottom left viewer menu.
Availability
The feature will be rolling out to most Google Slides users (Scheduled Release domains) in the two weeks starting August 23. For rapid release domains, the rollout has already started. Annotations will be available to all Google Slides users.
Earlier this year, Google brought its AI prowess to Slides. It added a Help me visualise panel on the right side of the screen that lets users enter prompts and get image responses.
Users can then add a “Style,” with choices including Photography, Illustration, Flat lay, Background, and Clipart.