Michael Anderson
Former journalist turned tech writer with a passion for helping professionals enhance productivity through AI.
Introduction
Your slide has a killer image—but half your audience is squinting at the wrong corner. Highlighting a specific area shouldn’t require neon arrows, clunky circles, or yelling “LOOK HERE!” through your mic.
Making the picture parts of your presentation stand out will better capture the audience’s attention. This guide will show you how to do this effectively. Follow these steps to enhance your Google Slides presentation with highlighted images.
Your slides won’t just show information. They’ll control the narrative.
How to highlight part of a picture in Google Slides
Step 1: Insert an Image
Open Google Slides. Then, open the presentation where you want to put an image and go to the exact slide for the insertion.
Insert an Image: First, click “Insert” in the top menu. Then, select “Image”. You can choose “Upload from computer”. There are also other options like “Search the web” or “Google Photos”. After you’ve picked your image, click “Insert”.
Step 2: Duplicate the Image
Click on the image to select it, and then use the shortcut key Ctrl+D to duplicate the image (on Mac devices, use Cmd+D).
Step 3: Crop the Duplicated Image
Click on the duplicated image. Next, find the “Crop Image” icon in the toolbar. It looks like a cropping tool. Drag the black cropping handles. This isolates the part of the image you want to highlight. Press “Enter” or click outside the image. That applies to the crop.
Step 4: Add a Shape or Border to Highlight the Area
Click on the cropped image. Go to “Insert” in the top menu, select “Shape”, and then choose a shape that suits your needs (such as a rectangle or a circle). Draw the shape around the area you want to highlight.
Click on the shape. Then, use the toolbar options. Adjust the fill color, border color, and transparency with these options. A transparent fill with a bright border color is usually great for highlighting.
Step 5: Adjust the Original Image
Select the original image. To make the rest of the image less prominent, click on “Format options” in the toolbar. Adjust the “Recolor”, “Transparency”, or “Brightness” settings to fade the remaining part of the image.
Step 6: Align the Highlighted Area
Align the Images: Make sure the cropped image is accurately placed over the corresponding area of the original image. If necessary, use the “Arrange” option in the toolbar to assist with the alignment.
Group the Elements: Select the original image and the highlighted image, right-click, and then choose “Group”. This will ensure that they move together as a single unit if you need to reposition them on the slide.
Wrap-Up
Your slides now have a built-in spotlight. No more arrow chaos or shouting matches with confused audiences.
Quick pro checks:
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Faded background image enough? Try 40% transparency.
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Border color clashing? Match it to your slide’s accent palette.
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Still distracting? Shrink the highlighted area by 10%.
Go test it live. If people’s eyes land exactly where you want, mission accomplished.
FAQ
Q: How do I keep the highlight aligned when resizing slides? A: Always group the original and cropped images. Right-click > Group locks their positions.
Q: Can I highlight irregular shapes (like stars)? A: Yes! Use the Polyline tool under shapes to trace custom areas. Keep it simple—complex shapes get messy.
Q: My cropped section won’t stay in place. Help! A: Nudge it pixel by pixel using arrow keys while holding Shift. Slides can be stubborn.
Q: What if I hate the highlight effect? A: Click the grouped objects > Ungroup delete the cropped part. Your original image stays safe.
Q: Does this work with animated slides? A: Surprise! Add a Fade In animation to the highlighted area. (But don’t overdo it—unless your boss loves disco lights.)
Q: Will highlights look bad when printed? A: Test a PDF export. If borders get fuzzy, thicken them by 1-2pts before printing.
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