Michael Anderson
Former journalist turned tech writer with a passion for helping professionals enhance productivity through AI.
Introduction
Picture yourself working on a Google Slides presentation, and it’s all coming together nicely. But then, one slide stumps you. It has a tall infographic or timeline, and the usual landscape mode looks wrong. You want portrait mode to make it sharp and clean. Does this ring a bell? If you’ve ever needed to rotate a slide, you’re in the right spot. It’s simpler than it seems. I’ll guide you through each step clearly.
Google Slides is great for making cool presentations. But sometimes the usual wide layout doesn’t work. You might be creating for print, phones, or just want a fun twist. This post will show you two easy ways: one to switch all slides’ orientation and another to mix portrait and landscape slides in one presentation. Let’s jump in! You’ll get your slides looking just right.
Understanding Slide Orientation
First things first—what does slide orientation even mean? In Google Slides, it’s all about how your slide is laid out: wide (landscape mode) or tall (portrait mode).
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Landscape Mode: This is the standard setup in Google Slides, typically with a 16:9 ratio. It’s wider than it is tall, ideal for widescreen projectors, monitors, or TVs—like for work presentations or school lectures.
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Portrait Mode: Here, the slide is taller than it is wide, like a 9:16 ratio. It’s great for vertical stuff like timelines, tall images, or anything you’d print on regular paper, like A4.
Why rotate slides? Portrait mode can make vertical content shine, improve readability for handouts, or just add a fresh twist to your presentation design. Mixing both orientations can also shake things up and keep your audience engaged.
Method 1: Changing Orientation for the Entire Presentation
If you want all your slides to match—whether landscape or portrait—this is the easiest way to go. It’s fast and keeps everything consistent.
Here’s how to do it:
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Open your Google Slides presentation.
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Click File at the top.
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Choose Page Setup from the dropdown.
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A box pops up showing the current setup (probably Widescreen 16:9).
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Click the dropdown and pick Custom.
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Switch the width and height numbers. For example, if it’s 10 inches wide by 5.62 inches tall (landscape), flip it to 5.62 inches wide by 10 inches tall for portrait.
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Hit Apply, and you’re done—every slide updates to the new orientation.
Super simple, right? This works best when you want a uniform style, like for a printed booklet or a mobile-friendly slideshow.
Quick Tips:
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This changes all slides, so it’s perfect for a consistent look.
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To switch back, just go to Page Setup again and pick a preset like Widescreen 16:9.
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For printing, try custom sizes like 21.4 cm by 29.7 cm to match A4 paper.
Method 2: Workaround for Mixed Orientations
What if you want to rotate just one or two slides, not all of them? Google Slides doesn’t allow mixing orientations on its own. There’s a simple trick that works well. You can get the job done easily.
Here’s the step-by-step:
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Start a new Google Slides presentation—just a blank one.
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Go to File > Page Setup > Custom and set it to your desired orientation (like 5.62 inches wide by 10 inches tall for portrait).
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Design your slide—add text, images, whatever you need.
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When it’s ready, download it as an image: File > Download > PNG.
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Head back to your main presentation (probably in landscape mode).
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Add a new blank slide where you want the rotated one to go.
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Upload the PNG: Insert > Image > Upload from computer, then pick your file.
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If it’s not positioned right, click the image, go to Arrange > Rotate, and choose Rotate 90 degrees clockwise (or counterclockwise).
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Resize it to fit the slide nicely.
Boom—you’ve got a portrait slide in your landscape presentation!
Things to Know:
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The image is fixed, so you can’t edit the text or elements after inserting it. If you need changes, tweak the original slide, re-download, and re-insert.
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This is great for static slides, like handouts or visuals that won’t change.
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Heads-up: In Present mode, the rotated image might get cropped a bit, so this trick works better for non-presented formats.
Tips and Best Practices
Now that you’ve got the how-to down, here’s some advice to make your slides pop:
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When to Use Portrait Mode:
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Perfect for vertical content like timelines, tall infographics, or detailed charts.
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Awesome for printing on standard paper (A4 or Letter) or mobile-friendly designs.
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Adds a creative vibe to storytelling slides.
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When to Use Landscape Mode:
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Best for widescreen setups like projectors or TVs.
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Ideal for wide content, like side-by-side comparisons or big graphs.
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Design Pointers:
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After switching orientations, tweak text boxes and images so everything looks clean and readable.
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Try templates made for portrait or landscape to save time and keep it professional.
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Play around with both orientations to see what suits your content best.
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Extra Tools:
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No add-ons exist for mixed orientations, but check the Google Workspace Marketplace for design helpers like image editors or layout tools.
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Conclusion
Rotating slides in Google Slides might feel like a puzzle at first, but with these two methods, you’re all set. Whether you’re flipping your whole presentation with Page Setup or mixing it up with the PNG workaround, you can make your slides match your vision.
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In a Nutshell:
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For a full switch, use Page Setup to tweak width and height.
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For variety, design a separate slide, save it as an image, and pop it into your main deck.
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Try it out now! Rotating slides can make your presentation pop and fit your ideas perfectly. It’s a simple trick. You can stick with a cool landscape style or switch to a striking portrait look—Google Slides makes it easy. Have fun creating!
FAQ: Rotating Slides in Google Slides
Q1: Can I rotate a single slide to portrait mode while keeping others landscape?
Short answer: Not directly. Google Slides doesn’t natively support mixed orientations in one deck. But there’s a clever PNG workaround: Design your vertical slide in a separate file, save it as an image, then insert and rotate it in your main presentation. Just remember—it won’t be editable text anymore.
Q2: Why change slide orientation? When should I use portrait vs. landscape?
Use portrait mode for tall content like timelines, infographics, or mobile viewing—it’s perfect for print-friendly handouts (think A4/Letter paper). Stick with landscape orientation for widescreen projectors, TVs, or side-by-side comparisons. Rotating slides boosts visual impact!
Q3: Will rotating my entire presentation mess up my existing slides?
Yes! Switching orientation via File > Page Setup > Custom affects every slide. Text boxes and images may overlap or resize. Pro tip: Do this before designing your deck or tweak layouts afterward. For quick fixes, use Ctrl+Z (Undo)!
Q4: Can I rotate a slide 90 degrees without using images?
Sadly, no. Unlike PowerPoint, Google Slides lacks a “rotate slide” button. The only method is the image workaround: Export your slide as a PNG/JPEG, insert it, then use Arrange > Rotate to flip it. Bonus: This trick also works for angled designs!
Q5: What are the downsides to using the PNG method?
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No post-insert edits: Need changes? Update the original slide, re-export, and reinsert.
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Potential cropping: In Present mode, edges might get cut off. Test in full screen!
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File bloat: Too many high-res images slow down your deck.
Q6: How do I make portrait slides look professional?
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Use portrait-friendly templates (search for “vertical slide templates”).
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Match custom dimensions to standard paper sizes (e.g., 8.5″ x 11″ for US Letter).
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Increasing font sizes—vertical space feels different!
Q7: Can I present portrait slides on my mobile without cropping?
Yes! Mobile viewers see portrait slides perfectly. For projectors: If your slide looks cropped, zoom out in Presenter view or use Google Slides’ mobile app for on-the-go displays.
Q8: Does changing orientation affect printing?
Absolutely. Portrait mode = ideal for printing handouts, brochures, or posters. In Page Setup, match dimensions to your paper (e.g., 21.59 x 27.94 cm for A4). Landscape stays best for digital screens.
Q9: What’s the fastest way to revert to landscape?
Go to File > Page Setup and select Widescreen (16:9). But warning: This resizes all slides. For mixed-deck PNGs, just delete the image slides.
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