Michael Anderson
Former journalist turned tech writer with a passion for helping professionals enhance productivity through AI.
Introduction
Fonts can completely change how your Google Slides presentation feels. They help set the mood and make your text easy to read. Good fonts also make your slides look clean and professional. A lot of people wonder if they can use their own fonts, like .ttf or .otf files. Here’s the thing—Google Slides doesn’t let you upload fonts directly. But don’t worry! There are still some easy ways to get the fonts you need.
In this guide, I’ll walk you through simple, beginner-friendly tricks to level up your slides with awesome typography.
Why Google Slides Doesn’t Allow Font Uploads
Ever wonder why you can’t just upload your favorite font to Google Slides? Here’s the deal: Google Slides uses web fonts that live online, so everyone sees the same thing no matter what device they’re using. This is super helpful for team projects – your colleague in Tokyo will see your slides exactly as you designed them, even if that fancy font isn’t on their computer.
While PowerPoint uses fonts installed on your computer (like that custom one from your branding team), Google Slides prioritizes consistency over customization. That’s the trade-off for making collaboration smoother. The upside? No more font mismatches! And don’t stress – there are still plenty of ways to get creative with typefaces.
Method 1: Use Google’s Font Collection
The easiest way to get more fonts in Google Slides is through the “More Fonts” option. This connects you to Google Fonts, a huge library of free fonts that work perfectly in presentations.
How to Add Google Fonts
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Open Your Slides: Start by opening your Google Slides presentation.
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Pick or Add a Text Box: Click on a text box or create a new one for your text.
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Open the Font Menu: In the toolbar, click the font name to see the dropdown list.
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Choose “More Fonts”: Look for “More fonts” at the top or bottom of the list and click it.
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Explore Fonts: A window will pop up with tons of fonts. Scroll to browse, search for a specific font by name, or use filters to sort by type (like Serif or Handwriting).
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Select Fonts: Click a font to add it to your “My fonts” list. You can pick as many as you want.
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Save Your Choices: Click “OK” to close the window. Your new fonts will now show up in the font dropdown for your presentation.
Tip: Check Out Google Fonts Online
The “More Fonts” window is handy, but the Google Fonts website is way better for exploring. You can type your own text to preview how a font looks, try out styles like bold or italic, and sort by stuff like font thickness. When you find one you love, just jot down its name and look it up in the “More Fonts” window in Google Slides. It’s an easy way to pick the perfect font without any fuss.
Why This Is Awesome
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Free and Easy: Google Fonts are free, and adding them takes just a few clicks.
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Works for Everyone: These fonts are web-based, so they’ll look the same for anyone who views or edits your slides.
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Use Them Anywhere: Fonts you add in Slides also work in Google Docs and Sheets, keeping your projects consistent.
Things to Keep in Mind
When working with Google Fonts, remember you can’t use custom branded fonts – if your project requires something unique like that, you’ll need to look elsewhere. The library does offer tons of options, but try not to go font-crazy. Most designs actually look better when you keep it simple with just one or two typefaces.
Method 2: Get Creative with Custom Fonts
If you must use a font that’s not in Google Fonts—like a special font for your brand—you can work around the upload limit. The best way is to turn your text into an image using your custom font and then add that image to your slides.
Option A: Make Text into an Image
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Pick a Design Tool: Use a program like Photoshop, or even PowerPoint where your custom font is installed.
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Create Your Text: Type your text and pick your special font, then play with the size, color, or style to make it your own.
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Save as an Image: Turn your text into a PNG file with a clear background. This helps it fit perfectly with your slide’s style. (JPEGs work too, but they’ll have a solid background.)
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Add to Google Slides:
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In your presentation, go to “Insert” > “Image” > “Upload from computer.”
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Upload your PNG, then move and resize it on the slide.
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Option B: Use Google Drawings
If you want to stick with Google’s tools, try Google Drawings.
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Go to Google Drawings: Visit Google Drawings.
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Add Your Text: Click the “Text box” tool and type your text.
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Style It: Pick a font from Google Drawings’ list (similar to Slides’ fonts) and adjust the look.
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Save as an Image: Go to “File” > “Download” > “PNG image” for a transparent background.
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Insert in Slides: In Google Slides, go to “Insert” > “Image” > “Upload from computer” and add your PNG.
Why These Tricks Work
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Perfect Font Match: You get the exact font you want, great for branding or special designs.
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Looks the Same Everywhere: Images don’t rely on fonts, so they’ll look consistent for all viewers.
Downsides to Consider
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Can’t Edit Text: The text becomes an image, so you can’t change it in Google Slides. You’ll need to edit it in your design tool and re-upload.
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Accessibility: Screen readers can’t read images, so this might cause problems for some people viewing your slides.
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Bigger File Size: Adding lots of images can make your presentation file larger.
A Quick Warning About Other Tricks
You might read about copying text from Google Docs or importing PowerPoint slides with custom fonts, but these don’t work reliably. Fonts often switch to defaults when someone else views your slides, especially in shared presentations, so they’re not a good choice.
Tips for Awesome Fonts in Your Slides
To make your fonts shine, here are some practical pointers:
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Keep It Readable: Pick clear fonts like Roboto or Lato for body text. Use fancy fonts sparingly for titles.
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Mix Fonts Smartly: Stick to just two fonts. Use one for your titles and one for your main text. Try pairing a serif font, like Merriweather, with a sans-serif font, like Open Sans. The mix helps your slides look clean and easy to read.
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Use Master Slides: Go to “Slide” > “Edit theme” to set fonts for your whole presentation. It saves time and keeps things consistent.
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Test on Different Screens: If you can, view your slides on a few devices to make sure the fonts look good.
Conclusion
You can’t upload .ttf or .otf files to Google Slides. But that doesn’t mean you’re stuck with boring fonts. The “More Fonts” button let you choose from lots of free Google Fonts. There are plenty of styles to make your slides look great. Want to use a special font that’s not on the list? You can turn your text into an image instead. Just know you won’t be able to edit it afterward. With a bit of creativity and clever font picks, your slides can look sharp and show off your style. Play around with different ideas, enjoy the process, and make your next presentation pop!
FAQ
Q: Can I upload my own font files (.ttf/.otf) to Google Slides?
A: Nope, and here’s why it’s actually a good thing: Google Slides uses web fonts to make sure your presentation looks identical on your coworker’s laptop in Chicago and your client’s tablet in Tokyo. But don’t worry – you’ve got options! The “More Fonts” menu is packed with hundreds of freebies, and there’s always the text-as-image trick for those must-have custom fonts.
Q: What’s the easiest way to get new fonts in Slides?
A: Click that magical “More Fonts” button hiding in your toolbar. It’s like opening a free font buffet – scroll through categories (we’re partial to the “Display” fonts for titles), check boxes, and boom – new fonts appear in your menu. Takes 30 seconds tops.
Q: Help! My team needs our exact brand font. Any workaround?
A: Time to play designer! Create your text in Photoshop/PowerPoint using your branded font, save as PNG (transparent background FTW!), then drag it into Slides. Pro tip: Make a template slide with all your branded elements – saves hours on repeat projects.
Q: Will my custom font images look blurry?
A: Only if you skimp on quality. When exporting from design tools:
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Set resolution to 300 PPI
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Save as PNG (better for text)
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Make text boxes 20% bigger than needed Crisp text every time, even on projector screens.
Q: Can I edit text after turning it into an image?
A: That’s the catch – you’re stuck with that text. Always keep:
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Original design files (.psd/.ai)
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A text-only version in your notes
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Version history turned ON in Slides Mistakes happen to everyone – better safe than sorry!
Q: What font combos won’t make my slides look like a circus?
A: Our go-to duos:
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Roboto (headers) + Open Sans (body) – Clean AF
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Playfair Display (titles) + Lato (text) – Classy meets readable
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Montserrat (everything) – When in doubt, go minimalist Remember: Two fonts max. Your audience isn’t here for a typography marathon.
Q: Why does my imported PowerPoint font keep changing?
A: Classic Slides vs. PowerPoint drama! Slides replaces any non-Google fonts with defaults. Fix it by:
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Converting key text to images BEFORE importing
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Using Google Font equivalents
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Leaving font notes in the speaker comments
Q: Any secret font hacks for better presentations?
A: Glad you asked!
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Dark mode trick: Use bolder fonts on dark backgrounds
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Animation cheat: Make custom font images “appear” with slide transitions
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Accessibility win: Paste actual text in notes section for screen readers
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Font psychology: Tech presentation? Stick to sans-serifs. Creative pitch? Handwriting fonts = instant personality
Q: Do these methods work in Google Docs too?
A: Mostly! The “More Fonts” magic works across Google’s apps. The image trick? Perfect for Docs headers. But remember – Docs has better text formatting, so save the fancy stuff for when you really need it.
Q: What’s the biggest font mistake you see?
A: Death by variety! We once saw a slide with SEVEN fonts – it looked like a ransom note. Stick to our 2-font rule, use size/bold/color variations, and your slides will thank you. Bonus tip: If your font choice gets more attention than your content – you’re doing it wrong.
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