Create a brochure in Google Slides: start with a plan
Before you begin creating a brochure in Google Slides, decide on its purpose, audience, content, and—if it will be printed—the dimensions and folding guide required by your printer. Slides lets you use presentation themes, slide layouts, backgrounds, text boxes, and images; however, having these tools available does not mean your design will automatically fit a particular brochure print size or folding format. Get the technical specifications from your printer.
Sketching out the brochure panels and reading order in advance can make it easier to place the content. This is a design suggestion, not a claim that Google Slides offers a dedicated panel template for brochures.
Choose a presentation and starting layout
On a computer, open Google Slides and create a new presentation, or work on an existing one. According to Google’s help documentation, a theme consists of preset colors, fonts, backgrounds, and layouts. To change the theme, go to Slide > Change theme in the presentation and choose a theme on the right. To change a slide layout, select the slide, open the Layout menu, and choose a suitable layout. Menu names may vary depending on the interface language. Theme and layout settings
If you want to use a template, Google’s guide describes choosing one on a computer from File > New > From template gallery. It also notes that the template gallery feature is available in the English (United States) locale. If you don’t see a suitable option for your brochure in the gallery, continue with a blank presentation or an existing theme. Not finding a suitable template in the gallery does not prevent you from building the panels yourself in Slides. Using templates in Google Slides
Decide on the panel order
First, decide how many sides and panels the brochure will have. For example, if you’re considering a tri-fold design, note the positions of the cover, inside panels, and back using your printer’s folding guide. Treating each panel as a separate slide can be a way to work on the design; don’t assume this will automatically determine the print dimensions or order. Arrange the slides by comparing them with your printer’s instructions.
In Google Slides, you can add new slides, choose different layouts, and insert text boxes and images. Google’s getting-started guide explains how to add a new slide and use a text box or image from the Insert menu. Create and edit a presentation
Example: a fictional neighborhood bakery brochure
Hypothetical example: Imagine you’re creating a tri-fold promotional brochure for a fictional business called “Corner Bakery.” The content and information below are examples only; they don’t refer to a real business.
- Cover: The heading “Your neighborhood bakery” and a product photo.
- Inside panel 1: A short introduction to the bakery. For example, “Bread prepared in the shop every morning.” Verify a claim like this with the business before including it in a real brochure.
- Inside panel 2: The names and short descriptions of three products you want to highlight.
- Inside panel 3: A brief call to action for the reader: “Stop by today.”
- Back: The address, opening hours, and contact information. Verify these before publication.
Write the main message for each panel first, then place the text boxes and images. The number of products in the example is only an example for planning content, not a limit in Google Slides. If a panel looks crowded, try removing repetition and secondary information before reducing the text size.
Arrange text, images, and backgrounds
Using similar formatting for similar content across panels can help keep the brochure cohesive. Distinguish headings, descriptions, and contact details, and check that text and images don’t overlap. Don’t guess at a safe area or margin for content near fold lines: confirm these measurements with your printer.
According to Google’s help documentation, you can change a slide’s background color or image by going to Slide > Change background. You can apply a color to a single slide or add it as a theme color. The help page specifies that background images must be in .gif, .jpg, or .png format and smaller than 50 MB. These technical requirements apply to background images; they do not replace the image specifications required by your printer. Background settings
Preview and check the print file
Get the dimensions, folding order, and accepted file format from your printer, then compare the final design with this information. According to Google’s current printing guide, with a presentation open on a computer, you can select File > Print; the presentation’s PDF file will download automatically. The guide also notes that you can choose a landscape handout layout from the print preview options. The availability of these options does not prove that the brochure panels will automatically be arranged in the right order or at your printer’s required custom size. Open the PDF and check the page view, then confirm the details with your printer before sending it for printing. Print a file in Google Slides
If the panel order is unclear: Add temporary labels such as “Cover” and “Back” to the slide names while designing, then compare the final order with the folding guide.
If text is cramped: Shorten it or remove less important information. Consider simplifying the content rather than shrinking it until it becomes hard to read.
If the template isn’t suitable: Try another theme or arrange the panels yourself in a blank presentation. The options available in the gallery may vary by locale.
Final checklist
- Got the print dimensions and folding guide from the printer.
- Checked the order of the cover, inside panels, and back.
- Verified product, address, hours, and contact information.
- Text and images do not overlap, and the content is readable.
- Compared the downloaded PDF with the printer’s requirements.
Do I need a ready-made Google Slides template for a brochure?
No. If you find a suitable template, you can use it as a starting point; if not, you can arrange the panels yourself using a theme or a blank presentation. Options in the template gallery may depend on your locale.
Does Google Slides’ print preview guarantee that my brochure is ready to print?
No. Check the preview and PDF, and separately compare the dimensions, panel order, and file requirements with your printer’s instructions.
For similar multi-panel publications, you can also read How to design a newsletter in Google Slides and Create a digital book with Google Slides.
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