Print speaker notes
To print speaker notes with your slides in Google Slides, open the presentation on your computer. The official instructions say to open File > Print settings and preview, choose the 1 slide with notes layout from the toolbar, and click Print. Then select your print settings in the window that opens and click Print again. If your interface is in another language, the option names may look different. Google’s instructions for printing a presentation explicitly mention this layout with notes.
Review your notes before printing
Before printing, open the presentation and check that the notes fields contain the text you need in the printout. This is a practical check to prepare your content; there is no required format for editing notes. If you like, shorten long explanations while preserving their meaning, and review proper names, dates, and slide order. To see how the notes will look in the print layout, also check the print preview, in addition to the text in your presentation.
If you need instructions for adding or editing speaker notes, see the guide to using speaker notes in Google Slides. Printing notes and displaying them on screen during a presentation are separate processes: Google’s instructions for displaying notes during a presentation explain how to open notes through Presenter view; this does not replace the print setting.
Check the layout with notes and the preview
After selecting 1 slide with notes, click Print and review the print window that opens. Use the preview or other controls provided to check whether the slides and notes will appear in the printout as you want. Don’t assume that every page will necessarily look the same or that notes won’t be cut off; verify the result using your own presentation and print settings.
If you notice a problem, check the selected layout and the settings in the print window again before printing. You can also check whether there is text in the notes field in the presentation. These checks can help narrow down the source of the problem; they are not guaranteed fixes for a particular issue.
Orientation and paper options
Google’s instructions show the Handout > Landscape option in Print settings and preview for setting the orientation. The layout specified separately for printing with notes is 1 slide with notes. Don’t treat these two instructions as a single required setting: select the layout with notes, and if you change an orientation setting, check the result again before printing. Follow the options shown in your menu.
If you can select the paper size or orientation in the print window that opens, set these according to the printer and paper you’ll use. For example, if you’ll use A4 paper, check that A4 is selected when the option is available. The name and presentation of these settings may vary depending on the print window; if a particular option isn’t shown, don’t act as if it is available.
Save as a PDF or print on paper
After selecting the layout with notes and moving to the print window, you can select your printer from the available destinations to get a physical copy. If you want a PDF copy, check whether Save as PDF or a similar option is available among the destinations. Google’s instructions explain selecting settings in the print window and printing; they don’t guarantee that the PDF option will be available in the same way on every device or in every window. So don’t present PDF as a guaranteed feature: use the option if it appears, and check the available destinations if it doesn’t.
If you save a PDF, open the file and review the pages. Confirm that the slides and notes appear as you want and that the page order is correct. This final check helps you spot potential layout issues before using the saved file.
Example: Prepare a meeting presentation
Hypothetical example: A four-slide project meeting presentation includes an agenda, current status, open issues, and next steps. Each slide has notes to refer to while speaking. Open the presentation on your computer, go to Print settings and preview, and select 1 slide with notes. Then click Print to review the destinations and settings in the window that opens. If you’ll use A4 paper, check that A4 is selected if a paper size option is available. If you need to change the orientation, apply the available option and review the preview again. If a PDF destination appears, save and open the file; if you want a physical copy, select your printer. Make your final decision after checking how your presentation and printout look.
Troubleshooting
Notes aren’t showing in the printout: Check whether 1 slide with notes is selected in the print settings and whether the notes field for the relevant slide contains text.
The layout isn’t what you expected: Review the selected layout and the settings available in the print window; after making a change, check the preview again. Verify your own printout rather than guessing what the result will be.
The PDF destination isn’t showing: Check the print destinations actually available in the window that opens. Don’t assume that the PDF option will have the same name or location everywhere.
Final check before printing
- Have you selected the 1 slide with notes layout?
- Have you checked the destination and available settings in the print window that opens?
- If a paper size option is available, does it match the paper you’re using?
- If you changed the orientation, have you reviewed the layout again?
- If you need a PDF, is the PDF destination actually shown?
- Have you checked the saved file or the printout?
Frequently asked questions
#### Can I print all slides with notes?
Google’s instructions recommend selecting the 1 slide with notes layout for printing with notes. Review the results for your presentation in the preview or using the available controls before printing.
#### Can I print the notes on a separate page from the slide?
The official printing instructions here explain the 1 slide with notes layout; they don’t specify how to put notes on a separate page. If you see such an option in the print settings, check what it does in your current interface; don’t assume that a feature not listed is available.
Related application guides
You can find more detail on the relevant step in this process in the guide Google Slides speaker notes disappeared.
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