← All articles
Google Slides Guides

Google Slides zoom presenter view

Learn how to share Google Slides presenter view in Zoom, choose the right screen or window, and check that speaker notes aren’t visible to participants.

Draw Editorial Team5 min read

Purpose and scope

Google Slides presenter view can show your notes while displaying the slides to participants. However, which window or screen you share in Zoom matters: if you select the area containing presenter view, your notes may also be visible. So choose the target screen before sharing starts and, if possible, check the participant view. This is a practical check, not a guarantee that one setup will produce the same result on every computer and Zoom version.

Choose your screen setup

If you’re using two screens: Google Slides’ multiple-screen options let you open presenter view and the slideshow on different screens. The prerequisites Google specifies for this feature are a computer, the Chrome browser, and at least one additional connected screen. Chrome may ask for permission to use multiple screens; in Google Slides, you can choose which screen displays the presentation. This applies to the presentation setup in Google Slides; you must separately choose what to share in Zoom.

If you’re using one screen: Google says that “Presenter view” and “Full screen” cannot be used together on the same screen. In this case, check what’s visible in Zoom before sharing presenter view. If you need to follow your notes, using a separate device or printed notes may be a practical option. These are suggestions for your setup, not methods required by Zoom or Google Slides.

Open presenter view in Google Slides

Open your presentation file on your computer. Google’s help steps are: select the down arrow next to “Slideshow,” open “Presenter view,” and click “Speaker notes” to see your speaker notes. If you’re using more than one screen, choose which screen will display the presentation from the presentation-screen options in the same menu, then start the slideshow. If the menu labels or layout look different, check Google’s help for presenting and using presenter view.

Choose what to share in Zoom

Open the sharing controls in your Zoom meeting. According to Zoom’s help, sharing options may vary depending on the application and version you’re using; in the desktop app, you can select the entire screen or specific application windows. So, from the options shown in the selector, choose the screen or window containing the slides you want participants to see. Don’t assume what an option includes based only on its name: check what appears in the sharing preview. Zoom’s help for sharing your screen or desktop explains the sharing steps.

After sharing, advance one slide and check that the correct content is being shared. If appropriate, strengthen the check by joining the meeting from another device or asking a participant you trust to confirm what they can see. This is especially useful for verifying that notes or other private content aren’t visible. If unwanted content appears, stop sharing, choose what to share again, and check once more.

Worked example: A two-screen project presentation

Hypothetical example: Deniz has a laptop and an external monitor. The first slide of the eight-slide project presentation explains its purpose, the next slides cover status and recommendations, and the final slide contains questions. The eight slides and their contents are examples only.

Deniz tries opening presenter view on the laptop screen and the slideshow on the external screen using Google Slides’ multiple-screen options. In Zoom’s sharing selector, Deniz chooses the screen containing the slides and checks the preview. If the screens aren’t easy to distinguish, Deniz changes the setup and checks again before starting the presentation. If possible, Deniz checks the participant view from another device. If this setup isn’t possible, Deniz switches to a single-screen setup or uses a separate device to follow the notes before starting to share.

Troubleshooting

  • Notes are visible in the shared content: Stop sharing. You may have selected the screen or window containing presenter view; select the target again and check.
  • The wrong screen is visible: Check which screen the slideshow is open on in Google Slides, then check which screen is selected in Zoom’s sharing selector.
  • Google Slides doesn’t offer an option for an additional screen: Check the computer, Chrome, and additional-screen requirements Google specifies for this feature, as well as Chrome permissions. These requirements apply to Google Slides’ multiple-screen feature; they should not be interpreted as general prerequisites for sharing in Zoom.
  • The menu or sharing options look different: Refer to the help pages provided by Google Slides and Zoom; don’t assume an option is available if you can’t verify it in the current menu.

Final checklist

Open the correct presentation file; check presenter view and your notes; if you selected a presentation screen in Google Slides, confirm that the presentation is directed to the correct screen; choose the screen or window to share in Zoom; and check in the sharing preview that your notes aren’t visible. If possible, also confirm what participants can see. If anything looks different from what you expected, stop sharing and check the setup again.

Frequently asked questions

Can I share my entire screen in Zoom?

According to Zoom’s help, sharing options may include the entire screen or specific application windows. Since the options can vary depending on your Zoom version and environment, check your own sharing selector. If you select the entire screen, keep in mind that other content on your desktop may also be visible.

What should I do if I can’t find the presenter view menu?

In Google Slides, check the down arrow next to “Slideshow.” If the menu isn’t visible, follow the steps on Google’s current help page and verify the screen or window you’ve selected before starting to share in Zoom.

Related application guides

You can explore the relevant step in this process in more detail with the guide to sharing PowerPoint presenter view in Zoom. You can explore the relevant step in this process in more detail with the guide to using Google Slides presenter view in full screen.

← Back to blog