How to Copy and Paste (Images & Text) on Google Slides

On Dec 28, 2018

Copy and paste is an easy trick to save time when building your Google Slides presentation. If you need to use text, images, or graphics more than once, there’s no need to go through the trouble of reinserting over and over again. Instead, just copy the original object and paste it into a different spot. You can also copy a slide on Google Slides.

As you’ll soon see, Google Slides lets you copy almost any object quickly for use anywhere within your presentation. Let’s learn how to copy and paste on Google Slides.

How to Copy and Paste on Google Slides

Note: Watch this short tutorial screencast or follow the quick steps below, that complement this video.

1. Copy Individual Text

If you want to copy individual lines of text, start off by clicking and dragging to select it. Then, on your keyboard, copy the text by using Control-C on Windows, or Command-C on Mac. When you select the text, your screen should look something like this:

Find the area you want to paste into, and press Control-V on Windows, or Command-V on Mac to paste. Your text will reappear:

Paste text string — Press **Contrl+V** or Cmd+V to paste the text on your slide.

2. Copy Text Boxes, Images, and Other Objects

If you want to copy any other kind of object—a text box, an image, a shape, or a chart—the process is very similar. Simply click on the object you want to copy, and then repeat the same key commands—Control-C on Windows, or Command-C on Mac. Here’s a slide with some objects selected:

Copy box — Select an entire slide object like a text box or image by clicking on it, then press **Command** or Control+C to copy it.

You can paste objects onto the same slide, between different slides, or even into other apps on your computer. Again, press Control-V on Windows, or Command-V on Mac to paste. The object will instantly reappear.

3. Copy and Paste Slides

You can also copy and paste full slides, individually or in groups. Click to select a slide in the sidebar over on the left side, then use the same key commands to copy and paste. Here’s an example:

Copy slide sidebar — Click a slide in the sidebar and press **Control** or **Command+C** to copy the entire slide.

You can click between any two slides while pasting, and your slide will paste into that position. Of course, you can click and drag to reorder later. And remember, any change you make can be easily undone by clicking the Undo arrow in the top left corner of the Google Slides menu.

Paste slide — Click between two slides, then press **Control** or **Command+V** to paste the slide.

Finishing Up

Take reinvention out of your creative process by using copy and paste in Google Slides. As you can see, it’s easy to duplicate virtually any kind of object—even a full slide! Use these techniques today to streamline your presentation-building process.

Learn More About Google Slides

You’ve just learned how to copy and paste on Google Slides, but that’s just the start of you could learn. We’ve got a great selection of Google Slides tutorials on Envato Tuts+. Study one, or all, to improve your skills. Here are some helpful tutorials to study:

One way to give your presentation a professional edge is to use Google Slides templates. You can also find some great templates in this article:

Google Slides
20 Best Business Presentation Templates for Google Slides (2018)
Laura Spencer