Insert or delete images & videos

You can add or remove photos, videos, or .gif files in Google Docs or Sheets. In Google Slides you can add photos, videos, audio, GIFs and stickers. To help plan your presentation, you can also add image placeholders.

Add an image to a document or presentation

  1. On your computer, open a document or presentation in Google Docs or Slides.
  2. Click Insert and then Image.
  3. Choose where to get your image from.
    • Upload from computer: Insert an image saved on your device.
    • Search the web: Search the web for an image.
    • GIFs and stickers: Insert a GIF or a sticker to your slide.
    • Drive: Use an image saved to your Google Drive.
    • Photos: Use an image from your Google Photos library.
    • By URL: Insert a link to your image or insert a .gif.
  4. Click Insert or Open.

Learn how to add images in Sheets.

Add a cover image to your document

Important: You can only use cover images in "Pageless" mode. If you change your document setting to "Pages" mode, the cover image doesn’t show. Learn how to setup Pageless mode.

  1. On your computer, open a new document in Google Docs.
  2. You can either:
    • Type "@cover image".
    • At the top, click Insert and then Cover image.
  3. To select an image from:
    • A curated gallery: Click Choose from stock images.
    • Your computer: Click Upload from computer.
  4. Optional: After you generate a cover image, you can select it and do these actions:
    • Reposition: Click Reposition .
    • Delete: Click Delete .
    • Replace: Click Replace image .
Add a GIF or sticker to a presentation
  1. On your computer, open a presentation in Google Slides.
  2. At the top of your screen, in the middle of the menu, click Insert.
  3. In the dropdown menu, click Image and then GIFs and stickers.
  4. In the right panel that opens, click the Search bar.
  5. Type in your keywords.
  6. You can filter your results by GIFs (default) or Stickers.
Position & edit an image in a document 
  1. On your computer, go to Google Docs.
  2. Open a document.
  3. Click an image you want to move or edit. A pop-up window will open below with editing options.
  4. To change your image's layout, select an option:
    • In line 
    • Wrap text 
    • Break text 
    • Behind text Behind text
    • In front of text In front of text
    Important: These features aren't available in documents that are in pageless format. To use these features, make sure your document is in pages format.
  5. If you selected "Wrap text" or "Break text," you can change the position to:
    • Move with text
    • Fix position on page

You can make additional changes to an image:

  1. Click Image options More and then All image options.

  2. In the sidebar on the right, select an image option:

    • Size & Rotation: Set the size, scale, and rotation of your image.

    • Text Wrapping: Set how your image interacts with the text around it.

    • Position: Set the position for your image in the document. 

    • Recolor: Change the color of your image.

    • Adjustments: Set the transparency, brightness, and contrast of your image.

Important: Text Wrapping and Position aren't available in documents that are in pageless format. To use these features, make sure your document is in pages format.
Add an image from your desktop or the web

Drag an image

Important: This feature isn't available for Google Sheets.

  1. On your computer, click an image on your computer or a website.
  2. Hold and drag the image into your document.

Copy & paste an image

  1. On your computer, right-click an image on your computer or website.
  2. Click Copy . 
  3. Go to your document, presentation, or spreadsheet.
  4. Click Paste Paste.

Tip: It may take a moment for your image to open.

Add an image placeholder

Insert an image placeholder

  1. On your computer, open a presentation in Google Slides.
  2. At the top, click View and then Theme builder.
  3. Click Insert and then Placeholder and then Image placeholder.
  4. Select a shape for your image placeholder.
Tip: You can change the size, location, order, or format of an image placeholder.

Replace a placeholder image

  1. On your computer, open a presentation with a placeholder in Google Slides.
  2. Inside of the placeholder, click Insert image Insert image.
  3. Select from where you want to insert the image.
Replace an image
  1. On your computer, open a document or presentation in Google Docsor Slides.
  2. Right-click an image you want to replace.
  3. Click Replace image.
  4. Select where you want to get your image from:
    • Upload from computer
    • Search the web
    • Drive
    • Photos
    • By URL
    • Camera
  5. Choose an image.
  6. Click Replace or Select.

Tip: In Google Slides, you can also drag and drop an image from anywhere to replace an image in your presentation.

Learn how to replace images in Sheets.

Add a video to a presentation

  1. On your computer, open a presentation in Google Slides.
  2. Click the slide where you want to add the video.
  3. Click Insert and then Video.
  4. Select where to get your video from:
    • Search YouTube
    • By URL
    • Google Drive
      • Tip: To insert a Google Vids video into a presentation, export and save the video to Drive. In Google Vids, go to File and then Export to Drive, then insert the exported video into the slides.
  5. Choose a video.
  6. Click Select.
Play a video during a Google Slides presentation

Google Slides now automatically plays videos like other animation or slide transitions. 

To start a video and advance the slide, choose an option: 

  • Press any key
  • Click the mouse
  • Use a remote clicker
Tip: Update older presentations to automatically play in-format options, such as audio and video.
Change how a video plays in your presentation
  1. Select the video.
  2. In the toolbar, click Format options.
    • You can also right-click on the video, then from the menu, select Format options.
  3. In the sidebar, under “Video playback,” choose an option:
    • Play (on click): Video plays when you advance the slide. This is the default.
    • Play (automatically): Video plays without any clicks.
    • Play (manual): Video plays when you click specifically on the embedded video in the slide. This was previously the default.

Add audio file to a presentation

You can add .mp3 and .wav files stored in your Drive to a presentation. Learn how to upload files to Google Drive.

Tip: You can use .wav files from:

  • Chrome 
  • Firefox 
  • Safari
  • Microsoft Edge
  1. On your computer, open a presentation in Google Slides.
  2. Select the slide that you want to add the audio file to.
  3. Click Insert and then Audio.
  4. Choose an audio file.
  5. Click Select.
Share video & audio files in Google Slides

Access checker automatically suggests permissions for new users of presentations with:

  • Audio files
  • Video files

To ensure that a presenter can play a shared presentation embedded with video and audio files:

  1. On your computer, open a Google Slides presentation.
  2. Click Share.
  3. Add people or groups.
  4. Choose Editor, Commenter, or Viewer.
  5. Click Share.
    • Tip: Access checker is automatic and may suggest an update to permissions.
  6. Confirm changes.

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