How to print Google Slides with notes: step-by-step

You’ve built a great presentation in Google Slides. Now you need to print it with your speaker notes attached. Maybe you’re rehearsing a pitch or just prefer having paper in front of you instead of relying on a screen.

Professional pitch deck design services recommend printing notes pages for rehearsals because it helps you catch problems before showtime. Good news—printing Google Slides with speaker notes is simple once you know where to click.

In this guide, you’ll learn three methods that actually work. Let’s get into it.

What are speaker notes in Google Slides?

Speaker notes appear below each slide, visible only to you. Your audience never sees these during presentations unless you specifically print them as handouts.

Here’s what people typically put in their presentation notes:

• Key statistics or numbers they don’t want to forget
• Full scripts for important sections
• Reminders about timing or pacing
• Answers to the questions they expect
• Technical details too complex for slides

Think of speaker notes as your safety net. You might not need them, but they’re there if you blank out or lose your place. Some presenters write lengthy notes. Others just jot down a few bullet points. Both approaches work fine.

How to print Google Slides with notes (step-by-step guide)

Option 1: Use Google Slides print settings and preview

This is the fastest method. No downloads required; just straight from Google Slides to your printer.

Here’s what you do:

Open your presentation
Click File at the top
Select “Print settings and preview”
Pick the option labeled “1 slide with notes”
Your preview updates immediately

Now you’ll see slides with notes underneath. Pick your orientation—portrait usually works better for this format. Choose a color or black-and-white option based on your printer’s capabilities. Click Print when everything looks right.

This provides one slide per page, with your notes clearly visible below. Easy to read during presentations or rehearsals.

Option 2: Save as PDF with notes

Sometimes you need the file saved before printing. Perhaps you’re not near a printer, or you’d like to email it to yourself for later reference.

The steps are similar:

1. Open your presentation in Google Slides
2. Go to File, then “Print settings and preview”
3. Select “1 slide with notes” from the layout options
4. Instead of hitting Print, click “Download as PDF”
5. Save the PDF wherever you want

Now you have a PDF that you can print at any time. You can also keep it on your tablet for reference during presentations. Or email it to team members for review. The PDF method gives you more flexibility than printing directly.

Option 3: Print via PowerPoint

Some people prefer how PowerPoint formats notes pages. If that’s you, this method works well.

Download your presentation as PowerPoint:

1. In Google Slides, click File
2. Go to Download
3. Choose “Microsoft PowerPoint (.pptx)”
4. Save it to your computer

Open that file in PowerPoint. Since speaker notes don’t always transfer automatically when exporting from Google Slides, be prepared to copy-paste them manually. Once done, go to File, then Print. Under the Settings section, find the layout dropdown. Select “Notes Pages” instead of “Full Page Slides.”

PowerPoint arranges notes differently from Google Slides. Try both formats to see which you prefer for your presentations.

How to print slides without notes (handouts)

Your audience doesn’t need to see your detailed speaker notes. They need clean handouts they can reference during your talk.

Handouts in Google Slides work differently.

For audience handouts, choose these layouts:

• 3 slides per page (good for detailed presentations)
• 4 slides per page (most common format)
• 6 slides per page (compact, saves paper)

Go to File, then Print settings and preview. Pick one of these multi-slide layouts instead of the notes option. This creates clean handouts without your personal notes showing.

Audience members can write their own notes in the margins. You keep your detailed presentation notes private. Everyone wins.

Common printing issues and fixes

Problem: Notes aren’t showing up at all

Fix: Double-check you selected “1 slide with notes,” not “1 slide without notes.” This trips up everyone at first. The menu defaults to without notes.

Problem: Everything prints too small to read

Try these fixes:

• Switch from portrait to landscape orientation
• Adjust your printer’s scale settings to 100%
• Use the PDF method instead of direct printing

Problem: Text or images get cut off

Here’s what usually fixes it:

• Change your printer margins to “narrow” or “minimal”
• Check the preview carefully before printing
• Try downloading as a PDF first, then print that file

Problem: Colors look terrible when printed

Solution: Switch to black and white in print settings. Saves ink, too. Most notes are more readable in black and white anyway.

Problem: Formatting looks weird, or text disappears

This happens with some printer drivers. Use the PDF workaround—download Google Slides with speaker notes as a PDF, then print that file. PDFs handle formatting more reliably.

Bonus: How to print Google Slides with speaker notes on mobile

The mobile app doesn’t support full printing features. But there’s a workaround that works fine.

Here’s how to easily export Google Slides with notes on mobile:

1. Open Chrome on your phone (not the Google Slides app)
2. Go to slides.google.com and open your presentation
3. Tap the three dots menu
4. Select “Request Desktop Site”
5. Now you see the full desktop interface
6. Go to File, then Print settings and preview
7. Choose “1 slide with notes”
8. Download as PDF to your phone

From there, print directly if you have a wireless printer. Alternatively, you can email the PDF to yourself for printing at a later time. Not elegant, but it gets the job done when you’re away from your computer.

Final thoughts

You now know three ways to print presenter notes in Google Slides. Pick the method that fits your workflow:

• Print settings method when you need quick prints
• PDF download when you want flexibility
• PowerPoint export when you prefer Microsoft’s format

Try printing your notes a day before important presentations. Review them away from screens. Mark them up with a pen if something needs adjusting. Some people remember content better when they’ve physically handled printed notes versus just reviewing on screen.

Quality slides need solid delivery to match. While PPT presentation services handle the design work, you still need reliable notes for confident delivery. Take five minutes to print notes in Google Slides before your next presentation.

Standing in front of an audience with nothing but memory is a risky endeavor. Having detailed notes in your hand? That’s smart preparation.
The print Google Slides with speaker notes feature exists for a reason. Use it. Your presentations will be smoother, your delivery more confident, and your message clearer. That’s definitely worth a few sheets of paper!