How to Add Music to Google Slides

How to Add Music to Google Slides (Step-by-Step 2026 Guide)

The right background music changes how an audience feels about your presentation before you say a single word. It adds energy, calm, or excitement on demand. The challenge is that adding music to Google Slides correctly, so it plays across every slide without stopping, takes a few specific steps that most people miss.

This post is part of our complete guide to adding media in Google Slides. It covers video, GIFs, voiceovers, drawings, and everything else you can add to your presentations.

This guide covers how to add music to Google Slides step by step, how to set up background music that plays across all slides, what works with Spotify and Apple Music, the best free royalty-free sources, volume and timing tips, and fixes for music-specific problems.

Need voiceover or narration instead of music? See our dedicated guide on how to add audio to Google Slides.

MUSIC vs AUDIO IN GOOGLE SLIDES — QUICK CLARIFICATION:

Both are added through Google Drive. The difference is in setup and purpose:

• Music = background ambiance playing continuously across multiple or all slides
• Audio = voiceover, narration, or sound effect on one specific slide

This guide focuses on MUSIC. We will walk through everything about how to add it, loop it, time it, and use it legally. Check out our complete guide on how to add audio to Google Slides for voiceover and narration.

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Music vs Audio in Google Slides: What Is the Difference?

Music in Google Slides and audio in Google Slides are added through the same technical process. Google Drive upload followed by Insert > Audio. The difference between adding audio vs music to Google Slides is not in the method but in the intent and the settings you apply after inserting.

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How to Add Music to Google Slides — Step by Step

BEFORE YOU START:

• Music file must be MP3 or WAV
• File must be in Google Drive before inserting
• Use Google Chrome browser for the best experience
• The maximum file size limit is 100 MB

Need the detailed upload walkthrough with screenshots? See our step-by-step guide on how to add audio to Google Slides.

Quick Steps:

Step 1: Go to drive.google.com. Click +New → File Upload. Select your music file (MP3/WAV). Wait for the upload to complete.

Step 2: Right-click your music file → click Share. Change sharing to "Anyone with the link can view". Click Done.

Step 3: Open slides.google.com. Click on the first slide in your presentation. Click Insert in the top menu → click Audio.

Step 4: Click the My Drive tab. Find and click your music file. Click the blue Select button.

Step 5: A speaker icon appears on your slide. Now configure your music settings below.

Essential Music Settings in Format Options

There are five core formatting settings to add and play music in Google Slides. These five settings work as a system. Getting all five right is what separates music that plays seamlessly across your entire presentation from music that stops unexpectedly at the first slide change.

Step 1: Click the speaker icon on your slide

Step 2: Click Format options in the toolbar

Step 3: Open the Audio playback section

Step 4: Configure all five settings:

Setting 1 → Start playing: Automatically

Music begins when the slide appears. No awkward silence while waiting for a click.

Setting 2 → Stop on slide change: UNCHECK THIS

This is the most important setting for music. Unchecking it keeps music playing as you advance slides instead of cutting out.

Setting 3 → Loop audio: CHECK THIS

Music restarts automatically when it ends, so you never have silence mid-presentation.

Setting 4 → Volume: Low or Medium

Music should support your voice, never overpower it. Start at Low and adjust after a sound check.

Setting 5 → Hide icon when presenting: CHECK THIS

Cleaner professional appearance — no speaker icon visible to your audience during presentation.

Quick Tip: These 5 settings work together as a system. Missing even one, especially "Stop on slide change," will cause music to stop unexpectedly during your presentation.

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How to Add Background Music to All Slides in Google Slides

Complete Background Music Setup

Add music to your first slide only, not every slide. Apply the five settings from Section 2 above. The result is music that plays from slide 1 through every slide to the end without restarting or stopping.

Common Mistake: Many people add music to EVERY slide, thinking this makes music play on every slide. It actually causes music to restart on every slide change. Add music to slide 1 ONLY.

How to Loop Music & What If Music Is Too Short

The Loop audio setting from Section 2 handles this automatically. When your music track ends, it restarts seamlessly.

What if your music track is shorter than your presentation?

• Best solution: Loop is ON (covered above). It restarts music automatically
• Alternative: Find a longer track. YouTube Audio Library has tracks up to 10 minutes
• Advanced: Add the same track to multiple slide sections with Stop on slide change unchecked

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Can You Add Spotify, Apple Music, or YouTube Music to Google Slides?

Can You Add Spotify Music to Google Slides?

No. Spotify music cannot be embedded in Google Slides. Spotify uses DRM (Digital Rights Management) technology that locks music to the Spotify app. Using downloaded Spotify tracks in presentations violates Spotify's Terms of Service.

Best free alternatives to Spotify for slides:

• YouTube Audio Library: Free, same quality, hundreds of tracks by genre and mood
• Pixabay Music: Instant download, no account or login required
• Search for the same artist on YouTube and embed their official video instead

Can You Add Apple Music to Google Slides?

No. Apple Music cannot be directly embedded in Google Slides. Apple Music uses DRM that prevents playback outside the Apple ecosystem.

The exception: iTunes purchases made before 2009 were often sold as DRM-free MP3 files. If you have those files saved on your computer, they can be uploaded to Google Drive and inserted into Google Slides as normal.

How to Use YouTube Music in Google Slides

Yes, YouTube videos can be embedded in Google Slides, and the audio plays during your presentation.

Step 1: Find your music video on YouTube. Copy the URL from your browser.

Step 2: In Google Slides: Insert → Video → By URL. Paste the YouTube URL → click Select.

Step 3: Click the video on your slide → click Video options in the toolbar.

Step 4: Check "Autoplay when presenting."

Note: YouTube videos require an internet connection to play. The video thumbnail will be visible on your slide.

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Best Free Music for Google Slides Presentations (2026)

Choosing the right source matters both legally and practically. All sources below are royalty-free and safe to use in any presentation.

Top 3 Picks:

• YouTube Audio Library: Best overall. Free, no attribution required, filter by mood, genre, and duration.
• Pixabay Music: Fastest option. No account needed, instant download, zero copyright restrictions.
• Bensound: Best for professional presentations. High production quality, free with artist credit.

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Music Genre By Presentation Type

• Corporate / Business → Soft instrumental, light jazz
• Education / School → Upbeat acoustic, light classical
• Creative / Design → Lo-fi, indie, electronic ambient
• Technology → Minimal electronic, ambient synth
• Emotional / Story → Piano, cinematic, orchestral
• Sports / Fitness → Upbeat pop, energetic electronic

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Music Volume, Timing Tips, and Device Support

Volume Settings by Presentation Type

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Adding Music on Different Devices

• Windows PC / Mac (Chrome): Full support
• Chromebook (Chrome): Full support
• iPhone / iPad (iOS app): NOT supported — Use Safari → slides.google.com → Request Desktop Site
• Android (app): NOT supported — Use Chrome → slides.google.com → Desktop site

When NOT to Use Background Music

• Formal board meetings or executive reviews
• Presentations where the audience needs to concentrate deeply
• Legal, medical, or financial presentations
• Any live demo where system audio matters
• Presentations where you are unsure of the venue's sound setup
• Video content where music clashes with video audio

Troubleshooting Music Problems in Google Slides

Music Stops When I Advance to the Next Slide

Cause: "Stop on slide change" is checked in Format options.

Fix: Click the music speaker icon → Format options → Audio playback → UNCHECK "Stop on slide change".

People I Share With Cannot Hear the Music

Cause: The music file in Google Drive is set to Restricted / Private.

Fix: Go to drive.google.com → Find your music file → Right-click → Share → Change from "Restricted" to "Anyone with the link can view" → Click Done.

Music Keeps Restarting on Every Single Slide

Cause: Music has been added to multiple slides individually instead of only to slide 1.

Fix: Delete audio icons from slides 2, 3, 4+ and keep music on slide 1 only.

Music Volume Is Too Loud Over My Voice

Fix: Click music icon → Format options → Volume → select Low. If still too loud, use Audacity to reduce volume by 10–15dB → export as MP3 → re-upload to Drive → re-insert.

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Frequently Asked Questions — Music in Google Slides

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Quick Summary: How to Add Music to Google Slides

1. Upload music file (MP3/WAV) to Google Drive
2. Set Drive sharing: "Anyone with the link can view"
3. In Google Slides: Insert → Audio → My Drive → Select
4. Format options: Start playing: Automatically ✓ | Stop on slide change: UNCHECKED ✓ | Loop audio: CHECKED ✓ | Volume: Low or Medium ✓ | Hide icon when presenting: CHECKED ✓

If you create presentations regularly and want to skip the Drive upload workflow, Slidey.io lets you add music and all your media directly without the setup complexity.

For voiceover or narration instead of music, see our guide on how to add audio to Google Slides. Or explore our complete media guide for Google Slides for everything else you can add to your presentations.