How to Link Slides in Google Slides—Fast, Free, and Beginner-Friendly

Linear presentations often fail to grab attention, but Google Slides offers linking features that help presentations flow more naturally. The challenge is that adding and managing links is not always intuitive, especially on mobile or when editing without breaking connections. Whether you are building a clickable table of contents or linking a Google Doc for reference, understanding these tools matters. This guide covers how to link slides in Google Slides and introduces a smarter AI-powered option for creating interactive decks faster.

How to Link Slides in Google Slides

Google Slides includes built-in tools that allow text, images, and shapes to link directly to other slides. Once you understand where these options live, then knowing how to link slides in Google Slides on Phone/Chromebook/Canva becomes extremely easy. The methods below will show you how to link slides in Google Slides without confusion or extra setup.

1. Turning Text into a Link to Another Slide

Text links are the simplest and most reliable way to make your presentation interactive. If you’re building a clickable table of contents or a Return to Home button in a lesson plan or pitch deck, turning bullet points into links lets your audience jump straight to sections like Financials or Q&A without flipping through every slide. It’s fast, works on any device, and keeps navigation clean, though it’s not ideal if you prefer a highly visual, icon-based interface over text.

Here’s how to add a link in Google Slides in 3 simple steps:

Step 1: Highlight the text you want to turn into a link.

Step 2: Click the “Insert Link”icon in the toolbar or use the keyboard shortcut (Ctrl + K on Windows/Chromebook, Cmd + K on Mac).

Step 3: In the menu that appears, do not paste a URL. Instead, enter the specific slide title or number you want to jump to, then click “Apply”.

2. Turning Part of Your Slide (Images/Shapes) into a Link

Sometimes text alone isn’t engaging enough. By linking a shape, like a button, or an image, like a home icon, you can create interactive slides that feel like an app or game. This method is perfect for self-guided lessons, mock-ups, dashboards, or Jeopardy-style games, giving your audience a tactile, intuitive way to navigate. The only catch is that this interactivity disappears if you print your slides, so it works best for on-screen experiences.

Step 1: Select the image or shape on your slide.

Step 2: Click the “Insert Link”icon in the toolbar or use the keyboard shortcut (Ctrl + K on Windows/Chromebook, Cmd + K on Mac).

Step 3: Choose the destination slide and click“Apply”. Now, when you present, clicking that image will instantly transport you to the linked section.

3. Link to Other Slides (External or Specific URLs)

There are times when a single deck can’t hold all the information. Linking to another presentation, a Google Doc, or an external resource keeps your slides lightweight while giving your audience instant access to deeper content. This method is great for project managers referencing a separate budget deck or students citing research papers. The only limitation is that these links require an internet connection, so offline presentations won’t work.

Option A: Linking to a Google Doc

Here’s how to link Google Doc in Slides without going through any unnecessary external tools:

Step 1: Open the Google Doc you intend to link. Highlight the URL in the browser's address bar and copy it to your clipboard.

Step 2: Return to your Google Slides, highlight the text or select the object you want to use as a button.

Step 3: Press “Ctrl + K” (orCmd + K on Mac). Paste the URL into the field and press“Apply”.

Option B: Linking to a Specific Slide in Another Deck

Step 1: Open the external presentation and click on the exact slide you want to reference. Watch the URL in your browser bar change as you click different slides, and copy this unique URL.

Step 2: Go back to your current slide and select your text or object.

Step 3: Open the link menu, paste the specific URL you copied, and click Apply to create a direct link to that exact slide.

4. Add Hyperlinks in Canva

For designers who prefer Canva for its visual flexibility but still use Google Slides, adding links directly in Canva can save a lot of time. You can maintain navigation when exporting to PowerPoint and importing into Slides, so you don’t have to redo the interactivity. This method works best if you don’t need to frequently change the links, making it an ideal bridge between design and presentation.

Step 1: In Canva, select your element, click the Link icon (chain link), and link to other pages.

Step 2: Keep the file type as“PPTX” and click “Download” to export the slides and open it in Google Slides.

Best Way to Link Slides—WPS AI Slides

Manually linking slides can make a presentation interactive, but it is fragile and time-consuming. Move a slide or delete a section, and your carefully built navigation can break, forcing you to fix every link by hand. WPS AI Slides solves this problem by understanding your content and keeping your deck organized, so your presentation flows smoothly, no matter how you edit.

WPS AI Slides helps you create polished, professional decks faster. Its AI-Powered Outline & Structure organizes your ideas into a clear, logical flow while Content-to-Slide Sync automatically updates your slides whenever your source documents change. Smart Navigation and One-Click Interactive Elements make it easy to build complex, non-linear presentations that are both impressive and effortless to manage. With WPS AI Slides, you spend less time wrestling with slides and more time delivering your message.

Suggested Features

If you want high-quality visuals or polished slides quickly, WPS AI Slides makes it easy.

• AI Image Generation: Instead of spending time hunting for images online and uploading them manually, you can generate visuals directly in your slides. Just describe what you need, and the AI creates high-resolution, royalty-free images instantly.

• Simple Asset Management: Managing images in Google Slides can feel clunky with multiple steps and hidden menus. WPS Office solves this with a single Resource Library where you can organize, drag, drop, and export your visuals in seconds. Everything stays in one place, so your workflow is smoother and faster.

• Smart Layout and Polishing: Once your images are in place, Smart Layout arranges them automatically into professional grids. No resizing or manual adjustments are needed. In moments, your slides go from rough visuals to polished, ready-to-present decks.

How to Edit:

Getting started is easy. Instead of struggling with manual formatting, you can let the AI handle the heavy lifting in just a few clicks. Here’s how to use the AI pitch deck generator:

Step 1: First, head on over to the WPS Office website and click the"Free Download" button to download WPS Office onto your device.

Step 2: Once the download completes, open the WPS Office installation wizard, and click on the "Install Now" button after checking the Terms and Conditions checkbox.

Step 4: Now to edit your presentation, click on“Slides” in the left menu bar on WPS Office dashboard.

Step 5: Type in your prompt into the text box, and click “Generate” to create the outline. Alternatively, you can also import a PDF or Word file.

Quick Tip: The more detailed your prompt is, the better the result will be. You can also use the AI assistant in WPS Writer to generate more detailed prompts.

Step 6: Soon, the AI will generate a detailed outline. Once you’re satisfied, click “Select Template” and pick a template from the extensive WPS library.

Step 7: Once you’re done selecting, click“Create Slides” and in a couple of seconds your presentation with the detailed content will be ready.

Step 8: Review and finalize the Presentation and make any changes you want to make.

Step 9: Click on the File menu and then click“Export as” to download and export your PPT or PDF.

Comparison of WPS AI Slides and Google Slides

Google Slides is excellent for simple, linear decks, but when you need complex navigation or automated structure, WPS AI Slides offers a robust alternative.

FAQs

1. What are the benefits of linking to specific slides in Google Slides?

Linking to specific slides transforms a linear presentation into an interactive experience. It lets viewers jump directly to dashboards or key sections, improves accessibility for reviewing specific data points, and enables non-linear storytelling like interactive quizzes or choose your own adventure scenarios, keeping engagement high.

2. Can I link to slides outside of the current presentation?

You cannot create a seamless internal link to a slide in another deck while in presentation mode. However, you can paste the slide's URL from another Google Slides file. Clicking it opens that slide in a new browser tab, effectively connecting the two presentations.

3. What can I link to instead of other slides?

Beyond linking slides, you can link to webpages, Google Docs for detailed resources, or Drive folders with PDFs. This keeps your slides visually clean while still giving viewers access to additional materials.

4. Are there any other ways to improve navigation in my presentation?

You can enhance navigation with clear slide numbering, a Table of Contents slide as a central map, and breadcrumbs with small text links at the bottom of slides so viewers can easily orient themselves and return to main sections.

5. How can WPS AI improve my images?

WPS AI can enhance image quality, remove distracting backgrounds, and match colors between visuals. This helps interactive elements like buttons and cloud images blend naturally, giving your presentation a professional, polished look without extra software.

Simplify Slide Linking with AI AssistanceSummary

Learning how to link slides in Google Slides is the first step toward creating professional, app-like presentations. By using simple shortcuts, you can connect text, images, and even external Google Docs to build a smooth flow. However, for those who want to automate the structure and avoid the hassle of broken links, WPS AI Slidesprovides a smarter, AI-driven alternative that keeps your content organized and presentation-ready.