Spotlight series #24 - Add explanation notes to your slides

Spotlight series #24 - Add explanation notes to your slides



The previous post in this series discussed how adding audio and video recordings to your presentations can help your audience understand the content, even when you're not there to present it. Now, here's another way to achieve the same goal.

The month's spotlight feature is explanation notes.

By adding explanation notes to your slides, you can elaborate on individual points and include your insights from data analysis, helping your audience understand your perspective better.

When to use explanation notes instead of recorded audio or a video

Explanation notes are perfect for quick references. For example, consider a teacher sharing a presentation with students. Right before an exam, students may prefer quickly reviewing important notes rather than listening to an entire audio clip or watching a video.

There are similar cases where your audience might want to revisit your slides quickly. In such scenarios, adding explanation notes will be more efficient than adding recorded media.

How to add explanation notes

To add explanation notes, go to the Format tab on the right pane and then select Slideshow. Under this, you'll be able to find the Explanation option.

Click on Add New. This action will take you out of the editor view.

Now, type your content in the text box on the right pane. When you're satisfied with a slide's explanation, click Next to move on to the following slide. You can also navigate back using the Previous button.




Once you're done adding explanations to all the necessary slides, click Back to Editor in the top-left corner to return to the editor view. Your changes will be saved automatically.

How to modify explanation notes

To modify an explanation, go to the Format tab in the right pane, click on Slideshow, and choose Modify in the Explanation section.



Then select Edit above your existing explanation to revise it.

How to make explanation notes available to the audience

While publishing your presentation, go to Advanced Options and check the Explanation Notes check box under Toolbar Options. Your audience will have access to your explanation notes only if you enable this.


A key advantage of using explanation notes is that you can keep your slides clean by including only the essential points. The rest of the details can go into your notes, ensuring you don’t miss out on any important insights. Try using this in your next presentation to make it more informative and smart.


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