Cleaning up a long Google Slides presentation one slide at a time is slow. You can select several slides at once, whether they’re next to each other or scattered through the deck, and delete them in a single step. This guide covers selecting multiple slides on a computer, the grid view for large decks, the mobile apps, and how to undo a mistake.
Quick Answer
In the slide panel on the left, click the first slide, then hold Shift and click the last slide to select a range, or hold Ctrl (Cmd on Mac) and click individual slides. Press Delete (or Backspace), or right-click and choose Delete.
Delete Multiple Slides on a Computer
Slides next to each other
- In the filmstrip on the left, click the first slide you want to delete.
- Hold Shift and click the last slide in the range.
- Press Delete or Backspace, or right-click and choose Delete.
Slides in different places
- Click the first slide.
- Hold Ctrl (Windows/ChromeOS) or Cmd (Mac) and click each additional slide.
- Press Delete, or right-click one of the selected slides and choose Delete.
All slides except one
Click in the filmstrip, press Ctrl + A (Cmd + A) to select all slides, then Ctrl-click (Cmd-click) the slides you want to keep to deselect them, and press Delete.
Use Grid View for Large Presentations
- Click View > Grid view (or press Ctrl + Alt + 1; on Mac, Cmd + Option + 1).
- Select slides with Shift or Ctrl/Cmd as above; you can see many more at once.
- Press Delete.
- Click View > Grid view again to return.
On iPhone, iPad, or Android
- Open the presentation in the Google Slides app and tap the pencil if needed to edit.
- Touch and hold a slide in the list until it’s selected.
- Tap other slides to add them to the selection.
- Tap the trash icon (or ⋮ > Delete).
Options vary slightly by app version.
Undo or Recover Deleted Slides
- Press Ctrl + Z (Cmd + Z) right away, or click Undo.
- For older changes, go to File > Version history > See version history, open an earlier version, and copy the slides back, or restore the whole version.
Alternatives to Deleting
- Skip slide: right-click and choose Skip slide to hide slides during a presentation while keeping them in the file.
- Move slides to end: park slides you might need later at the end of the deck.
This is easiest in grid view.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why won’t my Delete key remove the slides?
The focus may be on the slide canvas instead of the filmstrip. Click a slide thumbnail first, then press Delete.
Can I delete slides in view-only mode?
No. You need edit access. Ask the owner or make a copy (File > Make a copy).
Is there a limit to how many slides I can delete at once?
No. Select as many as you like, including all but one.
Summary
- Select a range with Shift + click or individual slides with Ctrl/Cmd + click.
- Press Delete or right-click > Delete.
- Use Grid view for large decks.
- Press Ctrl + Z to undo.
Kermit Matthews is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with more than a decade of experience writing technology guides. He has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Computer Science and has spent much of his professional career in IT management.
He specializes in writing content about iPhones, Android devices, Microsoft Office, and many other popular applications and devices.