To do bullet points in Google Slides, click inside a text box, then use the Bulleted list icon (three dots with lines) on the top toolbar or press Ctrl + Shift + 8 (Cmd + Shift + 8 on Mac) to toggle bullets on or off.

How to Do Bullet Points in Google Slides

Quick Scoop

Basics: Add Simple Bullet Points

  • Open your Google Slides presentation and click into an existing text box, or insert one with Insert → Text box.
  • Click the Bulleted list button on the top toolbar (three dots with lines next to them). If you don’t see it, click the More (⋮) button to reveal hidden icons.
  • Type your first line of text, then press Enter to create the next bullet.

Think of each Enter press as “one thought, one bullet.” It keeps slides clean and scannable.

Keyboard Shortcuts (Fastest Way)

  • Place your cursor where you want bullets in a text box.
  • Press Ctrl + Shift + 8 on Windows or Cmd + Shift + 8 on Mac to start or stop a bulleted list.
  • For numbered lists, use Ctrl + Shift + 7 (Windows) or Cmd + Shift + 7 (Mac).

This shortcut is handy in class or meetings when you need to turn notes into a quick list on the fly.

Make Sub-Bullets (Indented Points)

  • Click at the start of a bullet line you want to turn into a sub-point.
  • Press Tab to indent it and create a sub-bullet; the bullet style usually changes automatically.
  • Press Shift + Tab (or use Decrease indent in the toolbar) to move it back out to the main level.

A simple structure example:

  1. Main idea
    • Sub-point
    • Another sub-point

Change Bullet Style, Color, or Use Icons

If you want your bullets to match your brand or look less plain:

  • Select the text with bullets you want to customize.
  • Go to Format → Bullets & numbering → List options (or Bulleted list).
  • Choose from different shapes (circles, squares, arrows, checkmarks, etc.).
  • To go further, you can use Symbols (e.g., arrows, checkmarks) or Images (like a logo or icon) as bullets.
  • Change bullet color and size using the text color and font-size controls so they match your theme.

A small trick: using checkmark bullets for “done” lists instantly makes a slide feel more action‑oriented.

Animate Bullet Points (Optional but Powerful)

If you want bullets to appear one by one during your talk:

  • Add your bullet list first.
  • Right-click the bullets and choose Animate.
  • Pick an animation type (e.g., Fade in) and set how it starts (on click, after previous, etc.).
  • Turn on “By paragraph” so each bullet appears individually instead of all at once.

This keeps your audience focused on one idea at a time—very common in 2025–2026 presentation styles.

Quick Reference Table

[9][3] [7][9][3] [5][4] [4][2] [3]
Task How to Do It
Add basic bullets Click in text box → toolbar Bulleted list icon → type and press Enter.
Use a shortcut Ctrl + Shift + 8 (Windows) / Cmd + Shift + 8 (Mac) to toggle bullets.
Sub-bullets Tab to indent, Shift + Tab to move back.
Change bullet style Format → Bullets & numbering → List options, then pick style/symbol/image.
Animate bullets Right-click list → Animate → enable “By paragraph.”

Mini Story: From Wall of Text to Clean List

Imagine you paste a big paragraph of notes into one slide—everything looks cramped and no one can follow. You highlight the whole block, click Bulleted list , and suddenly each key idea stands on its own line. Then you press Tab on supporting details to tuck them under the main ideas as sub- bullets, and finally add a simple fade‑in animation by paragraph so each point appears as you talk. In under a minute, the slide goes from unreadable to something you can actually present with confidence.

Quick SEO Bits (for your post)

  • Focus keyword to weave in naturally: how to do bullet points in Google Slides.
  • Mention it in your title, one H2 (like “How to Do Bullet Points in Google Slides (Step by Step)”), and once or twice in the intro and summary for friendly readability.
  • Keep sentences short, use lists generously, and explain shortcuts and sub-bullets since those are commonly searched.

TL;DR: Click in a text box → hit the Bulleted list icon (or use Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + 8) → Enter for new bullets, Tab for sub-bullets, and adjust styles via Format → Bullets & numbering.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.