How to Overlay on Google Slides

Updated on:

May 5, 2026

By:

Use this interactive demo to learn how to layer and arrange objects on your Google Slides.

Quick summary

This tutorial shows how to overlay objects in Google Slides using the Arrange menu to control layer order. In just a few clicks, you can place any image, shape, or text box in front of or behind other slide elements.

Steps

Select the image, shape, or text box you want to overlay on your slide.
Drag the selected element over the object you want to cover it.
In the top menu, click Arrange.
Hover over Order in the Arrange submenu.
Choose Send backwards or Send to back to place the element behind the target object.
Your selected object is now successfully overlayed on your slide.

📌 Why this matters

Overlaying objects in Google Slides lets presenters create visually layered designs — such as placing images behind text or shapes — without any external design tool. Mastering the Arrange and Order controls gives users precise control over element stacking order, which is essential for building polished, professional slide decks. This feature is especially valuable for educators, marketers, and business professionals who need to produce compelling visual presentations directly inside Google Slides. Understanding object layering unlocks more creative slide layouts and reduces reliance on third-party design software.

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