How do I monitor chat in Google Meet while sharing PowerPoint slides?

Google Meet doesn’t show the chat while sharing your PowerPoint slides, but there are two workarounds that can make monitoring the chat easier during your presentation:

Workaround 1

While presenting your PowerPoint slides:

1. On Windows: press and hold Alt on your keyboard and with the Tab key select the Google Meet window from the panel that appears on your screen.
2. On Mac: press and hold Cmd on your keyboard and with the Tab key select the Google Meet window from the panel that appears on your screen.

See the workaround in action

Workaround 2

When you are ready to present your slides, don’t share your screen in Google Meet yet. Follow the steps below:

1. Open your slides in PowerPoint.
2. Click Slide Show from the tabs at the top.
3. Click Set up Slide Show.
4. Check Browsed by an individual (window).
5. Click OK.
6. Click the slide show icon at the bottom of the screen to start your presentation.

Pro tip: If you can’t find the slide show icon, use your keyboard keys to start the presentation:
– Windows: press F5
– Mac: press fn + F5.

7. Once the presentation starts, a smaller window with your slides will appear. Don’t close this PowerPoint window.
8. Return to Google Meet and make sure that the chat is visible. If not, click the chat icon (top right) now.
9. Click Present now and choose A window.
10. Choose the PowerPoint thumbnail and click Share.
11. The smaller window should appear on the left-hand side, while the chat is visible on the right.

Things to be aware of

– If the PowerPoint window appears on top of the chat, drag it to the left where the black screen is, so it doesn’t cover the chat.
– To advance slides during the presentation, use the arrow keys on your keyboard.
– If during the presentation you need to type in the chat, the PowerPoint window may disappear once you click on the chat to type. To return to the presentation, select the PowerPoint window from the Windows taskbar or the dock on the Mac.