To add a border around text in Google Slides, you typically add a border to the text box or shape containing the text. Google Slides does not have a built-in feature to add a stroke or outline directly around individual letters themselves like some graphic design software.
Here's how to add a border around the text box or shape using the method described in the reference:
Step-by-Step Guide to Adding a Text Box Border
Follow these simple steps to apply a border around your text container:
- Select the Text Object: Click on the text to select it. This will select the text box or shape containing your text.
- Access Border and Fill Tools: Locate the border and fill tools in the toolbar that appears at the top of the Google Slides window. These tools control the appearance of the selected object.
- Choose Border Color: Click on the "Border color" icon (usually looks like a pencil or outline). Choose the color you want for your border from the palette.
- Choose Border Weight: Click on the "Border weight" icon (usually shows lines of varying thickness). Select the desired thickness for your border.
- Choose Border Dash (Optional): Click on the "Border dash" icon (shows different line styles). You can choose a solid line or a dashed/dotted line style.
- Adjust Fill Color (Optional but Recommended): If you want only the border and not a background color behind your text within the text box, you might need to adjust the fill color. Set the fill color to transparent and pick a color for the border. The fill color tool (usually a paint bucket icon) lets you change the background color of the text box. Set it to "Transparent" to see the slide background behind the text, leaving only the border visible around the box.
- Reference Highlight: As stated in the reference, you Click on the text to select it, then use the border and fill tools in the toolbar. Set the fill color to transparent and pick a color for the border.
Understanding the Result
It's important to understand that this process adds a border around the perimeter of the text box or shape, not as an outline directly surrounding each individual letter.
- What you get: A box or outline around the entire block of text.
- What you don't get (natively): A stroke effect around the edges of each character.
Example
Imagine you have the word "BORDER" in a text box. Applying a border using these steps will put a rectangular outline around the entire word within its box. It will not create an outline around the 'B', then the 'O', then the 'R', etc.
Alternative Considerations
Since Google Slides lacks a direct 'text stroke' feature, users sometimes resort to workarounds for more advanced text effects:
- Using Drawing Software: Create the text with a stroke effect in a dedicated design program (like Adobe Illustrator, Gravit Designer, or even web-based tools like Canva) and then save it as an image (PNG with transparency is ideal) to insert into your slide.
- Using Google Drawings: Google Drawings offers slightly more flexibility than Slides for vector objects. You might be able to create the text effect there and copy-paste or insert the drawing into your Slides.
| Feature | Google Slides (Native Text) | Google Slides (Text Box Border) | External Software (Image) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Individual Letter Stroke | No | No | Yes |
| Text Box Border | No (requires fill/border) | Yes | No (it's an image) |
| Ease of Editing Text | Yes | Yes | No (it's an image) |
While the native Google Slides functionality focuses on border styles for the text box itself, understanding this distinction helps manage expectations and explore alternative methods if individual letter strokes are essential for your design.
