How to Do a Hanging Indent on Google Slides (Step-by-Step)

Need to format citations or create a professional-looking list in Google Slides ? A hanging indent is a great way to make your text more organized—especially for bibliographies, reference pages, or any formatted content.

Unlike Google Docs, Google Slides doesn’t have a built-in button for hanging indents, but with a few quick steps, you can still create one easily. This guide walks you through how to do a hanging indent on Google Slides, even if you’re new to the platform.

Let’s get started!

What Is a Hanging Indent?

A hanging indent means that the first line of a paragraph is aligned to the left margin , while all other lines are indented. This style is commonly used in citations, like in APA , MLA , or Chicago formats.

How to Do a Hanging Indent on Google Slides

Here’s how you can manually create a hanging indent:

1. Open Your Google Slides Presentation

Go to Google Slides, and open the slide where you want to apply the hanging indent.

2. Insert a Text Box

Click on the Text Box icon from the toolbar. Draw the text box on your slide where you want the citation or content.

3. Type or Paste Your Text

Enter the paragraph or citation that needs the hanging indent.

4. Highlight All Lines Except the First

Click and drag to highlight only the second line onward . Leave the first line unselected.

5. Press the Tab Key or Use the Increase Indent Tool

1. On your keyboard, press Tab to indent the highlighted lines.
   
2. Alternatively, click on the "Increase Indent" icon in the toolbar.
   

6. Manually Adjust the Alignment (If Needed)

Sometimes formatting can be tricky in Slides. You can drag the ruler markers at the top of the screen to fine-tune where your text aligns.

💡 Pro Tip : For more robust writing and formatting options before moving content into Google Slides, try creating your text in Docswrite.com . It’s a great tool for generating clean, structured content that easily integrates with Google Docs and Slides.

Why Use Hanging Indents?

1. Makes citations easier to scan
   
2. Keeps formatting consistent
   
3. Looks more professional
   
4. Follows academic and publishing guidelines
   

FAQ: Hanging Indents in Google Slides

Can I create a hanging indent using the ruler in Google Slides?

Yes. If the ruler is enabled, you can drag the left indent marker for the first line and the hanging indent marker for subsequent lines.

Why doesn’t Google Slides have a hanging indent button like Google Docs?

Google Slides is primarily a presentation tool, so it doesn’t include all the word processing features of Google Docs. But you can still create a hanging indent manually.

What if I’m formatting a full bibliography?

It may be easier to first create your bibliography in Google Docs or use a writing assistant like , then copy it into Google Slides once formatting is complete.