GOOGLE SLIDES - Convert to Video

The new feature CONVERT TO VIDEO in Google Slides is amazing and so easy to use!

Convert to Video is a new feature in Google Slides and it's amazing! The small icon for Convert to Video is at the bottom of the sidebar. When you click on it, the Convert to Video side panel opens. It has an Convert button and explains that it will "convert your presentation into an engaging video using Google Vids". After you click on Convert, you will be able to select the slides that you want in the video. This is where the best feature is. Below the slides it says "Include AI voiceover, script, and background music" and you want to be sure that it's turned on. Now you click on Import and it will create a video in Google Vids with voiceover, script, and background! Isn't that amazing? And it was so easy! And that's not all. You can edit the video, if you want, and make changes. You have all the tools in Google Vids to make the video exactly how you want it. Even more amazing!

TECH TREAT of the MONTH - FEBRUARY 2026

You're going to LOVE the new feature CONVERT TO VIDEO in Google Slides! ❤️

GOOGLE CHROME - Tab Groups

Using TAB GROUPS in Google Chrome is a great way to get organized and save space!

If you're trying to get organized or like to stay organized, Tab Groups in Google Chrome are a great solution! Not only will Tab Groups keep your tabs together, using Tab Groups will also save space. Just by clicking on the Tab Group name, you can minimize each Tab Group to only show the name of the group, which will save lots of space with your tabs. Click on the Tab Group name again and the group will expand to show all of the tabs in the group. You also have lots of options with Tab Groups. You can move the tabs around and change their order. Instead of using the right-click menu to add or remove tabs from a group, you can click and drag tabs to add or remove them from a Tab Group. You can also right click on the Tab Group name to edit the group name and/or change the group color anytime. Finally, when you right click on the Tab Group name, you have these menu options - new tab in group, move group to new window, close group, ungroup, and delete group.

TECH TREAT of the MONTH - JANUARY 2026

If you resolved to get organized for the NEW YEAR, get started by using TAB GROUPS in Google Chrome!

GMAIL - Mail Merge

 Did you know that you can do MAIL MERGE with GMAIL now? It's built right into the compose window!

The Mail Merge symbol is hiding in Gmail so you really have to look for it. You can't see it unless you're clicked on the Recipient line in the compose window. If you're on the Recipient line, you will see Cc Bcc on the far right and the Mail Merge symbol will be next to them on the right. Now that you've discovered the Mail Merge symbol, you'll be able to see what a powerful tool it can be. Over the years, many people have asked me about how to do a Mail Merge in Gmail. Previously, the only options were to use an outside program, which you would usually have to eventually pay for. I was thrilled when I discovered that Google had added Mail Merge in Gmail and it was built right into the compose window. I had all of my recipient information, including email addresses, in a Google Sheet. All I had to do was match the columns to the Mail Merge tags. If you want to personalize your emails, you can use the Mail Merge tags in your email. You can even have a Preview email sent to you to be sure that everything looks the way you want before the emails are sent to everyone. Mail Merge in Gmail is amazing!

TECH TREAT of the MONTH - DECEMBER 2025

Having MAIL MERGE built right into the compose window in GMAIL is a special GIFT for you!

 

GOOGLE DOCS - Voting Chips

Voting is easy and fun in Google Docs when you add customized VOTING CHIPS! 

If you want an easy and fun way to vote in Google Docs, just add customized Voting Chips! You can add them by clicking on Insert, hovering over Smart Chips, and clicking on Vote. You can also add them by typing @Vote. You can choose between 3 icons - thumbs up, heart, and plus sign - or you can click on Custom Voting Chip. When you click on Custom Voting Chip, the Emoji window opens and now the fun starts! You can pick an emoji for your Voting Chip. If you want all of your Voting Chips to look the same, just select the Voting Chip that you've created and copy and paste it until you have all of your Voting Chips in place. If you want to do something else interesting, you can select a different emoji for each of your Voting Chips. Finally, anyone who can view your Google Doc can vote. All they have to do is click on a Voting Chip and their vote is recorded. Each Voting Chip will show the number of votes next to their emoji.

TECH TREAT of the MONTH - NOVEMBER 2025

 You'll be GRATEFUL for VOTING CHIPS, if you want people to be able to vote in Google Docs!

GOOGLE SLIDES - Crop Image to a Shape

 You can CROP AN IMAGE TO A SHAPE in Google Slides just by clicking a little down arrow next to the Crop symbol.

Don't overlook that little down arrow next to the Crop symbol in Google Slides! When you insert an image and click on the little down arrow, you'll have lots of choices for cropping your image. Right at the top is Shapes but you can also choose Arrows, Callouts, and Equation. When you hover over any of these categories, you'll see all of the options for that category. The Shapes category definitely has the most choices. After you click on a shape, the image will immediately be cropped to that shape. If you want to edit the crop, click on the shape and then click on the Crop symbol, not the down arrow. Small "handles" will appear on the sides and the corners of the image. Use the "handles" to edit the crop by clicking and dragging to zoom in or zoom out on the image. Once you've edited the crop, you can resize the image until it's just the way you want it.

TECH TREAT of the MONTH - OCTOBER 2025

 Here's a great TRICK and a real TREAT - you can CROP AN IMAGE TO A SHAPE in Google Slides!🎃

GOOGLE SLIDES - Building Blocks

 You have so many choices with BUILDING BLOCKS in Google Slides with 14 different categories to choose from!

You can access Building Blocks in Google Slides by clicking on Insert and Building Blocks. You can also click on the Building Blocks icon on the Sidebar in Google Slides. Both ways open the Building Blocks panel. There are 14 different categories of Building Blocks so you have lots of choices. Some categories are Agendas, Lists, Headlines, Texas Callouts, Collages, Badges, and Calls to Action, to name a few. When you click on a category name, you can scroll through and see all of the Building Blocks in that category. All you have to do is click on a Building Block to insert it into your Google Slides presentation. After a Building Block is inserted, you can edit the Building Block by resizing it, moving it, changing the colors, text, pictures, etc. You can even use multiple Building Blocks on one slide!

TECH TREAT of the MONTH - SEPTEMBER 2025

 There's no LABOR when you use BUILDING BLOCKS in Google Slides because they're all ready to use!

GOOGLE SHEETS - Timeline

 TIMELINE in Google Sheets can help you say on track with tasks and projects.

It's so easy to insert a Timeline in Google Sheets. It doesn't require a formula and only takes a few steps to create the Timeline. It's not even a hidden feature that you have search for, since it's right in the Insert menu. The Timeline is also created on a new sheet in your Google Sheet so it doesn't interfere with your original data. When you update your original data, the Timeline will also update automatically. After the Timeline is inserted, you can open Settings and customize the way the Timeline looks by selecting different options. I like to format my list first with different colors but you don't have to do that. In the Timeline, you can click on any item and the Card Details panel opens. This is where you can edit the data and/or choose a color for the item in the Timeline. Finally, I like to click on the Card Group dropdown in the Optional Fields and select an item, such as "Tasks" to appear in a list on the left of the Timeline. You have lots of options to make your Timeline look the way you want.

TECH TREAT of the MONTH - AUGUST 2025

 Use the TIMELINE in Google Sheets to help you get ready for BACK TO SCHOOL!

GOOGLE DOCS - Collapsible Headings

 You have COLLAPSIBLE HEADINGS in Google Docs now, as long as you do 2 things!

Collapsible headings are a great feature in Google Docs. There are 2 things that you need to do if you want to have collapsible headings - 1) You need to format your headings with a Heading Style. You can select a Heading Style on the toolbar right next to where you select a font. You have 3 Heading Styles to choose from so be sure to select one of them. Also, notice that I inserted small pictures of red stars in my heading names. This did not affect the headings as long as I selected a Heading Style for the actual text that I typed for the headings. 2) You need to be in Pageless Mode. This can be done by clicking on File and then Page Setup. Select Pageless at the top of the Page Setup window and click OK. Once you're in Pageless mode, when you hover to the left of each heading, you'll see a down arrow. Click on the down arrow and the text below the heading will collapse. Now there will be an arrow to the left of each heading. If you click on it, the heading will expand and you'll see the text below the heading.

TECH TREAT of the MONTH - JULY 2025

 There are COLLAPSIBLE HEADINGS in Google Docs now! Let's CELEBRATE!💥

GOOGLE FORMS - Publish Button

 There's a new PUBLISH BUTTON in Google Forms and you'll be using it a lot! See how easy it is!

The Send button is gone in Google Forms and it has been replaced with a new Publish button. This might seem confusing at first but it actually makes more sense and I think it's a good change. All Google Forms have to be published now before anyone can fill them out so you'll be using the Publish button a lot. When you're ready for people to fill out your form, you click on the Publish button and specify who can fill out your Google Form. You can list specific people, choose your organization, or select "Anyone with the Link". After you Publish your Google Form, the Publish button changes and says "Published". If you click on the Published button, you can see Accepting Responses. This is a new location for it. If you ever want to stop Accepting Responses, this is where you'll turn it off. Finally, if you want to Unpublish your Google Form, click on the 3 dots in the upper right corner of the form and select Unpublish Form.

TECH TREAT of the MONTH - JUNE 2025

 Not sure about the new PUBLISH BUTTON in Google Forms? NO SWEAT! It's easy to use!

GOOGLE SLIDES - New Sidebar

The NEW SIDEBAR in Google Slides has 6 helpful tools in one place!

The New Sidebar in Google Slides puts 6 helpful tools in one spot to the right of your presentation so that you can find and use them easily when you're editing your presentation. The 6 tools are - 1) Templates - a variety of templates that can be applied to your presentation, 2) Building Blocks - pre-formatted pieces of content that can be added to your presentation, 3) Stock & Web - images, stickers, and visual elements that can be added to your presentation, 4) Drive & Photos - access items in your Google Drive and Google Photos to add them to your presentation, 5) Slides Recordings - you can record yourself presenting, then have access to the recordings, and finally, 6) Speaker Spotlight - you can insert your video feed directly into your presentation. Each of these tools can be found on the toolbar under either Insert, View, or Slide so you can access each of them in another place but having them all together in the New Sidebar is a great new addition to Google Slides!

TECH TREAT of the MONTH - MAY 2025

 There's a NEW SIDEBAR in Google Slides! SPRING into action and check it out!