How can I import a vector drawing into Google Slides?

Question

Google Slides adds an annoying amount of compression on my imported images. I want to avoid compression so I want to upload my schematics in a vector format. I can basically export to any vector format possible.

How do I do this in Google Slides?

Answer 1

This method works flawlessly for me.

1. Upload your images/icons to Google Drive

2. Open it with CloudConvert

   • Choose export format : vector / emf.
   • Make sure that you have the checkbox to save the converted file to your Google Drive
   • Click on button Start conversion.

3. Open emf file with Google Drawing

4. Copy/paste SVG icon into your Slides.

   • you can modify the colors as you wish, add or remove shapes

Answer 2

As of Apr 4th 2020, I just found an easier offline solution for this issue, especially if you have the shape already in PowerPoint.

1. Just copy the shape(s) to a new PowerPoint presentation and save it as a .ppt file.
2. Upload it to Drive. The uploaded file will open in Slides and the shape(s) will maintain their vector properties.
3. Copy the shapes from the new Slides document into the one you were working on.

Answer 3

As of Nov 25th 2020, I just tried the old way to open a .ppt with Google slides and the .SVG will become a .jpge in Google slides. Somehow I cannot convert .svg into smart shapes in PowerPoint, and that's why it won't work in google slides.

I find another way, which is to upload the target SVG file to Google Drive, as a regular file. Install "CloudConvert" into Google Drive, and give it permission to read all your documents (scary! Click on the SVG file, and right-click to send to CloudConvert. Convert to "EMF" format and (this is crucial) save back to Google Drive, and open EMF to Google Drawings. And select the target in Google Drawing and copy it into Google Slides.

I think for now this is the only way to insert svg into Google slides.

Answer 4

As of 2023 nothing of this works. If you can create a PPTX file, you can put your SVGs inside and open it with Google Slides. Then copy-paste the images in your own presentation.

I used FreeOffice, Libreoffice file didn't work.

UPDATE 2024

I've found this solution by Avi Megiddo.

Essentially, since 2023 there is a problem in Google EMF import algorithm. It is a Google script to convert EMF files to the correct MIME type. After convertion, files can be opened by Google Drawing and copied to Slides as vectors.

The script converts Google Drive last week EMFs. Copy below.

function betterConvertMIMETypeOfEMFs() {
  var oneWeekAgo = new Date();
  oneWeekAgo.setDate(oneWeekAgo.getDate() - 7);

  var targetMimeType = 'image/emf';
  var desiredMimeType = 'application/x-msmetafile';
  var query = 'mimeType != "' + desiredMimeType + '" and fileExtension = "emf" and modifiedDate > "' + oneWeekAgo.toISOString() + '"';
  var files = DriveApp.searchFiles(query);

  var count = 0;
  var maxFilesToConvert = 10;

  while (files.hasNext() && count < maxFilesToConvert) {
    var file = files.next();

    // Check if file has parents before attempting to retrieve
    var parents = file.getParents();
    if (parents.hasNext()) {
      var folder = parents.next();
 
      // Try to get the blob and change MIME type; if error, skip this file
      try {
        var blob = file.getBlob();
        blob.setContentType(desiredMimeType);
        folder.createFile(blob);
        count++;
      } catch (e) {
        Logger.log("Error processing file " + file.getName() + ": " + e.toString());
        continue;  // Skip this file and move to the next one
      }
    }
  }

  if (count === 0) {
    Logger.log('No recent EMF files needing conversion were found.');
  } else {
    Logger.log(count + ' recent EMF files converted to desired MIME type.');
  }
}

Answer 5

[May 2024] Direct drag and drop of a .SVG file into Google Presentation didn't work ("invalid format"), but I wanted to see if I could make a Mermaid-generated sequence diagram's elements directly editable within Presentaiton somehow. Mermaid is just for convenience for rapid (UML) diagram creation, I suspect this process will work with any diagram .SVG.

These steps worked for me on a MacBook Pro running Sonoma 14.1.x.

1.) Generate/download .SVG file of your diagram from the Mermaid editor

2.) Create a local PowerPoint presentation

3.) Drag and drop your .SVG file into the PowerPoint slide

4.) Right-click on the .SVG image (it will appear as a Grouped item). Click "Ungroup". You'll likely get a popup warning dialog asking if you want to Ungroup (you do). Click yes to confirm. It will split up the single object into it's constituent editable individual elements.

5.) Save your PowerPoint

6.) In Google Presentation, File > Import Slides > Choose the slide with your diagram and import it

7.) The slide should appear with the fully editable version of the diagram on it.

Answer 6

1. Download inkscape
2. Convert the svg to a png: inkscape in.svg --export-type=png -o out.png -h HEIGHT -w WIDTH
3. Drag and drop the png into the slide

Note: I have only tested the command provided on linux, not sure about Windows or other Unix based OS