How to Do a Hanging Indent in Google Slides

How to Do a Hanging Indent in Google Slides

A hanging indent is an indentation used in bibliographies and citation styles such as APA and Chicago. It works by indenting all lines of the paragraph other than the first line.

In this guide, we’ll show you how to do a hanging indent in Google Slides using two methods.

Method #1: Using the Ruler

  1. Open your Google Slide presentation.

    Opening a Google Slide Presentation
    Open the Google Slide presentation.

  2. Navigate to the paragraph where you want to apply a hanging indent.

    Paragraph to be Applied With Hanging Indent
    Select the paragraph on the slide.

  3. Next, go to View in the top menu and select Show ruler. Once enabled, a check mark will appear on its left. The ruler will now appear above and to the left of your slides.
    How to Enable the Ruler Function in Google Slides
    Go to the View menu and select Show ruler.

    Ruler Locations in Google Slides
    The rulers will be placed below the Menu bar and beside the Preview pane.

  4. After adding the ruler, highlight the paragraph you want to do a hanging indent in.

    Highlighted Paragraph
    Highlight the paragraph.

  5. Go to the ruler’s indent tool. It has two parts:
    The upper rectangle represents the First Line Indent.
    The lower arrow represents the Left Indent.

    Indent Tool Parts
    Parts of the indent tool.

  6. To do a hanging indent, click and drag the left indent and set it to the position you want the whole paragraph to be indented. In this guide, we’ll move it to 0.5 inches from the left, which is the standard indentation to create a hanging indent.Note: A measurement will be displayed as you move it to guide you on the distance you use for your indent.

    Moving the Left Indent
    Click and drag the left indent to 0.5 inches.

  7. Next, click and drag the upper part of the indent tool back to its original position. Ideally, you want it to be displayed as 0.00 inches on the ruler.
    Moving the First Line Indent
    Drag the first line indent to zero inches.

    The selected paragraph will now have a hanging indent!

    Paragraph With Hanging Indent
    Paragraph with a hanging indent.

Method #2: Using Keyboard Shortcuts

  1. Navigate to the paragraph you want to hanging indent.

    Paragraph to be Applied With Hanging Indent
    Navigate to a paragraph in the slide.

  2. Place your cursor on the second line of the paragraph and press Shift + Enter (Shift + Return on Mac). This will prevent the other lines from moving, except the second line.

    Placing the Cursor on the Second Line
    Place the cursor on the second line, and press Shift + Enter (Shift + Return on Mac).

  3. Then, press the Tab key on your keyboard. The second line will be indented.

    Indenting the Second Line
    Press Tab to indent the second line.

  4. Repeat the process for all lines except the first line to do a hanging indent.

    Paragraph with Hanging Indent (via Keyboard)
    Repeat the process for the rest of the lines.

Phoebe is an HR assistant in her day job, but is also a web blogger that loves writing guides and sharing her experiences. When she is not out with her friends, she enjoys traveling or binge-watching Netflix. She graduated with a BA in Communication and Media Studies from the University of Utah, and is a chief editor at TechObservatory.

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