4 Best Ways to Put a Border Around an Image in Google Slides

A text-only presentation is boring, and adding images can make it appealing. However, using simple images can become monotonous. You can edit and customize images in Google Slides to give your slides a different look. One of the ways to customize pictures is to add borders to them. This post will help you achieve that.

Google Slides comes with its own border tool. But the options are limited. In this post, we covered the native border tool and other methods for adding borders around images in Google Slides. You can have both simple and decorative backgrounds.

Let’s check out the various methods.

Note: The steps are shown for a computer, but the same methods are also available on Android and iOS.

Method 1: Using the Border Tool

This is one of the easiest ways to outline a picture in Google Slides. Start by adding the required image to your slide. Then click on the image to select it. When selected, three border tools will be enabled on the ribbon. These are – Border colour, weight and hyphen. The latter is used to change the style of the border.

Click any of the tools to add a border. Then customize the border by changing its style, size, and color using the three options.

Method 2: Using Shapes

If you don’t like the borders of the above method, you can create your own custom borders using shapes. In this method, we will add an image on top of the shape or use a shape as the background of the image. The final image looks like an image with a customized border.

Here’s how to go about it:

Stage 1: Add the picture to the slide.

step 2: Click Insert in the menu bar and select Shape. Select the required shape from the available options.

Stage 3: Draw the required shape on the slide with your mouse. You will notice that the shape appears above the image.

To bring the image forward, right-click the shape and go to Sort > Send back.

Step 4: Drag the picture to the top of the shape. You can rotate, resize or move the shapes according to your need.

Fly: To simplify the process, you can add the shape first and then add an image on it.

Step 5: You can keep the default shape color or add a new color. Click the shape to select it. Then click the Fill color icon on the ribbon. Choose the color you want.

Tip 1: Add Double Border

You can have two to further customize the border. When you add a shape, it becomes a border. You can remove it completely or customize it to have multiple borders as shown in the next tip.

Click the shape. Use the Border tools (color, weight, and dash) that appear on the ribbon to customize it.

Tip 2: Remove Shape Border

Click the shape to remove the black outline from the shape. Then click the Border color icon on the ribbon. Press Transparent.

Tip #3: Change the Shape

If you don’t like the current shape (or border) used for the picture, you can change it right away. Right-click the shape used as the border. Select Change shape from the menu and select the new shape. Similarly, you can try different border shapes for your picture without having to start over.

Tip #4: Group Shape and Image

Grouping them is useful if you want to move or resize the picture and shape. Control how to group and ungroup items in Google Slides.

Fly: Check out similar cool tips for shapes on Google Slides.

Method 3: Using the Mask Tool

In this method, we will take help from the Mask and Border tools. First you will need to mask the image and then customize its border. Here are the steps:

Stage 1: Click on the picture to which you want to add a stylish border.

Step 2: Click the small arrow next to the Crop icon on the ribbon. Choose the shape you want.

The image will automatically take the required shape.

Stage 3: With the image selected, use the Border tools to add the required border.

Method 4: Add Decorative Border

Finally, you can add decorative borders to your image. You will need to download them from the internet. Go to Insert > Image > Search the Web.

Look for decorative borders. Select the border you want to use. Now resize or move it to fit the picture.

Fly: Check out 11 animation tips and tricks for Google Slides.

Google Slides Tips and Tricks

Google Slides is loaded with creative options to spice up your presentations. You need to discover and use them. We’ve covered 11 such tips and tricks for Google Slides that you might find helpful.