Your whole team works in Google Slides. The investor wants a PDF. Google's built-in export does the job — usually. Sometimes the PPTX detour gives a cleaner result.
Direct PDF export from Google Slides
Open the deck in Google Slides, File > Download > PDF. The PDF downloads immediately. Fonts embed, images preserve, slide layout matches the source. For most decks, this is the right answer.
Alternatively, File > Print > Save as PDF (browser-level print dialog) gives you more control over orientation and slide selection.
When the PPTX route helps
Some custom fonts in Google Slides aren't always embedded in the direct PDF export — they may render with substitution. For exact font fidelity, download as PPTX (File > Download > PPTX), open in PowerPoint or Keynote, then export to PDF from there.
Or use Flint's PowerPoint to PDF with the downloaded PPTX. The conversion path is longer but gives broader control.
Sharing without conversion
Often you don't actually need a PDF — you need a shareable link. Google Slides has share permissions that work as well as PDF for most viewing purposes. Use "Anyone with the link can view" for read-only sharing.
Reserve PDF for: contexts where the recipient needs a downloadable file, archival, attachment in an email where the recipient won't have Google access.
Handout layouts
For multi-slide-per-page handouts (which Google Slides itself doesn't directly produce), download as PPTX, open in PowerPoint, use PowerPoint's Handout layout, then export to PDF.
FAQ
Will custom fonts render correctly?
Mostly — Google Slides embeds fonts where possible. For exact fidelity, the PPTX detour helps.
Can I choose specific slides only?
Hide unwanted slides first (right-click slide thumbnail > Skip slide), then export. Hidden slides are excluded.
What about animations?
Like all PDF exports, animations don't carry. PDFs are static.
Speaker notes?
File > Print Settings and Preview, then choose layout with notes. Direct PDF download doesn't include notes by default.
Google's direct export is fine for most decks. Convert via PPTX for tighter control.