Slide count calculator
Enter how long you have to present and see how many slides you need.
Quick answers
How many slides do I need?
About one slide for every one to two minutes: 5–10 slides for a 10-minute presentation. Tap a length to put it in the calculator. Numbers follow the style you picked above.
Standard style, 1–2 min per slide.
By length
Slides, timing and outlines by presentation length
How it works
How to work out how many slides you need
Take out time without slides
Q&A, demos and videos don't need slides, so subtract them from your slot first.
Pick a time per slide
One to two minutes suits most talks. Dense charts need longer; image-led decks move faster.
Divide
Minutes on slides ÷ minutes per slide. Do it at both ends of the range to get the fewest and most slides.
minutes on slides ÷ minutes per slide = slides. Example: a 30-minute slot with 10 minutes of Q&A leaves 20 minutes on slides. At two minutes a slide that is 10 slides; at one minute a slide it is 20. So plan on 10–20 slides.
The styles above use 2–3 min a slide for detailed decks, 1–2 min for standard ones and 30–60 sec for visual ones. Counts are rounded to the nearest whole slide.
For pitches
The 10/20/30 rule
Guy Kawasaki's rule for pitch decks: 10 slides, 20 minutes, and no text smaller than 30 points. That is two minutes a slide, the slow end of the standard range, and it caps the deck at ten slides however long the slot. A 10-minute pitch would use about 5 slides.
It is a rule for persuading investors, not for teaching or reporting, where one to two minutes a slide with more slides is normal.
Nothing leaves your device
Everything is worked out in your browser. Nothing you enter is uploaded, saved or added to the page address.
Check the words too
Slides set the rhythm; your script sets the time. The speech time calculator tells you how many words fit the same slot.
It's a starting point
Some slides take ten seconds, others five minutes. Time a run-through with the rehearsal tracker to see which ones run long.
Keep every slide on time from your phone
Copresent puts your Google Slides speaker notes, a timer and the slide controls on your phone, so you can see how long you have spent and move on when it's time. No second screen needed.
See how it worksKeep going
Plan the rest of your talk
FAQ
How many slides do I need for my presentation?
Plan on one slide for every one to two minutes you speak. A 10-minute presentation needs about 5 to 10 slides, a 20-minute one about 10 to 20, and a 1-hour talk about 30 to 60. Take Q&A and demos out of the time first, because no slides are on screen for them.
How many slides for a 5-minute presentation?
About 3 to 5 slides at one to two minutes each. If your slides are mostly images you can show more, about 5 to 10.
How many slides for a 15-minute presentation?
About 8 to 15 slides. A detailed deck with dense charts or tables needs fewer, about 5 to 8.
What is the 10/20/30 rule?
A rule for pitches from venture capitalist Guy Kawasaki: no more than 10 slides, no longer than 20 minutes, and no text smaller than 30 points. It works out to two minutes a slide, which sits at the slow end of the usual range.
Is it better to have more slides or fewer?
Neither by itself. More slides with one idea each are easier to follow than a few crowded ones, but flicking through slides too fast loses people. Aim for one point per slide and about a minute or two on each, then rehearse with a timer to check.
Do title and section slides count?
Yes, but they only take a few seconds each. If your deck has several of them, the slides with content can stay up a little longer and you can add one or two more slides than the range suggests.
Is anything I type saved or sent anywhere?
No. The calculator runs in your browser. Nothing you enter is uploaded, saved or put in the page address.