PowerPoint Keyboard Shortcuts
95+ Microsoft PowerPoint shortcuts for slide design, animations, and presentations. Mac and Windows reference.
General
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| New presentation | |
| Open presentation | |
| Save | |
| Save As | |
| Close presentation | |
| Undo | |
| Redo | |
| Find | |
| Find and Replace |
Slides
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| New slide | |
| Duplicate selected slide | |
| Duplicate current slide | |
| Delete selected slide | |
| Move slide up | |
| Move slide down | |
| Go to first slide | |
| Go to last slide | |
| Next slide | |
| Previous slide | |
| New slide (same layout) |
Text
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Bold | |
| Italic | |
| Underline | |
| Center align text | |
| Left align text | |
| Right align text | |
| Justify text | |
| Increase font size | |
| Decrease font size | |
| Copy formatting | |
| Paste formatting | |
| Open Font dialog | |
| Insert hyperlink | |
| New slide (from Normal view) | |
| Superscript | |
| Subscript |
Objects
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Select all objects on slide | |
| Group selected objects | |
| Ungroup objects | |
| Duplicate object | |
| Copy formatting | |
| Paste formatting | |
| Nudge object (1 px) | |
| Nudge object (large) | |
| Constrain movement/resize | |
| Bring to Front | |
| Send to Back | |
| Bring Forward | |
| Send Backward | |
| Select next object | |
| Select previous object | |
| Presenter view |
Slideshow
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Start slideshow from beginning | |
| Start from current slide | |
| End slideshow | |
| Next slide / animation | |
| Previous slide / animation | |
| Go to specific slide number | |
| Black screen (toggle) | |
| White screen (toggle) | |
| Show pointer / pen | |
| Show laser pointer | |
| Switch to eraser | |
| Erase all annotations | |
| Hide pointer and nav | |
| Show All Slides dialog | |
| Show taskbar |
View
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Switch between Normal and Outline | |
| Presenter View | |
| Zoom in | |
| Zoom out | |
| Fit slide in window | |
| Zoom dialog | |
| Toggle Ribbon |
Animations
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Animations tab | |
| Transitions tab | |
| Preview from current slide | |
| Preview animation |
Pro tips
F5 and Shift+F5 for Presenting
F5 starts from slide 1, Shift+F5 starts from the current slide. During presentation, press B for black screen or W for white - great for pausing to discuss.
Duplicate with Ctrl+D
Ctrl+D duplicates slides in the slide panel or objects on the canvas. For objects, it also remembers the last offset - so duplicating repeatedly creates evenly spaced copies.
Copy Formatting with Format Painter
Ctrl+Shift+C copies formatting, Ctrl+Shift+V pastes it. Double-click the Format Painter to apply to multiple objects. Essential for maintaining consistent slide design.
Use Slide Master for Consistency
Edit the Slide Master (View → Slide Master) to change fonts, colors, and layouts across all slides at once. Much faster than editing slides individually.
Align and Distribute Objects
Select multiple objects, go to Format → Align, and use Distribute Horizontally/Vertically for perfect spacing. Alt+H+G+A opens alignment options quickly.
Use Section Zoom for Navigation
In long presentations, use Insert → Zoom → Section Zoom to create interactive navigation slides. Clicking a section zooms into that part of the deck.
Frequently asked questions
How do I present from a specific slide?
Select the slide you want to start from, then press Shift+F5. Or during a presentation, type the slide number and press Enter to jump directly to that slide.
How do I black out the screen during a presentation?
Press B for a black screen or W for a white screen. Press any key or click to return to the presentation. This is useful when you want the audience to focus on you rather than the slides.
How do I duplicate a slide with the same layout?
Select the slide in the slide panel and press Ctrl+D. Or right-click → Duplicate Slide. The new slide copies the layout, content, and formatting of the original.
How do I align objects perfectly?
Select multiple objects (Shift+Click), then go to Format → Align. Use 'Align Center', 'Distribute Horizontally', etc. For pixel-perfect placement, use Smart Guides (they appear automatically as you drag).
What's the difference between animations and transitions?
Transitions are effects between slides (fade, slide, morph). Animations are effects on individual objects within a slide (fly in, fade, emphasis). Use the Animations tab for objects and Transitions tab for slides.
How do I use Presenter View?
Press Alt+F5 to start Presenter View. It shows your notes, next slide, and timer on your screen while the audience sees only the slides. Requires a second display or you can preview it on one screen.
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