Best PowerPoint Shortcuts

by | Jun 2, 2023 | Presentation Design | 0 comments

PowerPoint is a versatile presentation software that can be further enhanced by using keyboard shortcuts. These time-saving shortcuts allow you to perform tasks quickly and efficiently. In this article, we will explore the best PowerPoint shortcuts to help you become a proficient PowerPoint user.

Whether you’re a student, professional, or presenter, these shortcuts will elevate your productivity and streamline your PowerPoint workflow.

Formatting Shortcuts

Formatting shortcuts allow you to quickly apply formatting options without the need to navigate through menus and ribbons. This saves you time and enables you to focus on content creation rather than spending excessive time on formatting tasks.

Text Formatting Shortcuts

  • Ctrl + B: Bold Shortcut
    • Function: Applies bold formatting to selected text.
  • Ctrl + I: Italic Shortcut
    • Function: Applies italic formatting to selected text.
  • Ctrl + U: Underline Shortcut
    • Function: Applies or removes underlining to selected text.
  • Ctrl + Shift + >: Increase Font Size Shortcut
    • Function: Increases the font size of selected text.
  • Ctrl + Shift + <: Decrease Font Size
    • Function: Decreases the font size of selected text.
  • Ctrl + Shift + A: Toggle Capitalisation
    • Function: Toggles the capitalisation of selected text between lowercase, uppercase, and sentence case.
  • Ctrl + Shift + F: Change Font
    • Function: Opens the Font dialog box to change the font style and attributes of selected text.
  • Ctrl + Shift + W: Underline Words Only
    • Function: Applies or removes underlining to only the individual words within selected text.
  • Ctrl + Shift + K: Small Caps
    • Function: Applies small caps formatting to selected text.
  • Ctrl + 1: Single Line Spacing
    • Function: Applies single line spacing to selected text.

Slide Formatting Shortcuts

  • Ctrl + D: Duplicate Slide Shortcut
    • Function: Creates a duplicate of the selected slide.
  • Ctrl + M: Insert Slide
    • Function: Inserts a new slide at the current position.
  • Ctrl + Shift + D: Duplicate Slide and Keep Source Formatting
    • Function: Creates a duplicate of the selected slide while preserving the original formatting.
  • Ctrl + Shift + P: Insert Slide from Another Presentation
    • Function: Inserts a slide from another PowerPoint presentation.

Navigation Shortcuts

With navigation shortcuts, you can easily select and jump to specific slides within your presentation. This is especially useful when you need to navigate to a particular slide for reference, revision, or to address specific audience questions.

Slide Navigation Shortcuts

  • Ctrl + Home: Go to the First Slide 
    • Function: Navigates to the first slide in the presentation.
      Ctrl + End: Go to the Last Slide
      Function: Navigates to the last slide in the presentation.
  • Ctrl + G: Go to Slide
    • Function: Jumps to a specific slide by entering its slide number.
  • Ctrl + Up Key: Go to Previous Slide
    • Function: Navigates to the previous slide in the presentation.
  • Ctrl + Down Key: Go to Next Slide
    • Function: Moves to the next slide in the presentation.

Editing Shortcuts

Editing shortcuts allow you to perform editing tasks quickly and efficiently. Instead of manually navigating through menus and options, you can accomplish tasks with just a few keystrokes. This saves time, especially when working on large presentations with extensive content.

Copy, Cut, and Paste Shortcuts

  • Ctrl + C: Copy
    • Function: Copies the selected text or object.
  • Ctrl + X: Cut
    • Function: Cuts the selected text or object.
  • Ctrl + V: Paste
    • Function: Pastes the copied or cut content.
  • Ctrl + Alt + V: Paste Special
    • Function: Opens the Paste Special dialog box for advanced pasting options.

Undo and Redo Shortcuts

  • Ctrl + Z: Undo
    • Function: Reverses the last action performed.
  • Ctrl + Y: Redo
    • Function: Reverses the last undo action.

Slideshow Presentation Shortcuts

Slideshow presentation shortcuts allow you to navigate through your presentation smoothly and seamlessly. By quickly moving between slides, you can maintain the audience’s engagement and ensure a cohesive flow of information.

Start and Navigate Slideshow

  • F5: Start Slideshow from the Beginning
    • Function: Initiates the slideshow from the first slide.
  • Shift + F5: Start Slideshow from the Current Slide
    • Function: Begins the slideshow from the current slide.
  • Spacebar or Enter: Advance to Next Slide
    • Function: Moves to the next slide in the slideshow.
  • Backspace or Up Arrow: Go to Previous Slide
    • Function: Navigates to the previous slide in the slideshow.
  • Esc: End Slideshow
    • Function: Exits the slideshow and returns to normal editing mode.

Slide Show Tools

  • B or . (Period): Blank the Screen
    • Function: Temporarily hides the slide content during the presentation to draw attention to the presenter
  • W or , (Comma): White or Black Screen
    • Function: Displays a white or black screen during the slideshow.
  • Ctrl + P: Display Pointer
    • Function: Activates the pointer during the slideshow.
  • Ctrl + A: Hide/Show Mouse Cursor
    • Function: Toggles the visibility of the mouse cursor during the slideshow.
  • N: Toggle Notes Pane
    • Function: Toggles the display of the Notes pane during a slide show.
  • M: Mute/Unmute Audio
    • Function: Mutes or unmutes the audio during a slide show if audio is present.
  • T: Set Timer
    • Function: Sets a timer during the slide show to keep track of presentation time.
  • Ctrl + Plus (+): Zoom In
    • Function: Zooms in on the slide during a slide show.
  • Ctrl + 0: Fit Slide to Window
    • Function: Adjusts the slide size to fit the slide show window during a presentation.

Formatting and Object Manipulation Shortcuts

Formatting and object manipulation shortcuts allow you to quickly apply formatting options and make adjustments to objects without the need to navigate through menus and ribbons. This saves you time and enables you to focus on content creation and design.

Group and Ungroup Objects

  • Ctrl + G: Group Objects
    • Function: Groups selected objects into a single unit.
  • Ctrl + Shift + G: Ungroup Objects
    • Function: Disassembles a grouped object into individual components.

Rotate and Resize Objects

  • Ctrl + Shift+ > or Ctrl + Shift + . : Increase Object Size
    • Function: Increases the size of the selected object(s).
  • Ctrl+ Shift + < or Ctrl + Shift + , : Decrease Object Size
    • Function: Decreases the size of the selected object(s).
  • Ctrl + R: Rotate Object
    • Function: Rotates the selected object clockwise by 15 degrees.
  • Ctrl + Shift + R: Rotate Object Counterclockwise
    • Function: Rotates the selected object counterclockwise by 15 degrees.
  • Ctrl + Shift + Arrow Keys: Nudge Objects
    • Function: Moves the selected object(s) by small increments in the corresponding direction.

Presentation View Shortcuts

Presentation view shortcuts allow you to navigate through your slides and control your presentation with ease. They provide a seamless and uninterrupted experience, allowing you to focus on delivering your message to the audience.

Normal View

  • Ctrl + Shift + N: Switch to Normal View
    • Function: Transitions to the Normal View, which is the default editing mode.

Slide Sorter View

  • Ctrl + Shift + S: Switch to Slide Sorter View
    • Function: Changes to the Slide Sorter View, displaying thumbnail previews of all slides.

Notes Page View

  • Ctrl + Shift + H: Switch to Notes Page View
    • Function: Transitions to the Notes Page View, where you can add and edit speaker notes.

Reading View

  • Shift + F5: Switch to Reading View
    • Function: Enters the Reading View, which simulates a presentation environment.

Animation and Transition Shortcuts

By utilising shortcuts, you can streamline your workflow when working with animations and transitions. These shortcuts enable you to make adjustments, reorder animations, or modify timing without interrupting your creative process or having to manually click through various menus.

Animation Shortcuts

  • Ctrl + Shift + F9: Clear Animation
    • Function: Removes all animations from the selected slide or object.
  • Alt + Shift + Left Arrow: Move Animation Left
    • Function: Moves the selected animation left in the animation order.
  • Alt + Shift + Right Arrow: Move Animation Right
    • Function: Moves the selected animation right in the animation order.

Transition Shortcut

  • Ctrl + Shift + Up Arrow: Previous Slide Transition
    • Function: Applies the previous slide transition to the selected slide.
  • Ctrl + Shift +Down Arrow: Next Slide Transition
    • Function: Applies the next slide transition to the selected slide.
  • Ctrl + Spacebar: Remove Transition
    • Function: Removes the transition from the selected slide.

Miscellaneous Shortcuts

Miscellaneous shortcuts encompass a range of functions that can enhance your productivity in PowerPoint. Whether it’s navigating through different views, accessing specific tools or features, or performing quick actions, these shortcuts save time and make your workflow more efficient.

Save and Open Shortcuts

  • Ctrl + S: Save Presentation
    • Function: Saves the current presentation.
  • Ctrl + O: Open Presentation
    • Function: Opens an existing PowerPoint presentation.

Conclusion

Mastering PowerPoint shortcuts can significantly enhance your productivity and efficiency when creating and delivering presentations. By familiarizing yourself with these 70 essential shortcuts, you can streamline your workflow, save time, and accomplish more with PowerPoint. Whether you’re formatting text, navigating through slides, editing content, or delivering a presentation, these shortcuts will empower you to work smarter and achieve professional results. Incorporate these time-saving techniques into your PowerPoint repertoire and unlock your full potential as a presenter and content creator.