If you often work with presentations, mastering PowerPoint shortcuts is a game-changer. Instead of relying on endless mouse clicks, you can use PowerPoint shortcuts to speed up your workflow. In this guide, we’ll cover essential and common presentation hotkeys on Windows & Mac.
Frequently Used PowerPoint Shortcuts
| Action | Windows | Mac |
|---|---|---|
| Copy | Ctrl + C | ⌘ + C |
| Paste | Ctrl + V | ⌘ + V |
| Cut | Ctrl + X | ⌘ + X |
| Select all Slide | Ctrl + A | ⌘ + A |
| Undo | Ctrl + Z | ⌘ + Z |
| Redo | Ctrl + Y | ⌘ + Shift + Z |
| Save | Ctrl + S | ⌘ + S |
| Open file | Ctrl + O | ⌘ + O |
Ctrl + P | ⌘ + P |
PowerPoint Key Shortcuts - Text Formatting
| Action | Windows | Mac |
|---|---|---|
| Bold | Ctrl + B | ⌘ + B |
| Italic | Ctrl + I | ⌘ + I |
| Underline | Ctrl + U | ⌘ + U |
| Superscript | Ctrl + Shift + + | ⌘ + Shift + + |
| Subscript | Ctrl + = | ⌘ + = |
| Strikethrough | Ctrl + Shift + X | ⌘ + Shift + X |
| Increase font size | Ctrl + Shift + > | ⌘ + Shift + > |
| Decrease font size | Ctrl + Shift + < | ⌘ + Shift + < |
| Align center | Ctrl + E | ⌘ + E |
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PowerPoint Hotkeys - Slide Editting
| Action | Windows | Mac |
|---|---|---|
| New slide | Ctrl + M |
⌘ + Shift + N |
| Duplicate | Ctrl + D |
⌘ + Shift + D |
| Delete | Delete |
Delete |
| Next slide—edit view | Page Down |
Fn + ↓ |
| Previous slide—edit view | Page Up |
Fn + ↑ |
| Jump to slide # | Ctrl + <Slide #> |
⌘ + <Slide #> |
| Open notes pane | Ctrl + Shift + H |
⌘ + Shift + H |
| Delete all notes | Alt → View → Notes → Clear / Alt + W, P, N → Delete |
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PowerPoint Quick Keys - Slide Show
| Action | Windows | Mac |
|---|---|---|
| Start from beginning | F5 | ⌘ + Shift + Return |
| Start from current | Shift + F5 | ⌘ + Return |
| Exit | Esc | Esc |
| Next | → / Space | → / Space |
| Previous | ← / Backspace | ← / Delete |
| Black screen | B | B |
| White screen | W | W |
| Rehearse timings | Alt + Shift + T | Option + Shift + ⌘ + R |
PowerPoint Quick Keys - Slide Show
| Action | Windows | Mac |
|---|---|---|
| Center picture | Ctrl + E | ⌘ + E |
| Left Justifying | Ctrl + L | ⌘ + L |
| Right Justifying | Ctrl + R | ⌘ + R |
| Group | Ctrl + G | ⌘ + Option + G |
| Ungroup | Ctrl + Shift + G | ⌘ + Option + Shift + G |
| Duplicate | Ctrl + D | ⌘ + D |
| Rotate | Alt + → | Option + → |
Display Ribbon Keyboard Shortcuts in PowerPoint
If you want to quickly access almost any command in PowerPoint without using your mouse, you can use Ribbon keyboard shortcuts (also known as Key Tips). Here’s how to display and use them:
1. Press the Alt key (Windows) or Option + Fn (Mac)
- This will activate the Ribbon shortcuts.
- Small letters or numbers (called Key Tips) will appear over each tab in the Ribbon.
2. Press the letter shown on the Ribbon tab you want to open
For example, press H for the Home tab, N for Insert, D for Design, etc.
3. Continue pressing the displayed letters until you reach the command you need.
For example, pressing Alt + H + F + S lets you change the font size directly.
⚡ Tip: Ribbon shortcuts are dynamic, meaning they change depending on which tab is open. With practice, you can execute complex commands much faster than with a mouse.
FAQs: Use AI to Make a Slide Deck
Q1: Are PowerPoint keyboard shortcuts the same on Mac and Windows?
A: Most shortcuts are similar, but Windows uses Ctrl while Mac uses Command. Some functions (like screenshots or Ribbon navigation) have completely different shortcuts.
Q2: Can I create my own custom PowerPoint shortcuts?
A: PowerPoint does not allow direct custom shortcut creation. However, you can assign macros to key combinations or use third-party tools to customize hotkeys.
Q3: What is the shortcut to center a picture in PowerPoint?
A: The quickest way is to select the picture and press Ctrl + E(Windows) or Command + E (Mac) to center it horizontally.
Q4: How do I show Ribbon keyboard shortcuts in PowerPoint?
A: Press the Alt key (Windows) or Option + Fn (Mac). Letters will appear over the Ribbon tabs, allowing you to navigate commands quickly with your keyboard.
💬 Conclusion:
Whether you’re editing slides, formatting text, or giving a presentation, knowing PowerPoint keyboard shortcuts makes you faster and more professional. With these categorized tables for Windows and Mac hotkeys, you’ll always have the right command at your fingertips.
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