PowerPoint Keyboard Shortcuts – Essential Tips To Work Smarter

Microsoft PowerPoint keyboard shortcuts to streamline your workflow and boost productivity. In this video, we’ll cover the top keyboard shortcuts every PowerPoint user should know, from basic commands to advanced functions. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned pro, these tips will help you navigate PowerPoint more efficiently and create stunning presentations with ease. Stay tuned to unlock the full potential of Microsoft PowerPoint and become a presentation expert. Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more PowerPoint tips and tricks!

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Table of Contents : Microsoft PowerPoint Keyboard Shortcuts

Frequently Used PowerPoint Keyboard Shortcuts

Here’s a list of some of the most frequently used keyboard shortcuts in PowerPoint:

To Do This	PowerPoint Keyboard Shortcuts
Make selected text bold	Ctrl+B
Change the font size for selected text	Alt+H, F, then S
Modify the slide’s zoom	Alt+W, Q
Cut selected text, object, or slide	Ctrl+X
Copy selected text, object, or slide	Ctrl+C
Paste cut or copied text, object, or slide	Ctrl+V
Undo the last action	Ctrl+Z
Save the presentation	Ctrl+S
Insert a picture	Alt+N, P
Insert a shape	Alt+H, S, then H
Select a theme	Alt+G, H
Select a slide layout	Alt+H, L
Go to the next slide	Page Down
Go to the previous slide	Page Up
Go to the Home tab	Alt+H
Move to the Insert tab	Alt+N
Start the slide show	Alt+S, B
End the slide show	Esc
Close PowerPoint	Alt+F, X

Navigate the Ribbon with the Keyboard

The tab-organized strip at the top of PowerPoint is called the ribbon. You can navigate the ribbon using just your keyboard:

Access Keys: Press Alt to see Key Tips, then use the corresponding keys to select commands.
Move Between Tabs: Press Alt, then use the Right Arrow or Left Arrow keys.

Access Key Shortcuts

To Do This	PowerPoint Keyboard Shortcuts
Open the File page	Alt+F
Open the Home tab	Alt+H
Open the Insert tab	Alt+N
Open the Design tab	Alt+G
Open the Transitions tab	Alt+T
Open the Animations tab	Alt+A
Open the Slide Show tab	Alt+S
Open the Review tab	Alt+R
Open the View tab	Alt+W
Open the Tell Me box	Alt+Q, then enter term

Work in Ribbon Tabs with the Keyboard

Select a Tab: Press Alt, then a keyboard shortcut for the tab.
Move Between Commands: Press Tab or Shift+Tab to move forward or backward through commands.
Activate Commands:

Button: Press Spacebar or Enter.
Split Button: Press Alt+Down Arrow, then Tab through options and press Spacebar or Enter to select.
List: Press Down Arrow to open, arrow keys to move, Enter to select.
Gallery: Press Spacebar or Enter, then Tab through items.

Change Focus Using the Keyboard

To Do This	PowerPoint Keyboard Shortcuts
Select the active tab of the ribbon	Alt or F10
Move focus to commands on the ribbon	Tab or Shift+Tab
Move between items on the ribbon	Arrow keys
Expand or collapse the ribbon	Ctrl+F1
Display the context menu	Shift+F10
Move focus to a different pane	F6
Move to the next or previous command	Tab or Shift+Tab
Activate the selected command	Spacebar or Enter
Open the selected list	Down Arrow key
Finish modifying a value and return to the document	Enter

Use Access Keys with Key Tips

Show Key Tips: Press Alt.
Select a Command: Press the letter shown in the Key Tip.

Move Between Panes

To Do This	PowerPoint Keyboard Shortcuts
Rotate the panes in Normal view clockwise	F6
Move counterclockwise among panes in Normal view	Shift+F6
Switch between Thumbnail and Outline View pane	Ctrl+Shift+Tab

Work in an Outline

To Do This	PowerPoint Keyboard Shortcuts
Promote a paragraph	Alt+Shift+Left Arrow
Demote a paragraph	Alt+Shift+Right Arrow
Move selected paragraphs up	Alt+Shift+Up Arrow
Move selected paragraphs down	Alt+Shift+Down Arrow
Show heading level 1	Alt+Shift+1
Expand text below a heading	Alt+Shift+Plus Sign (+)
Collapse text below a heading	Alt+Shift+Minus Sign (-)

Work with Shapes, Pictures, Objects, and WordArt

Insert a Shape:

Press Alt+N, S, then H.
Use Arrow keys to select the shape category.
Press Ctrl+Enter to insert the shape.

Insert a Text Box:

Press Alt+N, X.
Press Ctrl+Enter to insert the text box.

Insert an Object:

Press Alt+N, J.
Move to Object type list with Tab.
Press Ctrl+Enter to insert the object.

Insert WordArt:

Press Alt+N, W.
Use Arrow keys to select the style, then press Enter.
Type your text.

Select a Shape:

Press Tab to cycle forward (or Shift+Tab to cycle backward) until sizing handles appear.

Group or Ungroup Shapes, Pictures, and WordArt

To Do This	Press
Group shapes, pictures, or WordArt	Ctrl+G
Ungroup shapes, pictures, or WordArt	Ctrl+Shift+G

Copy the Attributes of a Shape

The shape with the properties you wish to duplicate should be selected

The shape with the properties you wish to duplicate should be selected.
Press Ctrl+Shift+C to copy attributes.
Select the object to paste attributes to with Tab or Shift+Tab.
Press Ctrl+Shift+V to paste attributes.

Select and Edit Text and Objects

To Do This	PowerPoint Keyboard Shortcuts
Select one character to the right	Shift+Right Arrow
Select one character to the left	Shift+Left Arrow
Select to the end of a word	Ctrl+Shift+Right Arrow
Select to the beginning of a word	Ctrl+Shift+Left Arrow
Select one line up	Shift+Up Arrow
Select one line down	Shift+Down Arrow
Select an object	ESC
Select another object	Tab or Shift+Tab
Send object back one position	Ctrl+[
Send object forward one position	Ctrl+]
Send object to back	Ctrl+Shift+[
Send object to front	Ctrl+Shift+]
Select text within an object	Enter
Select all objects (on the Slides tab)	Ctrl+A
Play or pause media	Ctrl+SPACE
Select all slides (in Slide Sorter view)	Ctrl+A
Select all text (on the Outline tab)	Ctrl+A

Delete and Copy Text and Objects

To Do This	PowerPoint Keyboard Shortcuts
Delete one character to the left	Backspace
Delete one word to the left	Ctrl+Backspace
Delete one character to the right	Delete
Delete one word to the right	Ctrl+Delete
Cut selected object or text	Ctrl+X
Copy selected object or text	Ctrl+C
Copy and paste a text or object	Ctrl+V
Undo the last action	Ctrl+Z
Redo the last action	Ctrl+Y
Copy formatting only	Ctrl+Shift+C
Paste formatting only	Ctrl+Shift+V
Copy animation painter	Alt+Shift+C
Paste animation painter	Alt+Shift+V
Open Paste Special dialog box	Ctrl+Alt+V

Move Around in Text

To Do This	PowerPoint Keyboard Shortcuts
Move one character to the left	Left Arrow
Move one character to the right	Right Arrow
Move one line up	Up Arrow
Move one line down	Down Arrow
Move one word to the left	Ctrl+Left Arrow
Move one word to the right	Ctrl+Right Arrow
Go to a line’s end	End
Move to the beginning of a line	Home
Move up one paragraph	Ctrl+Up Arrow
Move down one paragraph	Ctrl+Down Arrow
Move to the end of a text box	Ctrl+End
Move to the beginning of a text box	Ctrl+Home
Proceed to the following body text or title placeholder	Ctrl+Enter
Repeat the last Find action	Shift+F4

Move Around in and Work in Tables

To Do This	PowerPoint Keyboard Shortcuts
Move to the next cell	Tab
Move to the preceding cell	Shift+Tab
Move to the next row	Down Arrow
Move to the preceding row	Up Arrow
Insert a tab in a cell	Ctrl+Tab
Start a new paragraph	Enter
Add a new row at the bottom of the table	Tab in the bottom right cell

Edit a Linked or Embedded Object

Press Tab or Shift+Tab to select the object.
Press Shift+F10 to open the shortcut menu.
Press Down Arrow to select Worksheet Object.
Press Right Arrow, then Enter to select Edit.

Format Text PowerPoint Keyboard Shortcuts

Change or Resize a Font:

Open Font dialog box: Ctrl+Shift+F
Increase font size: Ctrl+Shift+Right Angle bracket (>)
Decrease font size: Ctrl+Shift+Left Angle bracket (<)

Apply Character Formatting:

Open Font dialog box: Ctrl+T
Change between sentence case, lowercase, or uppercase: Shift+F3
Apply bold formatting: Ctrl+B
Apply underline: Ctrl+U
Apply italic formatting: Ctrl+I
Apply subscript formatting: Ctrl+Equal sign (=)
Apply superscript formatting: Ctrl+Shift+Plus sign (+)
Remove manual character formatting: Ctrl+Spacebar
Insert a hyperlink: Ctrl+K

Copy Text Formatting:

Copy formats: Ctrl+Shift+C
Paste formats: Ctrl+Shift+V

Align Paragraphs:

Center: Ctrl+E
Justify: Ctrl+J
Left align: Ctrl+L
Right align: Ctrl+R

Insert and Reply to Comments

Insert a New Comment: Ctrl+N
Reply to a Selected Comment: Ctrl+R

Use Powerpoint Keyboard Shortcuts to Deliver Your Presentation

Enter Slide Show Mode: Alt+S, B
Control Your Slide Show:

Next animation or slide: N, Enter, Page Down, Right Arrow, Down Arrow, or Spacebar
Previous animation or slide: P, Page Up, Left Arrow, Up Arrow, or Backspace
Go to slide number: (number)+Enter
Display a blank black slide: B or Period (.)
Display a blank white slide: W or Comma (,)
Stop or restart automatic presentation: S
End presentation: Esc
Erase on-screen annotations: E
Go to the next slide if hidden: H
Set new timings while rehearsing: T
Re-record slide narration and timing: R
Return to the first slide: Press and hold Left Mouse button
Change pointer to a pen: Ctrl+P
Change pointer to an arrow: Ctrl+A
Change pointer to an eraser: Ctrl+E
Show or hide ink markup: Ctrl+M
Hide pointer and navigation button immediately: Ctrl+H
Hide pointer and navigation button in 15 seconds: Ctrl+U
View All Slides dialog box: Ctrl+S
View the computer task bar: Ctrl+T
Display shortcut menu: Shift+F10
Go to the first or next hyperlink: Tab
Go to the last or previous hyperlink: Shift+Tab
Follow a selected hyperlink: Enter

Control Video and Other Media During a Presentation

Media PowerPoint Keyboard Shortcuts:

Stop media playback: Alt+Q
Play or pause media: Ctrl+Space
Toggle between play and pause: Alt+P
Go to next bookmark: Alt+End
Go to previous bookmark: Alt+Home
Increase sound volume: Alt+Up
Decrease sound volume: Alt+Down
Mute sound: Alt+U
Seek forward three seconds: Alt+Shift+Page Down
Seek backward three seconds: Alt+Shift+Page Up
Seek forward 0.25 seconds, then pause: Alt+Shift+Right Arrow
Seek backward 0.25 seconds, then pause: Alt+Shift+Left Arrow
Show/Hide audio and subtitles menu: Alt+J

Use these shortcuts to navigate and operate PowerPoint efficiently, enhancing your productivity and making your presentation process smoother.

Conclusion : Microsoft PowerPoint Keyboard Shortcuts

Mastering Microsoft PowerPoint involves more than just understanding its basic features; proficiency in keyboard shortcuts can significantly enhance your efficiency and effectiveness. This comprehensive guide has covered essential shortcuts across various aspects of PowerPoint use, from navigating the Ribbon and working with text and objects to delivering presentations and controlling media.

By incorporating these shortcuts into your workflow, you can streamline your tasks and focus more on creating compelling presentations. Whether you are inserting shapes, formatting text, managing slides, or delivering your presentation, these shortcuts are designed to save you time and effort.

Continued practice and familiarity with these keyboard shortcuts will transform how you use PowerPoint, making your presentation creation process faster and more intuitive. As you integrate these shortcuts into your daily routine, you’ll find yourself working more seamlessly, allowing your creativity and message to shine through your presentations.

FAQ – PowerPoint Keyboard Shortcuts

1. What are PowerPoint keyboard shortcuts?

PowerPoint keyboard shortcuts are key combinations that let you perform tasks like creating slides, formatting text, or starting a slideshow without using the mouse.