Microsoft PowerPoint is one of the most commonly used presentation software tools. With over 1 billion users worldwide, it has become an indispensable app for business professionals, students, and anyone who needs to create sleek and visually compelling slide decks.
However, most users only scratch the surface when using PowerPoint, failing to utilize the hundreds of handy keyboard shortcuts available. Mastering these shortcuts can significantly boost your productivity and allow you to create presentations more efficiently.
In this article, we will walk you through the top PowerPoint keyboard shortcuts every user should know. Follow these simple steps to work faster and take your presentations to the next level!
Getting Started: Open, Save and Close Presentations
First things first, let’s go over the basic shortcuts for opening, saving and closing PowerPoint files:
- Ctrl + N: Create a new PowerPoint presentation
- Ctrl + O: Open an existing PowerPoint presentation
- Ctrl + S: Save the active PowerPoint presentation
- Ctrl + W: Close the active PowerPoint window
- Ctrl + Q: Exit PowerPoint completely
Knowing these essential shortcuts already sets you up to work quicker right from the start. No more wasting time navigating through menus and dialog boxes!
Creating Better Slides
The real power comes when you utilize shortcuts that make slide creation a breeze. Here are some of our favorites:
- Ctrl + M: Insert a new slide with the same layout
- Ctrl + Shift + M: Insert a new slide with a blank layout
- Ctrl + D: Duplicate the current slide
- Ctrl + Up/Down Arrow: Move slide up/down within the presentation
With these shortcuts, you can rapidly add new slides and rearrange your deck without breaking your creative flow.
Formatting and Design
Don’t forget about all the shortcuts that can assist with styling your slides! Here are some examples:
- Ctrl + B: Bold selected text
- Ctrl + I: Italicize selected text
- Ctrl + Shift + >: Increase selected text size
- Ctrl + Shift + <: Decrease selected text size
- Ctrl + Shift + C: Copy formatting from selected object
- Ctrl + Shift + V: Paste formatting to selected object
Stop wasting time manually changing fonts, sizes and styles. Let your keyboard do the heavy lifting instead!
Animations and Transitions
Animations and transitions can bring your presentations to life. Try out these shortcuts:
- Ctrl + Shift + Plus Sign (+): Add animation effect
- Alt + Shift + C: Copy animation effect
- Alt + Shift + V: Paste animation effect
- Ctrl + Shift + Minus Sign (-): Remove animation effect
- Shift + F5: Transition smoothly to presenter mode
Building animations on your slides is now as simple as a few keystrokes.
Slide Show Delivery
Once your presentation is ready to go, these shortcuts become indispensable:
- F5: Start slideshow from first slide
- Shift + F5: Start slideshow from current slide
- B: Black out slide show screen
- W: White out slide show screen
- Arrow Keys: Navigate to next/previous slide
- Esc: End slideshow
Smoothly transition through your slide deck without fumbling around with your mouse or trackpad.
Conclusion
As you can see, mastering PowerPoint keyboard shortcuts can make a world of difference in how quickly you can put together sleek, professional presentations. Stop clicking around and start utilizing these handy shortcuts today to work faster and smarter.
For even more PowerPoint tips and tricks, check out our full list of over 100 PowerPoint shortcuts. Knowing these will make you a true PowerPoint ninja!
