PowerPoint Keyboard Shortcuts

As with all other members of the Microsoft Office suite, PowerPoint has its own set of shortcut keys to help you navigate around it, and control slideshows.

The shortcuts here are a little different to those for other programs, as some only work in the slideshow creation mode, some only work in slideshow view mode, and some work with both. It’s fairly obvious which are which, but some distinction has been made where necessary.

As with other shortcuts lists, they have been grouped by how they are accessed, rather than by function. Where a special key such as the ‘ctrl’ key is used, it is displayed as [ctrl].

 

Shift Keys

[Shift]+F1 – Display context sensitive help.
[shift]+F3 – Change the case of selected text.
[shift]+F4 – Repeat the last find operation.
[shift]+F6 – Move to previous pane.
[shift]+F10 – Display shortcut menu.
[shift]+F12 – Execute ‘Save’ command.

 

Function Keys

F1 – Display help / Office Assistant.
F2 – Select textbox / text within a textbox.
F4 – Repeat last action.
F5 – Start Slideshow.
F6 – Move to next pane.
F7 – Start Spell Checker.
F10 – Activate menu bar.
F12 – Execute ‘Save As’ command

 

Ctrl Keys

[ctrl]+A – Change pointer to an arrow, or re-display a hidden pointer.
[ctrl]+C – Copy selected object.
[ctrl]+D – Duplicate the current slide.
[ctrl]+H – Hide pointer immediately.
[ctrl]+M – Insert a new slide
[ctrl]+P – Change pointer to a pen, or re-display a hidden pointer.
[ctrl]+U – Hide the pointer in 15 seconds.
[ctrl]+V – Paste previously copied / cut object
[ctrl]+X – Cut the selected object.
[ctrl]+Z – Undo last action.
[ctrl]+F4 – Close current window.
[ctrl]+F5 – Restore window size.
[ctrl]+F6 – Move to the next presentation window.
[ctrl]+F7 – Execute ‘Move’ command.
[ctrl]+F8 – Execute ‘Size’ command.
[ctrl]+F10 – Maximise presentation.
[ctrl]+F12 – Execute ‘Open’ command.
[ctrl]+[shift]+F – Change the font.
[ctrl]+[shift]+P – Change font size.
[ctrl]+[shift]+> – Increase the font size 1 point.
[ctrl]+[shift]+< – Decrease the font size 1 point
[ctrl]+[shift]+F12 – Execute ‘Print’ command

 

 

Alt Keys

[alt]+F2 – Execute ‘Save As’
[alt]+F4 – Exit PowerPoint.
[alt]+F5 – Restore window size.
[alt]+F7 – Find next mis-spelt word.
[alt]+F10 – Maximise program window.
[alt]+F11 – Start Visual Basic editor
[alt]+[shift]+F2 – Save slideshow.
[alt]+[shift]+F4 – Exit PowerPoint.

 

 

General Keys (Normally used during slideshows)

B – Display a black screen or return to the slideshow from a black screen.
E – Hide on screen annotations.
H – Skip to the next hidden slide.
M – Use mouse click to advance during rehearsal.
O – Use original timings during rehearsal.
T – Change timings during rehearsal.
N – Display the next slide.
P – Display the previous slide.
S – Stop or replay an automatic slide show
W – Display a white screen or return to the slideshow from a white screen.
[Esc] – End a slideshow.
[Tab] – Goto next hyperlink on the current slide.