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Writer's pictureShivam Batra

PowerPoint Shortcut Keys [Most Useful List]

One of our clients reached out with a request: "Since you're a presentation design agency, I'm sure you know PowerPoint shortcuts like the back of your hand. Could you share a list for our internal teams? Most of us aren’t PowerPoint experts."


Rather than just sending the list to our client, we decided to write and publish this blog so that not only our clients but anyone looking to improve their PowerPoint skills can benefit from it.


What Are PowerPoint Shortcut Keys?

PowerPoint shortcut keys are combinations of keyboard strokes that allow you to execute commands quickly without the need to navigate menus with your mouse. These shortcuts help streamline tasks like editing text, aligning objects, formatting slides, and navigating through your presentation.

Complete List of PowerPoint Shortcut Keys


Text Editing Shortcut Keys

Function

Shortcut

Bold text

Ctrl + B

Italicize text

Ctrl + I

Underline text

Ctrl + U

Copy selected text or object

Ctrl + C

Paste copied text or object

Ctrl + V

Cut selected text or object

Ctrl + X

Select all text in a text box

Ctrl + A

Align center

Ctrl + E

Align left

Ctrl + L

Align right

Ctrl + R

Increase font size

Ctrl + Shift + >

Decrease font size

Ctrl + Shift + <

Slide Management Shortcut Keys

Function

Shortcut

Create a new slide

Ctrl + M

Duplicate a slide

Ctrl + D

Move to the next slide

Page Down

Move to the previous slide

Page Up

Start slideshow from the current slide

Shift + F5

Start slideshow from the beginning

F5

End slideshow

Esc

Open the slide sorter view

Alt + Shift + S

Switch between outline and slide pane

Ctrl + Shift + Tab

Hide/unhide slide

Ctrl + Shift + H

Object Handling Shortcut Keys

Function

Shortcut

Insert a new shape

Ctrl + Shift + M

Group selected objects

Ctrl + G

Ungroup selected objects

Ctrl + Shift + G

Duplicate object

Ctrl + D

Align objects

Alt + Shift + A

Rotate objects

Alt + Right/Left Arrow

Send object backward

Ctrl + Shift + [

Bring object forward

Ctrl + Shift + ]

Distribute objects horizontally

Alt + Shift + H

Distribute objects vertically

Alt + Shift + V

General Shortcut Keys

Function

Shortcut

Save presentation

Ctrl + S

Open a new presentation

Ctrl + O

Close presentation

Ctrl + W

Undo last action

Ctrl + Z

Redo last undone action

Ctrl + Y

Open the print dialog

Ctrl + P

Open the file tab

Alt + F

Zoom in

Alt + W, Q

Zoom out

Alt + W, Q, Tab

Why Are PowerPoint Shortcut Keys Important?


  1. Increased Efficiency: One of the main reasons to learn and use shortcut keys is to speed up your workflow. Instead of constantly switching between your mouse and keyboard, you can perform tasks in a fraction of the time.


  2. Improved Focus: Shortcut keys allow you to maintain your focus on your content without getting distracted by menus and toolbars. This helps keep you in the creative flow, especially when designing complex slides.


  3. Reduced Errors: By using shortcut keys, you reduce the risk of making accidental changes while navigating through menus. This precision is particularly useful when working on detailed slide designs.


  4. Better Navigation: Shortcut keys allow faster navigation between slides, making it easier to present in a smoother and more professional manner.


How to Use PowerPoint Shortcut Keys Effectively

To make the most of PowerPoint shortcut keys, you don’t have to memorize all of them at once. Instead, start by learning shortcuts for tasks you perform frequently. Over time, you’ll develop muscle memory, and the keys will become second nature.


You can also categorize shortcut keys by different tasks:

  • Text Editing: Shortcuts for formatting text, paragraphs, and bullet points.

  • Slide Management: Shortcuts for adding, deleting, and navigating slides.

  • Object Handling: Shortcuts for inserting and aligning objects like shapes and images.


The goal is to incorporate shortcuts into your daily workflow gradually.


Example: Applying Shortcut Keys in Real-Life Scenarios

Let’s say you’re in the process of designing a product sales deck and need to create a visually compelling slide with a lot of text formatting and image placement. Instead of manually going through menus to bold important keywords, you can use Ctrl + B to bold text instantly. To quickly align all your images, you can use the shortcut Alt + Shift + A to open the align menu. If you need to duplicate an image multiple times, Ctrl + D will do the job efficiently.


Once the slides are ready, you can start your slideshow from the current slide using Shift + F5 during your rehearsal to ensure smooth transitions.


Work with us

Business presentation design services

At our presentation design agency, we specialize in creating visually stunning and highly effective presentations. If you’re looking for expert assistance with your next presentation, we’d love to collaborate with you. Reach out through the contact section of our website or schedule a consultation directly.

 


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