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Best Keyboard shortcuts for PowerPoint

Updated: Nov 27, 2022


Using keyboard shortcuts is a major step towards becoming a PowerPoint power user. Below is the list of most keyboard shortcuts. Take a moment to learn them once, it will give you extra productivity that will be really worth it in the long run.


PowerPoint keyboard shortcuts

Rule to read shortcuts:

  • Keys are separated by a "+" sign if they need to be pressed simultaneously

  • Keys are separated by a "-" sign if they need to be press successively


File management


CTRL+N : Create new presentation

CTRL+O : Open new presentation

CTRL+S : Save

F12 : Save as

CTRL+W : Close presentation

ALT+F4 : Close application

CTRL+NextPage / PreviousPage : Move to the next / previous slide

CTRL+M : Insert new slide


Copy and paste


CTRL+C : Copy

CTRL+V : Paste

CTRL+X : Cut

CTRL+D : Duplicate


Cancel and repeat


CTRL+Z : Cancel

CTRL+Y : Cancel cancellation

F4 : Repeat last action


Formatting shortcuts


CTRL+B : Bold

CTRL+U : Underline

CTRL+I : Italic

CTRL+SHIFT+" + " : Superscript

CTRL+SHIFT+C : Copy selection format

CTRL+SHIFT+V : Paste copied format

SHIFT+F3 : Change letter case

CTRL+^ : Increase font size

CTRL+] : Decrease font size


Selection shortcuts


CTRL+A : Select all

CTRL+Left/Right Arrows : Move one word to the left/right

CTRL+Up/Down Arrows : Move one paragraph up or down

SHIFT+Left/Right Arrows : Extend selection by one character to the left/right

SHIFT+Up/Down Arrows : Extend selection by one line up/down

CTRL+SHIFT+Left/Right Arrows : Extend selection by one word to the left/right

CTRL+SHIFT+Up/Down Arrows : Extend selection by one paragraph up/down

ALT+SHIFT+Up/Down Arrows : Move items up or down in a bulleted or numbered list

ALT+SHIFT+Right/Left Arrows : Move text to the sub/up levels defined in the placeholder

F8 Activate : Selection Mode

Text shortcuts


CTRL+F : Find

CTRL+H : Replace

Backspace : Delete one character to the left

CTRL+Backspace : Delete one word to the left

SHIFT+F10 : Contextual menu (=right click)

F7 : Run a Spelling and Grammar Check


Shape shorcuts in ppt


SHIFT+Arrows : Resize selected shapes (big change)

SHIFT+CTRL+Arrows : Resize selected shapes (small change)

Alt+Right Arrow : Rotate clockwise (big change)

Alt+Left Arrow : Rotate counterclockwise (big change)

Alt+CTRL+Right Arrow : Rotate clockwise (small change)

Alt+CTRL+Left Arrow : Rotate counterclockwise (small change)

CTRL+G : Group shapes

CTRL+SHIFT+G : Ungroup shapes


Slide show shortcuts in ppt


F5 : Launch slide show

SHIFT+F5 : Launch slide show from current slide

B : In slide show mode, this will turn the screen black

G : In slide show mode, show all slides as miniatures


Windows shortcuts


Windows+D : Go to desktop

Windows+E : Open Computer

Windows+V : Open Clipboard history

Windows+L : Lock computer

Windows+H : Launch speech-to-text

Windows+SHIFT+S : Launch screen snipping tool

Windows+V : Open clipboard

Windows+Arrow : Move a window to corresponding corner of the screen

Windows+. : Insert emoji and animated Gifs

Alt+Left Arrow : Move to previous folder

Alt+Up Arrow : Move to parent folder

CTRL+T : Open new tab

CTRL+W : Close current tab

CLTR+SHIFT+T : Re-open the last closed tab

Alt+F4 : Close current program

CTRL + P : Print

Final tip#1: check also our list of the best keyboard shortcuts for Excel and for Word.

Final tip#2: remember these shortcuts with the Power-user add-in for PowerPoint, Excel and Word. Among other features, it adds a list of keyboard shortcuts directly into PowerPoint but also tons of templates, icons, maps, diagrams and more!




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