Keyboard shortcuts for PowerPoint helps you work more efficiently.
Learn the keyboard shortcuts, function keys, and other common shortcut keys in PowerPoint.
Learn MS PowerPoint Online
Frequently Used Shortcuts in MS PowerPoint
The following table itemizes the most frequently used shortcuts in PowerPoint.
|
To do this |
Powerpoint Shortcut Key |
|
Create new presentation. |
Ctrl+N |
|
Add a new slide. |
Ctrl+M |
|
Make selected text bold. |
Ctrl+B |
|
Change the font size for selected text. |
Alt+H, F, S |
|
Open the Zoom dialog. |
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+N, S, H |
|
Open text in Immersive Reader |
Ctrl+Shift+I |
|
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 |
|
Go to the Insert tab. |
Alt+N |
|
Start the slide show. |
F5 |
|
End the slide show. |
Esc |
|
Close PowerPoint. |
Ctrl+Q |
Ribbon keyboard shortcuts in MS PowerPoint
Press the Alt key to display the ribbon shortcuts, called Key Tips, as letters in small images next to the tabs and options as shown in the image below.
You can mix the Key Tips letters with the Alt key to make shortcuts called Access Keys for the ribbon options. F
Use the Access keys for ribbon tabs in MS PowerPoint
To go directly to a tab on the ribbon, press one of the following access keys. Additional tabs may appear depending on your selection in the worksheet.
|
To do this |
Powerpoint Shortcut Key |
|
Move to the Tell me or Search field on the Ribbon and type a search term for assistance or Help content. |
Alt+Q, then enter the search term. |
|
Open the File menu. |
Alt+F |
|
Open the Home tab and format slides, fonts, paragraphs, or drawings. |
Alt+H |
|
Open the Insert tab and insert slides, tables, images, illustrations, forms, links, text, symbols, or media. |
Alt+N |
|
Open the Design tab and apply themes and customize slides. |
Alt+G |
|
Open the Transitions tab and add transitions between slides. |
Alt+K |
|
Open the Animations tab and add animations to slides. |
Alt+A |
|
Open the Slide Show tab and set up and play the slide show. |
Alt+S |
|
Open the Review tab and check spelling and accessibility and add comments. |
Alt+R |
|
Open the View tab and preview presentation layouts, show and hide gridlines and guides, set zoom magnification, manage windows, and view macros. |
Alt+W |
|
Open the Help tab and browse the PowerPoint, contact support, and leave feedback. |
Alt+Y |
Work in the ribbon with the keyboard in MS PowerPoint
|
To do this |
Powerpoint Shortcut Key |
|
Select the active tab on the ribbon, and activate the access keys. |
Alt or F10. To move to a different tab, use access keys or the arrow keys. |
|
Move the focus to commands on the ribbon. |
Tab key or Shift+Tab |
|
Move down, up, left, or right, respectively, among the items on the ribbon. |
Arrow keys |
|
Activate a selected button or control. |
Spacebar or Enter |
|
Open the list for a selected command. |
Down arrow key |
|
Open the menu for a selected button. |
Alt+Down arrow key |
|
When a menu or submenu is open, move to the next command. |
Down arrow key |
|
Expand or collapse the ribbon. |
Ctrl+F1 |
|
Open a context menu. |
Shift+F10 Or, on a Windows keyboard, the Context key (between the right Alt and right Ctrl keys) |
|
Move to the submenu when a main menu is open or selected. |
Left arrow key |
|
Get help on the currently selected command or control on the Ribbon. |
F1 |
Move between panes in MS PowerPoint
|
To do this |
Powerpoint Shortcut Key |
|
Cycle clockwise through panes in the Normal view. |
F6 |
|
Cycle counterclockwise through panes in the Normal view. |
Shift+F6 |
|
Switch between the Thumbnail pane and the Outline View pane. |
Ctrl+Shift+Tab |
Work in the Outline view in MS PowerPoint
|
To do this |
Powerpoint Shortcut Key |
|
Promote a paragraph. |
Alt+Shift+Left arrow key |
|
Demote a paragraph. |
Alt+Shift+Right arrow key |
|
Move selected paragraphs up. |
Alt+Shift+Up arrow key |
|
Move selected paragraphs down. |
Alt+Shift+Down arrow key |
|
Show level 1 headings. |
Alt+Shift+1 |
|
Expand text below a heading. |
Alt+Shift+Plus sign (+) |
|
Collapse text below a heading. |
Alt+Shift+Minus sign (-) |
Select and edit text and objects in MS PowerPoint
Select text and objects
|
To do this |
Powerpoint Shortcut Key |
|
Select one character to the right. |
Shift+Right arrow key |
|
Select one character to the left. |
Shift+Left arrow key |
|
Select to the end of a word. |
Ctrl+Shift+Right arrow key |
|
Select to the beginning of a word. |
Ctrl+Shift+Left arrow key |
|
Select one line up (with the cursor at the beginning of a line). |
Shift+Up arrow key |
|
Select one line down (with the cursor at the beginning of a line). |
Shift+Down arrow key |
|
Select an object (when the text inside the object is selected). |
Esc |
|
Select another object (when one object is selected). |
Tab key or Shift+Tab until the object you want is selected |
|
Send object back one position. |
Ctrl+Left bracket ([) Office 2010 and Office 2007: Not available |
|
Send object forward one position. |
Ctrl+Right bracket (]) Office 2010 and Office 2007: Not available |
|
Send object to back. |
Ctrl+Shift+Left bracket ([) Office 2010 and Office 2007: Not available |
|
Send object to front. |
Ctrl+Shift+Right bracket (]) Office 2010 and Office 2007: Not available |
|
Select text within an object (with an object selected). |
Enter |
|
Select all objects. |
Ctrl+A (on the Slides tab) |
|
Play or pause media. |
Ctrl+Spacebar |
|
Select all slides. |
Ctrl+A (in the Slide Sorter view) |
|
Select all text. |
Ctrl+A (on the Outline tab) |
Delete and copy text and objects In MS PowerPoint
|
To do this |
Powerpoint Shortcut Key |
|
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 (with the cursor between the words). |
Ctrl+Delete |
|
Cut selected object or text. |
Ctrl+X |
|
Copy selected object or text. |
Ctrl+C |
|
Paste cut or copied object or text. |
Ctrl+V |
|
Duplicate an object. |
Ctrl+D Ctrl+drag the mouse Office 2010 and Office 2007: Not available |
|
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 Office 2010 and Office 2007: Not available |
|
Paste animation painter. |
Alt+Shift+V Office 2010 and Office 2007: Not available |
|
Open the Paste Special dialog. |
Ctrl+Alt+V |
Move around in text in MS PowerPoint
|
To do this |
Powerpoint Shortcut Key |
|
Move one character to the left. |
Left arrow key |
|
Move one character to the right. |
Right arrow key |
|
Move one line up. |
Up arrow key |
|
Move one line down. |
Down arrow key |
|
Move one word to the left. |
Ctrl+Left arrow key |
|
Move one word to the right. |
Ctrl+Right arrow key |
|
Move to the end of a line. |
End |
|
Move to the beginning of a line. |
Home |
|
Move up one paragraph. |
Ctrl+Up arrow key |
|
Move down one paragraph. |
Ctrl+Down arrow key |
|
Move to the end of a text box. |
Ctrl+End |
|
Move to the beginning of a text box. |
Ctrl+Home |
|
Move to the next title or body text placeholder. If it is the last placeholder on a slide, this action inserts a new slide with the same slide layout as the original slide. |
Ctrl+Enter |
Find and replace text in MS PowerPoint
|
To do this |
Press |
|
Open the Find dialog. |
Ctrl+F |
|
Open the Replace dialog. |
Ctrl+H |
|
Repeat the last Find action. |
Shift+F4 |
|
To do this |
Press |
|
Move to the next cell. |
Tab key |
|
Move to the preceding cell. |
Shift+Tab |
|
Move to the next row. |
Down arrow key |
|
Move to the preceding row. |
Up arrow key |
|
Insert a tab in a cell. |
Ctrl+Tab |
|
Start a new paragraph. |
Enter |
|
Add a new row at the bottom of the table (with the cursor in the last cell of the last row). |
Tab key |
Move around and work in tables in MS PowerPoint
Format text
Before using these keyboard shortcuts, select the text you want to format.
Change or resize a font in MS PowerPoint
|
To do this |
Press |
|
Open the Font dialog to change the font. |
Ctrl+Shift+F |
|
Increase the font size. |
Ctrl+Shift+Right angle bracket (>) |
|
Decrease the font size. |
Ctrl+Shift+Left angle bracket (<) |
Apply character formatting in MS PowerPoint
|
To do this |
Press |
|
Open the Font dialog to change the character formatting. |
Ctrl+T |
|
Switch between sentence case, lowercase, or uppercase. |
Shift+F3 |
|
Apply bold formatting. |
Ctrl+B |
|
Apply underline formatting. |
Ctrl+U |
|
Apply italic formatting. |
Ctrl+I |
|
Apply subscript formatting (automatic spacing). |
Ctrl+Equal sign (=) |
|
Apply superscript formatting (automatic spacing). |
Ctrl+Shift+Plus sign (+) |
|
Remove manual character formatting, such as subscript and superscript. |
Ctrl+Spacebar |
|
Insert a hyperlink. |
Ctrl+K |
Copy text formatting in MS PowerPoint
|
To do this |
Press |
|
Copy the formatting of selected text. |
Ctrl+Shift+C |
|
Paste copied formatting to the selected text. |
Ctrl+Shift+V |
Align paragraphs in MS PowerPoint
|
To do this |
Press |
|
Center the paragraph. |
Ctrl+E |
|
Justify the paragraph. |
Ctrl+J |
|
Left align the paragraph. |
Ctrl+L |
|
Right align the paragraph. |
Ctrl+R |
Work with shapes, pictures, boxes, objects, and WordArt In MS PowerPoint
|
To do this |
Powerpoint Shortcut Key |
|
Insert a text box. |
Alt+N, X |
|
Insert an embedded document or spreadsheet as an object. |
Alt+N, J |
|
Insert WordArt. |
Alt+N, W |
|
Move the focus to the first floating shape, such as an image or a text box. |
Ctrl+Alt+5 |
|
Group selected shapes, pictures, or WordArt objects. |
Ctrl+G |
|
Ungroup selected group. |
Ctrl+Shift+G |
|
Copy the attributes of the selected shape. |
Ctrl+Shift+C |
|
Paste the attributes to the selected object. |
Ctrl+Shift+V |
|
Edit a linked or embedded object. |
Shift+F10 (to open the context menu), then O, Enter, E |
Insert and reply to comments in MS PowerPoint
Before using these keyboard shortcuts, use the Insert Comment command (Alt+N, L) to open the Comments pane.
|
To do this |
Powerpoint Shortcut Key |
|
Insert a new comment. |
Ctrl+N |
|
Reply to a selected comment. |
Ctrl+R |
Change order of slides or sections in a slide deck in MS PowerPoint
|
To do this |
Powerpoint Shortcut Key |
|
Move the selected slide or section up in order. |
Ctrl+Up arrow key |
|
Move the selected slide or section down in order. |
Ctrl+Down arrow key |
|
Move the selected slide or section to the beginning. |
Ctrl+Shift+Up arrow key |
|
Move the selected slide or section to the end. |
Ctrl+Shift+Down arrow key |
Use the Selection pane in MS PowerPoint
|
To do this |
Powerpoint Shortcut Key |
|
Open the Selection pane. |
Alt+H, S, L, P In Office 2007, Alt+J, D, A, P |
|
Cycle the focus through the different panes. |
F6 |
|
Display the context menu. |
Shift+F10 |
|
Move the focus to a single item or group. |
Up or Down arrow key |
|
Move the focus from an item in a group to its parent group. |
Left arrow key |
|
Move the focus from a group to the first item in that group. |
Right arrow key |
|
Expand a focused group and all its child groups. |
Asterisk sign (*) (on numeric keypad only) |
|
Expand a focused group. |
Plus sign (+) (on numeric keypad only) |
|
Collapse a focused group. |
Minus sign (-) (on numeric keypad only) |
|
Move the focus to an item and select it. |
Shift+Up or Down arrow key |
|
Select a focused item. |
Spacebar or Enter |
|
Cancel selection of a focused item. |
Shift+Spacebar or Shift+Enter |
|
Move a selected item forward. |
Ctrl+Shift+F |
|
Move a selected item backward. |
Ctrl+Shift+B |
|
Show or hide a focused item. |
Ctrl+Shift+S |
|
Rename a focused item. |
F2 |
|
Switch the keyboard focus within the Selection pane between tree view and the Show All and Hide All buttons. |
Tab key or Shift+Tab |
|
Collapse all groups (with the focus must be in the tree view of the Selection pane). |
Alt+Shift+1 |
|
Expand all groups. |
Alt+Shift+9 |
Access and use task panes in MS PowerPoint
|
To do this |
Powerpoint Shortcut Key |
|
Move to a task pane from another pane in the program window. (You may need to press F6 more than once.) |
F6 |
|
When a task pane option has focus, move to the next or previous option in the task pane. |
Tab or Shift+Tab |
|
Display the full set of commands on the task pane menu. You can, for example, Close, Move, or Size the task pane from this menu. |
Ctrl+Spacebar In Office 2010Ctrl+Down arrow key |
|
Move to the next command on the task pane menu. |
Up and Down arrow keys |
|
Select the highlighted option on the task pane menu. |
Enter |
|
Move or resize the task pane after the corresponding command has been selected. |
Arrow keys |
|
Open the Clipboard. |
Alt+H, F, O |
|
Close the task pane. |
Ctrl+Spacebar, C |
Other useful shortcut keys in MS PowerPoint
|
To do this |
Powerpoint Shortcut Key |
|
Open the Print dialog. |
Ctrl+P |
|
Print all slides in your presentation as full page slides using your default printer settings (when the Print dialog is open). |
Alt+P, P |
|
Display the Notes pane in the Normal view. |
Alt+W, P, N |
|
Show or hide the grid. |
Shift+F9 |
|
Show or hide guides. |
Alt+F9 |
