PowerPoint Keyboard Shortcuts
Build and present faster — PowerPoint shortcuts with Mac and Windows keys side by side.
| Action | Mac | Windows | |
|---|---|---|---|
| New presentation | ⌘N | Ctrl+N | |
| Open presentation | ⌘O | Ctrl+O | |
| Save | ⌘S | Ctrl+S | |
| Save As | ⌘⇧S | F12 | |
| ⌘P | Ctrl+P | ||
| New slide | ⌘⇧N | Ctrl+M | |
| Duplicate selected slide/object | ⌘D | Ctrl+D | |
| Start slideshow from beginning | ⌘⇧Return | F5 | |
| Start slideshow from current slide | ⌘Return | Shift+F5 | |
| End slideshow | Esc | Esc | |
| Next slide (in show) | → or Space | → or Space | |
| Previous slide (in show) | ← or P | ← or P | |
| Go to slide N (in show) | N then Return | N then Enter | |
| Black the screen (in show) | B | B | |
| White the screen (in show) | W | W | |
| Bold | ⌘B | Ctrl+B | |
| Italic | ⌘I | Ctrl+I | |
| Underline | ⌘U | Ctrl+U | |
| Copy | ⌘C | Ctrl+C | |
| Cut | ⌘X | Ctrl+X | |
| Paste | ⌘V | Ctrl+V | |
| Paste special | ⌘⌃V | Ctrl+Alt+V | |
| Undo | ⌘Z | Ctrl+Z | |
| Redo | ⌘Y | Ctrl+Y | |
| Select all objects | ⌘A | Ctrl+A | |
| Group objects | ⌘⌥G | Ctrl+G | |
| Ungroup objects | ⌘⌥⇧G | Ctrl+Shift+G | |
| Insert hyperlink | ⌘K | Ctrl+K | |
| Find | ⌘F | Ctrl+F | |
| Replace | ⌃H | Ctrl+H | |
| Align center | ⌘E | Ctrl+E | |
| Align left | ⌘L | Ctrl+L | |
| Align right | ⌘R | Ctrl+R | |
| Increase font size | ⌘⇧> | Ctrl+Shift+> | |
| Decrease font size | ⌘⇧< | Ctrl+Shift+< | |
| Nudge object | Arrow keys | Arrow keys | |
| Nudge in small steps | ⌥+Arrow | Ctrl+Arrow | |
| Demote outline level | Tab | Tab | |
| Promote outline level | ⇧Tab | Shift+Tab | |
| Help | ⌘/ | F1 |
Run the show without touching the mouse
The shortcuts that matter most in PowerPoint are the presenter ones. F5 (Windows) or ⌘⇧Return (Mac) starts the slideshow from slide one; Shift+F5 / ⌘Return starts from the slide you are on so you don't replay the intro. During the show, type a slide number and press Enter to jump straight there, press B to black the screen when you want attention on you, and Esc to end.
Editing slides fast
Ctrl+M (Win) / ⌘⇧N (Mac) adds a new slide; Ctrl+D / ⌘D duplicates the selected slide or object. Group objects with Ctrl+G / ⌘⌥G so they move together, and nudge a selected shape pixel-by-pixel with the arrow keys. Text formatting mirrors Word: Ctrl+B/I/U for bold, italic and underline on both platforms.
FAQ
How do I start a PowerPoint slideshow with a keyboard shortcut?
Press F5 on Windows or ⌘⇧Return on a Mac to start from the first slide. To start from the slide you are currently on, press Shift+F5 (Win) or ⌘Return (Mac).
What is the shortcut to add a new slide?
Ctrl+M on Windows, ⌘⇧N on a Mac. Ctrl+D / ⌘D duplicates the current slide instead of creating a blank one.
How do I black out the screen during a presentation?
Press B to toggle a black screen or W for a white screen while presenting. Press the same key again or any other key to resume.
How do I jump to a specific slide while presenting?
Type the slide number and press Enter (Return on Mac). The presentation jumps straight to that slide without showing the ones in between.
Are PowerPoint shortcuts the same on Mac and Windows?
Most editing shortcuts match with ⌘ replacing Ctrl (⌘B for bold, ⌘C to copy). The presenter shortcuts differ: Windows uses F5/Shift+F5 while Mac uses ⌘⇧Return/⌘Return.