PowerPoint shortcuts split into two worlds that share a keyboard: the editing bindings you use while building slides, and the presentation-mode keys that only exist while a slideshow is running. Presenters who learn the second group stop reaching for the mouse in front of an audience, which is where it matters most. The table is the Windows keymap.
File & Presentation12
Slide Editing12
Text Formatting12
Navigation & View7
During Slideshow7
Building slides
Ctrl + M inserts a new slide using the current layout and Ctrl + D duplicates the selected slide — or, with an object selected, duplicates the object. Tab and Shift + Tab cycle through the objects on a slide, which is the only reliable way to select something buried under a full-slide image, and Ctrl + Enter jumps to the next placeholder so a title-and-body slide can be filled without clicking. Ctrl + G groups objects; Ctrl + Shift + G ungroups them. Ctrl + Shift + > and Ctrl + Shift + < step the font size, and Ctrl + Space resets text to the placeholder's default formatting.
Starting and driving a slideshow
F5 starts from the first slide and Shift + F5 from the current one — the second is the one to use while rehearsing a single section. Once presenting, N or Right and P or Left advance and go back, and typing a slide number followed by Enter jumps straight to it. B blanks the screen to black and W to white, and pressing the same key again restores the slide; blanking during a discussion keeps attention on the room. Esc ends the show.
Drawing on slides while presenting
Ctrl + P during a slideshow switches the pointer to a pen so you can circle or underline on the slide, and E erases everything drawn on the current slide. At the end PowerPoint asks whether to keep the ink annotations. Outside the slideshow the same Ctrl + P opens the Print dialog, which is the reason to learn the mode you are in before pressing it.
Frequently asked questions
How do I start a slideshow from the current slide?
Shift + F5. F5 always starts from the first slide.
What is the fastest way to select an object hidden behind another?
Press Tab repeatedly with the slide in Normal view; each press selects the next object on the slide in order.
How do I black out the screen during a presentation?
Press B. Press it again, or any navigation key, to bring the slide back. W does the same with a white screen.
Can I jump to a specific slide during the show?
Yes — type the slide number and press Enter. Keep a printed slide list nearby for long decks.