PowerPoint keyboard shortcuts for Mac

29 September 2026 | updated 1 November 2026 | 7 min read

These are all 135 keyboard shortcuts built into PowerPoint for Mac, grouped by task. At the end there’s a one-page sheet with the most useful ones to print.

PowerPoint for Mac has no keys for lining shapes up, spacing them evenly, giving them the same size or fixing a text box’s margins. Slideturbo adds them, for free, right where they belong.

Keys are shown the way the Mac’s menus show them:
⌃ is Control, ⌥ Option, ⇧ Shift, ⌘ Command.

⌘Built into PowerPoint⌃Powered by Slideturbo

Shapes

Selecting shapes

`⇥`	Selects the next shape on the slide
`⇧⇥`	Selects the previous shape
`⌘A`	Selects every shape on the slide

Moving, sizing and turning

`←↑→↓` or `⌘←↑→↓`	Moves the selected shape
`⇧←↑→↓`	Makes the selected shape bigger or smaller
`⌃Z`	Make same sizeGives every selected shape the width and height of the first one you selected. Each keeps its top-left corner, so a lined-up row stays lined up.
`⌃⌘E`	Make same widthGives every selected shape the width of the first one you selected.
`⌃⇧E`	Make same heightGives every selected shape the height of the first one you selected.
`⌥→`	Turns the selected shape 15° clockwise
`⌥←`	Turns it 15° counterclockwise

Aligning and spacing

`⌃⌘←`	Align leftLines up the selected shapes on their left edges. One shape on its own moves to the left edge of the slide.
`⌃⌘→`	Align rightLines up the selected shapes on their right edges. One shape on its own moves to the right edge of the slide.
`⌃⌘C`	Align centerCenters the selected shapes on one vertical line. One shape on its own is centered on the slide, left to right.
`⌃⌘↑`	Align topLines up the tops of the selected shapes. One shape on its own moves to the top of the slide.
`⌃⌘↓`	Align bottomLines up the bottoms of the selected shapes. One shape on its own moves to the bottom of the slide.
`⌃⌘M`	Align middleCenters the selected shapes on one horizontal line. One shape on its own is centered on the slide, top to bottom.
`⌃⌘H`	Distribute horizontallySpaces three or more shapes so the gaps between them are equal. The leftmost and rightmost shapes stay where they are.
`⌃⌘V`	Distribute verticallySpaces three or more shapes so the gaps between them are equal, top to bottom. The top and bottom shapes stay where they are.
`⌃⌘B`	Align to first selected shape, on or offSwitches what alignment lines up to: the whole selection, or the first shape you clicked. When it’s on, that first shape stays put and the others move to it.

Copying and swapping positions

`⌃1`	Copy positionRemembers where the first selected shape sits, so you can put other shapes in exactly the same spot, on this slide or another.
`⌃2`	Paste positionMoves the selected shapes to the position you copied. Each one keeps its own size.
`⌃3`	Swap positionsTwo shapes selected: they trade places. Each one keeps its own size.

Duplicating, grouping and ordering

`⌘D`	Duplicates what’s selected: one shape or several, or slides in the thumbnails
`⌥⌘G`	Groups the selected shapes
`⌥⇧⌘G`	Ungroups them
`⌥⌘J`	Groups the same shapes again after an ungroup
`⇧⌘F`	Brings the shape to the front
`⌥⇧⌘F`	Brings it one step forward
`⇧⌘B`	Sends the shape to the back
`⌥⇧⌘B`	Sends it one step back

Formatting, text and media

`⇧⌘1`	Opens the formatting for the selected shape
`↩`	With a shape selected, puts the cursor in its text
`esc`	From inside the text, selects the shape around it
`Space`	Plays or pauses the selected video or sound
`⌃⌘Z`	Turns Drawing mode on or off

Copy, paste and undo

`⌘Z`	Undo
`⌘Y`	Redo
`⌘X` or `⌘C` or `⌘V`	Cut, copy and paste a shape, text or a slide
`⇧⌘C`	Copies the formatting of the selection
`⇧⌘V`	Pastes that formatting onto the selection
`⌥⇧⌘C`	Copies the animation of the selected shape
`⌥⇧⌘V`	Gives the selected shape that animation

Text

Formatting text

`⌘B` or `⌘I` or `⌘U`	Bold, italic, underline
`⇧⌘>`	Makes the selected text bigger
`⇧⌘<`	Makes it smaller
`⌘L` or `⌘E` or `⌘R` or `⌘J`	Aligns the paragraph left, centered, right or justified
`⌘]`	Demotes the paragraph one level
`⌘[`	Promotes it one level
`⌘T`	Opens the Font dialog
`⌥⌘M`	Opens the Paragraph dialog
`⇧F3`	Switches between sentence case, capitals and lower case
`⌃⌘=`	Subscript
`⌃⇧⌘=`	Superscript
`⌃Space`	Removes character formatting you added by hand, such as subscript

Text boxes: fit, wrap and margins

`⌘8`	Shrink shape to fit textResizes the shape to fit its text, and keeps doing so as you type.
`⇧⌘8`	Turn autofit offTurns autofit off, so the shape keeps its size whatever the text does.
`⌘7`	Wrap text in shapeWraps the text at the edges of the shape.
`⇧⌘7`	Do not wrap textStops wrapping, so each paragraph stays on one line.
`⌃⌘0`	Increase text marginAdds 2 pt to all four inner margins of the text.
`⌃⌘9`	Decrease text marginTakes 2 pt off all four inner margins, down to zero.
`⌃⌥0`	Remove text marginsSets all four inner margins to zero, so the text sits right against the edge of the shape.
`⌃⇧O`	Swap fill and text colorSwaps each shape’s fill color with its text color, so a dark box with light text becomes a light box with dark text.

Starting a list as you type

`*` then `Space`	At the start of a line, begins a list with round bullets
`-` then `Space`	Begins a list with dashes
`>` then `Space`	Begins a list with arrowhead bullets
`<>` then `Space`	Begins a list with diamonds
`-->` then `Space`	Begins a list with arrows
`=>` then `Space`	Begins a list with double arrows

Selecting text

`⇧←` or `⇧→`	Selects one more character to the left or right
`⌥⇧←` or `⌥⇧→`	Selects to the start or the end of the word
`⇧↑` or `⇧↓`	Selects to the same point one line up or down
`⇧⌘←` or `⇧⌘→`	Selects to the start or the end of the line
`⌥⇧↑` or `⌥⇧↓`	Selects to the start or the end of the paragraph

Moving around in text, and deleting it

`←↑→↓`	Moves the cursor one character, or one line up or down
`⌥←` or `⌥→`	Moves it one word left or right
`⌥↑` or `⌥↓`	Moves it one paragraph up or down
`Home` or `fn←`	Goes to the start of the line
`End` or `fn→`	Goes to the end of the line
`⌘↑` or `⌘↓`	Goes to the start or the end of all the text in the shape
`⌫`	Deletes the character to the left
`⌘⌫`	Deletes the word to the left
`fn⌫`	Deletes the character to the right
`fn⌥⌫`	Deletes the word to the right

Harvey balls and symbols

`⌃⌘Y`	Insert a Harvey ball or symbol…Opens the picker with all Harvey balls, symbols and trackers. Choose with the arrow keys and Return, or click. Esc closes it.
`⌃T`	Toggle Harvey ball or symbolMoves the selected element on: a Harvey ball to its next quarter, a symbol from outlined to filled to plain. With several selected, they all follow the first one.

Slides

`⇧⌘N`	Adds a new slide
`⇧⌘D`	Duplicates the selected slide
`Page Down` or `Page Up`	Goes to the next or the previous slide
`⌘↑` or `⌘↓`	Moves the selected slide or section up or down the list
`⇧⌘↑` or `⇧⌘↓`	Moves it to the start or the end
`⌘A`	In Slide Sorter or the thumbnails, selects every slide
`⇧⌘2`	Formats the slide background

Tables

`⇥`	Goes to the next cell. In the last cell, adds a row
`⇧⇥`	Goes to the cell before
`↓` or `↑`	Goes to the next or the previous line or row
`⌥⇧⇥`	Types a tab inside the cell
`↩`	Starts a new paragraph in the cell

Find, links and comments

`⌘F`	Searches the presentation
`⇧⌘H`	Opens Find and Replace
`⌘K`	Inserts a link
`⇧⌘M`	Adds a comment
`⌃⌥⌘R`	Looks up the selected word in the thesaurus

Views, zoom and panes

`⌘+` or `⌘-`	Zooms in or out
`⌥⌘O`	Zooms to fit the slide in the window
`⌃⌥⌘G`	Shows or hides the guides
`⇧F9`	Shows or hides the grid
`⌘1`	Normal view
`⌘2`	Slide Sorter
`⌘3`	Notes Page
`⌘4`	Outline View
`⌥⌘1`	Slide Master
`⌥⌘2`	Handout Master
`⌥⌘3`	Notes Master
`⌘A`	In Outline View, selects all the text
`⌃⇧⇥`	Switches between the outline and the slide thumbnails
`F6` or `⇧F6`	Goes to the next or the previous pane in Normal view
`⌃⌘F`	Full screen, without the menus

Giving a slide show

Starting and moving through it

`⇧⌘↩`	Starts the slide show from the first slide
`⌘↩`	Starts it from the current slide
`⌥↩`	Starts it in Presenter View
`N` or `→` or `↓` or `Space` or `Page Down`	Next animation or slide
`P` or `←` or `↑` or `⌫` or `Page Up`	Previous animation or slide
`0–9` then `↩`	Type a slide’s number and press Return to jump to it
`fn←`	Goes back to the first slide
`fn→`	Goes to the last slide
`H`	Goes to the next slide if it’s hidden
`B` or `⇧B` or `.`	Turns the screen black, and back
`W` or `⇧W` or `,`	Turns the screen white, and back
`⇥`	Goes to the next link, animation trigger, sound or video on the slide
`⇧⇥`	Goes to the link before
`↩`	Opens the selected link
`⌃click`	Opens the shortcut menu
`⌥X`	Switches the camera for a cameo
`/`	Lists the slide show’s shortcuts
`esc` or `-` or `⌘.`	Ends the slide show

The pointer and pen

`⌘L`	Laser pointer
`⌘P`	Pen
`⌘A`	Back to the ordinary arrow
`⇧E`	Erases what you drew
`⌘I`	Hides the pointer
`⌃H`	Keeps it hidden when the mouse moves
`⌘U`	Shows it when the mouse moves

Presenter View

Moving between its controls needs the Mac’s keyboard navigation, which is under Keyboard in System Settings.

`⌥↩`	Starts the slide show in Presenter View
`⇥` or `⇧⇥`	Goes to the next or the previous control
`Space`	Uses the control that has the focus
`⌃⇥`	In the notes, goes to the next control (Tab types a tab there)
`⌥←` or `⌥→`	In the slide strip, picks a slide further on without the audience seeing it. Let go of Option to show it

Files, windows and help

`⌘S`	Saves
`⇧⌘S`	Saves under another name, place or format
`⌘N`	New presentation
`⇧⌘P`	New presentation from a template
`⌘O`	Opens a presentation
`⇧⌘O`	Opens a recent one
`⌘P`	Prints
`⌘~`	Switches between open presentations
`⌘W`	Closes the presentation
`esc`	Cancels a command, such as Save As
`F1`	Opens the Help menu
`⌃⌘S`	Show the shortcut listOpens Slideturbo’s shortcut list inside PowerPoint, with a search field.
`⌘Q`	Quits PowerPoint

Your shortcut cheat sheet

All of Slideturbo’s shortcuts and the most relevant built-in ones on one page, to save or print out. It’s available in your favorite paper formats: A4 or US Letter.

Print the cheat sheet