Keyboard Sequences for PowerPoint 2010 for Windows

Many users are familiar with keyboard shortcuts, yet there are no real shortcuts for tasks users need to perform all the time. This includes changing PowerPoint's views or even aligning or reordering slide objects.

Thankfully, there are many keyboard sequences that work for these tasks. Most sequences entail that you press two buttons, and then press a third button after a moment.

So if the keyboard sequence is listed as Alt + S > H, then you must press the Alt and S keys together, let go those two keys and then press the H key.

If you discover a keyboard sequence not listed here, please get in touch with us through our feedback form.

Animation Sequences

First access the Animation Task pane:

Alt + A > C
Bring up the Animation Task pane

Then reorder your animations:

Alt + A > E
Move the selected animation to play one step earlier

Alt + A > L
Move the selected animation to play one step later

Selection

Alt + H > G > P
Bring up the Selection and Visibility pane

Ctrl + Spacebar > C
Closes active Task Pane

Working with Slides

Alt + H > I > L
Open Insert Outline dialog box

Alt + G > H > O
Enable content updates from Office.com

Alt + H > F > O
Show the Office Clipboard Task pane

Alt + H > I > R
Bring up Reuse Slides Task pane

Alt + N > A > A
Bring up the Photo Album dialog box

Alt + N > T > X
Insert Excel Spreadsheet

Alt + R > R
Open the Research Task pane

Alt + S > H
Hide/Unhide the selected slide

Alt + W > N
Open a new window containing a view of the current presentation

Alt + H > Q
Reset the position, size, and formatting of the slide placeholders to their default settings

Alt + N > C
Bring up the Insert Chart dialog box

Alt + S > V
Show the full-screen slide show using Presenter View

Alt + S > N > R
Start recording from current slide

Alt + W > E
Cascade the open document windows on the screen so that they overlap

Alt + W > F
Fits the slide to current window

Alt + W > X
Bring up the Grid and Guides dialog box

Backstage View Options

Alt + F > I
Bring up the Info Pane

Alt + F > T
Bring up the PowerPoint Options dialog box

Alt + F > H
Bring up the Help Pane

Alt + F > D
Bring up the Save and Send Pane

PowerPoint Tools

Alt + T > A
Brings up the AutoCorrect Options dialog box

Alt + T > L
Brings up the Language dialog box

Alt + T > O
Brings up the PowerPoint Options dialog box

Alt + T > R
Brings up the Research Task Pane

Alt + T > S
Brings up the Spelling Task Pane

Aligning and Distribute Slide Objects

First make sure you choose whether you want to align objects to each other or to the slide:

Alt + H > G > A > O
Align Selected Objects to Each Other

Alt + H > G > A > A
Align Selected Objects to Slide

Then choose the Alignment options:

Alt + H > G > A > B
Align objects Bottom

Alt + H > G > A > C
Align objects Center

Alt + H > G > A > L
Align objects Left

Alt + H > G > A > M
Align objects Middle

Alt + H > G > A > R
Align objects Right

Alt + H > G > A > T
Align objects Top

You can also distribute selected slide objects:

Alt + H > G > A > H
Distribute objects Horizontally

Alt + H > G > A > V
Distribute objects Vertically

Working with Themes and Backgrounds

Alt + G > G
Bring up the Format Background dialog box

Alt + G > M
Hide background graphics

Alt + G > H > M
Bring up the Choose Theme or Themed Document dialog box

Alt + G > H > S
Bring up the Save Current Theme dialog box

Alt + G > T > C > C
Bring up the Create New Theme Colors dialog box

Alt + G > T > F > C
Bring up the Create New Theme Fonts dialog box

PowerPoint Views

Alt + W > L
Normal View

Alt + W > D
Reading View

Alt + W > H
Handout Master view

Alt + W > T
Notes Page view

Alt + W > I
Slide Sorter view

Alt + W > K
Notes Master view

Alt + W > M
Slide Master view

Alt + S > B (also F5)
Slide Show View from first slide

Alt + S > C (also Shift + F5)
Slide Show View from current slide

PowerPoint Keyboard Shortcuts

Do you want more keyboard shortcuts?

Explore our PowerPoint Keyboard Shortcuts and Sequences Ebook that is updated for all PowerPoint versions.