If you're looking for a great and free presentation software, look no further: you need Google Slides.
Whether it's creating fun and interactive presentations for your friends and family, or professional and engaging decks for your workplace, Google Slides will get the job done.
If you want to use Google Slides like a real professional, you need to master its shortcuts. You can use these to navigate, control, and present with speed, meaning you can spend less time fiddling with the mouse and more time focussing on your content.
That's why we've put together this list of essential Google Slides Shortcuts for Windows and Mac.
FREE DOWNLOAD: This cheat sheet is available as a downloadable PDF from our distribution partner, TradePub. You will have to complete a short form to access it for the first time only. Download the Google Slides Keyboard Shortcuts Cheat Sheet.
Google Slides Shortcuts for Windows and Mac
| SHORTCUT (WINDOWS) | SHORTCUT (MAC) |
ACTION |
|---|---|---|
| COMMON SHORTCUTS | ||
| Ctrl + M | Ctrl + M | New slide |
| Ctrl + D | ⌘ + D | Duplicate slide |
| Ctrl + Z | ⌘ + Z | Undo |
| Ctrl + Y | ⌘ + Y | Redo |
| Ctrl + C | ⌘ + C | Copy |
| Ctrl + X | ⌘ + X | Cut |
| Ctrl + V | ⌘ + V | Paste |
| Ctrl + Alt + C | ⌘ + Option + C | Copy selected section formatting |
| Ctrl + Alt + V | ⌘ + Option + V | Paste selected section formatting |
| Ctrl + K | ⌘ + K | Insert/edit link |
| Alt + Enter | Option + Enter | Open link |
| Ctrl + A | ⌘ + A | Select all |
| Ctrl + Shift + A | ⌘ + Shift + A | Select none |
| Ctrl + F | ⌘ + F | Find |
| Ctrl + H | ⌘ + Shift + H | Find and replace |
| Ctrl + G | ⌘ + G | Find again |
| Ctrl + Shift + G | ⌘ + Shift + G | Find previous |
| Ctrl + O | ⌘ + O | Open |
| Ctrl + P | ⌘ + P | |
| Ctrl + / | ⌘ + / | Show shortcuts |
| Alt + / | Option + / | Search menu |
| Ctrl + Shift + F | Ctrl + Shift + F | Hide/show menus |
| Ctrl + Shift + C | ⌘ + Shift + C | Turn on captions during presentation |
| FILM STRIP | ||
| Up arrow | Up arrow | Previous slide |
| Down arrow | Down arrow | Next slide |
| Home | Fn + Left arrow | First slide |
| End | Fn + Right arrow | Last slide |
| Ctrl + Up arrow | ⌘ + Up arrow | Move slide up |
| Ctrl + Down arow | ⌘ + Down arrow | Move slide down |
| Ctrl + Shift + Up arrow | ⌘ + Shift + Up arrow | Move slide to beginning |
| Ctrl + Shift + Down arrow | ⌘ + Shift + Down arrow | Move slide to end |
| Shift + Up Arrow | Shift + Up arrow | Select previous slide |
| Shift + Down arrow | Shift + Down arrow | Select next slide |
| Shift + Home | Shift + Fn + Left arrow | Select first slide |
| Shift + End | Shift + Fn + Right arrow | Select last slide |
| NAVIGATION | ||
| Ctrl + Alt and + | ⌘ + Option + Plus | Zoom in |
| Ctrl + Alt and - | ⌘ + Option + Minus | Zoom out |
| Ctrl + Alt + Shift + F | ⌘ + Option + Shift + F | Move to filmstrip |
| Ctrl + Alt + Shift + C | ⌘ + Option + Shift + C | Move to canvas |
| Ctrl + Alt + Shift + S | ⌘ + Option + Shift + S | Open speaker notes panel |
| Ctrl + Alt + Shift + P | ⌘ + Option + Shift + P | Change to HTML view of presentation |
| Ctrl + Alt + Shift + B | ⌘ + Option + Shift + B | Open animations panel |
| Enter | Enter | Continue in animation preview |
| Ctrl + Alt + Shift + I | ⌘ + Option + Shift + I | Open Explore |
| Ctrl + Alt + . | ⌘ + Option + . | Go to side panel |
| Ctrl + Shift + Y | N/A | Open dictionary |
| Ctrl + Alt + Shift + H | ⌘ + Option + Shift + H | Open revision history panel |
| Hold Ctrl + Alt, E, P | Hold Ctrl + ⌘, E, P | Open cell border selection (for tables) |
| Enter | Enter | Play the selected video |
| Ctrl + F5 | ⌘ + Enter | Present slides |
| Esc | Esc | Exit the current mode |
| MENUS | ||
| Ctrl + Shift + X | ⌘ + Shift + \ | Context menu |
| Alt + Shift + F | Ctrl + Option + F | File menu |
| Alt + Shift + E | Ctrl + Option + E | Edit menu |
| Alt + Shift + V | Ctrl + Option + V | View menu |
| Alt + Shift + I | Ctrl + Option + I | Insert menu |
| Alt + Shift + O | Ctrl + Option + O | Format menu |
| Alt + Shift + T | Ctrl + Option + T | Tools menu |
| Alt + Shift + H | Ctrl + Option + H | Help menu |
| Alt + Shift + A | N/A | Accessibility menu |
| Ctrl + Alt + Shift + K | ⌘ + Option + Shift + L | Input tools menu |
| Ctrl + Shift + K | ⌘ + Shift + K | Toggle input controls |
| COMMENTS | ||
| Ctrl + Alt + M | ⌘ + Option + M | Insert comment |
| Ctrl + Enter | Ctrl + Enter | Enter current comment |
| J | J | Next comment |
| K | K | Previous comment |
| R | R | Reply to comment |
| E | E | Resolve comment |
| Ctrl + Alt + Shift + A | ⌘ + Option + Shift + A | Open comment discussion thread |
| PRESENTING | ||
| Esc | Esc | Stop presenting |
| Right arrow | Right arrow | Next |
| Left arrow | Left arrow | Previous |
| Number, Enter | Number, Enter | Specific slide |
| Home | Home | First slide |
| End | End | Last slide |
| S | S | Open speaker notes |
| A | A | Open audience tools |
| L | L | Toggle laser pointer |
| Ctrl + Shift + C | ⌘ + Shift + C | Toggle captions |
| F11 | ⌘ + Shift + F | Toggle full screen |
| B | B | Show a blank black slide |
| W | W | Show a blank white slide |
Present Wherever You Are
Google Slides is great for many reasons, not least because it lets you present from wherever you are. You don't need to bring your own computer or hope that someone has the presentation software.
If Google Slides doesn't take your fancy, there are other tools like Microsoft PowerPoint and Zoho WorkDrive that let you present remotely.
