50+ shortcuts & custom commands for PowerPoint

The slide speed you had at the firm.

SlideShortcuts brings consultant-style keyboard shortcuts to PowerPoint on Mac and Windows. Align, resize, format, and build slides without touching the ribbon.

7-day free trial · No credit card · Mac + Windows · PowerPoint 2016+

Now on Microsoft AppSource

Exhibit 1

See more shortcuts in action on our demo page

The problem

You left the firm. Your shortcuts didn't follow.

At the firm, you built slides at speed — aligning objects, formatting text, and assembling decks with muscle memory. Then you moved to a corporate role, and all of that disappeared.

Now you're back to right-clicking menus, hunting through the ribbon, and spending twice as long on half the slides. SlideShortcuts gives you that speed back.

Why SlideShortcuts

Built for how consultants actually work.

01 · Align & distribute

One-key alignment

Align left, right, center, top, bottom, middle. Distribute evenly. Group + align in one stroke. Nine shortcuts that replace the entire Format menu.

02 · Size & position

Same size, same position

Match widths, heights, or exact positions across objects. Copy position from one shape, paste it onto ten. Resize-to-fit text without dragging handles.

03 · Group, layer & navigate

Stack, arrange, jump

Group, ungroup, bring forward, send back. Plus jump to the next shape on the slide with Alt + arrow keys — no more squinting at the selection pane.

04 · Insert & paste

Build slides faster

Insert textbox, sticker, footnote, legend, sticky note, new slide. Smart paste from Excel that grabs your formatting. Ten shortcuts you'll use daily.

05 · Text & formatting

Type without the mouse

Word wrap, font size, line spacing, default text format. Pickup style and apply style across shapes. Split or join textboxes with one stroke.

06 · Quick actions

One-key power moves

Swap two objects, select similar shapes, group horizontally or vertically, convert any shape to dots. Five ribbon-grade actions on Alt + 5–9.

07 · Views & print

Move through your deck

Jump to Normal, Slide Sorter, or Fit-to-Window views without the View tab. Print full deck or n-up handouts straight from the keyboard.

All 50+ shortcuts & commands

Your complete reference card.

01 · Align & distribute
Align leftCtrlAlt
Align centerCtrlAltC
Align rightCtrlAlt
Align topCtrlAlt
Align middleCtrlAltM
Align bottomCtrlAlt
Distribute horizontallyAltShiftH
Distribute verticallyAltShiftV
02 · Size & position
Make same sizeAltZ
Make same widthCtrlAltE
Make same heightCtrlShiftE
Do not resizeCtrlShift8
Copy positionCtrl1
Paste positionCtrl2
03 · Group, layer & navigate
GroupCtrlG
UngroupCtrlShiftG
Bring forwardAlt]
Send backwardAlt[
Bring to frontAltShift]
Send to backAltShift[
Jump to shape leftAlt
Jump to shape rightAlt
Jump to shape aboveAlt
Jump to shape belowAlt
04 · Insert & paste
Insert textboxAltQ
Insert legendCtrlAltL
Insert source footerCtrlAltF
Insert yellow stickyCtrl0
New slideCtrlM
Paste unformattedCtrlAltT
Smart paste from ExcelCtrlV
05 · Text & formatting
Word wrapCtrl7
No word wrapCtrlShift7
Resize to fit textCtrl8
Shape to text boxCtrlShiftW
Change font sizeCtrlShiftO
Paragraph optionsCtrlShiftL
Pickup styleCtrlShiftC
Apply styleCtrlShiftV
Split / join textboxesCtrlAltJ
Cycle harvey ballAltShiftB
06 · Quick actions
Swap objectsAlt5
Select similarAlt6
Group horizontalAlt7
Group verticalAlt8
Convert to dotsAlt9
07 · Views & print
Normal viewCtrl3
Slide sorter viewCtrl4
Fit to windowCtrl5
PrintCtrlP

Setup

Up and running in 60 seconds.

01

Run the installer

Double-click one file. It copies the add-in to PowerPoint and opens the activation dialog.

02

Enter your key

Paste the license key from your email. If it's already on your clipboard, it fills in automatically.

03

Start building

Shortcuts activate instantly. Press Ctrl Alt Q for the reference card. Every future launch just works.

Pricing

Try free, upgrade when you're ready.

Every plan includes all 50+ shortcuts, custom commands, and free updates. Cancel anytime.

Try first

Free Trial

$0/ 7 days

Full access, no credit card. Auto-cancels at day 7 — zero risk to try.

Start free trial →

Flexible

Monthly

$9.99/ month

Pay monthly. Cancel anytime — no per-seat math, no annual lock-in.

Subscribe →

FAQ

Common questions.

01 Does this work with my version of PowerPoint? +

Yes — SlideShortcuts runs on PowerPoint for Windows (2016, 2019, 2021, and Microsoft 365) and PowerPoint for Mac (16.66+). On Windows it ships as a standard add-in — no admin install needed. On Mac it installs through Microsoft AppSource or via a sideloaded Office Add-in.

02 Will this conflict with my existing shortcuts? +

SlideShortcuts uses key combinations PowerPoint doesn't assign by default (like Ctrl Alt C for align center). If you ever hit a conflict with a custom macro or another add-in, email support@slideshortcuts.com with the shortcut and we'll either help you remap or document the conflict.

03 Does it work on Mac? +

Yes. SlideShortcuts works on PowerPoint for Mac 16.66 and later. The taskpane (Symbols, Lines, Textbox Table, Icons, Send-As, Export-to-Excel, Shortcuts reference) works identically on both platforms. The keyboard shortcuts on Mac are powered by Hammerspoon, a free open-source helper app — the installer sets it up for you automatically (see FAQ #4 for details).

04 What does the Windows installer do? +

The installer does four things, all inside your user profile — no admin privileges needed. It copies the add-in file (.ppam) to PowerPoint's standard Add-ins folder, places a manifest file for the ribbon tab, writes one user-level registry entry so PowerPoint loads everything at startup, and briefly opens PowerPoint (~5 seconds) to register the add-in for auto-load. Nothing touches Program Files, no background services are installed, and no system settings change. To remove everything, run the included uninstall.bat.

05 What's Hammerspoon and why is it part of the Mac install? +

Hammerspoon is a free, open-source automation tool that gives Mac apps the deep keyboard-shortcut hooks that PowerPoint for Mac doesn't expose to add-ins natively. It's required because Mac PowerPoint has no equivalent to the Windows VBA API we use on the PC side — Hammerspoon bridges that gap. The SlideShortcuts installer downloads and installs Hammerspoon automatically (or detects it if you already have it), grants the necessary Accessibility permission, and configures the keyboard hooks. Hammerspoon runs only when you're using SlideShortcuts and never sees your slide content. Hammerspoon homepage if you want to read up.

06 What happens when my trial expires? +

The shortcuts simply stop working. No uninstall needed. When you purchase a license, just enter the new key and you're back up instantly — all your PowerPoint files are completely unaffected.

07 Can I use it on multiple computers? +

Yes — your license is tied to your purchase email. Activate it on whatever machines you use (work laptop, home desktop, Mac and Windows). If you ever lose access to your license, email support@slideshortcuts.com and we'll get you back up.

08 Are these the same shortcuts from consulting? +

The shortcuts are designed by former MBB consultants, adapted from the muscle memory you built at the firm. If you've spent time in PowerPoint at McKinsey, BCG, Bain, or a peer firm, the keystrokes will feel immediately familiar — same actions, same mappings, same speed.

09 Is my data safe? What does the add-in access? +

SlideShortcuts runs locally inside PowerPoint and never reads or transmits your slide content, file names, or document data. The only thing transmitted is your license email at activation, encrypted in transit, used only to verify your subscription. No telemetry, no analytics, no behavioral tracking. Full details in our Privacy Policy.

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Stop wrestling with the ribbon.
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