PowerPoint is now an essential tool in the modern world of presentations, used by a wide range of people, from students to professionals. With its ability to convey information visually, PowerPoint makes it easy to communicate ideas and data in an engaging and easy-to-understand way. In business, education, and communication, the optimal use of PowerPoint can increase the appeal of presentations and help the audience understand information better.
Bardimin will share various tips and tricks that can increase the productivity of PowerPoint users. By applying these techniques, users will not only speed up the presentation creation process but can also improve the quality of the displayed content. In this article, we’ll cover often overlooked features and shortcuts, so readers can get the most out of PowerPoint in every presentation they create.
Using the F4 Key to Repeat an Action
The F4 key in PowerPoint has a function to repeat the last action that has been performed. This feature is especially helpful, especially when you’re making iterative edits to presentation elements, such as resizing, moving objects, or applying a specific format. By pressing the F4 key, you can save time and effort, since you don’t have to repeat the steps manually.
Examples of Situations Where F4 Can Be Used
- Resize Objects: If you’ve resized one image or shape and want to apply the same size to another object, simply select a new object and press F4 to repeat the action.
- Move Elements: After moving one text or image to a specific position, you can select another element (text or image) and press F4 to move it to the same location.
- Apply Formatting: If you’ve applied a specific background color to one slide and want to use the same color on another slide, simply select a new slide and press F4 to apply the same formatting.
Quick Techniques for Copying Objects
Copying objects in PowerPoint can be done in several quick and efficient ways. Here are some methods you can try:
Keyboard Shortcuts:
- Use CTRL + C to copy the selected object.
- Use CTRL + V to paste the copied object.
- This way, you can copy and paste objects faster without the need to use a mouse.
Drag and Drop Method:
- Select the object you want to copy, press and hold the CTRL button, and then drag the object to where you want it.
- This will create a copy of the object in the new location, so you can quickly duplicate elements without having to go through the copy-and-paste process.
Duplicate Features:
- Right-click on the object you want to copy and select the Duplicate option.
- This way, a copy of the object will be instantly created in the same location, so you don’t have to take any additional steps.
Using Format Painter to Copy Formats
Format Painter is a feature in PowerPoint that allows users to easily copy the format from one object and apply it to another. This feature is very helpful in maintaining the uniformity of presentation design, such as text color, typeface, size, and other styles. With Format Painter, you can save time and effort in formatting various presentation elements.
Steps to Use Format Painter Effectively:
1. Select the Object You Want to Copy the Format to:
Click on the object (such as text, image, or shape) that has the format you want to copy.
2. Enable Format Painter:
In the PowerPoint toolbar, click on the Format Painter icon (brush icon). If you want to copy the format to multiple objects, double-click on this icon.
3. Apply the Format to Other Objects:
Once Format Painter is enabled, your cursor will turn into a brush. Click on the other object to which you want to apply the copied format.
4. Done:
If you double-click on the Format Painter icon, you’ll need to press the Esc button to disable it when you’re done applying the format to all the objects you want.
For example, if you have a slide title with a blue font color and an Arial font type, you can use Format Painter to quickly apply the same style to other slide titles without having to manually rearrange them.
Getting to know the 3 Musketeers in PowerPoint (CTRL, SHIFT, ALT)
In PowerPoint, the CTRL, SHIFT, and ALT key combinations are often referred to as the “3 Musketeers” because of their incredible ability to speed up and make it easier to set objects on a slide. Each of these buttons has a unique function, but it is very effective when used together in various tasks, such as object placement, copying, or layout settings.
- CTRL: Used to duplicate objects and speed up various actions, such as copying, deleting, or moving elements.
- SHIFT: Helps maintain the proportions of objects when resizing and accurately regulates the movement of elements.
- ALT: Provides additional control when moving objects, allowing you to avoid locking objects on grids or guidelines automatically.
Examples of Use in Various Situations
Accurately Copy Objects (CTRL + Drag)
By holding down the CTRL key while you drag an object, you can duplicate the object and place it in a new location. This is helpful for quickly duplicating slide elements without the need to manually copy and paste.
Maintaining Image or Shape Ratio (SHIFT + Resize)
When you want to resize an image or shape, press the SHIFT button while dragging the corners of the object. This ensures that the changed size remains proportional so that the image or shape does not suffer distortion.
Setting Elements with Accuracy (ALT + Drag)
If you want to move an object without being tied to a grid or auto-guide on the PowerPoint, press the ALT key while dragging the object. This allows you to place objects more precisely according to the desired design.
Combining Objects with Accuracy (CTRL + SHIFT + Drag)
By holding down CTRL and SHIFT at the same time while dragging an object, you can duplicate the object and place it in a straight line, either horizontally or vertically. This technique is very useful for creating an orderly and consistent layout.
List of Essential Keyboard Shortcuts
Using keyboard shortcuts in PowerPoint is an effective way to speed up work and increase productivity. Here are some of the most important and frequently used keyboard shortcuts:
- CTRL + C: Copying selected objects or text
- CTRL + V: Pasting an object or text that has been copied
- CTRL + D: Quickly duplicate selected objects or text
- CTRL + Z: Undo the last action (Undo)
- CTRL + Y: Repeat the last action (Redo)
- CTRL + A: Selecting all objects or text on a slide
- CTRL + G: Group selected objects
- CTRL + SHIFT + G: Separating objects that have been grouped
- CTRL + P: Activate the pen during a presentation
- CTRL + M: Add a new slide
- SHIFT + F5: Start a presentation from an active slide
- F5: Start a presentation from scratch
- ALT + SHIFT + F9: Show or hide the guideline on the slide.
Using Paste Special in PowerPoint
Paste Special is a very useful feature in PowerPoint when you want to paste objects or text from other sources with a specific format or set how those elements are displayed on a slide.
With Paste Special, you can choose the format you want to apply to the pasted element, such as an image, unformatted text, or an object in the form of a metafile. This feature is especially helpful when you are importing content from other applications (such as Excel or Word) and want to maintain formatting uniformity or avoid unwanted formatting changes.
When to Use Paste Special:
- When you copy a graph from Excel and want to paste it as an image so that it is not affected when the original data is updated.
- When you want to paste text without formatting adjust to the style present in the slide PowerPoint.
- When you want to maintain the original layout or look of the copied elements without affecting the design of the other slides.
Why Use Paste Special:
- Avoid unwanted format changes when copying from other apps.
- Provides more flexibility in determining how objects are displayed on the slide.
- Maintain design consistency without the need to manually change formatting after attaching.
Examples of Results That Can Be Achieved with Paste Special
Pasting a Chart from Excel as an Image
Imagine that you copy a chart from Excel to PowerPoint. By using Paste Special and selecting “Picture (Enhanced Metafile)”, the graph will be pasted as an image, so that it will remain visible even if the data in Excel changes. This is very helpful to maintain the consistency of the presentation design.
Paste Unformatted Text
You can copy text from a Word document or website, and then use Paste Special to paste it as “Unformatted Text.” This way, all the original formatting (fonts, sizes, colors) will be removed, and you can easily apply a style that suits your presentation.
Pasting Images as Editable Objects
If you copy an image or object from another app and use Paste Special with the “Microsoft Office Drawing Object” option, the image will be pasted as an editable object directly in the PowerPoint. This gives you more freedom in editing those visual elements.
Using Slide Master
Slide Master is a feature in PowerPoint that allows you to organize and manage the design and layout of all the slides in a presentation at the same time. Using Slide Master, you can change the design elements you want to apply throughout the slide, such as backgrounds, typefaces, colors, and other visual elements.
This feature helps maintain visual consistency throughout presentations, saves time, and reduces the need to edit each slide individually.
Here are the steps to set up and design Slide Master:
1. Accessing the Master Slide
- Open your presentation in PowerPoint.
- Click the View tab in the ribbon, then select Slide Master. This will take you to the Slide Master view, where all the available master slides and layouts can be viewed.
2. Editing the Master Slide
At the top of the list of master slides, you’ll find the main master slide. Click on this slide to edit the elements you want to apply to all slides.
You can add a logo, change the background color, or adjust the font and text size to match the visual identity of your presentation.
3. Create a Custom Layout
If you need a different layout for a specific slide (such as slide title, body slide, or closing slide), you can create a new layout by clicking the Insert Layout button in the ribbon.
Once a new layout is added, you can add placeholders for text, images, and other elements that you want to display on slides with that layout.
4. Implementing Changes
Once you’re done editing your Slide Master and layout, click the Close Master View button on the ribbon. Any changes you make will be automatically applied to slides that use that master and layout.
To apply the newly created layout, simply select the slide you want to change, then right-click and select Layout, then select the desired layout from the list.
5. Adjusting Specific Elements on the Slide
Even if you have set up the design in Slide Master, you can still adjust certain elements in individual slides without affecting the master. For example, if you want to add a specific image or change the text on a single slide, just make edits on that slide.
Example of Master Slide Application:
- A company that wants to display a logo in the bottom left corner of each slide can place the logo in Slide Master so that all slides will automatically display the logo without having to manually add them individually.
- If you have presentations with a variety of different themes (such as product presentations and annual reports), you can create multiple master slides and layouts for each theme, so you can easily switch between them.
Change the Font on All Slides at Once
To change the font across a PowerPoint slide, follow these steps:
1. Open Slide Master:
Access the View tab in the PowerPoint ribbon and select Slide Master. This will take you to a view where you can edit the layout and overall design of the slide.
2. Select the Master Slide:
In the left panel, select the main master slide (the topmost slide). Any changes you make here will be applied to all slides that use that layout.
3. Change the Font:
- Select the text you want to change the font for. You can select text in the placeholder or add a new placeholder if needed.
- After selecting the text, go to the Home tab, and in the Font section, select a new font type from the available dropdowns.
4. Implement the change:
After changing the font, all slides that use this layout will automatically update the font according to the changes you make in Slide Master.
5. Master Slide Cover:
When you’re done, click on Close Master View to return to the normal view. All slides in your presentation will now use the new font you’ve set.
Conclusion
Mastering PowerPoint is not just about knowing how to create slides, but also how to make the most of the features and shortcuts that exist to increase productivity. By applying the tips and tricks above, you can create presentations that are not only professional but also efficient in less time.
