Good Practices PowerPoint Tips
Area Tip Why? How?
Optimally 1. Keep the ”Snap to grid“ and “Snap to shape“ Enables neat alignment of the objects on Select and activate “To Grid” and “To Shape” in the “Draw/Snap”
configured settings enabled slide menu.
2. Drag the most commonly used commands (e.g. Speeds up work Open your “PowerPoint Options”, select “Customize” and drag the
Grouping, Order, Align or Distribute etc.) as desired commands to the Quick Access Toolbar.
icons on to your Quick Access Toolbar.
Keeping 3. Write directly into AutoShapes and avoid Reduces number of objects on slide, Select an AutoShape and start typing; subsequently use the Format
objects transparent text boxes on top other AutoShapes eases handling and alignment of objects AutoShape and Ruler/Indents commands to format/reposition text
lean
4. Keep invisible text boxes to the “Resize Minimizes text box size, eases handling of Select text box, double click on its border, select tab “Text box”,
AutoShape to fit text” setting and set their text objects on top of these text boxes check “Resize AutoShape to fit text”
margins to “0”
5. Use connectors instead of lines when Connectors (e.g. arrows) will adjust to Select AutoShapes/Connectors. Also try dragging the entire
connecting AutoShapes new position of AutoShapes; eases connectors window onto your toolbar for easier future use
handling and saves time
6. Use tabs instead of long list of spaces Long lists of spaces are difficult to edit Use the TAB key. Set tab stops by clicking into the ruler bar (above
and, while seeming aligned on screen, the slide area)
look messy on a printout
Efficient 7. Use shortcuts as often as possible Speeds up work e.g. CTRL-C (copy), CTRL-P (paste), CTRL-D (duplicate), ALT-E-D
keyboard (delete slide), ALT-I-N (duplicate slide) etc.; see PowerPoint Help
support
8. Hold down the Shift key when clicking on an Will always select the entire object, not Press the Shift key before clicking on an object
object in order to select it as a whole the text area within it
9. Hold down the Shift key to draw exact Improves the overall appearance of the Press the Shift key after having selected an AutoShape and keep it
horizontal or vertical lines (or to resize object slide pressed while moving/resizing it
while keeping x/y-proportions)
10. Hold down the Alt key in order to move and Sometimes object will not move to desired Press the Alt key after having selected an AutoShape and keep it
resize objects pixel-wise position if “Snap” is enabled pressed while moving/resizing it
11. Use CTRL-drag to duplicate objects Faster than copying. Also enables you to Drag one or more objects and press CTRL. Additionally use the
keep the duplicate object on the same Shift key to keep new objects on same x- or y-axis
vertical or horizontal line
12. When using second level bullets, left-align Better format and allows better use of Press the CTRL key and use the mouse on the ruler to align the
these to the first level text space text of the second bullet flush with the first indent
And 13. Never forget to use the spelling check function Typing errors are often unavoidable Select “Tools/Spelling…” from the standard PowerPoint menu or
finally… before printing a presentation just press F7
14. Press CTRL-S every few minutes Saves the presentation and prevents data Press CTRL-S. Whilst working, save your file from time to time
loss should your computer crash under a different filename (version) - this will further enhance safety
