10 PowerPoint Hacks Most People Don’t Know About

You’ve used PowerPoint for years, but are you using it to its full potential? Most users only scratch the surface of what PowerPoint can do. Professional presentation designers rely on hidden features and clever tricks that make their slides look 10x better and save hours of work.

This guide reveals 10 powerful PowerPoint hacks that will transform how you create presentations. These aren’t basic tips like “use good fonts”—these are advanced techniques that most people never discover.

Hack #1: The Magic of Format Painter’s Double-Click

What Most People Know: You can copy formatting from one object to another using Format Painter.

What Pros Know: Double-click Format Painter to lock it on, allowing you to apply the same formatting to multiple objects without re-clicking.

How to Use It:

1. Select an object with formatting you want to copy (text box, shape, image)
2. Double-click the Format Painter button (Home tab)
3. Click on multiple objects to apply the formatting
4. Press Esc when done to unlock

Time Saved: Instead of clicking Format Painter → object → Format Painter → object 10 times, you click once and apply to all 10 objects.

Pro Tip: This works on text too. Double-click Format Painter on formatted text, then highlight other text to instantly apply the same font, size, color, and effects.

Why It’s Powerful:

Maintaining consistent design across 50+ slides is tedious. Double-click Format Painter + keyboard shortcuts (see Hack #5) makes bulk formatting 5x faster.

Hack #2: Selection Pane – See the Invisible

The Problem: You have multiple overlapping objects. You click trying to select the one in the back, but PowerPoint keeps selecting the front one. Frustration ensues.

The Solution: The Selection Pane shows all objects on a slide as a list, lets you reorder them, show/hide them, and rename them.

How to Access It:

• Method 1: Home tab → Select → Selection Pane
• Method 2: Alt + F10 (Windows) / Fn + Option + F10 (Mac)

What You Can Do:

1. Select hard-to-reach objects: Click the object name in the list instead of hunting for it on the slide.

2. Reorder layers: Drag objects up/down in the list to change which appears on top (same as “Bring to Front” but visual).

3. Hide objects without deleting: Click the eye icon to temporarily hide objects (perfect for creating multiple versions of a slide).

4. Rename objects: Instead of “Rectangle 4” and “Text Box 12,” rename them “Background” and “Title” for easy identification.

Real-World Use Case:

You’re building a complex infographic with 30 shapes. Instead of constantly right-clicking and selecting “Send to Back,” you:

1. Open Selection Pane
2. Drag layers to reorder them visually
3. Hide decorative elements while editing main content
4. Rename key objects for quick access

Time Saved: 30-60 minutes per complex slide.

Hack #3: Eyedropper Tool – Perfect Color Matching

The Problem: You want to match the exact color from an image or another object, but you don’t know the hex code.

The Solution: PowerPoint’s hidden Eyedropper tool samples colors from anywhere on your slide (or even outside PowerPoint on Windows).

How to Use It:

1. Select the object you want to change color
2. Go to Shape Fill (or Font Color, Line Color, etc.)
3. Click Eyedropper at the bottom of the color menu
4. Click anywhere on your slide (or screen) to sample that exact color

Advanced Technique:

Sample colors from images:

• Insert a photo
• Use Eyedropper to pull the exact blues, greens, or oranges from the image
• Apply those colors to your shapes, text, and charts
• Result: Slide design that perfectly matches the photo’s color palette

Sample from your screen (Windows):

• Open Eyedropper
• Hover over anything on your screen (website, photo, another app)
• PowerPoint captures that exact color

Why Designers Love This:

Professional presentations have cohesive color schemes. Eyedropper ensures every color you use harmonizes perfectly with your images and brand colors.

Before: Guessing colors, ending up with clashing blues. After: Exact color matching, professional polish.

Hack #4: Morph Transition – Instant Animations

What It Is: Morph is PowerPoint’s most powerful transition. It automatically animates objects between two slides based on position, size, color, and rotation.

What It Replaces: Hours of custom animation setup.

How It Works:

1. Create a slide with objects (shapes, text, images)
2. Duplicate the slide
3. Move, resize, or change objects on the duplicate slide
4. Apply Morph transition to the second slide
5. PowerPoint automatically creates smooth animations between the two

Example: Zoom Effect

Slide 1: Small icon in the corner Slide 2: Same icon enlarged and centered Add Morph: The icon smoothly zooms and moves to center

Example: Build Complex Diagrams

Instead of animating each element to appear one-by-one:

• Create 5 slides
• Slide 1: Element A
• Slide 2: Elements A + B
• Slide 3: Elements A + B + C
• Apply Morph to slides 2-5
• Each element elegantly transitions in

Pro Tips:

1. Rename objects the same: Morph works best when objects have identical names on both slides (use Selection Pane to rename).

2. Use for text: Change text content between slides and Morph transitions the words smoothly.

3. Combine with rotation: Rotate objects between slides for spinning effects.

4. Create video-like sequences: String together 10+ slides with Morph for cinematic animations without video editing software.

Why It’s Gamechanging:

Before Morph, creating smooth animations required:

• Custom motion paths
• Precise timing adjustments
• Trial and error

With Morph:

• Duplicate slide
• Move objects
• Done

Time Saved: 2-3 hours of animation work reduced to 5 minutes.

Hack #5: Custom Keyboard Shortcuts via Quick Access Toolbar

The Problem: Common actions (aligning objects, changing font size, grouping) require multiple clicks through menus.

The Solution: Add any command to the Quick Access Toolbar (top-left corner) and access it with Alt + [number].

How to Set It Up:

1. Right-click any button/menu item in PowerPoint
2. Select “Add to Quick Access Toolbar”
3. It appears at the top of the screen
4. Press Alt to see the number assigned to it
5. Use Alt + [number] to trigger it instantly

Best Commands to Add:

• Align Left/Center/Right (Alt + 5, Alt + 6, Alt + 7)
• Distribute Horizontally/Vertically
• Group/Ungroup objects
• Send to Back/Bring to Front
• Remove Background (for images)
• Format Painter (for ultra-fast access)

Real-World Workflow:

Without shortcuts:

• Click object
• Click Format tab
• Click Align
• Click Align Center
• Repeat 20 times

With Quick Access:

• Click object
• Alt + 6 (instant center)
• Next object
• Alt + 6
• Done in seconds

Time Saved: 15-20 minutes per presentation.

Hack #6: Designer Tool – AI-Powered Layouts

What It Is: PowerPoint’s AI design assistant suggests professional layouts for your content.

How to Activate:

• Go to Design tab
• Click Designer (if it’s not showing, click “Get Design Ideas”)
• PowerPoint analyzes your slide and suggests polished layouts

When to Use It:

1. Photo-heavy slides: Upload images and let Designer arrange them artistically.

2. Text-heavy slides: Designer converts boring bullet points into visual timelines, SmartArt, or icon-based layouts.

3. Title slides: Get creative title slide designs with gradient backgrounds and modern typography.

How to Maximize It:

Before calling Designer:

• Add all content (text, images) to the slide first
• Use simple, clear text
• Include at least one image

After Designer suggests layouts:

• Browse 5-10 options
• Pick the closest match
• Customize colors and fonts to your brand

Limitations:

• Designer works best on simple slides (1-3 elements)
• Doesn’t understand complex data or technical diagrams
• Suggestions may be too generic for advanced users

Best Use: Quick, professional polish for standard slides. Not a replacement for custom design on complex decks.

Hack #7: Duplicate and Align – Pixel-Perfect Copies

The Problem: You need 5 identical shapes evenly spaced. Manual dragging never gets them perfectly aligned.

The Solution: Combine duplication and PowerPoint’s alignment tools.

The Workflow:

1. Create your first object
2. Press Ctrl + D (Windows) or Cmd + D (Mac) to duplicate
3. Move the duplicate where you want it
4. Press Ctrl + D again
5. PowerPoint remembers the distance and creates another duplicate at the exact same spacing
6. Repeat Ctrl + D until you have all copies

Result: Perfectly spaced objects without measuring.

Advanced Technique: Precise Distribution

After duplicating:

1. Select all objects (Ctrl + A or click and drag)
2. Go to Format tab → Align → Distribute Horizontally (or Vertically)
3. All objects space themselves evenly

Pro Tip: Hold Shift while duplicating to constrain movement to horizontal or vertical only.

Why It’s Powerful:

Before: Drag object → check alignment → adjust → drag again → still not perfect → frustrated.

After: Ctrl + D × 5 → perfect alignment every time.

Time Saved: 10-15 minutes of fiddling, plus professional-looking results.

Hack #8: Slide Master – Design Once, Apply Everywhere

What Most People Do: Manually format every single slide—fonts, colors, logos, footers.

What Pros Do: Edit the Slide Master once, and all slides automatically inherit the design.

How to Access Slide Master:

• View tab → Slide Master
• You’ll see the master slide and all layout variations

What You Can Control:

1. Default fonts: Set your brand fonts once, apply to all text.

2. Color themes: Define your color palette once.

3. Backgrounds: Add a logo or watermark that appears on every slide.

4. Placeholders: Customize where titles, content, and images appear.

5. Layouts: Create custom slide layouts (e.g., “Quote Slide,” “Case Study Slide”) that appear in your Layout menu.

Real-World Use Case:

Company Template Creation:

1. Open Slide Master
2. Set company fonts (Heading: Montserrat Bold, Body: Open Sans)
3. Add company logo to bottom-right of all slides
4. Define color theme (primary blue, accent orange, gray)
5. Create custom layouts: Title, Content, Two-Column, Full-Image
6. Save as .potx template
7. Share with team

Result: Everyone creates on-brand presentations without thinking. No more “Can you fix the fonts on my slides?”

Time Saved: 30-60 minutes per presentation + ensures brand consistency.

Hack #9: Remove Background – Instant Cutouts

The Problem: You have a product photo with a distracting background. You want just the product.

The Solution: PowerPoint’s Remove Background tool creates cutouts without Photoshop.

How to Use It:

1. Insert your image
2. Select the image
3. Format tab (or Picture Format) → Remove Background
4. PowerPoint auto-detects the main subject (highlighted in color)
5. Adjust the selection:
   • Mark Areas to Keep (green +)
   • Mark Areas to Remove (red -)
6. Click Keep Changes

Result: Clean cutout with transparent background.

Pro Tips:

1. Works best on simple backgrounds: Solid colors or blurred backgrounds are easiest.

2. Combine with shadows: After removing background, add a subtle shadow (Format → Picture Effects → Shadow) to make the cutout look natural.

3. Layer cutouts: Stack multiple cutout images to create custom scenes.

4. Use for people: Remove background from headshots to create professional team slides.

Advanced Technique: Creative Layering

Example:

• Remove background from product image
• Place it over a gradient background
• Add subtle shadow
• Result: Magazine-quality product showcase slide

Time Saved: No need for Photoshop or paying designers. 5-10 minutes per image.

Hack #10: Zoom Feature – Non-Linear Presentations

The Problem: Presentations are linear (Slide 1 → 2 → 3). But what if your audience asks to skip to a specific section?

The Solution: PowerPoint Zoom creates interactive, non-linear navigation.

Types of Zoom:

1. Summary Zoom: Create a “table of contents” slide where clicking on sections jumps directly to them.

2. Section Zoom: Insert clickable previews of other slides.

3. Slide Zoom: Jump to any slide and back.

How to Create Summary Zoom:

1. Organize your presentation into Sections (right-click between slides → Add Section)
2. Insert tab → Zoom → Summary Zoom
3. Select which sections to include
4. PowerPoint creates a clickable menu slide

Result: Click “Marketing Strategy” → jumps to that section → finish that section → auto-returns to menu.

When to Use It:

Sales Presentations: “Which aspect interests you most? Pricing? Features? Case studies?” → Click and jump.

Workshops: Let participants choose topics to explore.

Long Decks: Create a navigation dashboard for 50+ slide presentations.

Flexible Demos: Adjust presentation on-the-fly based on audience interest.

Why It’s Powerful:

Before: “Let me scroll through 30 slides to find the pricing section…”

After: Click “Pricing” → instant jump → back to menu.

Audience Impact: You look prepared, professional, and responsive to their needs.

Bonus Hack: Screenshot Tool (Built-In)

Hidden Feature: PowerPoint has a built-in screenshot tool.

How to Use:

• Insert tab → Screenshot
• PowerPoint shows all open windows
• Click to insert a screenshot of that window
• OR click “Screen Clipping” to select a specific area

Why It’s Useful:

• Capture charts from Excel without copying/pasting
• Grab images from websites without saving
• Document software workflows
• Create tutorials

Time Saved: No need for Snipping Tool or third-party apps.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do these hacks work on Mac and Windows?

Most do! Specific differences:

• Keyboard shortcuts may differ (Cmd vs Ctrl, Option vs Alt)
• Some features (like eyedropper sampling outside PowerPoint) are Windows-only
• Morph and Designer work on both but require Office 365 subscription

Will these hacks work on older PowerPoint versions?

Morph, Designer, and Zoom: Require PowerPoint 2019 or Office 365.

Format Painter, Selection Pane, Eyedropper, Remove Background: Work on PowerPoint 2013+.

Slide Master, Alignment Tools: Work on all versions.

Can I use these techniques in Google Slides?

Some translate (Format Painter, alignment tools), but many (Morph, Designer, Zoom, Remove Background) are PowerPoint-exclusive. Google Slides has different features.

Are these hacks allowed in professional/academic settings?

Yes! These are built-in PowerPoint features, not cheats or violations. Using software efficiently is encouraged.

How do I remember all these shortcuts?

Start with 2-3: Pick the most relevant to your workflow (e.g., Format Painter + Align Center).

Practice: Use them deliberately for one week.

Expand gradually: Add one new hack per week.

Create a cheat sheet: Print shortcuts and keep next to your desk.

What’s the single most impactful hack?

Slide Master for long-term efficiency (never manually format again).

Morph for immediate “wow” factor (professional animations in minutes).

Selection Pane for daily frustration elimination (no more clicking the wrong object).

Can these hacks replace professional designers?

No, but they close the gap significantly. A skilled user with these hacks produces better work than a beginner with expensive design software.

Hacks handle: Efficiency, consistency, technical polish.

Designers bring: Creative vision, brand strategy, custom illustrations.

Best approach: Use hacks for 80% of work, hire designers for high-stakes presentations.

Conclusion: Your PowerPoint Superpower

PowerPoint is far more powerful than most people realize. These 10 hacks represent the difference between:

Average users: Clicking through menus, manual formatting, generic designs.

Power users: Keyboard shortcuts, AI-assisted design, automated workflows.

The gap? About 30 hours saved per month and presentations that look professionally designed.

Your Action Plan:

1. Pick 3 hacks that solve your biggest frustrations
2. Practice them on your next presentation
3. Add one new hack per week
4. In 3 months, you’ll be the PowerPoint expert everyone asks for help

The best part? Every hack in this guide is already installed on your computer. You’re one keyboard shortcut away from transforming your presentations.

Which hack will you try first?

---

Know other PowerPoint hacks? Share them in the comments! We’re always hunting for hidden features.