In Microsoft PowerPoint, Ctrl + D (Cmd+ D on a Mac) is the keyboard shortcut used to instantly duplicate selected shapes, text boxes, images, or slides. It serves as an integrated copy-and-paste action, executing both steps in a single keystroke to save design and editing time.
Read on to learn why.
There are a few benefits to the Duplicate shortcut in PowerPoint specifically.
Benefit #1. The Duplicate shortcut is twice as fast as using Ctrl + C to Copy and Ctrl + V to Paste as it is two keystrokes instead of four (so it is twice as fast).
Benefit #2. The Duplicate shortcut includes a hidden jump feature in PowerPoint, allowing you to jump your content into place without having to use the Align Objects tool (see example below).
Ctrl + D is the root shortcut for the Ctrl + Shift+ D Duplicate Slide shortcut, which is the fastest (and easiest way) to save your work in PowerPoint (see details below).
The two downsides to the duplicate when compared to the classic Copy and Paste shortcuts are:
Downside #1. The Duplicate shortcut does not give you access to the Paste Options button when you paste your content to control the formatting of your duplicated content.
Downside #2. Ctrl + D does not allow you to copy and paste things between your documents (instead you simply duplicate what is already on your slide). That is why all three shortcuts are important (the Duplicate shortcut, Copy shortcut, and Paste shortcut) as each has specific use cases to save you time.
To be clear: Ctrl + D works a little differently in Microsoft Word and Excel. That said, it is a gold standard shortcut for any Excel user as it allows you to Copy Down your formulas within a selected range. Write your formula once, then Ctrl + D your formula down your selected range.
Where is the Duplicate command in PowerPoint?
If you do not want to learn the Ctrl + D shortcut, you can find the Duplicate command in PowerPoint ribbon by clicking the Home tab and opening the Copy dropdown.
To open the dropdown, simply click the downward facing arrow to the right of the word Copy.
The fact that Microsoft tells you exactly what the Duplicate shortcut is when you hover over the command is a hint and a half that it is an important keyboard shortcut.
They only do that for 13 commands in the PowerPoint Ribbon (yes... I counted).
Regardless of whether you use the Duplicate command or the keyboard shortcut, you can still take advantage of the command’s hidden jump feature that I’ll cover next.
Check out our post to learn other useful PowerPoint shortcuts that will save you a ton of time. The more shortcuts you learn, the faster you will work.
Duplicate's Hidden Jump Feature (PowerPoint only)
The Duplicate shortcut in PowerPoint includes a hidden jump feature you can use to quickly layout content on your slides.
To use the Duplicate shortcut's hidden jump feature, follow these steps:
1. Select the slide element or object you wish to duplicate.
2. Press Ctrl + D to create your first duplicate object.
3. Drag or nudge the duplicated object to where you want it.
4. Press Ctrl + D again immediately (do not unselect the object). PowerPoint will automatically duplicate the object and place it at the exact same distance and direction as your manual movement.
The way this jump feature works is that PowerPoint mimics your last manual movement. That is, after you Duplicate an object and move it somewhere on your slide, each time Duplicate it again, PowerPoint jumps the next duplicate of your object in the same direction and same distance as you last manual movement.
When I teach this live, the #1 mistake is that professionals click away from their duplicated object. To make this jump feature work, you cannot click away from the object (or unselect the object by hitting the Escape Esc key).
In this way, you can use the Duplicate shortcut to quickly scale out the content on your slide, without having to manually perform a bunch of adjustments. The less work you are forced to do, the more time you’ll save and the sooner you’ll make it to Happy Hour.
PowerPoint does NOT include a beautification algorithm when using this shortcut. It simply mimics your last manual movement. That means that if you move your content out of alignment, PowerPoint will duplicate all your future content out of alignment as well.
The Duplicate Slide Shortcut (Ctrl + Shift+ D )
Once you have Ctrl + D down for duplicating objects in PowerPoint, you can simply throw in the Shift key to quickly duplicate the slide you are currently working on.
When working in the Normal View of PowerPoint (editing a slide), Ctrl + Shift+ D automatically creates a copy of your slide that you can work on regardless of what you are doing. In this way, you can quickly create iterations of your layouts without ever losing your original content.
Ctrl + Shift + K is a much safer way to ensure you do not lose your work than Ctrl + Z for Undo shortcut. That is because the Undo shortcut is limited in how many times you can Undo your last action. In contrast, when you duplicate your slide, you can make hundreds of adjustments to your new slide without ever messing up the original.
If you have a boss or client that likes to see lots of variations of the same slide, the Duplicate Slide shortcut is the best way to do it. Once your boss or client chooses the layout they like, simply delete all the other duplicate layouts you created and you are off to the races.
Practice your keyboard shortcuts
The Duplicate shortcut is one of the best PowerPoint shortcuts you can learn. That is not only because it is twice as fast as the standard Copy and Paste shortcuts, but it also includes the hidden jump you can use to scale out your layouts quickly and easily.
Building and editing PowerPoint slides can take enough time as it is without having to manually perform tasks that PowerPoint can automatically perform for you. That is why learning how to leverage the Duplicate shortcut (and its hidden jump feature) is such a lifesaver.
On top of that, once you know how to duplicate your objects, duplicating your slide is just a Shift key away. This again is the fastest and safest way I know of to create iterations of your slides without losing your original work.
If you enjoyed the depth of this article, you can learn more about our PowerPoint training courses and other resources by visiting us here.
About the Author
Taylor Croonquist
Co-Founder, Nuts & Bolts Speed Training
Taylor Croonquist is a PowerPoint expert and trainer. Over a career spanning the globe, from consulting in New York and investment banking in China, Taylor has truly seen it all in PowerPoint. Through necessity and a natural tech savvy, Taylor honed his PowerPoint skills to the point of even blowing the minds of the Microsoft PowerPoint programming team. When he's not busy crafting PowerPoint training, you can find him reading a sci-fi series or scuba diving.