There are a variety of ways to start a PowerPoint presentation, depending on:
Where you start your presentation (from beginning or from current)
Which PowerPoint view you prefer to present in (Slide Show view or Presenter view)
How comfortable you are with keyboard shortcuts
Why would Microsoft include so many ways to present a presentation? My guess is that everyone learns PowerPoint differently, and has personal presentation styles. The more options you have, the easier your life will be as there will always be a way to start your presentation the way you want to (or jump back into it when you need to).
See all the options below and find the method that works best for you and let the slide show begin!
Start Slide Show From Beginning
To start a slideshow from the beginning of your presentation using the ribbon, simply:
Navigate to the Slide Show tab
Select From Beginning
Selecting From Beginning starts your presentation from the very first non-hidden slide in your presentation, regardless of which slide you are currently inside of your deck.
You can also start your slide from the beginning of your presentation by hitting the Slideshow From Beginning keyboard shortcut, F5.
If F5 changes your volume or screen brightness instead, your top row is set to media keys. Here is how to fix function keys that are not working.
Regardless of which method you use, this is the classic way to start your presentation in full screen from your first title slide (regardless of where you are in your slide deck).
Let the slide show begin!
Start Slide Show From Current
To begin your slide show from the slide you are currently on using the ribbon, simply
Navigate to the Slide Show tab
Select From Current Slide
Selecting From Current Slide starts your slide show from whatever slide you are currently on, even if the slide is hidden.
You can also start your slide from the current slide you are on by hitting the Shift + F5 keyboard shortcut.
Because it’s often easiest to catch errors when building your slides in this full screen mode, I highly recommend learning the Shift + F5 shortcut and using it frequently as you build your slides to spot them for errors.
If you don’t want to bother learning the From Current Slide shortcut, you can also start your slideshow by clicking the Slide Show icon at the bottom of your screen.
This is a fantastic way to spot check your slides as you are building them. On top of that, it’s a fast and uncomplicated way to re-start your presentation from where you left off after demoing something on screen.
Start a mini-slide show in PowerPoint
You can also use the following hidden PowerPoint shortcut to run a mini slide show over the top of your current deck.
To run a mini slide show, simply:
Hold down the Alt key on your keyboard
With your mouse, click the Slide Show icon
Doing so starts a small slide show of your presentation that you can see below, from the current slide you are on.
Presenter View
The Presenter View is an alternate way to run your presentation in PowerPoint. In this view, your slides are projected on screen, and the details of your presentation are displayed on your computer as pictured below.
The presenter view includes your next (non-hidden) slide that is coming up, your current slide projected on screen, how long you’ve been talking and your speaker notes.
To launch the Presenter View from the beginning of your presentation using your Ribbon, simply:
Navigate to the Slide Show tab
Hold down the Alt key on your keyboard
Click From Beginning
Holding down the Alt key and clicking From Beginning, the Presenter View will launch from the very first (non-hidden) slide in your presentation.
You can also launch the presenter view from the beginning of your presentation at any time by clicking Alt + F5 on your keyboard.
Start Presenter View in PowerPoint From Current Slide
Did you know that you can access different views in PowerPoint by adding keys as you click commands in the PowerPoint ribbon?
To start the Presenter view from your current slide using your Ribbon, simply:
Navigate to the Slide Show tab
Hold down the Alt key on your keyboard
Click From Current Slide
Holding the Alt key and clicking From Current Slide launches the Presenter View from your current slide. So, this is another way you can quickly practice your presentation, see your speaker notes and see what’s coming up next.
You can also launch the Presenter View from the beginning of your presentation at any time by hitting Alt + F5 on your keyboard.
Showing and Hiding Presenter View
Regardless of which view you start your PowerPoint slide show; you can switch between the two different slide show views without exiting your presentation.
To switch between the two slideshow views (while giving your presentation), simply:
Right-click your slide in whichever presentation view you are currently in
Select either Show Presenter View or Hide Presenter View
When would you use a feature like this during a presentation? One example is if you want to view your notes without leaving the slide show mode.
The letter r for both Show Presenter View and Hide Presenter View is underlined. This means that it is a keyboard shortcut. So, if you want to quickly flip between these two presentation views, you can simply right-click your slide and hit the letter r on your keyboard. Doing so automatically switches the view you are in.
Controlling how your presentation runs
Another way to control how your presentation runs (including the default laser pointer and pen color), is the Set Up Slide Show dialog box.
To open the Set Up Slide Show dialog box, simply:
Navigate to the Slide Show tab
Select the Set Up Slide Show command
Doing so, opens all your PowerPoint slide show settings and options as pictured below.
Inside the slide show settings dialog box, you can select:
How your presentation runs (full screen, window or in kiosk mode).
Your default pen and laser pointer color options (see our laser pointer article here).
Which slide you want to start from, or which slides you want to show. You can also setup a custom show here.
How your slides progress (manually or using slide timings).
Which of your computer monitors (or screens) your slide show runs on.
The Set Up Slide Show dialog box is also the secret to running multiple presentations at the same time in PowerPoint.
Setup Slide Show SECRET Shortcut
To use the SECRET shortcut to open the Set Up Slide Show dialog box, simply:
Hold down the Shift key on your keyboard
With your mouse, click the Reading View icon at the bottom of your screen
This is useful when you need to quickly cycle through lots of PowerPoint presentations and change how those presentations run. Instead of wasting time clicking through the Ribbon, simply hold the Shift key and click the Reading View icon. This is also a friendly conversation starter with a fellow PowerPoint enthusiast at Happy Hour.
The color of your Reading View icon might be different than in the picture above, as it is dependent on the Office Theme you selected for PowerPoint.
How to exit a PowerPoint presentation early?
Regardless of how you start your full screen presentation, you can end your presentation at any time by hitting the Esc key on your keyboard.
Hitting Esc immediately the PowerPoint presentation mode and back to the normal editing view of your slides, on whatever slide you were last presenting.
Here is how you can use a combination of all the different keyboard shortcuts to spot check and practice your presentation in full screen before you finalize your presentation.
Hit F5 on your keyboard to start your presentation in full screen from the very first slide in your presentation. You can then use your arrow keys to advance, spot checking your slides for errors.
When you find an error, simply hit Esc key to return to the normal PowerPoint editing view to fix your slide.
When you are done, hit Shift + F5 to return the full screen presentation mode from the slide you just updated. You can then continue spot checking your presentation (without having to start over from the beginning).
In this way you can quickly work your way through your slides and practice your presentation, fixing and adjusting your content as you go.
Frequently asked questions
Q: What is the shortcut to start a PowerPoint slide show?
In desktop PowerPoint for Windows, press F5 to start your presentation from the beginning. If you prefer using the ribbon, select Slide Show > From Beginning. Either way, you can launch your presentation without first scrolling back to your opening slide.
Q: How do I start a PowerPoint slide show from the current slide?
Select the slide you want to present, then press Shift + F5 in PowerPoint for Windows. You can also select Slide Show > From Current Slide. This is especially useful when you’re checking an animation halfway through your deck or jumping back into a presentation after a demonstration.
Q: How do I see my speaker notes while presenting in PowerPoint?
On the Slide Show tab, select Use Presenter View. Presenter View gives you your speaker notes, a preview of the next slide, and a timer. With your displays set up correctly, you see those extra tools on your screen while your audience sees the slides. Check which view appears on each screen before you begin.
Q: Can I practice with Presenter View if I only have one monitor?
Yes. Press Alt + F5 in PowerPoint for Windows to open Presenter View on a single screen. It’s a useful way to practice with your notes and keep an eye on your timing before connecting to a projector or second monitor.
Q: Can I run a PowerPoint slide show in a window instead of full screen?
Yes. Go to Slide Show > Set Up Slide Show, select Browsed by an individual (window), and click OK. Then start your slide show. This lets you keep other apps visible alongside your presentation. To switch back, return to the same settings and select Presented by a speaker (full screen).
Q: Why does F5 change my volume or brightness instead of starting the slide show?
Your keyboard may be using its top row for hardware controls. Try Fn + F5, or change your keyboard’s Fn Lock or F Lock setting if it has one. The exact method depends on your keyboard. You can also start the presentation from the Slide Show tab while you sort it out.
Q: How do I exit a PowerPoint slide show and get back to editing?
Press Esc to leave the slide show. If you stopped to fix something, make your change, select the slide you want to resume from, and press Shift + F5 in PowerPoint for Windows. You can get back into your presentation without another trip through the opening slides.
Takeaways
Good on you for looking this up.
Start by getting comfortable with three shortcuts in PowerPoint for Windows:
F5 starts your presentation from the beginning.
Shift + F5 starts from your current slide.
Esc gets you out of the slide show and back to editing.
The bigger time saver is using these shortcuts while you build your slides. Preview your current slide with Shift + F5, press Escto fix something, then jump straight back in to check the change. That is the habit I recommend getting into.
When you want your notes, the next slide, and a timer within reach, use Presenter View and check your screen setup before the audience arrives.
A quick preview gives you a chance to catch that typo or awkward animation while it is still easy to fix. Much better than discovering it with everyone else.
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.
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