Slide Sorter View in PowerPoint 2011 for Mac

Probably the most used editing view after Normal view is the Slide Sorter view which displays thumbnail sized representations of all slides in your presentation (see Figure 1).

Figure 1: Slide Sorter View

Change to Slide Sorter View

To access the Slide Sorter view, you can choose either of these options:

1. Click the Slide Sorter button on the Status Bar (highlighted in red in Figure 1, above).
2. Choose the View | Slide Sorter menu option.

Selecting Slides in Slide Sorter View

Here are some guidelines for selecting slides in Slide Sorter view:

• To select a single slide, just click on the slide.
• To select a range of slides, hold down the left mouse button and drag across and over the slides like a marquee. Try to drag in a diagonal direction.
• To select a contiguous range of slides, click the first slide, hold the Shift key on the keyboard and then click the last slide.
• To select multiple, noncontiguous slides, hold down the Command key on your keyboard and then click the slide you want to select.
• To select all the slides in the presentation press Command+A key, or choose Edit | Select All menu option.
• To select all but a few slides, first select all slides, and then Command+click on the slides you want to deselect.

Tasks Suited for Slide Sorter View

Slide Sorter view works best when you have to select multiple slides (sequential or non sequential slides) and perform task such as:

• Organize and reorder the slides by dragging them into the proper sequence.
• Group slides into separate sections.
• Easily copy, paste, or delete slides.
• Duplicate slides.
• Hide and show selected slides.
• Control transition effects that play when the presentation advances from one slide to the next.
• Set and adjust the slide timing of these transitions.

Rearrange Slides in Slide Sorter View

To change the slide order:

• Select the slide(s) you want to reorder, and drag them in a position before or after the slide where you want them inserted. As you drag, the slides are rearranged automatically.

Insert Slides in Slide Sorter View

To insert a new slide within Slide Sorter view, choose any of these three approaches:

1. Use the Ribbon:
2. i. Place the cursor where you want to insert a new slide.
3. ii. Select the Home tab of the Ribbon, and locate the Slides group.
4. iii. Click the New Slide button.
5. Choose the Insert | New Slide menu option
6. Press Command+Shift+N shortcut key.

To copy, paste, and delete slides in Slide Sorter view, follow these guidelines:

• Copy: Select the slide(s) and press Command+C key, or choose the Edit | Copy menu option.
• Paste: To paste copied and cut slide(s), click at the desired insertion point and then press Command+V key, or choose the Edit | Paste menu option.
• Cut: Select the slide(s) and press Command+X key, or choose the Edit | Cut menu option.
• Delete: To delete a slide (or slides), select and press the Delete key on your keyboard.

PowerPoint Keyboard Shortcuts

Do you want more keyboard shortcuts?

Explore our PowerPoint Keyboard Shortcuts and Sequences Ebook that is updated for all PowerPoint versions.