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How to Work with Presenter View in PowerPoint

Not all presenters have excellent memory recall or the ability to speak flawlessly to the audience without any cues. However, many of them are good at hiding it by using Presenter View in PowerPoint. It is a presentation mode that enables the presenter to hide speaker notes and presentation controls from the audience while leveraging the various handy features offered by PowerPoint.

How to Use Presenter View in PowerPoint

To start using Presenter View, ensure it’s enabled before you begin your slideshow. If you are new to this feature, we recommend using this option to familiarize yourself with the various navigation options for this presentation mode. This might also be helpful if the PowerPoint templates you are accustomed to using might have animations that you might want to preview in this mode to understand when to give the next visual cue.

How to Enable Presenter View in PowerPoint

To enable PowerPoint presenter view, go to the SlideShow tab and make sure the Use Presenter View option is enabled. This will ensure that you can access Presenter View when you switch your slides to SlideShow mode.

Adjust Display Settings

You can swap between the presenter view and slideshow mode or duplicate the slideshow to exit the Presenter View from the Display Settings menu from the top toolbar.

Navigate Slides in Presenter View

Like any standard PowerPoint presentation in SlideShow mode, you can navigate between slides by using the arrow keys or with a presentation remote. Presenter View also provides slide navigation buttons to move the slides back and forth.

View Taskbar in Presenter View

The Show Taskbar option at the top enables viewing the taskbar. This can be helpful if you require using the taskbar, such as to view your battery charge, see the time, enable or disable another app from the taskbar menu, etc.

Reset or Pause the Timer

Once you start your presentation in Presenter View, a timer starts showing how much time you have spent in slideshow mode. This is an excellent way to understand how much time you have consumed for your session and to keep an eye out for good timekeeping. You can also hit Pause or reset the timer anytime.

Change the Size of the Speaker Notes

How to view notes in PowerPoint while presenting? If you have any speaker notes added to your slides, they will appear in Presenter View on your screen. You can increase or reduce the size of the text via the two options at the bottom of the speaker notes pane.

Using Annotation Tools in Presenter View

PowerPoint annotation tools can be accessed from the bottom toolbar in Presenter View. The Pen and Laser Pointer Tools button gives you access to the pen, ink colors, laser pointer, and eraser and also allows you to show or hide the mouse pointer via Arrow Options .

View All Slides in Presenter View

If you need to go back and forth to find a relevant slide for an ongoing discussion or query during your presentation, you can view all slides in Presenter View via the See all slides option.

Zoom Slides using Presenter View

PowerPoint’s Zoom feature lets presenters quickly pick a portion of the slide to zoom into. Presenter View allows you to leverage this feature by instantly selecting a portion of the slide to enlarge it after selecting Zoom into the slide option. To exit the Zoom mode or hit the Esc key.

Black or Unblack SlideShow

Sometimes, you might want to turn the screen blank for a while, such as during a mid-presentation break. The Black or Unblack SlideShow option blanks the slides for your audience while continuing to show you all navigation options via Presenter View.

Toggle Subtitles in Presenter View

One of the most revolutionary features introduced by Microsoft for PowerPoint over the past decade has been Live captions. This feature enables subtitles by converting speech to text as you present. You can toggle Live subtitles on or off while in presenter view to help your audience read what you speak.

Toggle Camera in Presenter View

Like subtitles, you can also toggle the camera on or off in Presenter View.

End Slideshow in Presenter View

There are different ways to end or exit a SlideShow from Presenter View. You can hit the Esc key or click End Slide Show . Similarly, you can click the three dots at the bottom and select End Show .

More Slideshow Options

Other than the various visibility prominent menus available to navigate, annotate, and present your slides, you can also find a few additional options via More slideshow options , which are accessible via the three dots at the bottom toolbar. These include adjusting the position of the subtitles, turning your screen white or black, ending the slideshow, etc.

How to Use Presenter View on a Single Screen

While Presenter View can be enabled to work with dual monitors, you can also use Presenter View on a single monitor with remote meeting apps like Zoom. A simple method for switching to Presenter View on a single monitor is to click the three dots ( More slideshow options ) at the bottom in SlideShow mode and select Show Presenter View .

You can also switch to Presenter View on a single monitor anytime using the ALT+F5 hotkey.

The presenter can easily manage a PPT in presentation mode, with the utility to view speaker notes, annotate or zoom slides, toggle subtitles or camera on or off, and keep your audience engaged via better slideshow management. However, if you’re new to this presentation mode, a bit of practice might help you avoid confusion when presenting before an audience in Presenter View for the first few times. For more information, check our article about PowerPoint presentation shortcuts .

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How to disable auto-hide taskbar in full screen slide show mode in PowerPoint?

While presenting in full screen slide show mode in PowerPoint, taskbar auto hide after 2-3 seconds. Can we set it permanently or disable it so that taskbar will not hide? Because it's annoying while you have to switch screens. Help me. Regards, Sandeep

You can disable it, just open Power Point and go File (upper left corner) -> Options (bottom left corner) -> Advanced -> Uncheck 'Show popup toolbar'

You can also handle it when you are in full screen presentation mode, but you need to do it every time when you present something.

• This will hide the toolbar but i want to view taskbar all the time so that i can switch between screens. –  Sandeep Rana Commented Aug 23, 2021 at 17:08

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How do I hide the taskbar when in full screen mode?

On other computers the taskbar automatically hides whenever I toggle full screen (e.g. for a Powerpoint presentation or for videos online).

However, on my Windows 10 computer, the taskbar is still visible when full screen is enabled.

I've tried this option and I've tried to go to the task manager to reset the Windows Explorer (I don't have such an app open).

What can I do to hide the taskbar whenever Im in full screen mode?

• You mean Auto Hide does not work on your Windows 10 machine? –  anon Commented Feb 9, 2020 at 1:40
• I have the options 'Auto hide on desktop mode' and 'Auto hide on tablet mode', whenever I switch these options on, I still see the taskbar when I'm in full screen in Powerpoint or Youtube –  Emil Commented Feb 9, 2020 at 1:57
• Maybe try repairing your operating system. (Microsoft Media Creation Link - Second link for the Repair) –  anon Commented Feb 9, 2020 at 1:58

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Powerpoint 2013 – How to Hide the Toolbar in Fullscreen Mode

Putting a presentation into full screen mode in Powerpoint 2013 is a very common method for sharing that presentation with other people.

While there are a limited amount of controls on the screen, you are still able to control the slideshow as needed.

One of the ways that you can navigate in full screen mode is with a small menu that appears at the bottom of the screen. This menu, called the “popup toolbar” is relatively non-intrusive, but you might find that you need to remove it.

Out tutorial below will show you how to find the setting that controls the display of this menu so that you can prevent it from appearing when you enter full screen mode for your presentations.

How to Hide the Popup Toolbar That Appears at the Bottom of a Full Screen Slideshow

The steps in this article will affect the menu that appears at the bottom of the screen when you are watching a slideshow in full screen mode. The menu is gray and somewhat transparent. It is the menu shown in the image below.

Following the steps in this article will remove that menu. You will still be able to right-click on the slideshow to open a different menu, and you will still be able to advance slides with the arrow keys on your keyboard.

Step 1: Open Powerpoint 2013.

Step 2: Click the File tab at the top-left of the window.

Step 3: Click Options at the bottom of the left column.

Step 4: Click the Advanced tab at the left side of the Powerpoint Options window.

Step 5: Scroll down to the Slide Show section of the menu, then click the box to the left of Show popup toolbar to remove the check mark. You can then click the OK button at the bottom of the window to save and apply your changes.

Now that you know how to hide the toolbar in Powerpoint, you can prevent it from blocking you while you are trying to perform tasks in your presentation.

If you are having trouble sharing your Powerpoint files because they are too large, then there are some steps you can take to reduce the file sizes. This article –  https://www.solveyourtech.com/how-to-compress-media-in-powerpoint-2013/ – will show you how to compress media files that are included in the presentation.

Matthew Burleigh has been writing tech tutorials since 2008. His writing has appeared on dozens of different websites and been read over 50 million times.

After receiving his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science he spent several years working in IT management for small businesses. However, he now works full time writing content online and creating websites.

His main writing topics include iPhones, Microsoft Office, Google Apps, Android, and Photoshop, but he has also written about many other tech topics as well.

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PowerPoint 2016  - Presenting Your Slide Show

Powerpoint 2016  -, presenting your slide show, powerpoint 2016 presenting your slide show.

PowerPoint 2016: Presenting Your Slide Show

Lesson 12: presenting your slide show.

/en/powerpoint2016/printing/content/

Introduction

Once your slide show is complete, you'll need to learn how to present it to an audience. PowerPoint offers several tools and features to help make your presentation smooth, engaging, and professional.

Optional: Download our practice presentation .

Watch the video below to learn more about presenting your slide show.

Presenting a slide show

Before you present your slide show, you'll need to think about the type of equipment that will be available for your presentation. Many presenters use projectors during presentations, so you might want to consider using one as well. This allows you to control and preview slides on one monitor while presenting them to an audience on another screen.

To start a slide show:

There are several ways you can begin your presentation:

To advance and reverse slides:

You can advance to the next slide by clicking your mouse or pressing the spacebar on your keyboard. Alternatively, you can use or arrow keys on your keyboard to move forward or backward through the presentation.

You can also hover your mouse over the bottom-left and click the arrows to move forward or backward.

To stop a slide show:

You can exit presentation mode by pressing the Esc key on your keyboard. Alternatively, you can click the Slide Show Options button in the bottom-left and select End Show .

The presentation will also end after the last slide . You can click the mouse or press the spacebar to return to Normal view.

Presentation tools and features

PowerPoint provides convenient tools you can use while presenting your slide show. For example, you can change your mouse pointer to a pen or highlighter to draw attention to items in your slides. In addition, you can jump around to slides in your presentation or access other programs from your taskbar if needed.

To show the taskbar:

Sometimes you may need to access the Internet or other files and programs on your computer during your presentation. PowerPoint allows you to access your taskbar without ending the presentation.

• Locate and select the Slide Options button in the bottom-left corner.

Slide options

You can also access any of the menu items above by right-clicking anywhere on the screen during your slide show.

To skip to a nonadjacent slide:

You can jump to slides out of order if needed.

• The selected slide will appear.

To access drawing tools:

Your mouse pointer can act as pen or highlighter to draw attention to items in your slides.

• Locate and select the Pen Tools button in the bottom-left corner.

You can also use the laser pointer feature to draw attention to certain parts of your slide. Unlike the pen and highlighter, the laser pointer will not leave markings on your slides. To use the laser pointer, select it from Pen Tools, or press and hold the Ctrl key and the left mouse button.

To erase ink markings:

When you end a slide show, you'll also have the option to Keep or Discard any ink annotations made during your presentation. If you keep ink markings, they'll appear as objects on your slides in Normal view.

Presenter view

If you're presenting your slide show with a second display—like a projector—you can use Presenter view . Presenter view gives you access to a special set of controls on your screen that the audience won't see, allowing you to easily reference slide notes , preview the upcoming slide , and much more.

To access Presenter view:

Start your slide show as you normally would, then click the Slide Options button and select Presenter View . Alternatively, you can press Alt+F5 on your keyboard to start the slide show in Presenter view.

Click the buttons in the interactive below to learn more about using Presenter view.

End Slide Show

Click here to end the presentation.

Display Settings

From here, you can customize your d isplay settings , including the option to duplicate—or mirror—the slide show on two screens and swap the monitors if Presenter view is appearing on the wrong screen.

Show Taskbar

Click here to show the taskbar and access other programs without closing the presentation.

Here, you can see how long you've been giving the presentation. You can also pause and restart the timer if necessary.

Current Slide

This is the current slide being shown to the audience.

Slide Options

Here, you can access the same slide options you would find in normal presentation mode, including the Pen Tools and See All Slides buttons.

Advance and Reverse Slides

Use the arrows to move forward and backward through your presentation.

Here, you'll see any speaker notes for the current slide. You can use the Increase and Decrease buttons below to make the notes larger or smaller.

Here, you can preview the next slide that will appear in the presentation.

Slide show setup options

PowerPoint has various options for setting up and playing a slide show. For example, you can set up an unattended presentation that can be displayed at a kiosk and make your slide show repeat with continuous looping.

To access slide show setup options:

• The Set Up Show dialog box will appear. From here, you can select the desired options for your presentation.

Click the buttons in the interactive below to learn about various options for setting up and playing a slide show.

Here, you can choose a show type .

Show Options

Here, you choose playback settings and disable certain features if desired.

Show Slides

Here, you can choose which slides you want to show during the presentation. All is selected by default, but you can choose to show only certain slides or use any custom shows you have created from your original presentation.

Advance Slides

If you have set timings in your slide show, they will play automatically. However, if you want to disable the timings and control the slides yourself, select Manually .

Multiple Monitors

If you have more than one monitor, you can choose which one to display the slide show on. It's usually best to leave this setting on Automatic .

To advance slides automatically, you'll need to customize the slide timing on the Transitions tab. Review our lesson on Applying Transitions to learn how.

• Open our practice presentation .
• In the Set Up Slide Show options, change the pen color to purple.
• Start your slideshow, then access Presenter view .
• Advance to slide 8.
• Use the pen tool to circle the fundraising amounts for the 2015-2016 school year. These are the amounts over the green bars.

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Use keyboard shortcuts to deliver PowerPoint presentations

Many users find that using an external keyboard with keyboard shortcuts for PowerPoint helps them work more efficiently. For users with mobility or vision disabilities, keyboard shortcuts can be easier than using the touchscreen and are an essential alternative to using a mouse.

For a separate list of shortcuts to use while creating your presentation, go to  Use keyboard shortcuts to create PowerPoint presentations .

The shortcuts in this topic refer to the US keyboard layout. Keys for other layouts might not correspond exactly to the keys on a US keyboard.

A plus sign (+) in a shortcut means that you need to press multiple keys at the same time.

A comma sign (,) in a shortcut means that you need to press multiple keys in order.

This article describes the keyboard shortcuts and some other common shortcut keys that apply while you're delivering your presentation with PowerPoint for Windows.

To quickly find a shortcut in this article, you can use Search. Press Ctrl+F, and then type your search words.

If an action that you use often does not have a shortcut key, you can record a macro. For step-by-step instructions to record a macro, refer to the section “Record a macro” in Automate tasks with the Macro Recorder to create one.

During the presentation, to open a list of shortcuts, press F1. Use the arrow keys to move between the tabs in the Slide Show Help dialog box.

Get the PowerPoint 2016 keyboard shortcuts in a Word document at this link: PowerPoint 2016 for Windows keyboard shortcuts .

In this topic

Frequently used shortcuts, control the slide show, control media in the slide show, pointer and annotations in the slide show, rehearse the presentation, maneuver in presenter view.

This table lists the most frequently used shortcuts in PowerPoint for Windows.

Top of Page

You can use the following keyboard shortcuts while you’re delivering your presentation in Slide Show (full-screen) mode, with or without  Presenter View .

Control media in the slide show 

These keyboard shortcuts work with video files imported from your computer or other device. They don't work with online video files.

Use the following keyboard shortcuts to control the pointer and to use it to create annotations during your presentation.

You can use these keyboard shortcuts when you are rehearsing your presentation.

You can use the following keyboard shortcuts while you’re delivering your presentation using Presenter View  in newer versions of PowerPoint.  Presenter View lets you look at your presentation with your speaker notes on one screen (your laptop, for example), while the audience views the notes-free presentation on a different screen.

When you are connected to a second display, Presenter View is shown automatically when you start the slide show. To start a presentation in Presenter View even if you have only a single display, press Alt+F5.

Tip:  If Presenter View does not start automatically with two displays, go the Slide Show tab, select the Use Presenter View checkbox, and select the preferred monitor.

PowerPoint help & learning

Screen reader support for PowerPoint

Use keyboard shortcuts to create PowerPoint presentations

Basic tasks to create a presentation in PowerPoint with a screen reader

Use a screen reader to explore and navigate PowerPoint

This article describes the keyboard shortcuts and some other common shortcut keys that apply while you're delivering your presentation with PowerPoint for macOS.

The settings in some versions of the Mac operating system (OS) and some utility applications might conflict with keyboard shortcuts in Microsoft 365 for Mac. For information about changing the key assignment for a keyboard shortcut, refer to Mac Help for your version of macOS or your utility application.

If you don't find a keyboard shortcut here that meets your needs, you can create a custom keyboard shortcut. For instructions, go to Create a custom keyboard shortcut for Office for Mac .

Many of the shortcuts that use the Ctrl key on a Windows keyboard also work with the Control key in PowerPoint for macOS. However, not all do.

To quickly find a shortcut in this article, you can use the Search. Press Command+F, and then type your search words.

During the presentation, to open a list of shortcuts, press forward slash (/).

Pointer and annotations in the slide show

Navigate the presenter view on macos 10.15 (catalina) and later.

This table lists the most frequently used shortcuts in PowerPoint for macOS.

You can use the following keyboard shortcuts while you’re delivering your presentation in Slide Show (full-screen) mode, with or without the Presenter View .

Use the following keyboard shortcuts to control media during a presentation.

You can use the following keyboard shortcuts while you’re delivering your presentation using the Presenter View on macOS 10.15 (Catalina) and later, and when the keyboard control navigation is turned on. For instructions, refer to Turn on the keyboard control navigation .

Use the shortcuts in the table below to move in the Presenter View in PowerPoint for macOS.

Skip ahead in your presentation

You can use your keyboard to skip ahead several slides without the audience seeing the slides as you transition to the new slide.

Press the Tab key until you reach the Slide Navigator control (filmstrip).

Press and hold down the Option key and press the Left or Right arrow key repeatedly until you find the slide you want to skip to.

Release the Option key to move to the slide you want to skip to.

Turn on the keyboard control navigation

To use your keyboard to move between and activate controls on your Mac, turn on the keyboard control navigation.

If you're not using VoiceOver, on your computer, select System Preferences > Keyboard > Shortcuts , and select the Use keyboard navigation to move focus between controls checkbox.

If you're using VoiceOver, the control navigation should be on by default. To check the setting, do the following:

On your computer, press Control+Option+M to access the Apple menu bar item. To open the Apple menu, press Control+Option+Spacebar.

Press Control+Option+Down arrow key until you hear "System preferences ellipses," and then press Control+Option+Spacebar.

The System Preferences window opens. The focus is in the Search text box.

Type Keyboard , and then press Return. The Keyboard dialog box opens.

Press Control+Option+Right arrow key until you hear "Shortcuts tab," and then press Control+Option+Spacebar.

Press Control+Option+Right arrow key until you hear: "Use keyboard navigation to move focus between controls." VoiceOver also announces if the option is selected or unselected. To toggle the option on or off, press Control+Option+Spacebar.

To close the Keyboard dialog box, press Command+W.

This article describes the keyboard shortcuts that apply while you're delivering your presentation with PowerPoint for the web.

If you use Narrator with the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update, you have to turn off scan mode in order to edit documents, spreadsheets, or presentations with Microsoft 365 for the web. For more information, refer to Turn off virtual or browse mode in screen readers in Windows 10 Fall Creators Update .

When you use PowerPoint for the web, we recommend that you use Microsoft Edge as your web browser. Because PowerPoint for the web runs in your web browser, the keyboard shortcuts are different from those in the desktop program. For example, you’ll use Ctrl+F6 instead of F6 for jumping in and out of the commands. Also, common shortcuts like F1 (Help) and Ctrl+O (Open) apply to the web browser – not PowerPoint for the web.

This table lists the keyboard shortcuts you can use to control the slide show.

Technical support for customers with disabilities

Microsoft wants to provide the best possible experience for all our customers. If you have a disability or questions related to accessibility, please contact the Microsoft Disability Answer Desk for technical assistance. The Disability Answer Desk support team is trained in using many popular assistive technologies and can offer assistance in English, Spanish, French, and American Sign Language. Please go to the Microsoft Disability Answer Desk site to find out the contact details for your region.

If you are a government, commercial, or enterprise user, please contact the enterprise Disability Answer Desk .

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10 Keyboard Shortcuts to Use When Presenting PowerPoint Slideshows

In business meetings, you can use Microsoft PowerPoint slideshows to highlight important information and capture audiences’ attention. During a slideshow , clicking through various options with the mouse can throw off your timing. Plus, the audience can see you perform these actions.

A better approach is to use keyboard shortcuts . Besides being faster, you will look like a more experienced presenter. Here are 10 keyboard shortcuts that you can use when presenting slideshows using PowerPoint 2016, 2013, 2010, or 2007. You can also Google some other keyboard shortcuts!

Keyboard Shortcuts For PowerPoint

Pressing the F5 key begins the slideshow from the first slide.

2. Shift+F5

To begin the slideshow from the current slide , press Shift+F5. In other words, press the Shift and F5 keys at the same time.

3. Spacebar, N, or Right Arrow

When you are ready to advance to the next slide or perform the next animation, you can press any of the following: the Spacebar , the N key, or the right arrow key.

4. Backspace, P, or Left Arrow

If you need to backtrack , press the Backspace, P, or left arrow key to go back to the previous slide or animation.

Pressing Ctrl+P changes the mouse pointer from an arrow to a pen. You can then use the pen to add a note to a slide or call attention to an item.

6. W or Comma

During a presentation , you might want to pause the slideshow so that you can discuss a certain point. Pressing the W or comma key pauses it and displays a white screen. Pressing the W or comma key again resumes the slideshow. When the slideshow is paused, you can use the pen to write on the white screen. If you do not already have the pen activated, though, you will need to do so with the mouse (Pressing Ctrl+P to activate the pen does not work – it simply prompts the slideshow to resume.) Anything you write on the white screen will not be saved when you resume the slideshow .

7. B or Period

Pressing the B key or period key pauses the slideshow and displays a black screen, which you can write on. Press the B or period key again to resume the slideshow.

8. Ctrl+E or E

If you need to erase a mark you made with a pen on a slide, you can change the pointer to an eraser by pressing Ctrl+E. You can erase all the marks you made to a slide at once by pressing the E key. (The pointer will not change in the latter case.) You cannot use Ctrl+E or E to erase marks on a white or black screen created when pausing a slideshow.

Pressing Ctrl+A changes the pointer to the default arrow.

Another way to change the pointer to the default arrow is pressing the Esc key. If the pointer is already an arrow, pressing Esc exits the slideshow.

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How can I work in other applications while using PowerPoint presenter view on mac?

In Windows it is possible to switch between and work with open applications when PowerPoint is open in presenter view. In this mode, the audience sees only the PowerPoint presentation, while you use the other applications.

So the presenter is viewing the presentation via the MacBook and the audience sees it on a projector.

This does not seem possible on the Mac. Does anyone know how this can be achieved?

• 1 Is this on a multiple monitor setup? I do not recall any instances of not seeing when the presenter switches to other applications when also using PowerPoint (in Windows and Mac). The only thing that would make this possible (and that I have seen) is if you had multiple monitors setup as an extended desktop. –  Christian Correa Commented Oct 3, 2011 at 20:31
• @ChristianCorrea - try that as an answer? (I'd upvote.) I was about to say the same thing; system prefs, hardware, displays and turn off mirroring. –  DanBeale Commented Oct 3, 2011 at 22:01
• @ChristianCorrea, one monitor for the presenter (on MacBook) plus projector for audience. –  Reinstate Monica - Goodbye SE Commented Oct 4, 2011 at 4:19
• I too am having the same problem. With my PC laptop I can run multiple programs at the same time and view different ones while my students only see my powerpoint program. I started to switch to using a macbook pro and quickly went back to using my windows laptop because of this. There is no way to have powerpoint work on a mac like it does on a PC. This really stinks and it made me move away from going to a macbook. –  user48512 Commented May 1, 2013 at 16:17

9 Answers 9

I am assuming multiple display setup in extended mode (not mirrored). I had this problem as well.

I found that in PowerPoint Mac 2011:

• go to "Slide Show" tab in the ribbon.
• Click "Set Up Show" button.
• Change radio button for "Show type" to "Browsed by an individual (window)".

This will put the presentation into a window, which you can maximize on the presenting screen (for me the 2nd display hooked up). Yes you get the title bar, but otherwise it's effectively full screen. On the primary display (which is still my laptop screen), I can move to different applications without affecting the windowed presentation screen.

Per @DanBeale's suggestion: The way I have seen a presenter switch to an application away from PowerPoint without being displayed on the presentation video output is to do it on a separate screen when you extend your desktop via a projector. This is the same behavior you see on a MacBook when you extend your desktop via an external monitor.

In other words, I do not think that what you are looking for is a PowerPoint feature per se. This behavior should be similar in Windows as well.

For example: Whenever I attach my MacBook to an external video source, say a Vizio television, I typically end up using Apple's mini-DVI to VGA adapter. Using the MacBook's video output port brings up additional options in the Display settings in System Preferences. If I choose to extend my desktop rather than mirror it, then I can use the Vizio television to display anything I want (PowerPoint, Keynote, Hulu over Safari, etc). As I do this, the MacBook's own screen remains free for me to use any way I see fit. This screen is not shown via the television.

You can achieve the same results using a projector rather than a television. Hope this helps.

• 1 When using extended desktops and PowerPoint, presenter mode uses both monitors in full screen, therefore any switch will trigger PowerPoint to close. I have the same issue with doing presentations, and it is a painful experience. Your solution only works if not using the Presenter View, and only having PowerPoint running on the external display, which does not allow you to use Presenter View. –  BinaryMisfit Commented Oct 4, 2011 at 6:46
• @Diago is correct, this was not what I'm looking for because I'm specifically using presenter view. –  Reinstate Monica - Goodbye SE Commented Oct 4, 2011 at 18:59

Use Command + Option + D to bring up your apple dock at any time...just be sure you have the applications you want to access on your dock. Suggest before you go into slide show presentation mode that you bring up the doc on whichever monitor the participants won't be seeing and leave it there before launching the slides. Once the slides are showing you can access your other applications without participants seeing on the other monitor * for example, presenters view * via your dock.

I got it to work by going to the slide show tab and then going to set up slide show and choosing the Browsed by an individual option, this does put the slide show into a window though, but you can then do whatever on the other screen.

Thanks all. There are still some oddities going om that I chased down. Maybe this would be helpful to others (using MacBook Pro and OS X 10.10.1)

Be sure to have mirror display off in OS via icon bar at top of desktop - monitor picture with triangular stand thingy.

In Powerpoint:

a. Only have one ppt document moved to the extended monitor

b. In THAT ppt, go to Setup Show and assure that BROWSED BY AN INDIVIDUAL is set (note that the option screen comes up on primary monitor)

c. Run slide show, this creates a slide viewer window on the extended desktop

d. Maximize this window on upper left green maximize circle

e. Now, can work on primary while secondary has ppt

f. To advance ppt, move cursor over the projected slide and double click once. Then, will behave as usual once it has focus

g. NOTE: once you leave the presentation, you need to change view to not be full screen via Ctrl-Command-F (or view Exit Full Sreen)

Hope this helps!

After tons of research around the web, I found a way to run other applications while running a Keynote presentation. Within Keynote's preferences, be sure the box for "Allow Expose, Dashboard, and others to use the screen." Next, set up Mission Control (formerly known as Spaces) do have your Keynote window on Desktop-1 and your other application's window on Desktop-2. Now hit "Play". At any point during the presentation, press "F" (to pause the slide show); Command-2 (to switch to your alternate application); Command-1 (to switch back to Keynote); and Space Bar (to resume). Your clients will see only one slide for the duration, and will not see anything you are doing on virtual Desktop-2.

• Could you raise this to reflect Powerpoint? –  bmike ♦ Commented Mar 8, 2016 at 1:55

If you follow this tutorial it will show you how to mirror the displays which is not what you want. Since you don't want them mirrored then just uncheck the box. I hope this helps.

http://www.usingmac.com/2008/6/19/setting-mirror-display-for-your-mac

• Thanks, but the issue is that on Windows I can run other applications simultaneously but on a Mac it quits the presentation. I don't think your suggestion helps, please correct me if I'm wrong. –  Reinstate Monica - Goodbye SE Commented Jan 8, 2012 at 19:25
• It should not quit the presentation it their any way for you to test it on you machine because I do it all the time. I drag my PowerPoint window to the new display and then I press play. It should just play on that external display. –  BDGapps Commented Jan 8, 2012 at 22:41

E. Lu's solution is the only thing I see that accomplishes what Windows PPT 2010 does out of the box: Allow you to show a PPT slideshow on an external screen while you do something else on your primary (MacBook screen).

In Windows, you can "setup show" to display the slides on whatever screen you like and then when you enter slideshow mode only the screen you have designated is used for the slides while your other screen can be used for whatever you like. Of course when you click Page down to advance the slides, PPT (specifically the PPT slideshow) has to have Windows Focus.

There is an option in PowerPoint preferences -> View that says 'always mirror displays when switching to another view or application' - I found that unchecking that kept the very bizarre behavior of my entire Mac desktop being set to mirrored when I used Command-Tab to switch from PPT while in slideshow (with the obligatory presenter view running).

Anyone know how to advance slides manually when in "Browse at a kiosk (full screen)" mode?

I suggest everyone visit Microsoft's Office for Mac page and provide feedback on this - we need a third "old school" option in the "Settings for two displays" ribbon!!

• Hi and welcome to Ask Different. Posting in the answers section is specifically reserved for posting direct answers to the question being asked. The Stack Exchange Q&A format is different from your typical forum, it's not meant for discussion. For more information please see our Help section . Consider deleting this as it will likely continue to attract down votes for not being a direct answer to the question or improving it to be a direct answer. –  Ian C. Commented Jun 17, 2014 at 5:05

You can use presenter view but use CMD-Tab to switch between programs on the Mac.

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