Use keyboard shortcuts to navigate modern comments in PowerPoint

Many users find that using an external keyboard with keyboard shortcuts for PowerPoint increases their productivity. Keyboard shortcuts are a necessary substitute for using a mouse in the case of people who have mobility or vision impairments and are more convenient than using a touchscreen.

Notes: 

  • The shortcuts in this topic make reference to the US keyboard layout. It's possible that the keys on a US keyboard don't exactly match the keys in other layouts.

  • 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 provides the keyboard shortcuts needed to use the current PowerPoint comments feature.

Notes: 

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

  • If an action that you use often does not have a shortcut key, you can add it to the Quick Access Toolbar to create one. For instructions, refer to Use a keyboard to customize the Quick Access Toolbar.

In this topic

Frequently used shortcuts

The following table lists the most frequently used shortcuts for the PowerPoint comments pane:

To do this 

Press

Display the access keys (ribbon commands) on the ribbon. 

Then, open the comments pane.

Alt, Z, C

Go to the comments pane

F6

Add a new comment

Ctrl+Alt+M

Post a comment or a reply

Ctrl+Enter

Move forward through the current comment

Tab key

Move backward through the current comment

Shift+Tab

Move to the next comment thread

Down arrow key

Go to the previous comment thread

Up arrow key

Expand a comment thread when the focus is on it

Right arrow key

Collapse a comment thread

Left arrow key

Navigate through the posted replies in a comment thread

Down arrow/ Up arrow key

Move the focus to the reply box

Tab key

Navigate the options in More thread actions or More comment actions

Down arrow/ Up arrow key

Edit a comment

Tab key until Edit comment and then press Enter.

Select the reply text

Shift+Arrow keys

Copy the reply text

Ctrl+C

To move the focus to the anchored object when a comment is selected.

Alt+F12

To move the focus to the anchored comment when an object is selected.

Alt+F12

Note: The keyboard shortcuts given above only function when the Comments pane has the focus, except for adding a new comment.

Navigating PowerPoint comments with only the keyboard

Make use of the modern comments feature in PowerPoint using only the keyboard.

  1. Press the F6 key to move the focus to the comments pane.

    Note: If the comments pane is hidden, press the Alt key,which will display the access keys in the ribbon pane, and then press the Z, C keys.

  2. Use the Tab key to navigate through the elements in the comments pane. The elements are in the order:

    1. New comment button

    2. Current comment

    3. Resolve the task checkbox with the name of the assignee (if the comment is assigned as a task)

    4. Contact picture

    5. Edit comment button

    6. More threads actions button

    7. Like button

    8. If the comment thread is collapsed, the ‘N’ more replies button.

    9. If the comment thread is expanded:

      1. Contact picture for the current reply

      2. More comment actions button for the current reply

      3. Like button

      4. Content of the current reply

    10. Mention or reply box

    11. See more comments or return to the first comment if there are comments on other slides.

  3. Use the Up and Down arrow keys to navigate the options in the More thread actions or More comment actions dropdown.

Navigating a comment thread

There can be a number of comment threads on a PowerPoint slide.

  • Use the Up and Down arrow keys to travel between different comment threads.

  • Press the Left arrow key to collapse the comment thread and show only the most recent replies.

  • Press the Right arrow key to expand all the replies in a comment thread.

  • Use the Up and Down arrow keys to navigate the replies and the parent comment.

  • Use the Shift+Arrow keys to select the reply text and Ctrl+C to copy it.

Adding and posting a new comment

To add a new comment thread in a slide:

  • Select the text, object, or slide and add a comment by pressing Ctrl+Alt+M.

  • A new comment box will open with your name on the comments pane.

  • Type the comment and press the Ctrl+Enter keys to post it.

  • You can mention your co-workers when entering the comment in a presentation in the cloud. An ‘Assign to’ checkbox will appear, below the reply text box when you mention someone in the comment. For more information on mentioning feature, refer to ‘Improved @mentions in comments’ in Modern comments in PowerPoint.

  • Another way to post a comment is by using the Tab key to navigate and then pressing Enter on the Post or Cancel button.

Comments anchoring

The modern comments experience of PowerPoint now includes a new feature called comment anchoring. The comments can be anchored to a range of text, an object, or a slide. Select the text, object, or slide and when you add a new comment it will be anchored to the selection. Whenever you select a comment, the anchored object will be highlighted in purple.

You can move the focus from the comment to the anchor or from the anchor to the comment by pressing Alt+F12.

See also

PowerPoint help & learning

Screen reader support for PowerPoint

Make your PowerPoint presentations accessible to people with disabilities

Use keyboard shortcuts to deliver PowerPoint presentations

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

Use a Screen reader to explore and navigate PowerPoint

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.

This article provides the keyboard shortcuts needed to use the current PowerPoint comments feature.

Notes: 

  • If you use Narrator with the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update, you have to turn off scan mode in order to edit the 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.

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

  • 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.

In this topic

Frequently used shortcuts

The following table lists the most frequently used shortcuts for the PowerPoint comments pane:

To do this

On Windows Web Press 

On Mac Web Press

Display the access keys (ribbon commands) on the ribbon.  

Then, open the comments pane. 

Alt+Period, Z, C

Control+Period, Z, C

Navigate forward to the following regions:

  • Notes pane

  • Status bar

  • Header

  • Ribbon tabs

  • Thumbnail pane

  • Slide pane

  • Comments pane

Ctrl+F6

⌘+F6

Navigate backward to the following regions:

  • Notes pane

  • Status bar

  • Header

  • Ribbon tabs

  • Thumbnail pane

  • Slide pane

  • Comments pane

Ctrl+Shift+F6

⌘+Shift+F6

Add a new comment

Ctrl+Alt+M

⌘+Shift+M

Post a comment or a reply

Ctrl+Enter

⌘+Enter

Move forward through the current comment

Tab key

Tab key

Move backward through the current comment

Shift+Tab

Shift+Tab

Move to the next comment thread

Down arrow key

Down arrow key

Go to the previous comment thread

Up arrow key

Up arrow key

Expand a comment thread when the focus is on it

Right arrow key

Right arrow key

Collapse a comment thread

Left arrow key

Left arrow key

Go to the next reply in a comment thread

Down arrow key

Down arrow key

Go to the previous reply in a thread or the parent comment

Up arrow key

Up arrow key

Move the focus to the reply box

Tab key

Tab key

Select the reply text

Shift+Arrow keys

Shift+Arrow keys

Copy the reply text

Ctrl+C

⌘+C

To move the focus to the anchored object when a comment is selected

Alt+F12

Option+F12

To move the focus to the anchored comment when an object is selected

Alt+F12

Option+F12

Note: The keyboard shortcuts given above only function when the Comments pane has the focus, except for adding a new comment.

Navigating PowerPoint comments with only the keyboard

Make use of the modern comments feature in PowerPoint using only the keyboard.

  1. Press Ctrl+F6 or ⌘+F6 on Mac until the focus moves to the comments pane.

    Note: If the comments pane is hidden, press the Alt+Period keys or Control+Period keys on Mac, which will display the access keys in the ribbon pane, and then press the Z, C keys to open the comments pane.

  2. Use the Tab key to navigate through the elements in the comments pane. The elements are in the order:

    1. New comment button

    2. Current comment

    3. Resolve the task checkbox with the name of the assignee (if the comment is assigned as a task)

    4. More threads actions button

    5. Like button

    6. If the comment thread is collapsed, the ‘N’ more replies button.

    7. If the comment thread is expanded:

      1. More comment actions button for the current reply

      2. Like button

    8. Mention or reply box

    9. See more comments or return to the first comment if there are comments on other slides.

  3. Use the Up and Down arrow keys to navigate the options in the More thread actions or More comment actions dropdown.

Navigating a comment thread

There can be a number of comment threads on a PowerPoint slide.

  • Use the Up and Down arrow keys to travel between different comment threads.

  • Press the Left arrow key to collapse the comment thread and show only the most recent replies.

  • Press the Right arrow key to expand all the replies in a comment thread.

  • Use the Up and Down arrow keys to navigate the replies and the parent comment.

  • Use the Shift+Arrow keys to select the reply text and Ctrl+C or ⌘+C on Mac to copy it.

  • To edit a comment or reply:

           - Use the Tab key to focus on the More thread actions button of the comment.

           - Press Enter to open the dropdown menu.

           - Use the Down arrow key to navigate to the Edit comment button.

           - Then, press Enter.

Adding and posting a new comment

To add a new comment thread in a PowerPoint slide:

  • Select the text, object, or slide and add a comment by pressing Ctrl+Alt+M or ⌘+Shift+M on Mac.

  • A new comment box will open with your name on the comments pane.

  • Type the comment and press the Ctrl+Enter or ⌘+Enter on Mac keys to post it.

  • You can mention your co-workers when entering the comment. An ‘Assign to’ checkbox will appear, below the reply text box when you mention someone in the comment. For more information on mentioning feature, refer to ‘Improved @mentions in comments’ in Modern comments in PowerPoint.

  • Another way to post a comment is by using the Tab key to navigate and then pressing Enter on the Post or Cancel button.

Comments anchoring

The modern comments experience of PowerPoint now includes a new feature called comment anchoring. The comments can be anchored to a range of text, an object, or a slide. Select the text, object, or slide and when you add a new comment it will be anchored to the selection. Whenever you select a comment, the anchored object will be highlighted in purple.

You can move the focus from the comment to the anchor or from the anchor to the comment by pressing Alt+F12 or Option+F12 on Mac.

See also

PowerPoint help & learning

Screen reader support for PowerPoint

Make your PowerPoint presentations accessible to people with disabilities

Use keyboard shortcuts to deliver PowerPoint presentations

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

Use a screen reader to explore and navigate PowerPoint

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.

This article provides the keyboard shortcuts needed to use the current PowerPoint comments feature.

Notes: 

  • To navigate the Microsoft 365 for Mac apps with the keyboard, first do one of the following to turn on the macOS keyboard navigation setting:

    • In macOS Ventura 13.0 or higher, go to System Setting > Keyboard, and then turn on the Keyboard navigation switch.

    • In earlier macOS versions, go to System Preferences > Keyboard > Shortcuts tab, and then select the Use keyboard navigation to move focus between controls checkbox.

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

  • Many of the shortcuts that use the Ctrl key on a Windows keyboard work with the Command (⌘) key in PowerPoint on Mac. However, not all do.

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

In this topic

Frequently used shortcuts

The following table lists the most frequently used shortcuts for the PowerPoint comments pane:

To do this

Press

Go to the comments pane

F6

Move through the current comment

Tab key

Move focus to the ‘Resolve task’ checkbox (If the comment is a task that has been assigned)

Press the Tab key till the profile picture, then Shift+Tab to go back one step.

Go to the next comment thread

Down arrow key

Go to the previous comment thread

Up arrow key

Move the focus to the reply box

(Edit mode will activate when the focus is received on the Reply box. Pressing the Tab key again will insert a Tab character rather than moving to the next interactive element.)

Tab key

Move focus to the new interactive element while in the edit mode on the comment or reply box

Ctrl+Tab

Add a new comment

⌘+Shift+M

Post a comment or a reply

⌘+Enter

To move the focus to the anchored object when a comment card is selected

Option+F12

To move the focus to the anchored comment when an object is selected

Option+F12

Note: The keyboard shortcuts given above only function when the Comments pane has the focus, except for adding a new comment.

Navigate the comments pane with only the keyboard

Make use of the modern comments feature in PowerPoint using only the keyboard.

  1. Press the F6 key to bring the focus to the comments pane.

  2. Use the Tab key to navigate through the elements in the comments pane. The elements are in the order:

    1. New comment button

    2. Current comment card

    3. Profile picture

    4. More thread actions

    5. Like button

    6. Mention or reply box

  3. The More thread actions button in the parent comment has the following options:

    1. Edit comment

    2. Resolve thread (or task)

    3. Delete thread (or task)

  4. The More thread actions button for the replies has the following options:

    1. Edit comment

    2. Delete comment

  5. If a comment has been assigned as a task, navigate to the ‘Resolve task’ checkbox by pressing the Tab key till the profile picture, then use Shift+Tab to go back one step.

Note: Pressing the Tab key beyond the last interactive element of the comments pane will move the focus to the status bar. Use Shift+Tab to bring the focus back to the comments pane.

Navigate within the comment thread

There can be a number of comment threads on a PowerPoint slide.  You can use the Up and Down arrow keys to navigate through the comment threads as well as to travel through the replies and the parent comment.

Navigate within More thread actions

Use the Up and Down arrow keys to navigate the More thread actions or More comment actions dropdown menu.

Adding and posting a new comment

To add a new comment thread in a PowerPoint slide:

  • Select a text, object, or slide and press the ⌘+Shift+M keys to open a new comment.

  • You can mention your co-workers when entering the comment in a presentation in the cloud. An ‘Assign to’ checkbox will appear, below the reply text box when you mention someone in the comment. For more information on mentioning feature, refer to ‘Improved @mentions in comments’ in Modern comments in PowerPoint.

  • Use the ⌘+Enter keys to post the comment.

Comment anchoring

The modern comments experience of PowerPoint now includes a new feature called comment anchoring. The comments can be anchored to a range of text, an object, or a slide. Select the text, object, or slide and when you add a new comment it will be anchored to the selection. Whenever you select a comment, the anchored object will be highlighted in purple. 

You can move the focus from the comment to the anchor or from the anchor to the comment by pressing Option+F12.

See also

PowerPoint help & learning

Screen reader support for PowerPoint

Make your PowerPoint presentations accessible to people with disabilities

Use keyboard shortcuts to deliver PowerPoint presentations

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

Use a screen reader to explore and navigate PowerPoint

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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