MO-300 cheat sheet

Slide size: Design tab > Slide Size > Standard (4:3, 10 x 7.5 in) or Widescreen (16:9, 13.333 x 7.5 in); changing size prompts Maximize or Ensure Fit.

Set presentation properties via File > Info > Properties > Advanced Properties; fields include Title, Author, Subject, Keywords, Category, Status, Comments.

Mark as Final: File > Info > Protect Presentation > Mark as Final sets the file to read-only and adds a Marked as Final note; it does not encrypt the file.

Password to open/modify: File > Info > Protect Presentation > Encrypt with Password; a password to modify is set under File > Save As > Tools > General Options.

Inspect Document: File > Info > Check for Issues > Inspect Document removes comments, speaker notes, document properties, and personal information from the saved copy.

Check Accessibility: File > Info > Check for Issues > Check Accessibility lists issues by category (e.g., missing alt text, low contrast) with Why Fix and How to Fix steps.

Compatibility Checker: File > Info > Check for Issues > Check for Issues > Check Compatibility identifies features unsupported in PowerPoint 97-2003 (.ppt) format.

Embed fonts: File > Options > Save > Embed fonts in the file; choose Embed only the characters used or Embed all characters; embedding is unavailable for some licensed fonts.

AutoRecover and AutoSave: File > Options > Save sets AutoRecover interval (default 10 minutes); AutoSave requires OneDrive or SharePoint and saves continuously to the cloud.

New slide shortcuts: Ctrl+M inserts a new slide after the current one; Ctrl+Shift+M duplicates the selected slide.

Reuse Slides: Home > New Slide > Reuse Slides opens a pane; check Keep source formatting to retain the original theme, or leave unchecked to adopt the destination theme.

Sections: right-click between thumbnails > Add Section; sections can be renamed, collapsed/expanded, moved up/down, or removed without deleting slides.

Slide Master: View > Slide Master edits layouts and the master; changes to placeholders, fonts, and colors propagate to all slides using those layouts.

Reset slide: Home > Reset restores placeholder position, size, and formatting to the layout default; it does not delete content.

Hide slide: right-click thumbnail > Hide Slide (or Slide Show > Hide Slide); hidden slides are skipped in presentation but remain in the file.

Custom shows: Slide Show > Custom Slide Show > New; select an ordered subset of slides and present via Custom Show without rearranging the deck.

Slide numbers: Insert > Header & Footer > Slide number; to show on all slides, the slide number placeholder must be enabled on the Slide Master/layout.

Text autofit: Home > Paragraph group > AutoFit > Shrink Text on Overflow reduces font size to fit the placeholder; Stop Fitting Text disables automatic resizing.

Format Painter: select formatted object, click Format Painter once to apply to one object, double-click to apply to multiple objects; Esc cancels.

Shape merge: select two or more shapes, then Shape Format > Merge Shapes > Union, Combine, Fragment, Intersect, or Subtract.

Picture cropping: Picture Format > Crop to crop to a shape or aspect ratio; Crop > Aspect Ratio offers 1:1, 4:3, 16:9, and 3:2.

Remove background: Picture Format > Remove Background; use Mark Areas to Keep/Remove and Keep Changes to refine the automatic selection.

Alt text: right-click picture > Edit Alt Text, or Picture Format > Alt Text; mark as decorative when the image conveys no information.

Compress pictures: Picture Format > Compress Pictures; choose target output (e.g., Print 220 ppi, Screen 150 ppi, Email 96 ppi) and optionally delete cropped areas.

Text effects: Shape Format > Text Effects or Home > Font dialog > Text Effects adds Shadow, Reflection, Glow, Soft Edges, Bevel, and 3-D Rotation.

Insert table: Insert > Table, or type rows x columns in the grid; Table Design and Layout tabs appear only when a table cell is selected.

Table styles: Table Design > Table Styles applies banded rows/columns, header row, total row, first/last column, and bordered rows; clear options to remove banding.

Insert chart: Insert > Chart opens the Insert Chart dialog and an Excel worksheet; chart data is stored in the embedded workbook, editable via Chart Design > Edit Data.

Chart elements: Chart Design > Add Chart Element adds axis titles, data labels, trendline, legend, gridlines, and error bars; Format pane controls fill, line, and effects.

SmartArt: Insert > SmartArt; choose a category (List, Process, Cycle, Hierarchy, Relationship, Matrix, Pyramid, Picture); use Text Pane to enter text and Promote/Demote to change levels.

3D models: Insert > 3D Models > From Online Sources or This Device (.glb/.fbx/.obj/.3mf/.ply/.stl); use the 3D Model Views gallery and Pan & Zoom to capture a view.

Insert audio: Insert > Audio > Audio on My PC or Record Audio; set Start (In Click Sequence, Automatically, When Clicked On) and check Play in Background or Hide During Show.

Insert video: Insert > Video > Video on My PC or Online Video; use Poster Frame to set a thumbnail and Trim Video to set start/end points.

Screen recording: Insert > Screen Recording captures a region with optional audio/pointer; the result is inserted as a video on the current slide.

Transitions: Transitions tab > gallery; set Effect Options, Duration, and On Mouse Click / After (with timing); Apply To All copies the current transition to every slide.

Morph transition: Transitions > Morph animates movement of matching objects between slides; use with duplicated slides for smooth object motion.

Animation types: Entrance (appear on slide), Emphasis (draw attention while visible), Exit (leave the slide), and Motion Paths (move along a line or shape).

Animation Pane: Animations > Animation Pane lists effects in order; reorder with Move Earlier/Move Later and set Start (On Click, With Previous, After Previous), Duration, and Delay.

Effect Options: per-animation settings such as direction, sequence (As One Object, By Paragraph, By Word, By Letter), and amount (e.g., spin degrees).

Trigger: Animation Pane > effect > Trigger > On Click of, then select a shape; the animation runs when that object is clicked instead of on a slide click.

Animation Painter: Animations > Animation Painter copies animation settings from one object to another; double-click to apply to multiple objects.

Motion path: Animations > Motion Paths > Custom Path draws a path; Edit Points adjusts the path, and Path options include Reverse Path Direction and Auto-reverse.

Animation timing: use After Previous with Delay to chain effects; the Advanced Animation group sets duration and delay precisely in seconds.