Why Presenter View is Useful
- Confidence: See your notes and the next slide, so your delivery flows
- Pacing: Built-in timer/clock helps you finish on time
- Polish: Jump to any slide discreetly; no frantic scrolling
- Privacy: The audience never sees your notes, desktop, or incoming notifications
- Remote presenting: Works great with Zoom/Meet/Teams when you share only the slideshow window
Pro tip (multi-display): Use Extend (not Mirror) so your laptop shows Presenter View and the projector/external monitor shows the slides.
Keynote (macOS)
Quick Start
- Connect your external display
- On macOS: Apple menu → System Settings → Displays → turn off "Mirror Displays"
- In Keynote: Play → Play Slideshow (⌥⌘P shows options)
- Keynote automatically shows Presenter Display on your laptop and slides on the external screen
Customize Presenter View
- Play → Customize Presenter Display to choose what you see (current/next slide, notes size, timer, etc.)
- View → Show Presenter Notes in edit mode to write or resize notes comfortably
Single-Screen Rehearsal
Play → Rehearse Slideshow to practice with timer and notes on one screen.
Handy Tools
Press I for pointer, L for laser, B to black out the audience screen, Esc to exit.
Google Slides (Web)
Quick Start (Best for Remote Talks)
- Open your deck in Chrome
- Click Slideshow ▼ → Presenter view
- This opens two windows:
- Slideshow window (what the audience should see/share)
- Presenter view window (with notes, timer, and slide navigation)
- In Zoom/Meet/Teams, share the Slideshow window only. Keep Presenter view private
On-Site with Two Displays
- Connect the projector/monitor and set your OS to Extend (not Mirror)
- Start Slideshow (or Presenter view); put the Presenter view window on your laptop screen and the Slideshow on the external display
Useful Controls
Resize notes, pop the presenter window to a separate Chrome window, and jump to slides via the filmstrip. Press B to black out, ←/→ to navigate.
Microsoft PowerPoint
Windows
Enable Presenter View
- Connect your second display; press Win+P → Extend
- In PowerPoint: Slide Show tab → check Use Presenter View
- Click From Beginning (F5) or From Current Slide (Shift+F5)
Single-Monitor Preview
Press Alt+F5 to open Presenter View in a window (great for rehearsing or remote sharing of just the slide window).
Shortcuts
W/B to white/black screen, Ctrl+L laser pointer, Ctrl+P pen, Esc to exit.
macOS
Enable Presenter View
- Connect the second display and ensure System Settings → Displays → not mirroring
- In PowerPoint: Slide Show tab → check Presenter View → Play from Start (⌘Return) or Play from Current Slide (Shift+⌘Return)
Rehearse
Slide Show → Rehearse with Coach (practice timing and pacing). Presenter View shows notes, next slide, and timer similar to Windows.
Sharing in Zoom/Google Meet/Teams (Common Patterns)
- Two windows approach (safest): Start Presenter View, then share only the slideshow window. Keep the presenter window unshared
- Dual-monitor rooms: With Extend mode, the app usually routes slides to the projector and Presenter View to your laptop automatically
- Prevent surprises:
- Close message apps or enable Do Not Disturb
- Disable desktop notifications
- Preload external links/demos in separate windows
Troubleshooting
Audience sees your notes:
You're mirroring displays. Switch to Extend.
- macOS: System Settings → Displays → uncheck Mirror Displays
- Windows: Win+P → Extend
Presenter View doesn't appear:
- Keynote/PowerPoint: ensure Use/Presenter Display is enabled in app settings
- Google Slides: launch Slideshow → Presenter view so two windows open
Wrong screen shared over Zoom/Meet:
Stop share → choose the window that shows the slides (not the presenter window or entire desktop).
Fonts/layout shifted:
Always test on the target machine or export a fallback PDF copy.
Quick Checklist Before You Present
- ☐Displays set to Extend (not Mirror)
- ☐Presenter notes reviewed; text size readable
- ☐Timer visible; target time noted
- ☐Laser/pointer tested
- ☐Notifications off; do-not-disturb on
- ☐Correct window shared in your video app
- ☐Backup PDF and power cable handy
Take Your Presentations to the Next Level
Once you've mastered Presenter View, add interactive elements to keep your audience engaged throughout your talk. Try our presentation tools for seamless audience interaction.
Presenter View is your secret weapon for confident, professional presentations. Practice with it a few times, and you'll never want to present without it again. The combination of speaker notes, timing control, and audience privacy makes it an essential tool for any serious presenter.