To duplicate a slide in PowerPoint, right-click it in the slide thumbnails on the left and choose Duplicate Slide, or select it and press Ctrl + D. PowerPoint places an exact copy, including text, images, animations, transitions, and speaker notes, directly after the original. Below are all the ways to do it, how to duplicate several slides at once, and how to copy slides into another presentation without messing up the design.
Method 1: Right-click and Duplicate Slide
- In the thumbnail pane on the left, right-click the slide you want to copy.
- Choose Duplicate Slide.
The copy appears right below the original. This works in PowerPoint for Windows, Mac, and the web.
Method 2: Ctrl + D
- Click the slide’s thumbnail on the left so it’s selected (it gets a colored border).
- Press Ctrl + D.
Make sure the thumbnail is selected rather than something on the slide itself. If a shape or text box is selected on the slide, Ctrl + D duplicates that object instead.
Method 3: The ribbon
Select the slide, go to Home, click the arrow under New Slide, and choose Duplicate Selected Slides.
Method 4: Ctrl + drag
Hold Ctrl, drag the slide’s thumbnail to a new position in the list, release the mouse button, then release Ctrl. A copy is dropped where you let go, which saves moving it afterward.
Duplicate several slides at once
- Click the first slide’s thumbnail.
- Hold Ctrl and click each additional slide, or hold Shift and click the last slide in a range.
- Right-click one of the selected slides and choose Duplicate Slide, or press Ctrl + D.
The copies are added as a group after the last selected slide, in the same order.
Copy a slide into another presentation
- Select the slide’s thumbnail and press Ctrl + C.
- Open the other presentation and click in its thumbnail pane where you want the slide.
- Right-click and choose a paste option:
- Use Destination Theme restyles the slide to match the new presentation.
- Keep Source Formatting keeps the original look.
- Picture pastes the slide as a single image.
To bring in several slides from a file without opening it, use Home > New Slide > Reuse Slides, browse to the presentation, and click the slides you want.
Duplicate a slide on a Mac
Right-click (or Control-click) the thumbnail and choose Duplicate Slide, or use Insert > Duplicate Slide from the menu bar. The keyboard shortcut may differ by version, so check the Insert menu for the one your Mac uses.
Why duplicate slides?
- Consistent layouts. Make one slide look right, duplicate it, and change only the text.
- Build-up effects. Duplicate a slide and add one item to each copy to reveal points step by step, combined with the Morph transition for smooth movement.
- Before-and-after versions. Keep the original while you try a new design on the copy.
If you’re duplicating slides just to repeat the same logo or footer, put those on the slide master instead with View > Slide Master, so they appear on every slide automatically.
Troubleshooting
Ctrl + D duplicated a shape, not the slide
An object on the slide was selected. Click the slide’s thumbnail on the left first, then press Ctrl + D.
Duplicate Slide is greyed out
The presentation may be open in Read-Only or Protected View. Click Enable Editing in the yellow bar at the top.
Pasted slides lost their design
You used Use Destination Theme. Undo, then paste with Keep Source Formatting.
Frequently asked questions
Does duplicating copy animations and notes?
Yes. Animations, transitions, speaker notes, and hidden-slide settings all copy along with the slide.
Can I duplicate a slide in PowerPoint on a phone?
Yes. In the mobile app, tap and hold the slide thumbnail, then tap Duplicate.
How do I make a presentation play on a loop?
See how to loop a PowerPoint presentation.
Summary
Right-click a slide thumbnail and choose Duplicate Slide, or select it and press Ctrl + D. Select several thumbnails first to copy them together, and use Reuse Slides or copy and paste to bring slides into another presentation.
Related: How to Compress Pictures in PowerPoint (All at Once).
Related: how to insert an Excel table into PowerPoint.
Related: show speaker notes in Google Slides.
Related: cut out part of a picture in PowerPoint.
Matt Jacobs has been working as an IT consultant for small businesses since receiving his Master’s degree in 2003. While he still does some consulting work, his primary focus now is on creating technology support content for SupportYourTech.com.
His work can be found on many websites and focuses on topics such as Microsoft Office, Apple devices, Android devices, Photoshop, and more.