1
BTurn the screen black
Press B during a slideshow to switch immediately to a black screen. Press B again to return to the current slide.
Tip: In dark meeting rooms, black screen blends in naturally and feels less intrusive.
PowerPoint black screenslideshow pausepresentation techniquePowerPoint B key
How to Instantly Hide Your Screen During Presentations with B and W Keys
Effective in this scenario
You've just finished explaining your material at an internal presentation and said 'Any questions?' — but the slide is still displayed. The audience keeps glancing at the screen, making it hard to get questions. The B key solves this situation.
One press of B instantly hides the slide and brings the audience's attention back to you. It's a small trick that experienced presenters use to take full control of the room's atmosphere.
Shortcuts you will master in this article
B (Black screen) / W (White screen)
What happens when you leave slides showing during discussion
Human attention is drawn to visual content — when a slide is displayed, the audience keeps unconsciously looking at it. Slides with lots of numbers, graphs, or dense information are processed visually before the speaker's words are heard.
During Q&A or open discussion, blanking the screen signals a shift from 'presentation mode' to 'conversation mode,' helping the audience refocus on the dialogue.
How to use B and W keys and when to choose each
Both keys work the same way, but which one feels more natural depends on the venue's lighting.
2
WTurn the screen white
A white screen looks more natural in bright venues or when the screen doubles as a whiteboard substitute.
3
Any key or clickReturn to the slide
From a B or W state, pressing Space, N, or the right arrow key also returns to your slide. If you get confused, Esc exits the slideshow.
4
Slide number + EnterJump to a specific slide to resume
While the screen is black, type a slide number then press Enter to jump directly to that slide. This lets you navigate to any slide based on the discussion.
PowerPoint Shortcut Practice
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Reading alone won't make them stick. Use KeyboardGym's PowerPoint practice mode to type the shortcuts from this article.
Usage Checklist
Can press B to black out the screen before Q&A
Can press B again to return to the same slide
Can choose between B and W based on room brightness
Can type a slide number + Enter to resume from a specific slide
Related Shortcuts
Visit each shortcut detail page to see key positions and usage tips.
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
B | Black Screen |
W | White Screen |
N | Next Slide |
Esc | End Slideshow |
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. I pressed B and the screen went black but it won't go back
A. Stay calm and press B again. If that doesn't work, press Esc to end the slideshow and use Shift+F5 to restart from the current slide.
Q. When would you use the white screen (W)?
A. White screen is used when you want to project handwritten notes on screen, or in environments where the projector is bright enough to make a black screen too stark.
Q. How do I memorize PowerPoint shortcuts faster?
A. Reading alone won't make them stick. Use KeyboardGym's PowerPoint practice mode to type the keys and build muscle memory through sequential and random practice.