Slideshow controls, rehearsal and browser limits

A practical reference for advancing slides, blanking the screen, hidden slides, rehearsal and features that differ from desktop presenting.

Applies to Deck 0.15.1 on doc.et.

Start from the right slide#

Use the slideshow command to start from the beginning or the current slide. Starting from the current slide is useful while checking a change, but rehearse the whole deck before presenting. Hidden slides are skipped during ordinary playback; check that the sequence you intend is the one the audience will see.

Playback controls#

A click can advance an animation step before it advances the slide. Rehearse animated slides so you know how many actions are needed. Browser- or operating-system-reserved shortcuts can take precedence; start the show with its visible command if a launch key is intercepted.

Pointer, slide grid and zoom#

Use Ctrl+L (Command+L on macOS) or the show’s laser button to point without leaving ink. Press G or choose All to open the slide grid; it shows the first 48 slides and labels hidden slides. Choose a thumbnail to navigate or press Escape to close it.

Press Z and click the slide for 2× zoom; another click or Escape leaves that view. Ctrl+wheel (Command+wheel on macOS) over the audience slide zooms around the pointer up to 4×. Zoomed playback does not support panning.

Links and audience flow#

Slide hyperlinks and action settings can navigate within the presentation. External links are restricted to web and mail links supported by the application. Test links before a live session, and remember that opening another page can interrupt the audience's view.

Rehearsal and timing#

The application supports rehearsed timings and setup options such as looping or limiting the slide range. Review automatic advance and animation timing together: a transition and an object animation are different events. Keep an untimed working copy if you are experimenting with an automated sequence.

Browser and desktop boundaries#

Presenter View opens a separate browser popup. Allow popups if needed, then use Open presenter window to retry. Place the windows on your displays yourself; automatic dual-monitor placement and display swapping are not supplied. Presenter View has timer pause/reset controls and adjustable notes size. Pausing its timer does not pause the show. Browser media still plays silently because this web build has no audio output service.

Recording a narrated show, video export and live captions remain unavailable. The audience window controls the laser; moving the pointer in Presenter View does not move the laser dot. Use an editable deck or PDF export as appropriate, and test the final presentation in the environment where it will be shown.

Before presenting#

1. Check the full slide sequence, including hidden slides and automatic advances.
2. Rehearse animation steps and external links.
3. Check the presentation on the intended display and browser.
4. Keep a downloaded copy and a suitable fallback export.

Continue reading

• Present slides, write notes and review content →
• Animate objects and transition between slides →
• Insert pictures and embedded media →