How to loop a slide show in PowerPoint on Mac: step by step for Microsoft 365

A looping slide show runs from the first slide to the last, then starts again at the first slide. It keeps going until someone presses Esc. People use this for a booth, a lobby screen, a trade show table, or a classroom display that runs all day. A looped show is different from a normal talk, where a presenter clicks through each slide. This guide covers the desktop app for Mac, because the web version cannot set up or customize a slide show.

Before you start: confirm your PowerPoint version

The steps in this guide apply to PowerPoint for Microsoft 365 for Mac, PowerPoint 2024 for Mac, and PowerPoint 2021 for Mac. Microsoft's slide show pages name those three versions. They do not name PowerPoint 2019 or 2016 for Mac, so check Microsoft's support site before you rely on these steps in an older version.

To find your build, open PowerPoint > About PowerPoint. Microsoft's release notes for Office for Mac list PowerPoint 16.114.3 (Build 26102720), dated October 27, 2026, as the latest entry. MacUpdate lists version 16.114.4, dated November 5, 2026. The two sources disagree. Neither one lists a change to slide show looping, so the steps here should hold for both builds.

• Open the desktop app. PowerPoint for the web does not offer slide show setup options.
• Confirm the slide order in View > Slide Sorter before you set any timings.
• Decide whether the loop should move on its own. If it should, you need timings.
• Make sure whoever watches the screen knows that Esc stops the show.

Set the loop with Browsed at a kiosk

Microsoft's self-running page gives the cleanest route for a looping show on Mac. Open the Slide Show tab and select Set Up Slide Show. Under Show type, choose Browsed at a kiosk (full screen). Microsoft says that on macOS this choice automatically checks Loop continuously until 'Esc' and runs the show in a loop. You do not need to hunt for the checkbox in this mode.

Kiosk mode is built for unattended screens. It fits a booth, a sign at a counter, or a looping product reel. Because the loop runs until Esc, keep the Mac somewhere a person can reach the keyboard. Microsoft says the loop needs slide timings, so read the next section before you leave the machine.

Add timings so the loop moves on its own

Microsoft's page gives two ways to set timings. The first is Rehearse Timings, which records how long you spend on each slide while you click through the deck. The second is a fixed delay that you set on the Transitions tab. Pick the method that fits your content. Rehearsed timings suit slides you explain out loud. A fixed delay suits slides that all need the same pause.

Rehearse Timings uses a small Rehearsal toolbar. It has Next, Pause/Play, and Repeat. Go through the whole deck at a normal pace. Use Pause/Play if you need to stop, and Repeat if a slide needs another try. When you reach the end, PowerPoint asks you to choose Yes or No to keep the timings.

The fixed delay is faster to set. Open the Transitions tab, select a transition, and select After. Enter the number of seconds you want. Then select Apply to All so every slide gets the same delay. Microsoft's page does not name a platform for these steps, so check the result in Slide Sorter on your own Mac before you trust it.

Loop in Presented by a speaker mode

Some presenters want a loop that a person runs by hand. Microsoft's Mac text documents the automatic loop only for Browsed at a kiosk (full screen). Community answers and a third-party IT help-desk guide describe another route. Open Slide Show, then Set Up Slide Show, choose Presented by a speaker (full screen), and turn on Loop continuously until 'Esc'.

Those sources are not Microsoft's own Mac documentation. The checkbox label comes from the community, so test it on the Mac and build you plan to use. Microsoft's pages also disagree about Browsed by an individual (window). The Windows text says the viewer does not control advance. The Mac text says they do. Do not depend on that mode for an unattended loop until you test it.

Start and stop the show with shortcuts

Press ⌘⇧Return to start the slide show on Mac. Microsoft's Mac shortcut list gives the same combination for switching to the slide show. Press Esc to end the show at any time. To switch into Presenter view while the show runs, press ⌥Return. Microsoft's list has no Mac shortcut for starting from the current slide, so check where the loop begins before you leave the room.

Microsoft's presentation page says to press Fn (or Globe) + F1 to view the shortcut list on a Mac. The setup dialog itself has no shortcut, so the first part of setup always takes the mouse or trackpad.

Mistakes that stop a loop from running

• Expecting a timed loop without timings. Add timings first, then check them in Slide Sorter.
• Working in PowerPoint for the web. Setup and customizing options are not available there.
• Choosing Browsed by an individual for an unattended loop. Microsoft's pages disagree on that mode, so test it before you rely on it.
• Forgetting that Esc is the key Microsoft lists for stopping a kiosk loop. Write it near the screen.
• Assuming Presenter view works in the web app. Presenter View requires desktop PowerPoint.

Run one full cycle before the event. Watch the last slide. Check that the show returns to the first slide and keeps going. If it stops or hangs, go back to Slide Sorter, recheck the timings, and run it again. Test on the same Mac and the same display you will use on the day, because a different screen can change how the show looks.

Versions and the web app: what Microsoft has confirmed

Looping is a desktop feature. A 2023 Microsoft Q&A answer says the Loop slideshow feature exists only in the Windows and Mac desktop apps, not in PowerPoint for the web or mobile apps. That answer came from a community responder, not Microsoft staff. It says there is no information on plans to add the feature to the web.

An older community thread from 2018 is also useful. A user with a MacBook Air reported that the fix was to open Set Up Slide Show, make sure Loop continuously until ESC is checked, and then play the show. The thread is tagged Windows and names no Mac or PowerPoint version. Use it as a clue, not as proof, and confirm the steps against your own build.

Next steps once your loop runs

A looping deck often needs narration or numbers that help the viewer follow along. If you want a voice track, read our guide to recording a slide show in PowerPoint on Mac. For a deck that people page through, add slide numbers so the order stays clear.

Keep a copy of the working file with the timings set. If you change a slide later, check the timing under that slide in Slide Sorter. A new slide may not have a timing yet, so check it before the next run.