Create and insert links between
slides with cross-references
Updated 3 months ago
Cross-references let you link to any slide, section, or subsection in your presentation. They update automatically when slide order or section names change — keeping your deck accurate with no manual edits.
Create a cross-reference
- 1. In PowerPoint, place the cursor where you want the reference to be inserted.
- 2. On the Deck tab, click Cross Refresence within Reference group. This will open a pane on the right.
- 3. In the cross-reference pane, select the slide or section name in the list that you want to insert as a reference.
- 4. Using the display options, choose the styling of your cross-reference. See below for more details about the different types available.
- 5. Click Insert.
Tip — cross-reference is inserted as a hyperlink. Press Backspace at the end of a cross-reference to remove the link and just keep the text.
Update your cross-references
To update all the cross-references in your presentation, simply click the Refresh button in the Deck ribbon. If the slide or section related to a cross-reference has been removed from the presentation, #REF is displayed instead.
What gets updated on Refresh:
- 1. Slide numbers — reflect current slide order
- 2. Section names — reflect renamed sections
- 3. Page ranges — adjust when sections grow or shrink
- 4. #REF markers — flagged when the target is deleted
Types of cross-references
The display options in the reference pane let you choose exactly what
information
the cross-reference
shows. Each type is suited to a different use case.
-
Name: Inserts the name of the item selected (slide,
section, or subsection).PreviewPlease refer to the Appendix for more
information -
Slide number: Inserts the slide number of the item selected (slide, section, or subsection). The number updates automatically when slides are reordered.PreviewFor the full breakdown, see slide 14
-
Name and slide number: Combines both the item name and its slide number into a single reference — the most complete option for navigation.PreviewSee Appendix (slide 18) for supporting data
-
Custom text: Lets you write your own label for the hyperlink. The underlying link still targets the chosen slide or section, but the visible text is whatever you type.PreviewClick here for reference links
