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Presenter Mode ​

Tap's presenter mode gives you a powerful dual-window setup: your audience sees the presentation while you see speaker notes, a timer, and a preview of upcoming slides.

How Presenter Mode Works ​

Presenter mode creates two synchronized views of your presentation:

  1. Audience View (/) - The full-screen presentation your audience sees
  2. Presenter View (/presenter) - Your private control panel with notes, timer, and navigation

Both views stay perfectly in sync. Advance the slide in either window and the other follows automatically.

Starting Presenter Mode ​

bash
# Start the dev server
tap dev presentation.md

# Open presenter view in a new tab or window
# Navigate to http://localhost:3000/presenter

Keyboard Shortcut

Press S during the presentation to open the presenter view in a new window.

Presenter View Features ​

The presenter view includes everything you need to deliver a polished presentation:

Speaker Notes ​

Your notes appear prominently in the presenter view. Add notes to any slide using the notes directive:

markdown
# Quarterly Results

Revenue grew 23% year over year.

<!--
notes: |
  - Mention the new product launch in Q2
  - Highlight the APAC expansion
  - Transition to next quarter goals
-->

Notes support full markdown formatting, so you can use bullet points, bold text, and even code snippets.

Timer ​

The presenter view includes a timer that starts when you begin presenting:

  • Elapsed time - How long you've been presenting
  • Current time - The current wall clock time

Reset Timer

Press R in presenter view to reset the timer to zero.

Next Slide Preview ​

A preview of the upcoming slide appears in the presenter view, helping you:

  • Prepare smooth transitions
  • Remember what's coming next
  • Avoid surprises during your talk

Current Slide Preview ​

Your current slide is displayed in the presenter view so you can see exactly what your audience sees without turning around.

Cross-Device Presenter Mode ​

One of Tap's most powerful features is the ability to control your presentation from a separate device.

Using an iPad or Phone as a Controller ​

  1. Start tap dev on your laptop
  2. Connect your iPad/phone to the same network
  3. Navigate to http://<your-laptop-ip>:3000/presenter on your device
  4. Your device becomes a wireless presentation remote

This setup lets you:

  • Walk around freely while presenting
  • See your notes without looking at your laptop
  • Control slides with touch gestures

QR Code for Easy Access ​

When you start the dev server, Tap displays a QR code in the terminal:

bash
tap dev presentation.md

# Output includes:
#   Local:   http://localhost:3000
#   Network: http://192.168.1.100:3000
#   [QR CODE]

Scan the QR code with your phone or tablet to instantly open the presentation. Navigate to /presenter for the presenter view.

Password Protection ​

For sensitive presentations, you can protect the presenter view with a password:

yaml
---
title: Confidential Results
presenterPassword: secret123
---

When password protection is enabled:

  • The audience view (/) remains publicly accessible
  • The presenter view (/presenter) requires the password
  • Notes and upcoming slides stay private

WARNING

The password is stored in plain text in your markdown file. Don't commit sensitive passwords to version control.

Presenter Mode Keyboard Shortcuts ​

ShortcutAction
SOpen presenter view (from audience view)
Right / SpaceNext slide
LeftPrevious slide
RReset timer
OToggle slide overview
EscExit overview / fullscreen
FToggle fullscreen
BBlack screen (pause)

Best Practices ​

Before Your Talk ​

  1. Test presenter mode on the actual display setup
  2. Check network connectivity if using cross-device control
  3. Set a password for confidential content
  4. Write notes for complex or data-heavy slides

During Your Talk ​

  1. Use the timer to pace yourself
  2. Glance at the next slide preview before transitions
  3. Keep notes concise - bullet points work better than paragraphs

Tip: Dual Monitor Setup ​

The ideal setup uses two displays:

  1. External display - Shows audience view in fullscreen (press F)
  2. Laptop screen - Shows presenter view with notes

This mirrors the classic conference room setup while giving you modern features like cross-device sync.

Next Steps ​