What is the key action to exit slide show view?

To exit slide show view in PowerPoint, pressing the ESC key is the key action that effectively allows you to return to the normal editing interface or the previous view you were using. This action interrupts the presentation seamlessly, making it a quick and efficient way to control your workflow during a presentation.

While other options may lead you to different views or functions within PowerPoint, they do not specifically address exiting the slide show mode. For instance, the slide sorter button allows you to view and arrange slides, and clicking the new slide arrow provides options for adding new slides. The reading view button also shifts the display mode but doesn't serve the specific purpose of ending the slideshow. Hence, using the ESC key directly serves as the most straightforward and intended method for exiting slide show view.