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How to Create a Basic Keynote Presentation (On Your Mac)

The best apps find the sweet spot between power and ease-of-use. And that's exactly the balance that you'll find in  Apple Keynote,  the best tool to build a presentation on macOS and iOS. 

This tutorial will serve as a Keynote how to use guide. You'll see how easy it can be to build Keynote presentations in Mac for free. Let's learn more!

Apple Keynote Explained: What Is a Keynote Presentation?

Apple Keynote is one of the most powerful tools to build a presentation on the macOS ecosystem. One advantage to the Keynote app is that it's got the feel of an Apple-designed piece of software, with a focus on design and ease-of-use.

If you've used Microsoft PowerPoint to build a presentation, you'll feel right at home in the Keynote app. But Keynote is simplified and streamlined, with the essential features that every presenter needs.

Another great part of Keynote is that it works beautifully on iOS devices. Thanks to iCloud Drive, saving your presentation in the cloud will help you pick up where you left off on your mobile device. While PowerPoint and Google Slides have mobile apps, they often feel like afterthoughts with features missing or limited.

Best of all, Keynote is free. For macOS and iOS users, the Keynote app is the least expensive way to build a presentation.

For a deeper dive into the app and how to use it, make sure to check out the Keynote tutorial below:

How to Use Apple Keynote

You might be wondering how to use Keynote to build your next presentation. While the app has an intuitive interface that lends itself to beginners, it helps to have a few pointers. Here are four steps you can take to learn how to use Keynote to make a presentation.

1. Explore the Keynote App Interface

If you're switching to the Keynote app from another piece of presentation software, my favorite tip is to spend time familiarizing yourself with the interface. If you've got a general understanding of the interface, you'll know where to go when you want to accomplish a task.

• Slide thumbnails  live on the left side of Keynote by default. You can click on a slide thumbnail to switch to it, and also drag to re-order slides in the sidebar to resequence them.
• The key tools  run across the top of the app and span practically every action you need to build a slide. You'll notice key actions like  Add Slide, Play,  and the center icons (Table, Chart, Text, Shape, Media) that help you add the corresponding content blocks to your slide.
• The center part of the Keynote app  is your canvas, where you can drag and drop content blocks to build out your slide.
• The format  option lives on the right side. With an object selected, click on it to open the options to adjust the style of an object, like the color, chart style, or font-face depending on the content selected. 

Keynote's interface is mostly intuitive. It also is similar enough to other apps like PowerPoint that it's easy to start using. Think about how these tools fit together so that you'll always know where to look for the needed tool.

2. Learn to Add and Customize Content

Slides are ultimately made up of content. That might include text boxes, charts and graphs, images, and more. In this section, let's customize two key slides from the VERA Keynote template  by adding content examples.

Advanced Keynote templates like VERA already have content on the slide that. You can simply click in the content boxes and type over the placeholder to add your text. 

If you want to add additional content, you can click on the corresponding content type above the canvas. For my Keynote example, I'll click on  Media,  then  Choose,  and browse to an image stored on my computer. Then, just click and drag to reposition any of the elements.

Believe it or not, this is pretty much everything you need to know to build up a slide. Add content, reposition it, and update it with your specifics. These repeated simple steps come together to build your slide.

3. Learn How to Use Format and Style Tools

What if you want to adjust the font face? Or the color of a shape? The answer is that all of the tools live in the same menu.

With any object selected, click on the  Format  button near the upper right menu area in Keynote. You'll see a brand-new panel in Keynote that'll help you transform the selected object.

Another stylistic tool that you can use to capture your audience is animation. Keynote Animations are an advanced (but crucial) part of building effective slides. Check out the tutorial below 

4. Learn Presenter Tools

No matter what app you use to give a presentation, you should think of your slides as  support to what you're saying. Apps like Keynote help you build a presentation that'll give you confidence when presenting.

Two of my favorite features in Keynote are  Presenter Notes,  and the  presenter view, which are complementary features that keep important information front and center.

To add presenter notes, go to the  View  menu  and choose  Show Presenter Notes.  You'll see a new box open below the Keynote canvas where you can type in your notes. In the screenshot above, you can see an example.

When you're ready to present, press the  Play  button on Keynote's tools. One screen will show your presentation, while a second display will tee up speaking aids including the Presenter Notes you added. Keep those notes front-and-center as you present to an audience.

Also, you can use Keynote's mobile apps as a remote to advance slides on macOS. Make sure to download the Keynote Remote  app for iOS to turn your mobile device into a presenting tool.

Best Keynote Presentation Template Examples

The section above covered the essentials of how to build Keynote presentations. However, one of the best resources that presentation professionals use is pre-built templates from professional designers.

This is the central value of Envato Elements . On Elements, a single subscription with simple licensing unlocks more than a million assets - including thousands of professional Keynote presentation templates. 

When you source a Keynote presentation template from Envato Elements , you fast track the process of designing one of the best Keynote presentations. You don't have to know how to make presentations on Mac from scratch when you use a template as a starting point.

If you're wondering how to make presentations on Mac, a template might just be the answer. When you download a template for the Keynote app, it already includes placeholders and ideas that you can update with your content. Templates are really just a starting point for using Keynote to build a presentation.

5 Best Keynote Presentation Templates from Envato Elements

Envato Elements features a deep library of templates that help you learn how to make a presentation on macOS. There are so many options that it helps to have a guide to top Keynote presentation templates.

Let's take a look at five of the best Keynote presentations that you can build with templates from Envato Elements.

With 65 unique slide designs, Elnia is a classic example of how templates help you build Keynote presentations. Each of them serves a different purpose, like creating a welcome slide, showcasing your team, and showcasing a project timeline. This template features 16 color variants that help you build your best Keynote presentation yet. 

2. Groningen

Groningen might be the right template if you want to create a Keynote presentation on Mac that highlights your business. The clean, graphical slides are the perfect way to illustrate business concepts. Download it, drop your company details in, and you'll have quickly built a Keynote presentation that stands out.

The custom, fancy image masks help you build one of the best Keynote presentations that fits with modern design trends. It's got a minimal and bold look-and-feel that'll help your audience zone in on key slide content.

4. Look Book

For the fashion-centric and forward-thinking audience, look no further than the Look Book template. Using Keynote is easier when you start with a template like Look Book that already has all of the slide designs to fit the category. You can also use this template when learning how to make a slideshow on Mac.

Mouve is a great general-purpose template for the Keynote app. It features custom animations that go beyond Keynote's built-in effects to help capture and keep an audience's attention. When you want to make a presentation on Mac with a sense of motion, make a Mouve!

If Envato Elements isn't your style, you can also source top-notch Keynote templates from Envato Market . On Envato Market, you pay for templates one-at-a-time, which can help you keep the total cost of your presentation low.

Whether you choose Elements or Market , use the round-ups below for the top Keynote presentation template selections:

Learn More About Using Apple Keynote

This tutorial is really just the start of your Keynote presentation learning path. With a Keynote template from the section above and a few extra learning resources, you're well on your way to learning how to make a presentation on Mac.

For a comprehensive look at Apple's top-notch presentation software, make sure to check out the resource How to Use Apple Keynote (Ultimate Tutorial Guide.)

Also, check out the Keynote tutorials below to continue your Keynote mastery:

Build a Keynote Presentation Today

Now that you've learned a bit about Apple's Keynote app, it's time to go build a Keynote presentation of your own! Keynote's ease-of-use and smooth learning curve can help you develop a presentation in less time than any other app.

Don't forget: using a source like Envato Elements or Envato Market  is one way to save yourself hours of design work. You can build one of the best Keynote presentations by simply using one of the templates as a starting point.

Editorial Note :  This Keynote tutorial was originally published in December of 2013 by Hannah Williams . It's been completely revised and updated to include new information.

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Apple keynote: how to make an interactive presentation..

Although we have all heard of Powerpoint as a powerful tool for presentations, I believe that after using the Apple keynote, I have also learned that it can be used to create impressive and engaging presentations.

In this story I’m going to show you how we can create and Deliver a Killer Keynote Presentation using Keynote

Set it up correctly :

Start Keynote, then choose a Theme . Choosing an appropriate theme can save you time and effort in redefining styles, backgrounds, and image formatting.

Planning your content :

The Slide is the core component of Keynote, so it’s best to view your interactive piece as a series of small, slide-sized chunks. If you want to tell an interactive narrative, you’ll want to write it one slide at a time in words, images, video, or short animations.

Create your content :

The first page will be a title slide , so write a good welcome text ,Also use simplify charts and graphs to present your data,Always try to put points in further interactive way so that viewer can understand and grasp the slides veritably and fluently. it'll also helps to make the bystander always stick with the slide.

Short animations :

• On the slide, click to select the object you want to animate.
• In the Animate sidebar, click the Animate tab.
• Click Add an Effect, then select an animation.
• To set animation options such as the duration and direction of the animation, use the controls that appear.(Start Transition,Delay)

A Good Animation can help make a PowerPoint presentation more dynamic, and help make information more memorable. The most common types of animation effects include entrances and exits. You can also add sound to increase the intensity of your animation effects.

Presentation experts recommend using animations and sound effects sparingly. Animation can be useful in making a presentation more dynamic, and help to emphasize points, but too much animation can be distracting. Do not let animation and sound take the focus away from what you are saying.

Present it! :

Go ahead — press Play and test out your presentation. Everything should work as you’d expect, and you can press Escape to exit. Save your Presentation to iCloud, then open it on your iPad, and everything will work just the same there.

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November 16, 2023

You have some great tips. I also appreciate the paragraph about using sounds and animations sparingly. It never fails when I introduce Keynote to students, that their first presentation has sounds and animations for everything. Thank you for sharing, Keynote is one of my favorite apps.

November 22, 2023

There's nothing like a great, well-thought-out Keynote. Thanks for sharing your step-by-step guide.

November 30, 2023

Another great tips would be to use purposeful animation. If your an explaining how gravity work, using the anvil composition to have an object (or even the word GRAVITY) fall for the sky and land in a smoke dust deliver a message out the topic. And you are right to use is sparingly, use it to gain focus, to surprise you listener.

Great topic and explanation!

December 01, 2023

Hi Satyajit

Who doesn't love keynote? Thank you for the reminders on creating a presentation. You will have to share one you have created!

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Getting Started With Keynote: How To Create Your First Keynote Presentation

If you’re new to the Apple ecosystem, then you’re probably a stranger to Keynote, Apple’s very own presentation software. Don’t worry if you don’t know anything about it at this point, that’s what this article is for. So, stay tuned as I introduce you to this popular alternative to PowerPoint. You’ll learn how to navigate the Keynote workspace and later on, how to create your first Keynote presentation.

Why Use Keynote?

I’ve got a few good reasons why Keynote is an awesome presentation software for Mac users.

• It’s free and readily available

Keynote comes pre-installed on new Macs. You don’t need to download it, but if you need to, you can always download it for free on the App Store . For the PowerPoint (and Windows) faithful who’ve made the switch to Apple computers, you’re probably asking this very question right now:

“Why use Keynote when PowerPoint is available on Macs?”

Truthfully, the answer is you don’t have to. However, PowerPoint (and Microsoft Office) isn’t free. If you want to install PowerPoint on your Mac, then you’d need to buy a Microsoft Office license or a subscription to Office 365.

If you absolutely don’t need to use PowerPoint, then why not give Keynote a try? It’s pretty simple to use, it’s intuitive and it works great on Macs. Plus, it’s free, so you don’t need to spend extra cash just to use the app!

• It’s designed for Macs

Keynote was designed by Apple for Apple. This means you’re not going to find Keynote on Windows or Linux or any other operating system. Apple is known for the quality of their products and Keynote is no different. It’s sleek, sexy, easy on the eyes, and it’s fairly easy to use.

For those saying they’d stick to PowerPoint on their Mac, that’s absolutely fine. But if you’re expecting your Mac PowerPoint experience to be on par with your Windows experience, then you’re going to be disappointed. The Mac version lacks many of the newer features you’ll find on Windows. And frankly, it’s just not as good as the Windows version.

If you need to use PowerPoint on Mac, I recommend you use Boot Camp or install third-party software like Parallels Desktop . This is so you can run Windows apps natively on your Mac.

• It’s user-friendly

Apple products are designed to work out of the box. It’s one of the reasons why many people swear by Apple products. You don’t need to be a designer to use Keynote. The interface is clean, intuitive and relatively simple. Sure, there’s a bit of a learning curve, but it’s nowhere near the time you need to spend to master PowerPoint.

If you’re coming from PowerPoint, you may even think Keynote is too simple. But that’s why Keynote users love it – they don’t need to overthink their slide designs. You may not have granular control over every single aspect of your presentation (and this may be a no-no for diehard PowerPoint users), but plenty of Keynote users don’t mind. When all is said and done, they know they’ll have a great-looking presentation.

• Works on all Apple devices

If you’ve invested heavily into the Apple ecosystem, then Keynote should be your presentation software of choice. Why? Because you’re not limited to using just one device to edit your slides. You can work on your slides on your MacBook, iMac, iPad, and even your iPhone! You can even access your Keynote file on non-Apple devices – simply fire up a web browser and go to iCloud Keynote!

• It’s PowerPoint-friendly

Ah yes, PowerPoint users need this reassurance. You’ve probably been burned in the past when PowerPoint and Keynote didn’t play too well with each other. And you had all sorts of problems trying to sort out compatibility issues.

Well, it’s 2019 now. According to Apple themselves, they’ve redesigned Keynote to work better with Microsoft Office products. They regularly update the software too to ensure better compatibility.

Here’s an article detailing the compatibility of Keynote with PowerPoint. You’ll notice there are more ticks in the Supported and Partially Supported columns than the Not Supported one. So, hurray for PowerPoint and Keynote fans!

Getting Started With Keynote

Now that you know just how awesome Keynote is, I’m going to give you a rundown of the software’s interface. To get started with Keynote, launch the app from the Launchpad or look for it in the Dock. You’ll then see the theme chooser (see screenshot below). Choose whether you want to use a standard (4:3) or wide (16:9) theme.

Note : If you don’t see the theme chooser above, press the Option key on your keyboard and click File > New to open a new Keynote file. The theme chooser will then appear on your screen.

Navigating the Keynote workspace isn’t as hard as it looks. The interface is relatively cleaner and simpler than PowerPoint. This is what the Toolbar looks like:

As you can see above, I’ve divided the Toolbar into 5 different parts. Here’s a run-down of what each part does:

1 – This is the navigation panel. As you can see, there are 3 buttons in this section (View, Zoom, and Add Slide):

• Under View , you can decide whether you want to use the Navigator view (default), Slide Only view, Light Table view, or Outline view. This is also where you go to edit the Master Slides, show object list, and more.

• You can also Zoom in or out of whatever view you’ve selected. If you don’t want to mess around with the percentages, you can always click on Fit Slide .

• Lastly, you can click on the Add Slide button to, well, obviously, add a slide. However, this is where it gets interesting. When you add a slide, Keynote doesn’t automatically add a blank slide (like PowerPoint). Instead, you get to choose the slide layout you want to use.

2 – This section consists of the Play and Keynote Live buttons.

• Clicking on the Play button will play your slideshow.
• Hit Keynote Live if you want to present a live slideshow to anyone in the world. Your audience can watch your presentation on any Apple or iOS device, or any browser connected to the Internet.

Note you’ll need to be connected to iCloud for this feature to work. Once you’re logged in, you can copy and paste the link to your slideshow and send it to your audience. You can also lock your presentation with a password if you’re concerned about security.

3 – In this section, you can choose from 6 different elements you can add to your slides. You can add a table , chart , text , shape , media (images, videos, audio) and comment . The first 5 elements are largely self-explanatory.

For the 6 th element (comments), these are helpful if you’re collaborating with somebody else. You can have a chat in real-time about your ideas and any changes you want to make to the design. In case you’re wondering, the comments won’t appear in your actual presentation.

4 – If you’re collaborating with other people, then you simply need to click the Collaborate button. You can specify who can access your Keynote and their permission level. Here’s what it looks like:

5 – The fifth section is where you go to edit the properties of all the elements and slides in your presentation. You can see 3 options or buttons here: Format , Animate and Document .

• Format. To format your slide itself, click on a blank space on your slide. You’ll be able to change your slide layout here as well as edit the Master Slide. You can also change the appearance of your slide (change background appearance, etc.).
• Format an element . The format menu options will change according to the element you click on. Say, for instance, you click on a text, then the formatting options for text will appear on your screen. If you click on a photo, then the image formatting options will appear, and so on.
• Animate (Slide Transition) . If you want to add animations when you transition from one slide to another, this is the correct button to click. Slide transitions are categorized into four: (1) Appear & Move, (2) Flip, Spin & Scale, (3) Object Effects, and (4) Text Effects. You can adjust the duration, color, delay, and more, of your selected effect.
• Animate (Element Effect) . You can choose to add a Build In effect, an Action effect, and a Build Out effect for your elements.
• Document . Click on this button to change your document settings. In here, you can adjust your Slideshow Settings, Presentation Type, Slide Size and more. Additionally, you can also record your slideshow in the Audio tab and add a Soundtrack . This is great if you plan on playing your slideshow in conference kiosks (self-playing) or converting your Keynote to video.

Additional Keynote options

You’re probably wondering if that’s all that Keynote can do. Well, of course not! In addition to the Toolbar, you can also access more settings and features in the Menu bar. You’ll see this at the very top of your screen:

If you think the default Toolbar lacks some important feature, and you don’t want to go looking for it in the Menu bar every time you want to use it, then you may want to customize the toolbar.

Here’s how you do it:

Go to View > Customize Toolbar . You can drag and drop your most frequently used buttons to the toolbar. For example, if you find yourself frequently using the Group and Ungroup options, then you may want to drag it into your toolbar so you can group/ungroup elements with just a single click. If you’re very particular about the size of your fonts, then add the Bigger and Smaller buttons to your toolbar.

The good thing about customizing your toolbar is that you can always go back to the default settings. If you find yourself wanting to go back to the original toolbar menu, then go back into the Customize Toolbar menu again.

As you can see on the screenshot above, there’s an option to drag the default set into the toolbar . Don’t forget to hit the blue Done button when you’re finished.

Using iCloud Keynote

If you want the ability to edit your Keynote presentation on other devices, then log in to iCloud on your Mac. Go into System Preferences and click on iCloud . You’ll see this on your screen:

Type in your Apple ID and password if you already have one. If not, click on Create Apple ID .

Now that your Mac is logged in to iCloud, all your photos, contacts and documents (including Keynote files) will be stored in iCloud. This means if you have an iPhone or iPad, and you’re logged in using the same Apple ID, then all the files uploaded to iCloud will automatically appear in your Apple devices. So, you can create your Keynote on your MacBook or iMac, and then continue editing on your iPad or iPhone. Awesome, right?

But what about if you need to need to make last-minute changes to your presentation and you don’t have an Apple device nearby? Will all your hard work go to waste? Thankfully, not.

Just open a web browser on any computer and go to https://icloud.com . You’ll see this prompt on your screen:

Once you’re logged in to iCloud, you’ll see this menu on your screen:

Click on Keynote and you’ll be able to see all the Keynote files you’ve made on other iCloud-linked devices. If you want to create a new file, click on Create Presentation .

Just like in the desktop version of Keynote, you’ll see the Theme Chooser menu on your screen:

Click on the theme you want to use. A new tab will automatically open on your browser. This what the iCloud Keynote workspace looks like:

As you can see, it looks almost exactly the same as the desktop version. You’ve got the View and Zoom icons, the Play slideshow button, the 6 element types you can add to your slides (table, chart, text, shape, media, comment), the collaborate icon, and the format and animate button.

At a quick glance, however, you can see that the Keynote Live and Document icons are missing on the toolbar. Unfortunately, like most web-based presentation software, iCloud Keynote also has its drawbacks. A number of features from the desktop app are missing.

For instance, once you’ve selected your theme on iCloud Keynote, you’re going to have to stick with it. You simply don’t have the option to change it to another theme.

For this example, I used the Artisan theme in the screenshot above. I wanted to change it to the Gradient theme, but iCloud Keynote doesn’t have the Document button (available on the desktop version) that allows you to change themes and slide sizes.

There’s also no option to edit the Master Slides. While there’s a Media button, you’re limited to adding images only. This means inserting videos and audio files are not going to be possible on iCloud Keynote. Formatting options are also limited, so keep this in mind when creating and editing slides on the web.

The good news, however, is that iCloud integration is fantastic. You can create your slides in iCloud Keynote. Once you get your hands on an Apple computer, you can just edit your file on the desktop app. iCloud Keynote is great for editing presentations while you’re on the go. For maximum control, however, Keynote desktop is the way to go.

Tips to Make Your First Keynote Presentation a Standout

Even the most novice of Keynote users can make something stunning in just a few minutes. How? Well, if you haven’t noticed, Keynote’s built-in themes already look great. So, really, if you’re in a hurry, you can just choose one of the themes from the Theme Chooser. Then, select the layouts you want to use and replace the placeholders with your own content!

But, of course, if you truly want to make your keynote presentation a standout, then it’s best to actually put some time and effort into making one that your audience is going to love. So, here are some tips you can use to impress your audience and make sure your message is heard loud and clear.

• Keep text to a minimum

No matter what presentation software you use, it’s best to keep text to a minimum. You don’t want to copy and paste several sentences or a few paragraphs in your slides. You don’t want your audience to just read your slides. If you do this, then there’s really no incentive for them to listen anymore, is there?

As the popular saying goes, “less is more.” Strive to have a simple presentation instead of going for all the bells and whistles you can think of. Your audience isn’t there to read, they’re there to listen to your presentation.

Think of your slides as mere visual aids. They’re there to make your presentation more interesting. They’re supposed to help your audience understand your main points.

• Use the right font

Different fonts convey different emotions. There are fonts that look professional. Then there are those that look fun. There are even retro fonts and scary-looking fonts (perfect for Halloween-themed presentations).

Adding new fonts to your Keynote presentation is relatively quick and easy. You’ve got two ways:

• You can download a font package and add it to Font Book . You can look for this app in your Applications folder or you can search for it using Spotlight (press both Command + Spacebar ). Click the (+) icon in Font Book and locate where you saved the downloaded font. Your new font will now appear in the Font dropdown in Keynote.

• The second option is to download an app called SkyFonts . You can download and install fonts from Google Fonts, Fonts.com, Monotype and MyFonts. Personally, I prefer this option because you don’t need to download the fonts to your computer. These are stored in the cloud and you can easily remove the fonts you’re no longer using.

Just a word of caution though. If you intend to download fancy fonts and use different devices to edit your Keynote slides, then you may be in for a shock. The fonts in iCloud Keynote are predefined, so whatever font you install on your Mac isn’t going to appear in iCloud Keynote.

• Use high-quality graphics

As the old cliché goes, a picture is worth a thousand words. You can put a picture on a slide, and it will tell the audience its own story. All without you needing to say a single word about it. That’s how powerful images are.

So, one of the first things you need to do once you figure out what you’re going to say in your presentation is to look for an image that will perfectly capture your main points. It doesn’t have to be an original photo or one that you took yourself.

You can use photos as background for your slides or you can use it as the main subject. The good news is there are millions of free images on the web. You just need to know where to look. Places like Unsplash , StockSnap and ISO Republic all offer high-quality images for free.

• Utilize white space

A busy-looking slide will only distract your audience. They won’t know exactly where to look. But if you have plenty of white space on your slides, then you can direct their attention to whatever you’re showing on screen.

Contrary to popular belief, white space doesn’t actually need to be white. It can be any color that will fit in well with your theme. For instance, take a look at the screenshot below. There’s a lot of blank space on the slide – this is what’s known as white space.

As you can see, it’s easy to follow what the slide above is trying to say. Doodling helps stimulates the brain, helps to see the big picture, improves learning, and helps to organize knowledge. The graphics used are simple enough to understand.

• Use third-party themes and templates

There’s obviously nothing wrong with using the built-in themes and templates on Keynote. But, if you want to stand out from the crowd of similar-looking presentations, then it’s best to use something else that not a lot of people are using. This is where third-party themes and templates come in.

You can download themes and templates that are made specifically for Keynote . Or you can use those that are made for PowerPoint! Surprised? Yes, PowerPoint templates do work on Keynote!

How To Use PowerPoint Templates For Your Keynote Presentations

To use PPT templates for Keynote, all you have to do is fire up Keynote, click on Open, then look for the PowerPoint file. If there are compatibility issues, Keynote will give you a list of things that may look different.

For this example, I downloaded one of our free templates, the Competitor PowerPoint Template pack. Note that you need to create a free account so you can download any of our templates.

Most PPT templates when opened in Keynote will probably have a few issues. I saw a couple of slides which needed a bit of editing. Here’s an example:

For the most part, however, the majority of slides looked great on Keynote! Here’s a screenshot of slides 5-10:

As you can see, the slides look really good. All you need to do is just edit and replace the placeholder content with your own, and you’re good to go! You can then save the file as a Keynote presentation or export it to another format.

Final Words

Apple users, rejoice! You’ve got a free and very capable presentation software on your hands. You don’t need to spend extra cash just to use PowerPoint. As you’ve learned in this article, Keynote is relatively easy to use. You’ll be able to create your first Keynote presentation in no time at all!

You might also find this interesting: PowerPoint vs Keynote: Which Is The Best Presentation Software?

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How to Use Keynote on Mac: A Complete Guide

By Danny Maiorca 0 comments Last updated September 16, 2022

When you first buy a Mac computer, you’ll notice a lot of pre-installed apps. And while you probably won’t use most of these, some go under the radar and are well worth trying. Keynote is one of them.

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• How to Use Numbers: The Basics

If you’re used to Microsoft Powerpoint or Google Slides on your Mac before, you might be reluctant to try Keynote. But don’t worry; the app is pretty straightforward to use. On top of that, you will find several cool features to enjoy.

In this article, you’ll learn everything you need to know about using Keynote on Mac.

What Is Keynote?

How to choose a size for your keynote presentation, how to choose a template for your presentation, adding charts and tables, including media in your presentation, collaborating with others, adding new slides, how to export your keynote presentation, keynote is well worth trying next time you have to create a presentation.

Keynote is Apple’s answer to Microsoft PowerPoint. The Silicon Valley giant released the app in January 2003; since then, it has become an important part of the iWork ecosystem. While the app remained native to Mac devices for the first seven years, Apple rolled it out to iPad devices in 2010.

With Keynote, you can create presentations for multiple scenarios – including college projects and important work announcements. The app is free to use; all you need is an Apple ID and a supporting device.

In addition to Mac and iPad, you can use Keynote on your iPhone and Apple Watch. You can sync your presentations across all of your devices, too – allowing you to continue working wherever you are.

Before you create a presentation with Keynote on your Mac, you’ll need to choose a size. The app gives you two options: Wide (16:9) and Standard (4:3). To choose the right size for your needs, follow the instructions below.

On the New Document page, go to the top right-hand corner. There, you’ll see a dropdown menu.

Pick your preferred option. The slide templates will automatically resize based on your choice.

Once you’ve picked the preferred size for your Keynote presentation, you’re ready to choose a template to create your presentation on. After selecting New Document , you’ll find yourself on the Choose a Theme page.

As you scroll down, you’ll see a broad range of themes. The ones closer to the top focus more on block colors, while the others include more imagery. In the toolbar on the left, you’ll see each of them broken down into several categories.

When you’ve chosen the template that fits your presentation best, select it and hit the Create button in the bottom right.

What Customization Options Does Keynote Have?

Having read the previous sections, you’re now ready to begin customizing your presentation. Below are some of the main ways that you can tweak your Keynote document from your Mac.

Charts and tables are excellent choices if you want to break down complex numbers. In the Keynote app, you can add multiple charts – including pie charts and bar graphs. You can add various 2D charts, and the app also has the option to include 3D and interactive graphics.

When customizing your charts, you can choose from several values – including percentages and currencies. To add charts to your Keynote presentation, go to Chart  at the top of your screen and tweak everything as you feel is necessary from there.

As for tables, you can choose how many rows and columns you want to include in your presentation. On top of that, you can change their colors and tweak the fonts – plus more.

To add tables to your presentation, go to the Tables tab. From there, scroll through until you find your preferred choice.

When delivering a presentation, you want to ensure that you keep your audience engaged throughout. One of the best ways to do that is by adding visuals, such as images, videos, and infographics. Adding media to a presentation on Keynote is pretty simple.

On the Keynote app for Mac, you can add multiple kinds of media. For example, you can include both single images and photo galleries. Moreover, you can add music, movies, and live video. You also have an option to record audio.

To add media to your Keynote presentation, go to the Media icon. There, you can choose the exact content you want to include.

Many presentations require other people to either work on or see them and having options that make it easy to share them is crucial. Keynote has a wide selection of tools you can use to share your work with others when needed.

Within the Keynote app for Mac, you can choose to Airdrop your presentation to another nearby Apple device. Moreover, you can copy the link for your content and share that with collaborators as and when is necessary.

You can also share your Keynote presentation via Mail or Messages. Go to the Collaborate icon before choosing your preferred sharing method. In the same window, you can change access and editing permissions. Click  Share once you’re done.

If you want to make your Keynote presentation more interesting, you can add animations to your slides. You can pick from several options, including fading and confetti. To get to these, you’ll need to first select the Animate tab in the top right. Once you’ve done that, hit the Add an Effect button.

From the dropdown menu, choose the effect you want to add. If you want to see what it looks like before officially putting it on your slide, hover over the animation effect and select Preview .

If you need to go in-depth on a topic, you’ll probably need to explain what you’re talking about over several slides. Adding new slides in Keynote is simple; go to the Add Note icon in the top left-hand corner of your presentation.

When the menu expands, pick the type of slide you’d like to add.

Once you’ve finished customizing everything in your Keynote presentation, you might want to export it elsewhere. The app gives you several choices in this respect, including the option to create a PDF file.

To export your completed Keynote presentation, Go to File > Export To . Choose your preferred exporting format, and you’re good to go.

Keynote is an excellent tool for creating presentations on your Mac. It’s user-friendly and free, and you’ll find most of the tools you need to make something that’ll wow your audience. If you haven’t already tried using Keynote, it’s well worth doing so next time you have a presentation to make.

Regardless of whether you’re a student or in a professional role, you’ll find plenty of use from the Keynote app for Mac. And if you need to edit on the go, you can do so from your iPhone and iPad with minimal issues.

Related Posts:

Danny has been a professional writer since graduating from university in 2016, but he’s been writing online for over a decade. He has been intrigued by Apple products ever since getting an iPod Shuffle in 2008 and particularly enjoys writing about iPhones and iPads. Danny prides himself on making complex topics easy to understand. In his spare time, he’s a keen photographer.

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17 Presentation Techniques For A Great Keynote

• Presentation design /
• Public speaking

How much time do you take to design your presentation? Days? Weeks? Where do you get your inspiration from and how do you find the right design elements? Wouldn’t it be fantastic if you could create a remarkable keynote presentation in a day or two? I think anyone can do it, if they pay attention to the following presentation techniques and manage to combine them in a way that helps them put the right ideas in the right context.

Also read:  7 Things To Improve In Your Keynote Speech Presentation

Achieving presentation flow is a challenging task. Not everyone has a knack for design. So pay attention to each of these ideas, both the simpler ones and the more complex, and make your own combo to improve delivery and convince your audience.

1. Visuals are your friend

Using different types of visuals can be a great way to help your audience remember and react. Photos, illustrations, icons, symbols, sketches, figures, and diagrams are much more easy for the brain to retain than words. Think of a company logo for example – how many times has your brain recognized the logo even before you remembered the name of the brand?

Another great thing about using imagery is that it makes you more charismatic. It seems that speakers are seen as more charismatic when otherwise identical speeches contain more imagery . Here’s a great example – a former US president’s inaugural address was rewritten to create low and high imagery versions in an experiment. The audio recordings of the two speeches were played for the participants to the study who were randomly assigned. After listening to the speech, they provided ratings on various summary leadership measures. The result? The speech with high imagery was attributed to a more charismatic person.

2. Keep the presentation short and to the point

Thousands of psychological, neurobiological and social science studies have been conducted on how humans “pay attention.” The famous Microsoft “study” claimed that the human attention span went from 12 seconds on average in 2000 to just 8.25 seconds in 2015, which is shorter than that of a goldfish. What most of these studies concluded is that, most of the time, we don’t pay attention. It’s just how our brain works.

Keep your presentation short and sweet and, more importantly, simple. Even if your ideas are complex, you need to find a way to help your audience focus and follow your speech. Make sure your slides are not too busy if you want the audience to listen to you instead of reading slides.

3. The rule of three

This is a rather well-known technique that’s based on the fact that people tend to only remember three things. When you design the flow of your presentation, work out what the three messages that you want your audience to take away are. Then, structure your presentation around them, using the right design elements to separate the three.

The same rule can be applied to an individual slide –  it’s recommended that you use a maximum of three points on a slide. Make sure that they aren’t bullet points or presenter notes. Those should not be on the screen when you’re doing a keynote speech. If Google’s CEO does not  use bullet points , neither should you.

Also read:  5 Pro Tips For Giving Better Presentations

4. Focus on telling stories instead of throwing numbers

Even if you have a technical or scientific topic to present, you still need to tell a story. That is the essence of a keynote speech, to be memorable, emotional, compelling. And that means storytelling.

Tell stories and anecdotes to help you illustrate your ideas and your research. This will definitely make your presentation more effective and memorable. In a UCLA study , students were asked to recall a series of speeches they had heard. Only 5 percent remembered any individual statistic, while 63 percent remembered the stories presented in those speeches.

“Things are not what they seem.” It’s that to get people to sit on the edge of their chair or to get them involved in your story, the audience has to constantly discover something new.

Howard Suber, UCLA

5.  Know what slide is coming next

Memorizing every single word in a presentation is not a good idea. That’s why you shouldn’t have chunks of text altogether. But knowing what slide comes next is a must. Even if you are an amazing speaker and you’ve been really busy so you’ve had the presentation made for you, go through it at least once before.

It helps to build trust and keep the audience engaged when you say “On the next slide [Click] you will see…”, rather than than act confused when the next slide appears. It will also help with the flow of the presentation.

6. Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse

Practice is key for public speaking. Many experts say that rehearsal is the biggest single thing that you can do to improve your performance. This technique will make you so comfortable with the presentation content that you won’t need notes or prompts and you’ll appear conversational but knowledgeable.

Perform your presentation out loud at least four times. You can try something different each time: one in front of your friends or colleagues, one alone and one in front of a real scary audience, for good measure. You should also try to do a video recording of a rehearsal. It will help you spot improvement points, from how you are standing, if you are jangling keys, to how well your presentation is structured.

Also read:  Use These Presentation Apps To Rehearse Anywhere

7. Have an emergency plan

This does not include running off the stage. But it is a well known fact that something is bound to go wrong. It’s either the projector, the lights, the audio, the laptop, the fonts, etc. It’s always good to have a back-up plan. This way you won’t be blindsided, stressed and confused in case something goes off track. A useful tip is to check out the presentation room beforehand, so that you know what could go wrong.

Murphy’s kit: Have a printed out set of slides, data stick of your presentation and a laptop with your slides on it.

8. Involve the audience

One of the most powerful presentation techniques is inviting the audience in and have them contribute in some way. This will get them emotionally invested and it will differentiate you from inexperienced, nervous speakers.

Plan a inclusion of the audience in your presentation somewhere. It can be a slide with a question, a game or just an empty slide to help you connect with people and re-gain their full attention. Here are some ideas for audience activities–from a simple show of hands, to requests for brief personal input, to role playing and games, to small group exercises- and their merits:

The show of hands is good for polling the audience and gaining real-time feedback. It lets audience members know where they stand with respect to the group.Brief personal input reveals the diversity of experience in the room.Role playing and games are excellent for practicing sales situations and interpersonal responses.Group exercises allow participants to learn from each other.

9. Don’t read off the slides word for word

Please. Your audience is surely capable of doing that for themselves. They don’t need you to be standing in front of them reading off the screen.

Build your presentation in a way that it provides context for your speech, with visual elements and clear, simple ideas. Use your slides as outlines or conversation points that you build on, just like you would in a normal discussion. Experienced speakers often use slides to add a quick parenthetical note to something they’re saying to the audience.

10. Find the right speed

Most people go too fast. Mostly because they’re nervous or they’re pressured by the time constraints of the format. It’s really easy to rush through your content and speak very quickly, especially if you’re panicked. But it’s much easier for an audience to engage with your content and remember something if your delivery falls into a natural rhythm. Pace yourself and remember to punctuate your speech with pauses to emphasise key points.

Here’s a great exercise shared by Sims Wyeth , who learned it from Marian Rich, a voice and speech teacher in New York who worked with many famous actors to help them improve their vocal presence.

“The exercise will teach you that your voice is a wind instrument, and you must have ample air in your lungs to play it well.

Mark a paragraph / in this manner / into the shortest possible phrases. / First, / whisper it / with energetic lips, / breathing / at all the breath marks. / Then. / speak it / in the same way. / Do this / with a different paragraph / everyday. / Keep your hand / on your abdomen / to make sure / it moves out / when you breathe in / and moves in / when you speak.

Before you whisper each phrase, take a full bellyful of air and then pour all the air into that one phrase. Keep your throat open, and don’t grind your vocal chords. Lift your whisper over your throat. Pause between phrases. Relax. Then, take another full breath and whisper the next phrase. Whisper as if you were trying to reach the back of the room.

Once you’ve whispered the paragraph, then go back to the start and speak it in a conversational way, but again, pour all the air into each phrase and honor the silence between phrases. I can’t stress that enough. Take your own sweet time at the forward slashes.”

If you’re more of a slow talker, with a constant calm rhythm, you might run the risk of boring the audience. Keep people awake and interested by learning to increase your speaking speech without losing articulation and thought clarity. Start by learning what makes you slow. Record a one-minute monologue on tape and use a stopwatch or second hand; listen for the following types of slow spots.

11.  Include some humor

Humor can be one of the most powerful techniques for giving a great keynote presentation. You can use it in the beginning to relieve the tension in the room and help ease the transition into the bulk of the content. Appropriate humor that’s true to you let’s your audience get a sense of your personality and makes for a memorable presentation.

If you’re not a natural punster, do not despair. Anything can be learned. Here are a few techniques you can try:

Exaggeration: “Then I talked to a woman whose voice was so high only the dog could hear it.”Puns: “Did you hear about the guy whose whole left side was cut off? He’s all right now.”Self-deprecation: “And then, even though I knew it was too hot to eat, I bit into the pizza anyway. Because, clearly, I am an idiot.”Wordplay: “She brought me a plate of french fries instead. At least I thought they were French because they had an attitude and wore berets.”References: “Do. Or do not. There is no try.” – Yoda

12. Follow Guy Kawasaki’s 10-20-30 rule

Guy Kawasaki wrote that a presentation “should have ten slides, last no more than twenty minutes, and contain no font smaller than thirty points”. Although this was meant for entrepreneurs creating pitch decks, it’s a useful pointer for keynote speeches as well, especially from a design point of view.

Opt for a legible font and type size. Don’t use eccentric fonts that will make it impossible to make out the actual words. Stick to standard, easy-to-read fonts, preferably sans-serif (fonts such as Arial or Helvetica).

13. Pause from time to time

Both in your speech and in your presentation, white space is an important component. Whitespace is a fundamental building block of good design. Its one of the first thing any visual designer is taught. However, to many speakers it is simply a waste of space that could be used to better promote their message or express an additional idea.

Speech pauses allow you to punctuate your spoken words, giving your listeners clues as to when one phrase, one sentence, or one paragraph ends, and the next begins. Brigitte Zellner notes that pauses “participate in rendering human communication more intelligible. (…) In other words, pauses “stick out like sore thumbs”, and thus may occupy “beacon” positions in speech, serving to structure the entire utterance for both speaker and listener.”

14. Try some icebreakers

Why not reference some fun facts? Or have audience members introduce themselves? The most effective keynotes are both informative and enjoyable at the same time.

“For the brain to remember, presenters must deviate from a pattern in some significant way.”

Carmen Simon, co-founder of Rexi Media

Although not everyone is comfortable with icebreakers it doesn’t hurt to try one or two and see how they work for your keynote. Here are some different icebreaker ideas.

15. Make it thematic

Another out of the box idea is to make the most of an upcoming or recent event/holiday/movie release etc. and create a thematic presentation. Go for a memorable appearance, costume and all, and a well-designed presentation to accompany your speech. Get the audience to remember your presentation by connecting it to something they like or even dislike. The emotional connection will help spark a valuable conversation and it will increase the chances of people remembering your ideas.

Connections among elements in memory can make a real difference. Art Markman uses the analogy of a bowl of peanuts in his book Smart Thinking. He says that if you take peanuts out one at a time, you get three peanuts when you reach into the bowl three times. But, if you pour caramel over the peanuts, then when you pull one out, you get a whole cluster. After you draw from the bowl three times, you may have gotten almost all of the peanuts out. Memory functions in a similar way. By encouraging connections among the key points in your talk, you help pour caramel over the peanuts in memory and increases the amount that people remember from what you present.

16. Stay connected

Make sure you have an offering for the gods of social media. A tweetable bit on a slide, a hashtag to connect online and to encourage comments and debates or a website with online resources. Connect this technique with the one on involving the audience and you’ll get online engagement as well as offline.

Your “tweetables” should resonate with the audience and to do that they need to be catchy. Use strong verbs and keep it short. Think about what you want your audience to take away from your presentation.

17. Share your slides after the event

It’s nice to build a long term relationship with your audience. After all, they will be the ones ensuring your the growing reach of your ideas. Sharing your slides is a great way to help them recall the content of your presentation. It’s also a great way to encourage engagement after the event so don’t forget to include the date, time and title of the presentation as well as your contact details.

Let them know that you’ll be making the slides available from the very beginning of the presentation so that they don’t feel the need to spend too much time taking notes instead of watching you. But don’t share your slides before the presentation otherwise you’ll spoil the show and give people an excuse to leave without watching.

What are some other powerful presentation techniques that work for you?

If you’re looking to step up your public speaking game, check out these 10 easy steps to becoming a keynote speaker!

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10 Expert Tips to Create and Deliver a Killer Keynote Presentation

So you’ve got a keynote presentation coming up, and you’re hitting the books to make sure you’re armed with the best plan possible. Besides taking notes from all the greats on TED, you’re reading up about a message structure that works, and looking for the perfect template.

While it seems like you’ve got your bases covered, like all things in life, there’s always a way to streamline the planning process.

According to Aaron Weyenberg , the UX Lead for TED and a self-professed “master of slide decks,” and the wizards behind Apple’s presentation slides , there are a number of tricks of the trade that you can rely on to create a rocking keynote presentation .

Below are some of our favorites. And to easily create a professional-looking presentation , sign up for Piktochart . It’s free and it allows you to make beautiful visuals without being a graphic designer.

1. Do your slides last

While most keynote speakers will typically build their presentation around the structure of a template, Weyenberg says that “building your slides should be the tail end of developing your presentation.” Before working on your slides, you should put together your main message, structure, supporting points – then practice and time your presentation. The reason for this, he says, is that the presentation needs to be strong enough to stand on its own. Approaching a keynote like this requires a shift in thinking.

While a beautiful set of slides is imperative to your presentation, it should not be central to it.

Weyenberg said it best: “The slides are just something you layer over [the presentation] to enhance the listener experience.”

Observe these 2017 Google I/O keynotes, especially CEO Sundar Pichai’s – the role of the slides are to support what the speaker is saying – not the other way around.

2. Get creative with photos

Often times, presenters will be far too literal or cheesy with their image choice. Weyenberg suggests to use images that are simple, yet punchy – and pairs nicely with your spoken words. He says to look for photos that are:

• Related to your keynote’s concept
• Are not complex in terms of composition

3. Simplify charts and graphs

While most presenters will simply drop an image of their charts and graphs into their deck, Weyenberg points out that it might be a bit “unsightly.” If you need to use data to back a point that you’re making, you should make the extra effort to make it more attractive – and this can be done by recreating it in your presentation maker .

There are a couple benefits to doing this:

• It will make your presentation seem consistent and well-thought out
• You’ll have control over colors, typography, and more.

4. One theme per slide

According to the designers of Apple presentation slides, less is certainly more. Trying to cram too many ideas on one slide can only work to your detriment. Beyond ideas, the same goes for statistics.

Let’s play a little game: For the following idea, how many slides would you use? “The developer program is incredibly vibrant. We have over six million registered developers. Demand for this show has never been greater. We sold out in just over a minute [71 seconds].”

While the average person might think that 6 million and 71 seconds would belong on the same slide and be short and sweet enough, let’s compare it with what Apple’s CEO Tim Cook did.

He only leveraged two slides: The first said “6 million,” and the second: “71 seconds. Sold out.”

5. Create a visual experience with data

Taking a leaf again from Apple’s presentation book, once you’ve gotten the hang of having just one stat per slide – you should also make it as visual as possible.

One data point per slide, combined with it being visually interesting – is sure to be memorable.

6. Practice Really Makes Perfect

Imagine the late Steve Jobs, a legendary keynote presenter, still rehearsed for months before a presentation. According to Brent Schlender , one of the co-authors behind the Steve Jobs biography “Becoming Steve Jobs,” Jobs would rehearse and prepare “exhaustively” for all of his public appearances.

Despite being a natural on the stage, Jobs never would wing it, he came to the show well prepared.

“I once spent an entire day watching him run through multiple rehearsals of a single presentation, tweaking everything from the color and angle of certain spotlights, to editing and rearranging the order of the keynote presentation slides to improve his pacing,” remembers Schlender.

While you may not be a perfectionist like Jobs, you are likely also not nearly as good of a presenter as he is – so practice really makes perfect in this case.

7. Tell A Consistent Story

Circling back to Weyenberg’s tips – he suggests that in a good slide deck, every slide should feel “like part of the same story.” Think of your deck like a story – every slide should feel cohesive to the big picture message you’re trying to communicate – as opposed to random ideas juxtaposed together.

You can do this by:

• Using the same or similar typography, colors, and imagery across all slides
• Using presentation templates can help with maintaining the same look and feel

8. Less is more

We explored the less is more concept earlier in the article by suggesting you keep to one idea per slide. The same can be applied to text.

When it comes to creating slides for your next keynote, the cardinal sin is a slide with ample text that is verbatim of your spoken presentation.

What this does is encourage people to keep their eyes on your slides instead of listening to you.

Weyenberg also points out that a text-heavy slide forces the brain to multitask between focusing on what it’s reading and hearing – which is quite difficult and will compromise your presentation.

9. Consider topic transitions

While you want to make your slides look like a cohesive unit, you want to also keep in mind that making every slide look the same may be boring. Weyenberg suggests to:

• Create one style for the slides that are the “meat” of the message
• Then create another style for the slides that are transitioning between topics

For example, if your overall slides have a dark background with light text, you can use transitional slides that have a light background with dark text. This way, they’ll still feel like they’re from the same presentation family without being completely uniform.

10. Tell a captivating story

It is fitting that our final tip comes from likely the greatest keynote presenter of all time. The late and great Steve Jobs had the ability to captivate and inspire his audience with his talks, and that’s because he was a very good storyteller. And that’s the golden leaf that you can take from Jobs’ book today.

Always aim to tell a captivating story.

One example is perhaps when he introduced the iPod: “In 2001, we introduced the first iPod. It didn’t just change the way we all listen to music. It changed the entire music industry.” Listen to Steve Jobs weave a story about the digital music revolution when unveiling the iPod.

Bonus Round: Tips From Piktochart Designers  

• Always remember that your audience is sitting far away . So ensure that your title font size is large enough to be seen from a distance, and that your body text is no smaller than 20px.
• Use only two colors for your entire presentation – a primary and secondary color. If you must use a large color palette, your maximum choice should be up to five colors.
• Make sure that there is enough white space throughout your presentation . This will give your content room to breathe. Less is definitely more in this case.
• Emphasize only one object per slide – whether it’s an image, statistic, quote. This will make sure your audience stays focused.

Time to Make Your Own!

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Pro Speakers on How to Give a Perfect Keynote Presentation

Updated: January 13, 2021

Published: November 03, 2020

Two years ago, I was asked to give a presentation about my HubSpot article on emotional marketing . It was by far the most exhilarating and nerve-wracking experience of my professional life.

I don’t necessarily hate public speaking. However, leading up to the event, I felt the full responsibility of not only delivering a good presentation but also teaching the audience valuable , actionable information — and that was very intimidating.

I wanted to do a good job, and I wanted to be a good teacher.

Therein lies the importance of keynote presentations : to be effective, they should be educational and entertaining. Do you have a keynote presentation in your future? Read on for some advice from professional speakers.

First, what is a keynote presentation? Glad you asked.

You may also be tasked with a keynote presentation in order to secure funding, make a sale, or update stakeholders or executives. Whatever stage you find yourself on, delivering a keynote presentation is an important responsibility as a public speaker.

How to Give a Perfect Keynote Presentation, According to the Experts

I spoke with four professional speakers on how to deliver a near-perfect presentation. Here are five pieces of advice they shared.

1. Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse.

When it comes to public speaking, practice quite literally makes perfect. Every expert I spoke with mentioned how frequently they rehearse their presentations.

“However much you think you need to rehearse, rehearse 10 times more than that. When you show up to a concert, you expect that the musicians know their songs, and you certainly don't want the first time they try to play it to be right there on stage. You owe your audience and the folks hiring you to speak the same respect,” said Melanie Deziel , international keynote speaker and founder of StoryFuel . (She received this advice herself from Michael and Amy Port at Heroic Public Speaking .)

Provided by Melanie Deziel

As more presentations and events become fully virtual, the likelihood of technical difficulties also grows. Rehearsing your content can help you weather any interruptions or last-minute changes.

Rehearsal not only leads to content mastery; it allows freedom in your presentations. “The more you rehearse and become comfortable with the content, the freer you'll be to take chances, experiment, and truly focus on your delivery, rather than trying to remember what comes next,” shared Deziel.

How do these experts recommend practicing your presentations? “[Use] a mirror,” said Olivia Scott , keynote speaker and founder of Omerge Alliances . “I take the time to see how I'm being received, I look at my body posture, and I look at everything to make sure that I feel good about what I'm delivering. This isn’t exactly a tool or technology, but it's a way to practice and rehearse.”

Additionally, consider asking friends, family, and trusted colleagues to listen to your practice runs and provide feedback on your presentation.

2. Ask for feedback.

Speaking of feedback, expert orators know to ask for it on a regular basis — from friends, peer groups, mentors, audience members, and clients. “Find a support crew and connect with other speakers in the industry,” mentioned Karen Hopper , keynote speaker and data strategist at M+R. Hopper personally recommends Shine Bootcamp , which provided her with lifelong friendships, helpful feedback, and a priceless education about public speaking.

Provided by Karen Hopper

“We help each other with feedback on our pitches, topics, outlines, and presentations, and we celebrate each others' wins,'' said Hopper. “ ... It’s well worth surrounding yourself with people who will cheer for you and who will give you honest feedback — the fastest way to get better is to ruthlessly seek out that feedback.”

Clients can also be an incredibly helpful source of feedback. If you’re asked to speak at an event or conference, consider asking the people who hired you. “I ask my client for their reaction immediately after every presentation. It’s important to know how they felt, and whether the presentation achieved their goals. Every time my client is happy, that’s my most successful presentation,” said Jeff Toister , keynote speaker, author, and customer service expert.

Lastly, the best feedback often comes from the source — in this case, your audience. Whether you ask questions during your presentation (which we’ll discuss next) or ask for feedback following your presentation, it’s never a bad idea to know what your audience thought about your keynote.

Feedback may look different if giving a remote keynote presentation, but it's still possible.

“It’s been a creative challenge to adapt a talk I'd hoped to give in person to work in a virtual environment. It's much harder to tell how your talks are received online, without being able to see nodding and note-taking and hear laughter and clapping. But all the feedback I have received [over email] indicated that my talk successfully changed the way many people are thinking about their content idea generation process, and that was the ultimate goal of the talk: to change how people think ,” shared Deziel, referring to her recent keynote at Content Marketing World 2020.

3. Engage your audience.

Nobody likes being talked at . Sure, delivering a keynote presentation involves you doing most of the talking, but it doesn’t have to be a one-way conversation. Many of the experts I interviewed encouraged some sort of audience engagement or interaction to enhance your presentation.

“People love to be involved in a presentation. Rather than explain a concept to my audience, I find a way to have them experience it,” said Toister. “For example, when I share how multitasking hurts productivity and causes us to make more errors, I have the audience try a brief multitasking exercise so they can experience the problem themselves.”

Did you know that audience engagement levels drop considerably (14%) if a presenter does most of the talking, versus if the audience talks just as much? Moreover, 64% of people believe that a presentation with two-way interaction is much more engaging than a one-way presentation.

Presentation engagement also takes practice — just like your presentation content itself. “ ... Entertainment comes from the performance itself: the way in which you deliver that content and the energy you bring to that delivery. This is a separate skill you need to practice. Work with a coach, watch back recordings of yourself to identify opportunities to improve your craft, and watch videos of top-notch comedians, poets and other speakers to see what you can learn from them,” encouraged Deziel.

Lastly, as important as engagement is, don’t let technology stand in the way. While smartphones and polling software can make audience interaction easier, they can also get in the way of you connecting with your audience. “I prefer to just have people stand up, raise their hand, or clap to participate in the poll. It gets the audience moving, and I don’t have to worry about WiFi connections or whether the polling software is working,” said Toister.

4. Prioritize your content as much as the delivery.

While entertaining and interacting with your audience is helpful and exciting, it shouldn’t take precedence over your presentation content itself. “Nearly all of what the audience can learn from you comes from the content: the stories you tell, the examples you share, the facts you cite and the other information you explain. Carefully crafting those materials and testing it out ensures that the audience will get the information they were promised from your session,” said Deziel.

Tools like PowerPoint, Keynote, Google Slides, and Canva can help you hone your content and develop a story within your presentation. A 2018 Prezi study (another presentation tool option) showed that 90% of people believe a strong narrative makes for a more engaging, interesting presentation. Data can help form arguments and explain facts, but stories stay with your audience long after your time on stage.

Storytelling is yet another way to engage with your audience, especially by evoking emotions like humor. “It’s entertaining to ask questions, saying, ‘Can anyone relate to this? Has anyone ever had this type of experience before?’ and then getting them involved with some laughter around those experiences. Laughter always helps,” said Scott, who presented at INBOUND 2020 .

Hopper, who was also a Breakout Speaker at INBOUND 2020, agreed: “Don't be afraid to be funny or drop in jokes — there are studies that show that laughing actually helps your brain retain information better, so not only will your audience have a good time laughing with you, but they'll also get more out of your presentation. It’s a win-win!”

5. Focus on the audience.

Finally, everyone can agree that public speaking is either revered or feared. If you relate to the latter and find yourself nervous when giving presentations, turn your focus on the audience.

“Speakers easily get nervous when they focus on themselves and worry too much about their own performance. Focusing on your audience first takes the nerves away and redirects your attention to making sure your audience gets something of value from your keynote,” shared Toister.

That’s the goal of a keynote presentation — to provide value to your audience. Regardless of what story you’re telling, what tools you’re using, or how you’re engaging the crowd, as long as you deliver a presentation that inspires your audience to think differently — even for 30 minutes — you’ve given a perfect keynote presentation.

Note: HubSpot Marketing teams reserve the right to use guest blog author’s likeness across our content as we see fit, including but not limited to HubSpot’s social media channels.

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How-To Geek

How to convert keynote presentations to microsoft powerpoint.

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Silent Computers Are Worth The Effort, Here's Why

I finally bought a linux laptop, here's what i chose and why, dish tv is raising prices again.

Apple's presentation software does all the heavy lifting for you when converting a PowerPoint presentation to Keynote . Doing the opposite, though, requires a few extra steps---we'll walk you through them!

First, double-click the Keynote presentation you want to convert in Keynote, and then click "File" at the top left.

In the drop-down menu that appears, hover your cursor over "Export To." In the submenu that appears, click "PowerPoint."

You'll now be in the "PowerPoint" tab of the "Export Your Presentation" window. There are a few options you can select here, including requiring your recipient to use a password to open a presentation. This is a good idea if the presentation contains sensitive information, like a company roadmap.

Click the "Format:" drop-down menu to change your PowerPoint file to  ".pptx"  or ".ppt," and then click "Next."

Next, give your presentation a name, select a location to save the file, and then click "Export."

Your Keynote presentation will now be converted to a Microsoft PowerPoint file. To make sure it was properly converted before sending it out, locate the document, and then right-click it. In the menu that appears, click "Get Info."

In the "General" section (next to "Kind:"), you can check the file type to make sure it was successfully converted.

Related: How to Convert a PDF File to PowerPoint

• Microsoft Office
• Microsoft PowerPoint

How to Get Keynote on Windows? Complete User Guide!

By: Author Shrot Katewa

One of the benefits of Apple’s ecosystem is its host of apps and services. You will hear a lot of Mac users rave about the Keynote app. But, what if you are a Windows user? Or perhaps, you’ve just made a switch to a PC from a Mac (unfortunately). Can you run Keynote on Windows?

To use Keynote on Windows, you will first need to create an Apple ID, then login to your iCloud account using a web browser and click on the Keynote app. You will now be able to use Keynote through a Windows PC!

There are some caveats though. Running Keynote on a web browser has its own set of challenges. Keep on reading to find out more.

How to Get Keynote on Windows? (Step-by-Step Guide)

Keynote is a presentation app just like Microsoft’s PowerPoint. It comes free with every Mac computer. Usually, when you want to take a Keynote file and open it on Windows, you would need to convert it to a PowerPoint file.

That is because there was no native app for Keynote on Windows. That said, there is an effective and easy workaround though. Here is the good news – you can use Keynote on Windows!

The way you do it is simply by using Apple’s iWork suite for iCloud. It works very similarly to Google Docs and all you need is a web browser and an internet connection.

I will break down the steps of getting Keynote on Windows in easy-to-understand steps. Let’s get started.

Step 1 – Create an Apple ID (if you do not have one)

This is the first step in using Apple’s presentation software on Windows. You will need an Apple ID. Even if you do not have any other Apple products, you will still need it to log into iCloud. Create an Apple ID with the appropriate information. You can now use this ID to log into.

If you already have an Apple ID, you can skip this step.

Step 2 – Log in to iCloud

Next up is logging into your iCloud. You can use your Apple ID for all of Apple’s services. Use the ID to log into your iCloud account. From here you can access the Keynote web version. Fill in your ID and password and press enter.

If you do not want to type in your ID and password every time, you can check the ‘ Keep me signed in’ option.

Step 3 – Click Keynote and Start Working

After you log in, you will be taken to the iCloud homepage. Which looks something like this.

You can see all the apps you can use. These are cloud-based and synced with your ID. On the lowermost row, you will see the Keynote icon. Click that and you will be taken to the web version of the app.

That is all basically it. From here you can use Keynote on windows – at least the web version.

How to Use Keynote on Windows?

The great thing about it is just as smooth as a native application. Make sure to have a decent internet connection and a modern web browser and you are all set.

You can tap the ‘+’ button at the top to start working on a presentation . On the right of the button are your folder button, upload button, and the delete button. All the visible buttons are pretty self-explanatory.

Once you click the ‘+’ button you will come to a theme selection screen. It will look something like this.

From here, pick the theme you want and voila! You are all good to go. Then add slides, texts, effects, pictures and more.

How to Open a .key file on Windows?

If you can create Keynote presentations, it makes all the sense in the world that you should be able to open a .key file even on Windows.

The ability to open a .key file on a Windows operating system comes in really handy especially when you have received this type of file from a colleague or a client when you are using a Windows computer.

You essentially have two ways to open a .key file on Windows. Keynote saves files in the .key format.

Option 1 – Using Keynote Web

The first option is to literally open it using the way you would use Keynote on windows. You can upload .key files through the web version of Keynote. Log into your iCloud account and click on the keynote icon.

On the top bar, you will see an upload button. Click that and now you can open any .key file from your computer.

Option 2 – Converting .key file to PowerPoint

The other option is a bit cumbersome. For this, you will need to convert the .key file to PowerPoint or a .pptx file.

Both Keynote and PowerPoint are presentation software. Yet they are not totally compatible with each other since they use proprietary technology. If the first method does not work for you, you can easily use a conversion software and convert it to a format Windows will open – and that is a ppt.

It should work like a charm after you convert it. To convert you will need a converting application. They are easily available on the internet. A simple Google search will give you plenty of options.

Caveats to Using Keynote on a Browser

As you might imagine, not using an app natively can have some problems. Although the app works really well there are some minor hiccups. The only downside, some might face is lack of snappiness you might experience when using the natively.

Then there is also your internet connection. You need to have a decent enough internet speed to have a smooth and quick experience. All the transitions and effects require some bandwidth to load.

Not a major problem though. All in all, a good experience. Remember there are some other limitations though. For example, file sizes cannot exceed over 1GB.  If you plan on using images (which if you are making a presentation, you should be using anyway), they can be up to 10MB at maximum.

So, in conclusion, here are some of the caveats that you encounter when using Keynote on a Browser –

• Good Internet Connection – Using Keynote through your iCloud account on a browser is heavily dependent on a good internet connection
• File Size limit – The Keynote file cannot exceed 1 GB
• Limitation on Image Size – The size of the images used in the presentation can not exceed 10 MB
• User Experience – Some users may experience a lack of snappiness as compared to the desktop version of the application.

Keynote Alternatives for Windows

Of course, Keynote is not your only option on Windows for making a presentation. There are quite a few alternatives. Here are some of the most popular ones.

1. Microsoft PowerPoint

PowerPoint is Microsoft’s presentation software. The great thing is it is natively available for both Windows and Mac. Unlike Keynote on Windows, you do not need to use PowerPoint on a browser on Macs.

PowerPoint is one of the, if not the most popular presentation software. There are a lot of animations. You can choose from 50 animation effects. You can export PowerPoint files into different formats as well like .png or .pdf.

2. Google Slides

Google Slides is a web-based presentation software. You will be required to use it through a web browser no matter whether you are on a Mac or Windows. It does not have all the features that PowerPoint or Keynote has.

Still, it isn’t bad either. There are about 15 animations. Google Slides is great for sharing and collaborating with others though. You can even access slides offline. For that, you will need the Google Slide app from the chrome web store.

Perhaps the biggest advantage of using Google Slides is that it’s free. Keeping in line with most of Google’s services, the search giant made the service free to use just like most of its Google Drive Suite of apps.

The interface is sleek and quite intuitive to use. You cannot import videos at this moment though. YouTube video embedding is supported, however.

Final Thoughts

So, there you have it! Now you know how to get Keynote on Windows. If you are a fan of Apple’s presentation app, you can use it both on Macs and Windows now. All in all, Keynote is quite a powerful software and it’s a great thing that Windows users have a shot at using it. 

Credit for Featured Image

Apple iPhone 16 Unveiling: Date, time, and how to watch the live event

Apple sets a date for the announcement of its next generation of smart devices..

As has become a late summer tradition, Apple has announced a new event for this September . The presentation was announced with the slogan “ It’s Glowtime ”. This is a moment always eagerly awaited by millions of fans of the brand, where the new iPhone will be unveiled to the public. Along with this device, it is expected that the company will also show the Apple Watch Series 10 as well as a new generation of AirPods .

When will the iPhone 16 be unveiled?

Apple’s iPhone 16 will be unveiled on Monday, September 9 , breaking a long tradition of Apple’s September events being held on the second Tuesday of September. The event will take place on stage at the Steve Jobs Theater on Apple’s campus, but we will be able to watch it on the company’s official YouTube channel . In addition, MeriStation USA will tell you everything about the event and the details of the different models of the phone.

What time is the iPhone 16 keynote?

The event will be broadcast live and will take place at 10:00 AM PT. Below is the time for the United States.

• 12:00 PM CT
• 10:00 AM PT

What else can we expect from this Apple event keynote?

As we mentioned at the beginning of the article, in addition to a new generation of iPhones -which some experts have already made a judgment through the rumored features- we can also expect to see a whole new generation of Apple Watch , as well as the arrival of the Apple Watch Ultra 3 , or the upcoming AirPods 4 . For now, we can only wait a few days to see what will be seen from the Apple Park in Cupertino, California.

Follow MeriStation USA on X (formerly known as Twitter). Your video game and entertainment website for all the news, updates, and breaking news from the world of video games, movies, series, manga, and anime. Previews, reviews, interviews, trailers, gameplay, podcasts and more. Follow us now!

Keynote User Guide for Mac

• What’s new in Keynote 14.1
• Intro to Keynote
• Intro to images, charts, and other objects
• Create a presentation
• Choose how to navigate your presentation
• Open or close a presentation
• Save and name a presentation
• Find a presentation
• Print a presentation
• Undo or redo changes
• Show or hide sidebars
• Quick navigation
• Change the working view
• Expand and zoom your workspace
• Customize the Keynote toolbar
• Change Keynote settings on Mac
• Touch Bar for Keynote
• Create a presentation using VoiceOver
• Add or delete slides
• Add and view presenter notes
• Reorder slides
• Group or ungroup slides
• Skip or unskip a slide
• Change the slide size
• Change a slide background
• Add a border around a slide
• Show or hide text placeholders
• Show or hide slide numbers
• Apply a slide layout
• Add and edit slide layouts
• Change a theme
• Add an image
• Add an image gallery
• Edit an image
• Add and edit a shape
• Combine or break apart shapes
• Draw a shape
• Save a shape to the shapes library
• Add and align text inside a shape
• Add 3D objects
• Add lines and arrows
• Animate, share, or save drawings
• Add video and audio
• Record audio
• Edit video and audio
• Add live video
• Set movie and image formats
• Position and align objects
• Use alignment guides
• Place objects inside a text box or shape
• Layer, group, and lock objects
• Change object transparency
• Fill shapes and text boxes with color or an image
• Add a border to an object
• Add a caption or title
• Add a reflection or shadow
• Use object styles
• Resize, rotate, and flip objects
• Move and edit objects using the object list
• Add linked objects to make your presentation interactive
• Select text
• Copy and paste text
• Use dictation to enter text
• Use accents and special characters
• Format a presentation for another language
• Use phonetic guides
• Use bidirectional text
• Use vertical text
• Change the font or font size
• Add bold, italic, underline, or strikethrough to text
• Change the color of text
• Change text capitalization
• Add a shadow or outline to text
• Intro to paragraph styles
• Apply a paragraph style
• Create, rename, or delete paragraph styles
• Update or revert a paragraph style
• Use a keyboard shortcut to apply a style
• Adjust character spacing
• Add drop caps
• Raise and lower characters and text
• Format fractions automatically
• Create and use character styles
• Format dashes and quotation marks
• Format Chinese, Japanese, or Korean text
• Set tab stops
• Format text into columns
• Adjust line spacing
• Format lists
• Add a highlight effect to text
• Add mathematical equations
• Add borders and rules (lines) to separate text
• Add or delete a table
• Select tables, cells, rows, and columns
• Add or remove rows and columns
• Move rows and columns
• Resize rows and columns
• Merge or unmerge cells
• Change the look of table text
• Show, hide, or edit a table title
• Change table gridlines and colors
• Use table styles
• Resize, move, or lock a table
• Add and edit cell content
• Format dates, currency, and more
• Create a custom cell format
• Highlight cells conditionally
• Format tables for bidirectional text
• Alphabetize or sort table data
• Calculate values using data in table cells
• Use the Formulas and Functions Help
• Add or delete a chart
• Change a chart from one type to another
• Modify chart data
• Move, resize, and rotate a chart
• Change the look of data series
• Add a legend, gridlines, and other markings
• Change the look of chart text and labels
• Add a chart border and background
• Use chart styles
• Animate objects onto and off a slide
• Animate objects on a slide
• Change build order and timing
• Add transitions
• Present on your Mac
• Present on a separate display
• Present on a Mac over the internet
• Use a remote
• Make a presentation advance automatically
• Require a password to exit a presentation
• Play a slideshow with multiple presenters
• Rehearse on your Mac
• Record presentations
• Check spelling
• Look up words
• Find and replace text
• Replace text automatically
• Set author name and comment color
• Highlight text
• Add and print comments
• Send a presentation
• Intro to collaboration
• Invite others to collaborate
• Collaborate on a shared presentation
• See the latest activity in a shared presentation
• Change a shared presentation’s settings
• Stop sharing a presentation
• Shared folders and collaboration
• Use Box to collaborate
• Create an animated GIF
• Post your presentation in a blog
• Use iCloud Drive with Keynote
• Export to PowerPoint or another file format
• Reduce the presentation file size
• Save a large presentation as a package file
• Restore an earlier version of a presentation
• Move a presentation
• Delete a presentation
• Password-protect a presentation
• Lock a presentation
• Create and manage custom themes
• Transfer files with AirDrop
• Transfer presentations with Handoff
• Transfer presentations with the Finder
• Keyboard shortcuts
• Keyboard shortcut symbols

Record Keynote presentations on Mac

You can record a presentation with voiceover narration on your Mac to play later in Keynote or export as a video file. This is especially useful when you want to distribute or present a prerecorded presentation virtually, or if you want to record a slideshow for someone to play in your absence.

Record a presentation

Open the presentation, then click to select the first slide in the slide navigator .

Choose Play > Record Slideshow (from the Play menu at the top of your screen). The presenter display appears with recording controls visible at the bottom of your screen.

Move an item on the presenter display: Drag it.

When you drag a slide, its label always moves with it. To position a label independently of the slide, drag only the label. To drag multiple items simultaneously, Command-click or Shift-click to select them, then drag.

Resize an item on the presenter display: Click the item, then drag any selection handle.

The clock, timer, and labels are always resized proportionally from their centers.

To maintain the proportions as you resize a slide, the Presenter Notes field, or the Ready to Advance Indicator, hold down Shift as you drag. To resize from the center, hold down Option as you drag. To proportionally resize from the center, hold down Shift and Option as you drag.

Automatically position the items on the presenter display: Click the Use Auto Layout button. Keynote positions the items to make optimal use of the presenter display.

Change the appearance of presenter notes: With presenter notes showing, move the pointer over the Presenter Notes field, then click a font button in the top-left corner to make the font smaller or larger. Click the Invert Colors button to show white text on a black background or vice versa (other text colors aren’t affected).

The timer counts down from 3 before recording begins.

Do any of the following while recording the presentation:

Go to the next slide or build: Press the Right Arrow key.

Go back a slide or reset the builds on the slide: Press the Left Arrow key.

Jump to a different slide: Press any number to make the slide navigator appear, enter the slide number, then press Return.

Open or close a list of keyboard shortcuts: Press the Question Mark (?) key on your keyboard. You can use the shortcuts to control your presentation.

To edit the recording, do one of the following:

Press Esc to exit the presenter display.

The recording is saved with your presentation and can be played in Keynote. To export a recorded presentation as a video or another file format, see Export to PowerPoint or another file format .

To remove a recording from your Keynote presentation, choose Play > Clear Recording, then select Clear in the pop-up menu.

Play a recorded presentation in Keynote on Mac

With the presentation open, do one of the following:

Play a recorded presentation in full screen: Choose Play > In Fullscreen.

Play a recorded presentation in a window: Choose Play > In Window.

To stop playing the slideshow, press Esc.