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0
votes
1
answers
275
views
How to send an image to the back (layer) using Applescript in Keynote?
I'm inserting a new image into an existing Keynote document. When the image is inserted, it is on the front layer covering some other objects. I would like to send it to the back layer. Is there a built-in Applescript command to do that? ```applescript tell application "Keynote" activate tell (open...
I'm inserting a new image into an existing Keynote document. When the image is inserted, it is on the front layer covering some other objects. I would like to send it to the back layer. Is there a built-in Applescript command to do that?
tell application "Keynote"
activate
tell (open result_keynote)
tell third slide
tell (make new image with properties {file:screenshot_file})
set height to screenshot_height
set width to screenshot_width
set position to screenshot_position
-- set layer position here
end tell
end tell
end tell
end tell
Martin Tarjányi
(101 rep)
Nov 14, 2022, 01:27 PM
• Last activity: Aug 1, 2025, 02:08 AM
1
votes
1
answers
1135
views
How to run AppleScript from Keynote?
Within Keynote and using AppleScript, I’m trying to emulate a macro used in a Windows PowerPoint file by a colleague. The macro is executed by clicking on a customized button. So, I wonder if the same feature can be replicated in Keynote. Is it possible to run some AppleScript code within Keynote, a...
Within Keynote and using AppleScript, I’m trying to emulate a macro used in a Windows PowerPoint file by a colleague. The macro is executed by clicking on a customized button. So, I wonder if the same feature can be replicated in Keynote. Is it possible to run some AppleScript code within Keynote, and how?
surrutiaquir
(35 rep)
Feb 25, 2023, 09:27 PM
• Last activity: Jul 16, 2025, 09:04 PM
0
votes
1
answers
56
views
Complex Appear In Keynote Presentation
In my presentation, I have a slide with six lines. I'm trying to set it up so lines 1 and 6 will appear, then 2 and 5, and finally 3 and 4. I know I could throw a box over them and have the boxes disappear but there must be a better way to do this. :-)
In my presentation, I have a slide with six lines. I'm trying to set it up so lines 1 and 6 will appear, then 2 and 5, and finally 3 and 4. I know I could throw a box over them and have the boxes disappear but there must be a better way to do this. :-)
Scott Keck-Warren
(307 rep)
Apr 17, 2021, 01:06 AM
• Last activity: Jun 14, 2025, 03:06 AM
0
votes
0
answers
19
views
In Keynote can I prevent a shape from changing size but not lock its position?
I've created a small arrowhead from a shape that I want to use in many places in a presentation. Because it's so small it's easy to inadvertently change its size when moving (duplicates of) it. I therefore want to lock its size and shape but not its position. Is there a way to do that? I'm using Key...
I've created a small arrowhead from a shape that I want to use in many places in a presentation. Because it's so small it's easy to inadvertently change its size when moving (duplicates of) it. I therefore want to lock its size and shape but not its position. Is there a way to do that?
I'm using Keynote on macOS.
Cary Swoveland
(101 rep)
Jun 4, 2025, 09:40 PM
• Last activity: Jun 6, 2025, 11:05 AM
1
votes
1
answers
242
views
How to link to a slide and skip all its animations?
In Keynote, I have 10 slides. On slide 3, I have a bunch of animations (i.e. I have to click 4 times until all the animations are done). On slide 5, I have a button where clicking it will link back to slide 3. It works properly. The only problem is that it links to slide 3 before all the animations...
In Keynote, I have 10 slides. On slide 3, I have a bunch of animations (i.e. I have to click 4 times until all the animations are done).
On slide 5, I have a button where clicking it will link back to slide 3. It works properly. The only problem is that it links to slide 3 before all the animations took place. I want it to link to slide 3 after all the animations happened.
Cause right now when I'm on slide 5, I click the button to go back to slide 3, and then have to click 4 times to get all the animations on slide 3 to play. That's a lot of clicking.
Is there a way to link to a slide's end state rather than its beginning state?
Senseful
(24445 rep)
Jun 22, 2021, 11:31 PM
• Last activity: Jun 1, 2025, 06:05 AM
1
votes
1
answers
280
views
In presentation mode, Keynote renders vector graphics badly (imported as PDF)
I want to have my logo as vector graphic in Keynote. Although Keynote offers nice basic functionality to create vector graphics, it doesn't seem to import SVG or any other vector file format. I read that at least it allows im import PDF files that have vectors in them. So I tried - and it works grea...
I want to have my logo as vector graphic in Keynote.
Although Keynote offers nice basic functionality to create vector graphics, it doesn't seem to import SVG or any other vector file format.
I read that at least it allows im import PDF files that have vectors in them. So I tried - and it works great, at least in edit mode:
But in presentation mode, it looks really awful:
Is there something I can do? Or should I simply import the logo as a rasterized image?


Joshua Muheim
(311 rep)
Apr 3, 2023, 10:56 AM
• Last activity: May 28, 2025, 01:05 AM
4
votes
1
answers
3090
views
How can I use option (⌥) + mouse wheel to zoom the content in Keynote/Pages/Preview?
So, this is my struggle - lately, I've been using Apps such as Keynote / Pages / Preview. From MS Word, other .pdf browser, I am used to the combination of ```⌥ + mouse wheel``` (option + mouse wheel) to zoom in/out the content. However, default macOS Apps do no support this and it's been quite unpl...
So, this is my struggle - lately, I've been using Apps such as Keynote / Pages / Preview.
From MS Word, other .pdf browser, I am used to the combination of
⌥ + mouse wheel
(option + mouse wheel) to zoom in/out the content. However, default macOS Apps do no support this and it's been quite unpleasant while I work using external monitor most of the time.
Is there any solution?
Thanks
Josh E.
(143 rep)
Oct 20, 2020, 07:24 AM
• Last activity: May 25, 2025, 10:40 PM
1
votes
1
answers
948
views
Keynote slide editing, Plus-sign on text box, how to AUTOMATICALLY Resize?, and does it have limits?
I already know that, when editing a text box, if a plus sign (+) appears in the bottom center, then it's warning you that there's more text that you're not seeing, that's fine. And yes, I know how to Cmd-A, resize font, etc. BUT I also seem to recall that you could somehow magic-click or use a hotke...
I already know that, when editing a text box, if a plus sign (+) appears in the bottom center, then it's warning you that there's more text that you're not seeing, that's fine. And yes, I know how to Cmd-A, resize font, etc.
BUT I also seem to recall that you could somehow magic-click or use a hotkey combination that would tell Keynote to automatically resize the text so that you could see it all. I can't seem to find that now, but I'm sure I remember it.
I did check and Layout -> Shrink to Fit is already checked/enabled.
Questions:
- Does anybody remember the hotkey or mouse click that would resize the text automatically, so it was all visible?
- Is there maybe some font size limit that the automatic resizing won't go below some value?
- Is there some other easy way to edit the text on the slide? I usually do want to reduce the amount of text, but for that I need to temporarily see it all. (beyond Cmd-A functionality)
Other Notes:
- Using the default "white" template
- Keynote version 11.2 on Intel iMac with up-to-date Monterey
Please feel free to make other suggestions. Thanks in advance.
Mark Bennett
(431 rep)
Dec 1, 2021, 09:41 PM
• Last activity: May 23, 2025, 05:03 AM
3
votes
1
answers
591
views
Keynote uses my 3 monitors, how can I get one back?
I am using Keynote (10.2, latest for now) for presentations. I love to have one monitor for displaying the content, one for displaying the notes, and have one free for chats, monitoring Q&A when on a webinar, and other apps. PowerPoint does that (migration to PowerPoint is not an option at this time...
I am using Keynote (10.2, latest for now) for presentations. I love to have one monitor for displaying the content, one for displaying the notes, and have one free for chats, monitoring Q&A when on a webinar, and other apps. PowerPoint does that (migration to PowerPoint is not an option at this time).
When I start a presentation, Keynote takes control of the 3 screens. By default, one was just for the notes, but I re-designed the presenter mode, but now my third screen is a black screen. Is there a way to claim it back, or tell Keynote that there are only two monitors for it to access?
jgp
(133 rep)
Oct 19, 2020, 04:22 PM
• Last activity: Mar 15, 2025, 08:03 PM
3
votes
1
answers
394
views
The “Shimmer” effect in Keynote uses white sparkles. How can I change them to red sparkles?
I would like to modify one of the keynote standard animations to have the white sparkles be red. I'd like to have the white animation below to be red in color. [![Animation showing white sparkles][1]][1] My setup is currently Keynote 13.1 (7037.0.101) on macOS Venture 13.4.1 (c) **Is there a color p...
I would like to modify one of the keynote standard animations to have the white sparkles be red. I'd like to have the white animation below to be red in color.
My setup is currently Keynote 13.1 (7037.0.101) on macOS Venture 13.4.1 (c)
**Is there a color palette I can modify to achieve this?**

Dave Sieving
(31 rep)
Aug 24, 2023, 09:46 PM
• Last activity: Feb 17, 2025, 10:03 PM
2
votes
1
answers
2645
views
Is there a way to use color gradient for a line in Keynote?
I would like to have a line that has a gradient of colors in Keynote. Is that possible?
I would like to have a line that has a gradient of colors in Keynote. Is that possible?
bobsacameno
(603 rep)
Jan 8, 2023, 04:47 PM
• Last activity: Jan 30, 2025, 09:06 AM
19
votes
4
answers
19516
views
Scaling text in Keynote
I have a complex drawing in Keynote, which I need to resize. I can do this by making the drawing into a group, but unfortunately it contains many text labels, which do not resize when I change the size of the group. I can change the font size, but it's quite hard to get the new font size to look the...
I have a complex drawing in Keynote, which I need to resize. I can do this by making the drawing into a group, but unfortunately it contains many text labels, which do not resize when I change the size of the group. I can change the font size, but it's quite hard to get the new font size to look the same as the old one. What usually happens is that the new text is slightly larger than the text boxes, so I end up having to manually resize each one in order to make it readable again.
Usually I get around this by taking a screenshot and inserting it into the presentation as an image. However, in this case I need the image to have a transparent background. I tried using Keynote's Instant Alpha feature, but it left white in the interiors of letters like "O" and "a", and manually removing that is just as much work as manually resizing all the text boxes.
So is there some kind of method or workaround for resizing the text of a keynote drawing along with the other elements, while keeping the background transparent?
N. Virgo
(2084 rep)
Aug 29, 2013, 03:28 AM
• Last activity: Jan 27, 2025, 01:34 PM
0
votes
1
answers
39
views
Building an AppleScript to concatenate Keynote files, gives me "Can't get alias" error
I'm trying to build an AppleScript to concatenate a number of Keynote files. This is a minimal example: set combinedKeynote to choose empty file with prompt "Please select the target Keynote file:" set archiveFolder to choose folder with prompt "Please select a folder with Keynote files to process:"...
I'm trying to build an AppleScript to concatenate a number of Keynote files.
This is a minimal example:
set combinedKeynote to choose empty file with prompt "Please select the target Keynote file:"
set archiveFolder to choose folder with prompt "Please select a folder with Keynote files to process:"
tell application "Finder" to set fileList to every file of folder archiveFolder
repeat with eachKeynote in fileList
tell application "Keynote"
move slides of eachKeynote to after last slide of combinedKeynote
end tell
end repeat
I'm getting the error message
Keynote got an error: Can't get alias "PATHTO:FILE.key"
Any suggestions what could be wrong?
jan
(842 rep)
Jan 3, 2025, 04:49 AM
• Last activity: Jan 4, 2025, 05:12 AM
7
votes
1
answers
5000
views
In Keynote, how to change no-fill color from black to something else?
Using MacOS Keynote, I'm exporting animated graphics with transparent backgrounds. For example, the graphic may be black and white such as this: [![enter image description here][1]][1] But to make the background of the slide transparent, the background is set to no-fill which causes the background t...
Using MacOS Keynote, I'm exporting animated graphics with transparent backgrounds. For example, the graphic may be black and white such as this:
But to make the background of the slide transparent, the background is set to no-fill which causes the background to be black:
So to work with files with black text or artwork (everything I do), the background color must be repeatedly flipped between fill color and no-fill. Is there a way to set the default for the no-fill color to something else than black such as gray?:



Marcy
(298 rep)
Nov 7, 2019, 04:06 PM
• Last activity: Dec 28, 2024, 08:06 AM
16
votes
4
answers
228717
views
Old version (macOS Sierra) for Pages, Keynote and Numbers, iWork
I uninstalled my iWork tools - Keynote, Numbers and Pages - from my MacBook Air. [![enter image description here][1]][1] [![enter image description here][2]][2] [![enter image description here][3]][3] I don't want to upgrade my OS to Mojave/Catalina in order to install so how can I obtain older app...
I uninstalled my iWork tools - Keynote, Numbers and Pages - from my MacBook Air.
I don't want to upgrade my OS to Mojave/Catalina in order to install so how can I obtain older app versions of iWork that install and run on 10.12 Sierra.
Is there some repository (preferably from Apple) for old versions of iWork?



joseluisbz
(815 rep)
Dec 6, 2019, 10:11 PM
• Last activity: Nov 22, 2024, 02:52 PM
0
votes
0
answers
46
views
Export copy-paste-able HTML from keynote
When I export a Keynote presentation to HTML, none of the text or code is copy/paste-able (I think it is rendered to an HTML5 canvas?)... Is there a way to export so that it behaves like normal HTML (highlighted-able, copy/paste-able, clickable-links, translatable, etc.) ? The big picture: I need to...
When I export a Keynote presentation to HTML, none of the text or code is copy/paste-able (I think it is rendered to an HTML5 canvas?)... Is there a way to export so that it behaves like normal HTML (highlighted-able, copy/paste-able, clickable-links, translatable, etc.) ?
The big picture: I need to output Keynote presentations in _some_ way that students can copy/paste code from the presentation, and also translate slides if needed, preferably without having to download the entire thing, and upload it to a translation 'service'.
I'm current using Keynote 14.2, thanks
rednoyz
(101 rep)
Sep 21, 2024, 04:14 PM
0
votes
0
answers
185
views
Keynote video lag
I have been experiencing some issues with Keynote videos. I make presentations that included different audio and video sources, but every once in a while a video will simply not play and appears only as an image. I can't use any of the shortcuts to make it play, fast forward or anything. The only wa...
I have been experiencing some issues with Keynote videos. I make presentations that included different audio and video sources, but every once in a while a video will simply not play and appears only as an image.
I can't use any of the shortcuts to make it play, fast forward or anything. The only way I can make it play is if I exit and start the presentation all over again, then it plays but another could suddenly start lagging. Does someone know how to fix this issue?
It's not one specific video that lags it's always a different one each time I play the same presentation (this problem happens throughout multiple different presentations so I know it's not one of my videos or one of my presentations that's the problem.
In case it helps I use an iMac to make them and play them both on my iMac and a MacBook and the same problem occurs, both are fully up to date.
Chiara
(1 rep)
Sep 1, 2024, 10:44 AM
• Last activity: Sep 1, 2024, 01:01 PM
2
votes
1
answers
668
views
Object on multiple slides but always on top
I am using KeyNote 12.1.1. I want an object to appear on all slides that use a particular slide layout. When I put the object in the slide layout, any objects on individual slides lie on top of that object. Is there a way of having the object on the slide layout appear always on top of other images...
I am using KeyNote 12.1.1. I want an object to appear on all slides that use a particular slide layout. When I put the object in the slide layout, any objects on individual slides lie on top of that object. Is there a way of having the object on the slide layout appear always on top of other images on each slide?
Kaveh1000
(21 rep)
Apr 8, 2023, 08:37 AM
• Last activity: Aug 30, 2024, 01:04 PM
3
votes
2
answers
1851
views
Jump to the end of animations when going to previous slide
I use Keynote for my presentations, and I often have fairly complicated slides with many animations. This generally works well, and it makes for a nice presentation. However, at the end of the talk, I am often asked to go back to a specific slide. This is made complicated because I need to find the...
I use Keynote for my presentations, and I often have fairly complicated slides with many animations.
This generally works well, and it makes for a nice presentation. However, at the end of the talk, I am often asked to go back to a specific slide. This is made complicated because I need to find the right slide and go forward however many animations I have to get the final state of the slide. Moreover, if I don't remember the exact number of animations and click one time too many, I have to go back and repeat the whole process.
Is there a way to see the final state of a slide, after all animations have been applied, when going backward? Alternatively, is there a shortcut that displays the final state of the current slide?
Andrea
(133 rep)
Feb 14, 2023, 11:52 AM
• Last activity: Aug 6, 2024, 09:54 AM
0
votes
1
answers
118
views
Display live iPhone screen in Keynote slide
Keynote only shows the internal camera as a source for live video. Is there an app that can make the iPhone mirrored screen look like it's a camera? Or is there another way to make this work? I've done various searches and the only thing I could find is iDemo. That app is 14 years old and I think it...
Keynote only shows the internal camera as a source for live video. Is there an app that can make the iPhone mirrored screen look like it's a camera? Or is there another way to make this work? I've done various searches and the only thing I could find is iDemo. That app is 14 years old and I think it ran on a jailbroken iPhone.
MyTallest
(103 rep)
Jul 30, 2024, 05:25 PM
• Last activity: Aug 2, 2024, 01:47 PM
Showing page 1 of 20 total questions