keynote pause presentation

How to automatically play, loop, or restart a slideshow in Keynote

When you’re presenting a slideshow, the last thing you need to worry about is actually playing it. That should be the easiest part. Keynote offers a few simple ways to play your slideshow automatically . You can set it to start, loop, and restart without lifting a finger. This is handy for presentations that you want to play continually in a waiting room, conference room, or trade show.

Here, we’ll show you how to set up your Keynote slideshow to do just that – automatically play, loop, and restart.

Automatically play, loop, or restart a Keynote slideshow

You have a few different options depending on your situation and when or where you’re playing your presentation:

• Automatically play upon opening : You can set the presentation to automatically play when you open it. This is handy if you set up the slideshow and someone else needs to start it.
• Loop the slideshow : This is an easy way to continually replay the slideshow after it ends.
• Restart when idle : Maybe you don’t want to loop the presentation but have it automatically restart after a set amount of inactive time.

Presentation options in Keynote

• Open your presentation in Keynote on your Mac and then access the settings by clicking the Document button on the top right.
• Make sure the Document tab is selected at the top of the sidebar.
• Check the box for the action you want to use: Automatically play upon open , Loop slideshow , or Restart show if idle for [time period]. You can use more than one at a time, too, if you like.

On iPhone and iPad

• Open your presentation in Keynote on your iPhone or iPad and then access the settings by tapping the three dots at the top.
• Select Presentation Options > Presentation Type .
• Enable the toggles for Loop Slideshow and/or Restart Show if idle [time period]. To automatically play the show, tap Self-Playing to mark a check for that option. This is different than playing the slideshow when it opens, like on Mac. Take a look at our how-to for the self-playing option .
• Finally, tap Done to save the changes.

Play your presentation your way

These convenient options let you play your slideshow, so you don’t have to keep hitting a button to start or restart. Just set it up and let it play your way.

Are you going to use one of these automatic settings for your next Keynote presentation? Let us know how the one(s) you pick work for you!

Related tips:

• How to use the Play Slideshow in Window feature in Keynote
• How to animate objects on a slide in Keynote on Mac
• How to play a movie or audio across slides in Keynote on Mac and iOS

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How to Loop a Slideshow in Keynote on iPhone and Mac

Paurush dabbles around iOS and Mac while his close encounters are with Android and Windows. Before becoming a writer, he produced videos for brands like Mr. Phone and Digit. On weekends, he is a full-time cinephile trying to reduce his never-ending watchlist, often making it longer.

Apple Keynote is one of the well-known apps for creating presentations for almost every occasion. You can create an interactive slideshow or storybook using Keynote. The app comes pre-installed on iPhone and iPad so that you can access and manage your presentations on the go.

Besides making a slideshow, if you want to let it play automatically and continuously, Keynote enables you to play your presentation in a loop. This post will show you how to loop a slideshow in Keynote on iPhone and Mac.

Loop a Slideshow in Keynote on iPhone

First, let us show you how to loop a slideshow with the  Keynote app  on your iPhone. This feature is helpful for occasions when you want to play a slideshow continuously at an event. It might be a new product showcase or a new fashion line launch. The looping feature will take care of your stunning presentations.

Before we begin, please ensure that you have updated the Keynote app to its latest version.

Download Keynote for iPhone

Follow these steps, which are also applicable for iPad users .

Step 1:  Open the Keynote app.

Step 2:  Select the presentation that you want to loop.

Step 3:  Tap on the three dots at the top menu bar.

Step 4:  Scroll down a bit and select Settings.

Step 5:  Tap on Presentation Type from the Settings menu.

Step 6:  Tap the toggle alongside Loop Slideshow.

Step 7:  Select Self Playing.

After you select Self Playing, the app will offer an option to set Transition Delay and Build Delay.

You can choose the duration for both these aspects of your slideshow.

Step 8:  Tap on Done to save changes.

When you share the slideshow with your iPhone for playback, it will start looping itself. If you use a Mac for the slideshow playback using the same Microsoft account, the changes will get synced automatically.

Loop a Slideshow in Keynote on Mac

Let us move to the Mac and show you how to loop a slideshow in Keynote. This feature can be used by teachers using a keynote presentation to teach their students. They can easily repeat what they have taught to the class using the loop feature to revise the concepts. If you are conducting an online lecture, this feature is useful for that scenario.

Follow these steps.

Step 1:  Press Command + Spacebar to open Spotlight Search, type Keynote, and press Return.

Step 2:  Open your presentation.

Step 3:  Click on the Document tab in the top-right corner.

Step 4:  Under Slideshow Settings, select Loop Slideshow.

Step 5:  Select Self-Playing as the Presentation Type.

Step 6:  Select the Transition and Build delay as per your choice.

Step 7:  Press Command + S to save your preferences.

Bonus Tip: How to Loop a Specific Portion of the Slideshow in Keynote

When you want to emphasize on select slides or want to repeat information when new attendees join the meet, you can loop select slides. Meanwhile, you can continue to present and the new attendees can catchup with the slideshow. Follow these steps.

Step 1: Open your presentation in the Keynote app and select the first slide of your presentation on Mac.

Step 2:  Press and hold Shift + Down Arrow key to select a couple of your initial slides that do not reveal your presentation’s major data points.

Step 3:  Once selected, click on File.

Step 4:  Select Export To.

Step 5:  Click on Movie.

Step 6:  Select the resolution of the video file and click on Next.

Step 7:  Rename the file, choose the file location and click Export.

You now have a video clip of your initial slides. Let us integrate this in our presentation.

Step 8:  Right-click the first slide and select New Slide.

Step 9: Click on the new slide to select it and drag it to the top.

Step 10:  Select the new slide and click Insert.

Step 11:  Click on Choose.

Step 12:  Select the newly created file and click Insert button in the bottom-right corner.

Step 13: After Keynote inserts the video, click on Format at the top-right corner.

Step 14:  Select the Movie tab.

Step 15:  Under Repeat, select Loop from the drop-down menu.

Step 16:  Press Command + S to save your preferences.

The video will play in a loop until you click on it to stop playback and begin your presentation.

Loop Slideshow in Keynote

Using these steps, you can play the entire Keynote presentation in a loop or a couple of slides. That way, you can captivate the audience so that they don’t feel bored and also helps while taking questions during or after the slideshow.

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Last updated on 14 May, 2022

The above article may contain affiliate links which help support Guiding Tech. However, it does not affect our editorial integrity. The content remains unbiased and authentic.

Your online information has been incredibly helpful, thank you for sharing your knowledge with us all. Just starting into the world of Apple, so I will definitely hanging out on your website regularly. You’re the best!

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Apple's Keynote App Explained: What It Is, And How To Use It

In many instances in life, there is a need for presentations. Perhaps you've been tapped to give a keynote at a big work thing, or maybe you just want a more constructive way to sell your partner on a particular vacation destination. Either way, you don't need a full suite of professional tools to make a quality presentation in this day and age. All you need is your iPhone and Apple's Keynote app.

The Keynote app, as its name may imply, is an app designed to create quick and easy slideshow presentations from the comfort of your iPhone. Not only can you assemble a series of professional-quality slides in a snap, you can also invite other users to collaborate on the project with you, as well as broadcast your slideshow over the internet. If you need to cook up a convincing slideshow in a hurry, then the Keynote app will be your workplace buddy.

Is Keynote free to use?

As a first-party Apple product, the Keynote app comes preloaded on all modern iPhone models. Neither downloading nor using it costs anything, and in the event you delete it from your phone, you can easily re-download it from the Apple App Store.

Not only can you make and use slideshow presentations in the Keynote app proper, but after you've made a presentation, you can also export it to a variety of popular presentation formats, including Microsoft PowerPoint , a PDF, a standalone movie, and even an animated GIF.

Any presentations that you put together in the Keynote app are saved locally, so if you ever need to run through them again, you can just whip out your phone and show it to someone, as well as broadcast it over Apple's Keynote Live service. Whether you're in the office or out on a stroll, you can put on a presentation at a moment's notice!

How to make a presentation

The Keynote app utilizes a similar framework to slideshow systems like PowerPoint, but much more simplified for the sake of easy use on a mobile device. It only takes a few minutes to set up a quality presentation.

Open the Keynote app on your iPhone.

Tap the + sign on the top-right of the Home screen to create a new presentation.

Select a theme for your presentation.

On a slide, double-tap on a box to enter text, or tap the top + button to add media (pictures, links, etc.).

Tap the bottom + button to add additional slides.

To add a transition between slides, tap the three dots on the top-right of the screen.

Tap Transitions & Builds.

Tap the slide you want to add a transition to.

Tap Add Transition.

Tap the transition type you want.

Your presentation is automatically saved with every edit, so you can just hit the back button on the top left to return to the main menu when you're done. If you like, you can also press the three dots to access the Export option, allowing you to save your presentation as a standalone PowerPoint, PDF, video, or one of several other file types.

How to share a presentation

If you're working on a group project, either in school or in the office, you can use the Keynote app to invite others to work on your presentation alongside you. In the presentation editor, just tap the button with a person and a + sign on it on the top of the screen to get an invitation you can send to others via SMS, email, direct link, or social media. Anyone you send this link to will be able to see and make changes to your presentation.

If you want to share your finished presentation online, then it's time to broadcast with Keynote Live.

Open the Keynote app.

Select a presentation on the main menu.

Tap the three dots on the presentation's overview to open the More menu.

In the More menu, tap Use Keynote Live.

Tap Invite Viewers to send streaming invites to users on your iPhone contact list.

Tap More options to get a link you can send directly to others, as well as set a password for your presentation.

Once viewers have joined your presentation, tap the Play Now button at the bottom of the Keynote Live screen to begin streaming.

You can invite up to 100 users to view a single Keynote Live presentation. Anyone who follows the link will get a web version of your presentation stream, so they don't need to be using an iPhone themselves to see it.

Keynote - Using an Apple Remote

Keynote > using an apple remote.

More From Forbes

Pause for effect: utilize strategic silence.

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Michel Koopman is a top growth strategist, executive coach, CEO & Founder at CxO Coaching and 2Swell.

“Silence is golden,” especially in the high-stakes scenario of executive-to-executive presentations—powerhouse C-suite presenters all eventually learn to leverage the eloquence of silence . Engaging the hypothetical “pause button” while speaking might be the game-changer your presentations need.

Pausing For Dramatic Effect

“Brevity is the soul of wit.”-William Shakespeare.

The concept of the "fourth wall" from theater and how to deal with it can also be a valuable tool in work presentations. Breaking this metaphorical “fourth wall” barrier between the presenter and the audience can enhance engagement and make the message more impactful. You can achieve this by leveraging the power of pause, creating a sense of suspended reality and using strategic moments of suspended silence. Just like well-placed pauses, intentional silences can be powerful. They emphasize statements, give room for audience processing, re-shift everyone’s focus, create dramatic impact and bring the audience and speaker closer together. Use silence strategically after making a significant point or presenting a challenging concept to convey confidence—the ability to remain silent shows control. Watch any TedTalk, and you’ll find this common thread with presenters; it’s a part of their “secret formula.” Pay attention after a major point is made; during the purposefully placed complete silence, you’ll hear audible gasps, laughs or see heads nod in understanding.

Pausing For The Culture

The reflective practice of pausing is not just limited to individual leaders but can be institutionalized in company culture. Google, for instance, has implemented " silent meetings ," where participants are given time to read and reflect on the meeting's content before discussing it. This practice ensures that everyone is on the same page and promotes thoughtful engagement from everyone , improving inclusion and diversity of thought. “During a typical six-person meeting, the same two people will speak more than 60% of the time ,” according to Leigh Thompson, Professor of Dispute Resolutions and Organizations at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.

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Iconic leader and billionaire Warren Buffett is known for his thoughtful pauses and reflective silence during shareholder meetings. Buffett's ability to listen intently and speak with intention is legendary; his concise words often carry profound wisdom and insight. (This approach not only respects his audience's intelligence but also enhances the gravity of his message.) The “Oracle of Omaha” once deeply feared public speaking and painstakingly forced himself to take a speaking class to master this crucial business skill. Buffet shared that in graduate school, you learn all this complicated stuff, but what’s really essential is being able to get others to follow your ideas. Getting others to “follow your ideas” requires holding their attention by being concise and knowing when to stop. Saying the right thing is important, but knowing when to stop is even better. Pausing for effect is an attention-grabbing and refocusing tactic used by musicians, movie sound editors and college professors—a sudden silence in most any scenario commands attention. Stop talking after a crucial point and watch people’s heads turn back to you or nod in acknowledgment or approval.

Pausing To Claim Your Confidence

In a recent exchange with an SVP of Finance at a Fortune 500 company, we delved into the art of communication, particularly the power of silence and pausing. Despite her extensive knowledge and the respect she commands, underscored by her leadership in a monumental $1 billion+ acquisition, there's a noticeable tendency to over-communicate during meetings. This isn't uncommon among high achievers; her intellect races, compelling her speech to follow suit, often leading to repetition and verbosity. This not only risks underestimating the audience's understanding but also reveals an underlying discomfort with silence.

The lesson here is profound: Don't fear silence. A silent pause affords us the opportunity to refine our thoughts and present key points with precision. For those of us accustomed to filling every moment with words, learning to pause can feel counterintuitive. A pause affords the speaker to think in order to organize their thoughts, to become intentional about their tone and deliberate about empathizing key points. Pausing will help you improve brevity, prevent rambling and (worst of all)…boring your audience! According to TEDTalks , the “short talk model works, since it only demands the audience's attention for a short period of time, decreasing the chance of minds wandering or daydreaming.” There is a science behind the TedTalk 18-minute time limit—short format presentations with compelling information are a proven formula for impactful presentations that leave lasting impressions.

The next time you find yourself meandering off-topic in conversation or overelaborating a point in a presentation, remember the strength found in pausing. Silence is not a communication gap, but a communication tool and bridge to greater understanding and connection.

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Annual national conference impacts nearly 700 women of color scholars

The 12th annual Faculty Women of Color in the Academy national conference was held in-person and online for four days of connection, support, and empowerment.

Alexandra Pirkle

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The 12th annual Faculty Women of Color in the Academy (FWCA) national conference was held at the Crystal Gateway Marriott in Arlington on April 11-14.

The Office for Inclusion and Diversity at Virginia Tech, supported by Virginia Tech Continuing and Professional Education, hosted nearly 700 women scholars of color in-person and online for four days of connection, support, and empowerment.

Scholar, feminist, and writer Cherrie Moraga gives her keynote presentation at the Faculty Women of Color in the Academy 2024 national conference.

Vice President for Strategic Affairs and Diversity Menah Pratt smiles during her keynote presentation at FWCA 2024.

Gabrielle Tayac of George Mason University presents from a podium at FWCA 2024.

“I founded this conference because, at the time, there was no space for scholars like me to come together in community to connect with and empower one another,” said Menah Pratt, vice president for diversity and strategic affairs. “Watching the conference grow into what it is today, where we have attendees from 33 states, D.C., Ethiopia, South Africa, and India, affirms not only the need for FWCA but its impact beyond the walls of its home institution. I have no doubt we will hit our goal of 1,000 attendees by 2027.”

Scholar-author Stephanie G. Adams (center, in the suit) poses with her co-authors as well as Menah Pratt and Chatrice Barnes following her presentation.

Scholar-author Victoria Reyes shares passages from her book, Academic Outsider, as part of her presentation at FWCA 2024.

The in-person conference offered 25 workshops and posters, while the virtual conference offered 25 on-demand workshops and posters, all of which highlighted the presenters’ research. The virtual conference also provided access to livestreams of the eight featured speakers’ presentations, which included three keynotes, two scholar-authors, and three signature leadership panelists.

The Signature Leadership Panel at FWCA 2024 featured Rev. Courtney Buggs as the moderator, as well as Javaune Adams-Gaston, Mari Castañeda, and Mariam Lam as the featured panelists. Posing with them are Menah Pratt and Chatrice Barnes.

The conference partnered with local businesses to serve as vendors throughout the weekend, including D.C. staple Loyalty Books, which supported the authors’ book signings. The conference also provided space for its sponsors to connect with attendees face to face.

On the final evening of the conference, four scholars were presented with the conference’s annual awards :

• The Future of the Academy Award: Charis N. Tucker, Virginia Tech
• The Woman of Excellence Award: Tayloria Adams, University of California, Irvine
• The Zenobia Lawrence Hikes Award for Faculty: Sofiya Alhassan, University of Massachusetts
• The Zenobia Lawrence Hikes Award for Administrators: Paula Groves Price, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University

FWCA 2024 Awards winners Paula Groves Price (front row, second from left), Sofiya Alhassan, Charis N. Tucker, and Tayloria Adams pose with Chatrice Barnes and Menah Pratt in front of the performers from the Evening of Excellence.

The conference also offered holistic support for the participants. Morning yoga was led by Lacretia “Cre” Dye, associate professor and school counseling program coordinator in the Department of Counseling and Student Affairs at Western Kentucky University and registered yoga teacher.

Dye’s sessions were complemented by Angela’s Pulse, an organization that builds communities through performance and embodied methodologies. Lead artist MK Abadoo and creative director/co-founder Paloma McGregor guided participants through exercises focused on grounding oneself in the body.

Lacretia "Cre" Dye leads a large group of women through a yoga class at FWCA 2024.

Lead artist MK Abadoo (left) and creative director/co-founder Paloma McGregor of Angela's Pulse open Friday morning's session with grounding exercises.

“With our largest sponsorship support and highest number of onsite attendees in conference history, FWCA 2024 is one for the history books,” said Chatrice Barnes, director of the national conference at Virginia Tech. “From our exceptional featured speakers to the workshops, vendors, sponsors, and of course, our incredible attendees, this conference is unlike any other.”

Next year’s conference will be held April 10-13, 2025, in Arlington.

For a full overview, please visit the FWCA website .

• Inclusion and Diversity

Related Content

Pentagon chief confirms US pause on weapons to Israel, says support still 'ironclad'

by JACKSON WALKER | The National Desk

WASHINGTON (TND) — Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin confirmed Wednesday the U.S. recently decided to withhold crucial weapons from Israel, saying the move has no bearing on its “ironclad” support of the Jewish state.

U.S. officials were believed to have paused a shipment of bombs to Israel last week to send a “political message” to the country. Defense officials reportedly worried Israel could use the weapons in an assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah.

Austin, while testifying before the Senate Appropriations Committee’s defense subcommittee, assured lawmakers the decision is nothing to worry about.

“Our commitment to Israel’s security is ironclad,” Austin said . “We have flowed billions of dollars of security assistance at a very rapid pace into Israel.”

“We’re going to continue to do what’s necessary to ensure that Israel has the means to defend itself,” the Pentagon chief continued. “But that said, we are currently reviewing some near-term security assistance shipments in the context of unfolding events in Rafah.”

READ MORE | 'Cowards': Anti-Israel protesters vandalize WWI memorial in New York, mayor says

The decision comes at a time when President Joe Biden is facing intense pressure to act on the worsening conflict in Gaza. Biden on Tuesday decried ongoing campus protests in favor of Palestine, saying "antisemitic posters and slogans calling for the annihilation of Israel, the world's only Jewish state” are “absolutely despicable.”

“It must stop,” the president added.

Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., on Tuesday shared outrage after learning of the Biden administration’s decision.

“I strongly disagree with this decision and it should be immediately reversed,” he said, noting such restrictions “should be on Hamas, its enablers, and benefactors” instead of the U.S. ally.

Sen. Fetterman has been a vocal ally of Israel during its war against Hamas, a stance not shared by some of his more progressive colleagues in the Democratic Party.

Follow Jackson Walker on X at @_jlwalker_ for the latest trending national news. Have a news tip? Send it to [email protected].

5 Free Alternatives To Microsoft PowerPoint

M icrosoft PowerPoint has always been the default choice for creating professional meeting briefs or fun little project demonstrations in schools. Its inclusion as a free service for students or working professionals makes it a no-brainer to use. However, for the general public, it can get quite expensive to pay for a subscription just to be able to create simple presentation slides. Although you can subscribe to Microsoft's Office Suite and get more bang for your buck, the pricing still doesn't hit the affordable range for most. 

Fortunately, completion has been growing, and a sea of strong contenders offer similar services to PowerPoint. After considering feature sets, here are five of the best free alternatives to Microsoft PowerPoint. At the end of the article, you can find a detailed explanation of why we've chosen the services, alongside useful comparisons that may help you make your decision easier.

Read more: The 20 Best Mac Apps That Will Improve Your Apple Experience

When it comes to productivity apps, Zoho makes some of the better ones in the market. Zoho Sheet, for example, is one of the best Microsoft Excel alternatives out there  —  owing to its extensive product catalog, there is a great way to view and edit presentations. The aptly named Zoho Show lets you design and demonstrate professional-looking slides, all without having to download the program.

Zoho takes a minimal approach to most of its services, and its PowerPoint application is no different. You'll find that most menus are contextually aware of what tasks you're currently performing, which helps keep unnecessary tools out of the way and bring the important ones in focus. There is also a huge library of customizable templates you can choose from, making it easier to kickstart your presentation work. 

Zoho Show is completely free to use for individuals and offers unlimited cloud storage. No features are locked behind a paywall, and rest assured, you can fully rely on this online presentation-making tool for all your needs, be it for school or work. 

Canva is a service that can easily climb up to becoming everyone's favorite once they start using it. While most applaud it for its graphic designing prowess, there are many other things Canva can do that you probably aren't aware of . Among them is the ability to craft beautiful slides for your presentations and projects. 

By creating a free account, you can access thousands of templates on Canva. You can filter these by use case—maybe you need one for a professional business briefing or a casual one explaining why your pet dog is the best canine. There is a whole section of ready-to-use templates dedicated to mobile-friendly viewing as well, which is something you don't usually find to be as accessible with other tools. 

Like most presentation apps, Canva lets you collaborate with your team members and work across devices seamlessly. The Canva app for mobile also lets you control your slides remotely during your presentation. Some menus also feature AI-featured tools to add one-click enhancements to your slides -- unfortunately, these are locked behind premium subscription tiers. However, for the cent percent of the population, Canva can be used without spending a dime to meet a plethora of creative needs. 

Apple takes great pride in developing in-house solutions to meet every user requirement. While most of its products dominate the competition in popularity, the same cannot be said for Keynote , the company's version of Microsoft PowerPoint. The program was first released in 2003 with macOS Big Sur and has largely remained one of those icons you glance over and forget about. 

However, recent versions of Keynote have made it a compelling alternative to PowerPoint. Not only is it pre-installed on every Apple device, including your iPhone, but it also works best with the iPad touchscreen. Keynote has a largely clean and professional approach to the built-in templates, but nothing is stopping you from going creative. Animations are one of Keynote's strongest suits, allowing you to create near cinematic-looking presentations with just a few clicks. 

While you can still use Apple Keynote through iCloud on Windows devices, this alternative is clearly meant for people surrounded by the walled garden of Apple technology. It makes use of features like AirDrop, Live Photos, and VoiceOver  — all of which are technologies available across Apple devices. Using Apple Keynote is completely free, and the app has easy exporting tools that make working with Microsoft PowerPoint less of a hassle.

WPS Presentation

WPS Office makes some of the best solutions for creating and editing documents on smartphones , but their service offerings extend to Windows, macOS, and even Linux. WPS Presentation is perhaps the closest you'll get to Microsoft PowerPoint in terms of the user interface and how most tools are bundled in familiar locations.

This PowerPoint app offers real-time collaboration where you can invite your team members and work on the same document remotely. Like most collaboration tools, users can leave comments to suggest changes or add information for other people on the team.

WPS Presentation is not the only free product; you can utilize every app in the WPS Office suite. Unlike most competitors, you don't need to download or use a separate mini-app to make presentations. WPS Office has a document editor, PowerPoint creator, spreadsheet manager, and other tools all within its umbrella. Premium plans for this service exist, but they mostly cater to unlocking features for editing PDFs. 

Google Slides

As a netizen, you most likely already have a Google account. Not only is it required to make any meaningful use of your Android phone, but popular services that we take for granted, like Gmail and Drive, all fall under Google's umbrella. One such free service that the tech giant has at its disposal is Google Slides . While the barebones UI might seem lackluster at first, Slides has nearly the same level of functionality as Microsoft PowerPoint and can even be supercharged by add-ons. 

All of Google's workspace apps, such as Docs, Sheets, and Slides, provide an intuitive way to work in a team. You can add comments, use annotations, and share the presentation with limited access to others. You can use one of the many predesigned Google Slides templates for simple presentations , or browse for templates that cater to specific needs. Being part of a bigger service catalog has its obvious advantages, such as seamless integration with Google Meet, Gmail, and other products from Google that you already use. 

We recommend Google Slides to anyone who needs to create and edit PowerPoint presentations on the go and can't be bothered with working in a complicated environment. The service is also available as an app for Android and iOS, and you can export your presentations in a wide range of formats, including PPT, PDF, or PNG for individual slides. 

To Pay Or Not To Pay?

You'll notice that all the services we've mentioned on this list are free to use. In fact, you can use Office 365 apps online for free   — including PowerPoint, which makes purchasing a standalone subscription to the Microsoft PowerPoint app quite redundant. However, nearly every free alternative here short of Keynote also offers premium plans, but should you consider buying one?

For the vast majority of people who are looking for a robust software to create, edit, and share presentations with  —  these free options deliver exceptionally well in every aspect. Some apps like Google Slides and Apple Keynote let you work in smaller teams with the free tier as well. Apps like WPS Office and Canva tend to lock new and exciting features like AI tools behind a paywall, and while these are nice to have, you definitely can do without them. 

If you're looking for a presentation tool for a company with multiple people, you can scale up using any of the alternatives mentioned on this list. Both Google Workspace and Zoho offer reliable and enterprise-level plans you can upgrade to. For everyone else  — enjoy creating and demonstrating your PowerPoint presentations for free.

Read the original article on SlashGear .

Keynote User Guide for Mac

• What’s new in Keynote 14.0
• 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
• 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
• Play a slideshow with multiple presenters
• Add and view presenter notes
• 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

Open or close a Keynote presentation on Mac

You can open presentations saved on your Mac, in iCloud Drive , on connected servers, and in third-party storage providers. If you can’t open a Keynote presentation, make sure that you have the latest version of Keynote from the Mac App Store. If a presentation is dimmed and can’t be selected, it means the presentation can’t be opened by Keynote.

You can open and edit Microsoft PowerPoint presentations (files with a .pptx or .ppt filename extension) in Keynote, then save them as Keynote or PowerPoint presentations.

Open an existing presentation in Keynote

Do any of the following:

Open a presentation on your Mac: For a Keynote presentation, double-click the presentation name or thumbnail, or drag it to the Keynote icon in the Dock or the Applications folder. For a PowerPoint presentation, drag it to the Keynote icon (double-clicking the file opens PowerPoint if you have that app).

Open a presentation you recently worked on: In Keynote, choose File > Open Recent (from the File menu at the top of your screen). Keynote shows up to the last ten presentations you opened.

Open a presentation stored somewhere other than your Mac (such as iCloud Drive): In Keynote, choose File > Open (from the File menu at the top of your screen). In the dialog, click a location in the sidebar on the left, or click the pop-up menu at the top of the dialog, then choose the location where the presentation is saved. Double-click the presentation to open it.

When you open a presentation that uses fonts not installed on your computer, a missing font notification appears briefly at the top of the slide. To see which fonts are missing and to choose replacements, tap the notification or (if the notification is no longer visible) choose Format > Font > Replace Fonts. To learn more, see Replace fonts .

You can use Font Book, available in the Applications folder on your Mac, to install fonts you purchase or download. See the Font Book User Guide for instructions).

Note: Some themes aren’t downloaded to your computer until you choose them or open a presentation that uses one. If your connection is slow or you’re offline when this happens, placeholder images and slide backgrounds in the presentation may appear at a lower resolution until you’re online again or the theme finishes downloading.

Open presentations in tabs

You can have more than one Keynote presentation open at a time. When you work in multiple presentations, it’s helpful to open them in tabs rather than in separate windows—that way, you can move between them by clicking the tabs in the tab bar.

Do one of the following:

Click the “Prefer tabs” pop-up menu, then choose “always” or “in full screen.”

This setting applies not just to Keynote, but also to documents in other applications such as TextEdit, Numbers, and Pages.

Note: If you already have multiple presentations open in separate windows and you want to merge them into a single window with tabs, choose Window > Merge All Windows.

Close a presentation

Close a presentation but keep Keynote open: Click the red close button in the top-left corner of the Keynote window, or press Command-W .

Close the presentation and quit Keynote: Choose Keynote > Quit Keynote (from the Keynote menu at the top of your screen). All of your changes are saved.