Keynote is your go-to tool for creating stunning, interactive presentations on any Apple device.
Keynote offers an intuitive design experience with real-time collaboration, making it ideal for team projects. Its rich themes and dynamic backgrounds add a professional touch to presentations. Despite some limitations like Windows compatibility and storage use, its pros outweigh the cons, especially for Apple users.
Unlock the Power of Presentations with Keynote: Dive into our comprehensive review to explore its game-changing features, real-time collaboration, and why it’s the ultimate choice for Apple users. Plus, get the lowdown on its few limitations. Read on to make your slideshows truly unforgettable!
Read further to learn more about Keynote, in our review we will detail its features, pros and cons with our rating, and a conclusion about why you should use it.
Click on “open” if you want to see exactly what we will talk about in the rest of this article.
Keynote is a presentation software developed by Apple Inc. as part of its iWork productivity suite. Initially released in 2003 for macOS and later for iOS and iPadOS, the software allows users to create slideshows incorporating text, images, and multimedia elements. Keynote is known for its user-friendly interface and high-quality graphics and transitions.
It supports a variety of languages and is compatible with other presentation software like Microsoft PowerPoint. The software has undergone several updates, with the latest version offering features like dynamic backgrounds, Apple Pencil hover support on compatible iPads, and the ability to view Keynote Live presentations in a web browser.
Keynote specifications
Features
Add Video, Music, or Image / Dynamic Content / Handwriting to Text / Pre-Built Templates / Presenting / Ready to use templates / Real-time Collaboration / Templates and Customization / Video Conferencing / Visual Interactions
Best suited for
Individuals, Freelancers, Small businesses, Mid size businesses
Website languages
Arabic / Brasil / Chinese / Danish / Dutch / English / Finnish / French / German / Hebrew / Italian / Japanese / Korean / Polish / Portuguese / Spanish / Swedish
Keynote is available at no cost for users of Apple devices, including Mac, iPad, and iPhone. While the software was previously priced at up to $20, it is now completely free.
Keynote offers a robust suite of features designed to make your presentations stand out. From real-time collaboration across multiple devices to dynamic backgrounds that captivate your audience, the software provides a range of tools for both novice and expert users.
Whether you’re looking to add live video feeds, create seamless video playback, or even make your presentations more accessible, Keynote has got you covered.With additional functionalities like handwriting-to-text conversion, background removal, and video conference support, you have everything you need to create, present, and collaborate effectively.
Real-Time Collaboration
Keynote allows multiple users to collaborate on a presentation in real-time. You can see changes as they happen, and notifications alert you when someone joins, edits, or comments on the presentation. This feature is available across Mac, iPad, and iPhone.
Dynamic Backgrounds
This feature lets you add stunning color and visual interest to your slides. You can create motion on a title or closing slide for a bold statement, and keep viewers engaged with subtle movement throughout the presentation.
Live Video Feeds
You can add live video feeds from the built-in camera on Mac, iPad, or iPhone directly into any slide. This is particularly useful for remote presentations, how-to videos, and lectures.
Outline Mode
Available for iPhone and iPad, this feature allows you to quickly jot down your thoughts, restructure ideas, and move concepts from slide to slide. Once you’re done outlining, you can switch to slide view for designing.
Seamless Video Playback
Keynote allows videos and movies to play continuously across slides. You can change the position, size, or rotation, and the video will animate seamlessly. The audio can even fade between slides or adjust when there is dialogue or voiceover.
Handwriting to Text
With iPadOS and Apple Pencil, your handwriting will automatically transform into typed text. This is useful for jotting down quick notes or scribbling a date without interrupting your workflow.
Background Removal
This feature allows you to easily remove backgrounds from supported images and even live videos. You can also adjust the backgrounds to your liking.
Video Conference Support
Keynote for Mac delivers a seamless experience over video conferences. You can play a slideshow in its own window, allowing you to access other apps while you present. Presenter notes, current and upcoming slides, and slide navigation can be viewed in a separate window.
Accessibility Descriptions
You can add accessibility descriptions to images, image galleries, movies, and audio to make your presentation more accessible to people using assistive technology.
Custom Themes
Create themes to use as a model for new presentations, and access them on any device using iCloud. This feature allows for a consistent look and feel across different presentations.
Dark Mode
Enable Dark Mode to give Keynote a dramatic dark look, which can help emphasize your content.
Interactive Presentations
Turn text, images, shapes, lines, arrows, videos, and more into links. During a presentation, you can tap these links to open web pages, jump to other slides, or exit the slideshow.
Math Equations
You can add elegance to your mathematical equations using LaTeX or MathML notation, making it easier to include complex formulas in your presentation.
Trackpad and Mouse Support on iPad
Use Keynote with Magic Keyboard, Magic Mouse, or Magic Trackpad for a new way to work with your presentations on an iPad.
Web Videos
Embed a video from YouTube or Vimeo and play it directly in your presentations, eliminating the need to download or open the video in a separate media player.
Using Keynote for your presentations offers a range of benefits, including a user-friendly interface, real-time collaboration features, and a variety of eye-catching themes and cinematic transitions. The software also allows for dynamic backgrounds, live video feeds, and seamless video playback, elevating the visual appeal and interactivity of your slides. However, there are some drawbacks to consider.
Keynote’s compatibility with Windows software is limited, which could be a hindrance in a mixed-device environment. Additionally, the presentations can consume a significant amount of storage space, sometimes necessitating the use of iCloud, which comes with its own set of limitations.Overall, Keynote is a powerful tool for Apple users but may present challenges for those in more diverse tech ecosystems.
Pros
User-Friendly Interface: Keynote is known for its intuitive design, making it easy for users of all skill levels to create professional-looking presentations.
Real-Time Collaboration: The software allows multiple users to work on a presentation simultaneously, facilitating teamwork and efficiency.
High-Quality Graphics and Transitions: With cinematic transitions and dynamic backgrounds, Keynote presentations are visually appealing.
Interactivity: Features like live video feeds and interactive links make presentations more engaging for the audience.
Cons
Limited Windows Compatibility: Keynote is not as compatible with Windows software, which can be a drawback in mixed-device settings.
Storage Consumption: Presentations can take up a significant amount of storage space, especially for more complex projects.
iCloud Limitations: For those who need to use iCloud for storage, the resources can be quite limited, affecting the ease of work.
