[2023] 6 Quick Ways to Convert PDF to Keynote on Mac (Free Incl.)

Rosa Reyes
time January 13, 2023 Preview 136.1K
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PDF is an ISO standardized format widely used across different platforms, it plays a great role in advancing our paperless office. It offers many benefits but it is not an ideal format for your presentations. To create a dynamic and interactive presentation, we’d better use Keynote on Mac. 

But if your PDF files can be used for a Keynote presentation, we can do a conversion to save time on retyping. In this post, we have 6 quick solutions to convert PDF to Keynote, including both online and offline tools, no matter how large your PDF is. Of course, you can directly open or insert a PDF in Keynote on Mac.

Best PDF to Keynote Converter on Mac in 2023: Convert Large/Multiple PDFs to Editable Keynote

For your information, most of the free solutions allow only saving PDF as image in a Keynote file, which is quite inconvenient. So, here we will begin with the best solution to convert PDF to Keynote---using a professional PDF to Keynote Converter, which not only allows to convert PDF to editable Keynote, but also preserves original file quality.

Cisdem PDF Converter OCR, as many users recommend, is a application that converts PDF to Keynote format. Each page in a PDF file can be converted to editable Keynote page, with the original layout, texts, images, tables, columns, etc. accurately maintained. Not only Keynote format, Cisdem supports converting PDF to Pages, Numbers too. With its OCR feature, you can even turn scanned PDF and images into editable Keynote, searchable PDF, Word, Excel, etc.

How to Convert PDF to Editable Keynote on Mac?

  1. Free download and install Cisdem onto your Mac.
    Free Download
  2. Import PDF files for Keynote conversion.
    Once you have run the program on your Mac, go to "Converter", then add multiple files by drag and drop.add files to pdf converter ocr
  3. Adjust the PDF-to-Keynote setting.
    Choose the page range and set the output format as Keynote.
    If you are working on scanned PDF, turn the OCR function ON and choose language before converting PDF to Keynote.convert pdf to keynote on mac 02
    If you work on an image, the OCR feature will be activated by default;
    If you work on a protected PDF, Cisdem can unlock owner-password protected PDF automatically, for user-password encrypted PDF, click on the lock icon to enter password first, then tweak the settings.protected pdf to keynote
  4. Convert PDF to Keynote on Mac.
    Click “Convert” to export PDF as Keynote. Even you upload dozens of files for PDF-to-Keynote conversion, this program can process the conversion very fast. Once the conversion completes, find the well-formatted Keynote file in the output folder.

How to Convert PDF to Keynote Free Offline?

PDF to Keynote is a free program that can easily converts PDF-based presentations into Apple's Keynote format. Since its last update of this program was on August 2009 with version 1.04a, so the program is often called as PDF to Keynote 1.04a. It is lightweight in only 408k.  But you can only save PDF as image format in the program, which means you cannot edit the PDF text in Keynote. 

Though this application isn’t AppStore-signed program, it is safe to use. But for the first time to launch the program, you won’t allowed to launch directly. Find the application in Finder, then right click to open it.

Advantages:

  1. Free
  2. Ease to use
  3. Convert PDF to Keynote fast

Disadvantages:

  1. Quite feature limited
  2. The Keynote output is saved in image format, users can not edit the text
  3. Not highly compatible on newly released MacOS

How to Convert PDF to Keynote Free on Mac?

  • Step 1. Free download the PDF to Keynote converter, install and launch it.
    You can download the program on Harvey Mudd College or Softpedia.free pdf to keynote converter 01
  • Step 2. Click the "File" menu and select "Open..." to upload PDF.
    Notes: If nothing happens even if you have launched the program, right click on the PDF file that you want to convert to Keynote, then choose to open with “PDF to Keynote”.free pdf to keynote converter 02
  • Step 3. Go to "File">"Save To...", then select "Keynote" >"Save" to convert PDF to Keynote format.free pdf to keynote converter 03

How to Convert PDF to Keynote Free Online?

Though there are quite few online PDF to Keynote converters available to perform such a conversion, we still have the choice, which is offered by CleverPDF.

CleverPDF PDF to Keynote is an online PDF to Keynote converter allowing users to save PDF as editable keynote for 100% free. With 3 process, uploading, verifying and download, you will get the Keynote output effortlessly.  Another great benefit of using online PDF to Keynote converter is, users can perform the conversion even on their iPad.

Advantages:

  1. Free
  2. Convert PDF to Editable Keynote

Disadvantages:

  1. Takes time to upload (my 4.4MB file takes about 2 minutes)
  2. Punctuations, fonts, formatting are not highly preserved as original
  3. Need manually adjust the conversion errors (words are not recognized correctly)
  4. Potential risk of information leakage

How to Convert PDF to Keynote Online Free?

  • Step 1. Go to www.cleverpdf.com/pdf-to-keynote.
  • Step 2. Upload PDF files by drag and drop or choose from your Mac/iPad
  • Step 3. Wait for the verifying process
  • Step 4. Click on “Start conversion” to convertconvert pdf to keynote online
  • Step 5. Click “Download” to get the Keynote output.

Easily Import PDF to Keynote on Mac

Are there users who want to know if they can solve this problem in Keynote directly without relying on any third-party tools? Here we offer 2 ways that you can import PDF to Keynote on Mac directly. This type of method is suitable for small files and files with a relatively small number of pages. 

#1 Insert PDF as Images into Keynote

If you are not ready for installing extra PDF to Keynote converter on your Mac, you can utilize Keynote app to convert a PDF to keynote and save as presentation. However, you can only insert PDF as image into Keynote, you cannot edit the embedded PDF image in Keynote.

  1. Launch Keynote application by opening an existing Keynote file on your Mac or iPad.
  2. Click “Add Slide” to create a new Keynote page.insert pdf keynote2
  3. Go to Insert > Choose... and import the PDF you want to save as Keynote.insert pdf into keynote
  4. Once uploaded, edit as needed, then go to File > Save to convert PDF to Keynote.

#2 Import PDF to Keynote by Dragging and Dropping

Another simple way is to directly import the PDF into keynote by dragging and dropping. But if you care about work efficiency and quality, it is still recommended that you use the professional converter mentioned above.

  • Step 1. Launch Mac Keynote. 
    Mac Keynote cannot open PDF directly, you will need to launch Keynote by opening an existing Keynote file. Just click on the file, and Keynote will automatically open the file.
  • Step 2. Open PDF file in Keynote.
    Drag and drop the PDF you want to convert to Keynote to left side where all the Keynote pages are listed in thumbnails. You can move up and down while dragging the PDF to the Keynote. On the right panel, you can choose style, image and arrange icons to tweak the setting of imported PDF.
    To add or delete more PDFs or other existing Keynote pages, just right click on the mouse and choose from the menu.convert pdf to keynote with Keynote 01
  • Step 3. Edit the PDF file in the right panel as needed.pdf to keynote in keynote app
  • Step 4. Then go to File > Save the Keynote file. Your PDF is now converted to Keynote on Mac.

Alternative App to Turn A PDF into A Keynote Presentation

In the case that you want an extra option to convert PDF to Keynote on Mac, there is an alternative PDF to Keynote converter---PDF2Office for iWork.

It is a mac PDF converter app to export native PDF as iWork formats: Numbers, Pages, Keynote. It supports batch conversion. However, you may need to manually adjust the Keynote file after conversion, like the formatting. And it cannot convert scanned PDF to editable Keynote presentation.

Steps to Convert Native PDF to Keynote on Mac with PDF2Office

  1. Download and install PDF2Office onto Mac.
  2. Add PDF files to the program, you can add multiple PDF files at one time.convert pdf to keynote with pdf2office01
  3. Choose Keynote as output.convert pdf to keynote with pdf2office02
  4. Then click Convert button to start PDF to Keynote conversion.

FAQ:

1.Why Need to Convert PDF to Keynote on Mac?

As a slideshow presentation software released by Apple in 2003, Keynote can create high quality presentations, add advanced animation effects and transitions, and insert table/chart/text/shape/media/comments to presentation on Mac freely. 

Through the methods mentioned in the article we learned that, whether inserting PDF as images into keynote or drag and drop PDF page by page to keynote, can not actually change the format of the PDF. This means that we can only edit files in keynote properly if we convert PDF files to Keynote format with a PDF converter.

2.Can Keynote Open PDF Files Directly?

As the picture shows, Keynote cannot directly open PDF files. But if all you need is a way that can open PDF in keynote, then you read part 4 of the article in detail.

Keynote can not open PDF

Conclusion

Today, though cost is still taken into considerations when users pick a program to boost their productivity on work, users are more open to paid dedicated ones that can greatly save their time and efforts. Regarding converting PDF to Keynote, a great part of users prefer to turn to Cisdem PDF to Keynote Converter.

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Rosa Reyes
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Rosa has worked in Mac software industry for more than eight years. She believes that the purpose of software is to make life better and work more productively. In addition to writing, Rosa is also an avid runner.

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Comments (8) Leave a Reply

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  • zen

    Actually, the reason why I tried Cisdem OCRWizard is its ability to convert scanned files into editable keynote files, that's what I need the most.

    6 years ago Reply

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  • optimism.ru

    Thanks for advice!

    6 years ago Reply

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  • Mando

    Wow, it can also make my PDFs to pages. Seems I got a powerful weapon to kill all these annoying conversion problems.

    6 years ago Reply

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  • Martina Taddei

    da keynote a pdf

    7 years ago Reply

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  • Dyson

    By converting PDF to Keynote compatible format, you can use its data to make better presentations.

    7 years ago Reply

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  • Gregory

    Method 3 looks better than others, I will try. Good article.

    7 years ago Reply

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  • William

    Cisdem PDFConverterOCR is great. I was saticfied with its convertion effect. Good article.

    7 years ago Reply

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  • Maston

    Useful article, useful application.

    7 years ago Reply

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