Apple Keynote App Advantage
7 minutes read
Apple Keynote has set the standard for presentations ever since it first came out, but PowerPoint has remained the presentation app most businesses use by default. Here’s a look at the Keynote design features that make it far superior to PowerPoint, and how you can save time and get more done by switching to Apple’s presentations app.
The Keynote vs PowerPoint Landscape
For creating presentations, there are only two serious options on the market today: Microsoft’s PowerPoint and Apple’s Keynote. While Google Slides is an emerging choice, it’s almost expected that you’ll use one of these two to make a presentation.
Even though PowerPoint is the most commonly used app—its name is even synonymous with presentations—it may not be the best app for creating them.
We’ve discussed ways to make basic presentations with just text and images in any app, and explored web apps that make it easy to craft unique presentations. But when it comes to traditional presentations, there’s nothing quite like Keynote. It’s simpler, easier to use, and more cross-compatible than PowerPoint.
Let’s explore the significant advantages Keynote has over PowerPoint and why you should consider switching to Keynote for your next traditional presentation.
Take Your Keynote Presentations Everywhere
In today’s world, many individuals are replacing their computers with iPhones or iPads. Accessing, editing, or presenting a PowerPoint presentation from your iOS device can be challenging. While Microsoft’s mobile apps have improved, they often feel like a secondary solution to their desktop counterpart.
With Keynote, you have a full-featured way to create, edit, and present from anywhere. The iOS apps include nearly every feature available on the desktop app, and best of all, they’re free!
Another great feature is the web browser version of Keynote, which is also available for free. It’s powerful because it retains all the features you’d expect from a desktop app, allowing you to keep working seamlessly across devices.
The majority of Keynote’s features are consistent across all versions of the app, enabling you to create your presentation on your Mac, edit it on your iPad, and maintain the same quality throughout. Just remember to use default fonts to ensure compatibility across devices, but otherwise, you’ll find that Keynote for iPad is fully featured.
A significant strength of Apple’s approach to “edit your presentation anywhere” is the integration of iCloud. This cloud storage service is deeply embedded in both macOS and iOS, facilitating smooth transitions between devices.
If you want to create a presentation and keep it on one device, PowerPoint will suffice. However, if you desire perfect fidelity across your Mac, iPad, and even a PC or Chromebook, Keynote is the ideal app for you.
Keynote Presentations Are Easily Shareable
Imagine you’ve delivered an impactful presentation that your peers appreciated. One of the common follow-up questions might be, “Where can we find this presentation online?”
A significant advantage of Keynote is its ability to quickly export your presentation to HTML, effectively turning it into an interactive website. This makes it easy for anyone to access, even without the app installed.
Here’s how to create an HTML version of your Keynote presentation:
- Open your presentation.
- Tap the File menu, then select the Export To submenu, and choose HTML.
- Select a location on your Mac’s hard drive to save the files.
- After saving, upload these files to your preferred web server, like Dropbox, which allows you to create publicly shareable links.
- Send the link to the generated index.html file or share it online.
When testing this feature, you’ll find that most presentation features translate well to the browser. Apple ensures that Keynote exports functional HTML pages that work seamlessly.
Export to Other Formats
If you’re trying to persuade others to collaborate on your Apple Keynote presentation, you might face some resistance. Perhaps they don’t have Keynote installed or prefer not to use a Mac.
Keynote has features specifically designed to help bridge the gap with other users. Besides exporting your presentation as a webpage, you can also export it as a PowerPoint file, video, and more.
To learn more about exporting your Keynote presentation to various formats, check out our guide here:
Share Your Keynote Presentation Online
In addition to the HTML export option, you can also share your presentation in real-time using Keynote Live. This feature is particularly useful when your audience can’t join you in person.
With Keynote Live, you act as a broadcaster. As you advance through your slides, your audience’s view changes accordingly. You can use features like password protection for sensitive topics, and viewers on iOS devices can also join your presentation.
Learn how to use Apple Keynote Live by checking out this tutorial:
Keynote’s Simplicity Is Its Advantage
One of the obvious advantages of the Apple Keynote app is its user-friendly interface. While PowerPoint offers a multitude of features on the ribbon, Keynote emphasizes essential tools in its default interface.
Keynote excels in user-friendliness. Options and tools are unobtrusive, allowing you to focus on creating your presentation.
Despite having similar features to PowerPoint, Keynote’s streamlined approach makes it significantly less overwhelming.
Simple Charts and Graphs
In a data-driven world, most presentations feature charts and graphs to convey information effectively. Keynote simplifies the creation of high-quality charts and graphs, even for beginners.
To start, click on the Chart icon in the menu. You’ll see intuitive presets for presenting data. Select one to begin, then click Edit Chart Data. The pop-up menu displays an embedded spreadsheet where you can input your data, instantly reflecting the changes in the graph.
While PowerPoint includes advanced charting tools, Keynote stands out for its user-friendly customization options. By selecting a chart and choosing the Format option, you can easily customize it on the right side of Keynote—just point, click, and modify!
Intuitive and Easy Animations
Animations often become complicated in PowerPoint. Although there are numerous animation options, adding more than a couple can lead to confusion regarding sequencing and options.
Keynote simplifies this process. You can select any object you want to animate (text, charts, graphs, etc.) and click Animate to choose an animation effect.
Keynote maintains simplicity while offering advanced functionality. You can learn everything you need to know about Keynote through our complete tutorial guide. Alternatively, check out the following tutorials to master animations:
- How to Add Animations in Apple Keynote (Complete Guide)
- Keynote Magic Move: How to Use Slide Transition Effects
The Best Source for Apple Keynote Designs
Wondering how to create outstanding Keynote presentations? Don’t hesitate to utilize the expertise of others. With talented graphic designers and Envato Elements, you have access to everything you need to create an exceptional Keynote presentation.
While Keynote comes with built-in templates, they can often be bland and overused. Leveraging high-quality templates can distinguish your presentation from the crowd, providing all necessary placeholders.
One of my favorite Keynote designs from Elements is the Magazine Keynote template. This template is one of the thousands included in the flat-rate Elements subscription.
Never used a template before? Here’s a simple way to build your presentation. Let’s customize a slide from the template.
The Magazine template is straightforward, ready for adaptation. Let’s customize slide 5.
First, add an image to the slide. You can source an image from the Envato Elements collection (also part of your subscription!) and simply drag and drop it into the image placeholder.
Next, replace the text in the placeholder boxes with your content. That’s all there is to it!
In just a few steps, this slide was customized to include our content, demonstrating the flexibility of templates.
To explore some of the best Apple Keynote designs, check out the collection below:
Why Apple Keynote Is the Right Presentation Tool
Let’s recap the advantages of the Apple Keynote app:
- Accessibility: Keynote is available on your Mac, iPhone, iPad, or virtually any computer with a web browser through iCloud. The apps are fully featured.
- Cross-compatibility: Keynote allows for sharing presentations as web pages, PDFs, or videos.
- Ease of use: Keynote’s minimalist interface and feature set help you focus on building your presentation without unnecessary distractions.
These reasons illustrate why Keynote is the clear choice for presentation software on your Mac or iPad—and even for PC users with an iCloud account. It’s simpler, more efficient, and allows you to concentrate on creating an impactful presentation.