Quick Timeline Creation in Keynote
7 minutes read
Learn how to build timelines in Apple’s Keynote software to tell a story in order. Plus, there’s a video so you can start building Keynote timelines quickly.
Presentations are often built to tell a story. They might showcase how the past connects to the present or the delivery stages of a project. Keynote timelines are the perfect way to show essential sequence milestones.
You need visuals and charts to help you tell the story and drive a message to the audience. Building timeline designs in Keynote is easier than you might think, thanks to pre-built Keynote timeline templates that you can download and use rapidly.
In this tutorial, you’re going to learn how to create excellent Keynote timelines. These timelines can help you link events together in sequential order to tell a compelling story.
How to Create Timelines in Mac Keynote
In this screencast, I’ll show you how to build a timeline using Keynote templates. With a pre-designed Keynote timeline template, you’ll save a lot of time. You can drop in your details much faster than it takes to create one from scratch.
One of the things that you’ll learn in this screencast is the variety of timelines that you can build. Timelines can take on many different shapes, and the template we use will showcase that wide variety.
Want to learn more about using templates for the best possible Keynote timelines? Keep reading the tutorial to see more examples.
How to Customize Timeline Infographic Slides in Keynote
In this tutorial, we’ll use the Timeline 2.0 for Keynote template from Envato Elements. This template focuses on building out timelines efficiently in Keynote. The slides come pre-developed, allowing you to easily add your details to create a successful timeline.
With Timeline 2.0, you have ten different color schemes to choose from. Each of those color schemes has 50 unique slides with different timeline designs. Additionally, there are both animated and non-animated versions of each slide, giving you vast creative flexibility.
You don’t have to use this slide deck on its own. It’s simple to design a timeline slide and paste it into an existing slide deck. The key idea is to start with pre-built slides that already have a timeline structure in place. Let’s learn how to use these to customize your timelines.
The tips in this section were written using macOS Ventura 13.1 and Keynote 12.2.1. If you’ve got a different macOS version or a different version of Keynote, your steps may vary slightly.
5 Excellent Keynote Timeline Slides
Our slide template provides a variety of slide designs, which can be challenging when selecting the right one for your timeline. The trick is to embrace the flexibility that so many options afford you. Let’s take a look at five great Keynote timeline slides in Timeline 2.0 and discuss potential uses for each.
1. Keynote Timeline Slide 48 - “Key” Date Slides
This slide highlights critical dates with a sleek graphic. It is perfect for showcasing pivotal dates in a project that are crucial to its success.
In this example, I’ve updated the starter slide with details of the three key parts of my project. Just double-click in the text boxes and add your details to illustrate a timeline for your work.
2. Keynote Timeline Slide 2 - Project Completion Slides
This timeline template slide is incredibly versatile! It shows major dates and can illustrate the percent completion of each stage.
For projects with multiple objectives running in parallel, slide 2 is an ideal choice. Fill in the circles with the appropriate completion percentages and status descriptions to show the project’s status in real time.
3. Keynote Timeline Slide 29 - Cube Date Slides
This cube date slide (slide 29 in the deck) serves various timeline purposes. In this design, the descriptions that you add will take priority over shapes or graphics, creating a compelling visual timeline.
As always, it’s easy to take a slide with this starting design and insert your details. Update the dates, add milestone details, and voilà! You’ve created an impressive Keynote timeline.
4. Keynote Timeline Slide 36 - Photo-Driven Timeline Slide
This slide shines when you add several photos. It’s perfect for illustrating a project’s progress.
When you open slide 36, you’ll find five photo placeholders that you can use to show the lifespan of a project with real images. Just update the text and add your photos.
5. Keynote Timeline Slide 33 - Month-by-Month Slide
This slide design is ideal for linking milestones in a project with key dates.
The half rings in this slide are perfect for this purpose, allowing you to provide quick descriptions for each milestone. Update the months as needed, and consider using this in a project pitch to secure buy-in.
5 Practical Uses for Timelines
Timelines can be utilized in various scenarios. Here are some practical situations where you might want to create a timeline:
- Job application pitches. Present your past employment experiences using a timeline in Keynote that illustrates how your expertise fits together.
- New project approvals. Lay out a roadmap with key milestones to gain team approval for your project, fostering engagement and agreement.
- Explaining the history of a topic. Use a timeline to highlight key events in a company’s history or any significant topic.
- Predicting the future. Timelines can also be effective for future forecasts or predictions. Highlight key dates along a timeline to indicate important milestones.
- Setting personal goals. Mark the steps needed to reach a major goal by using a timeline.
Whether showcasing the past or projecting the future, a timeline effectively illustrates how events fit together to tell a coherent story. A Keynote template can be one of the best tools for building your timeline.
The Best Source for Top Keynote Timeline Templates
You can create a Keynote timeline manually, but it may take too much time and might not yield the best results. Instead, utilize a Keynote timeline template with pre-built designs!
Simply select a Keynote timeline template that suits your style, and substitute the placeholders with your project specifics.
Find Keynote Timelines here .
Using a premium Keynote timeline template from Envato Elements will save you precious time. You won’t have to build timeline designs from scratch—just fill in your key details, and in seconds, you can create a visual timeline.
Envato Elements offers a vast selection of expertly crafted designs that will impress your audience. With flexible layouts and themed slide decks, you can easily customize a premium Keynote roadmap template.
5 (More) Creative Keynote Timeline Templates
There are many options available for building your Keynote timeline graphics. Here are additional templates offered by Envato Elements:
1. Timeline Keynote Template
This template includes 30 slides for timeline graphics, allowing for a wide variety of designs and color schemes to craft your timeline efficiently.
2. Travel Keynote Template
The Travel template offers numerous slide designs that are easy to work with, featuring timeline slides that effectively chain events together.
3. Rubick Keynote Template
Rubick is a bold template that provides various timeline graphics and design options, making it one of the top choices for those looking to create a timeline quickly.
4. Crown Keynote Template
Crown emphasizes simplicity, with light and airy slides that allow your content to stand out. The bold timelines are easily customizable.
5. Startup Infographic Keynote Template
A startup often requires bold graphics, and this Keynote timeline package includes slides that effectively showcase your growth journey.
For more templates that cater to all your Keynote needs, check out the round-up below:
35 Best Keynote Presentation Templates
Conclusion
Now that you have learned how to create a visual timeline in Keynote, it’s time to put your knowledge into action. Open your presentation and start crafting a timeline that tells a compelling story. You’re sure to love the results and create an engaging experience for your audience.
Editorial Note: This post was originally published in 2018. It has been revised to add extra tips and examples by our staff.