presentation tool for mac

Presentations that stand out. Beautifully.

With its powerful tools and dazzling effects, Keynote makes it easy to create stunning and memorable presentations, and comes included with most Apple devices. Use Apple Pencil on your iPad to create diagrams or illustrations that bring your slides to life. And with real‑time collaboration, your team can work together, whether they’re on Mac, iPad, iPhone, or a PC.

See what’s new in Keynote

Present your story. Your way.

Keynote sets the stage for an impressive presentation. A simple, intuitive interface puts important tools front and center, so everyone on your team can easily add beautiful charts, edit photos, and incorporate cinematic effects. And Rehearse Mode lets you practice on the go, with the current or next slide, notes, and clock — all in one view.

Start with a gorgeous layout.

Choose from over 40 eye‑catching themes that instantly give your presentation a professional look. Or create your own slide designs, background images, and page‑by‑page customization.

Create next-level animations.

Add drama to your presentation with more than 100 cinematic transitions and effects. Make your words pop by adding textures, color gradients, and even photos — with just a tap. And animate objects along a path using Apple Pencil or your finger on your iPhone or iPad.

Make every slide spectacular.

Add subtle movement to your slides with dynamic backgrounds. Illustrate your point with over 700 Apple-designed shapes, or add photos, videos, music, image galleries, and charts. Easily remove backgrounds from supported images and live videos or manually refine adjustments as needed. You can even use your iPhone to take a photo or scan a document, and Continuity Camera can send it straight to Keynote on your Mac.

What’s new in Keynote.

Learn about everything you can do in Keynote

Get the updates. Then get in touch.

Stay up to date when people join, edit, or comment in collaborative presentations and easily get in touch with your team using Messages and FaceTime.

Get more done on iPad.

Quickly insert objects, find settings, and get to your favorite tools with the customizable toolbar. And Stage Manager makes it easy to multitask across multiple presentations and apps at the same time. 1

Make backgrounds disappear.

Now you can more easily remove backgrounds from supported images — and even live videos — or adjust them to your liking.

Add live video feeds to any slide.

Appear in a window, right on your slides, with a picture-in-picture display during remote presentations. Or include a live feed of your iPhone or iPad screen to show off apps.

Get started with dynamic themes.

Start with one of three beautiful new animated themes, then customize it to set the tone for each slide with 18 adjustable background presets — from understated to highly visual, monochrome to colorful, calm to energetic.

Captivate your audience with dynamic backgrounds.

Make your presentation stand out by adding stunning color and visual interest to your slides. Create motion on a title or closing slide for a bold statement, and keep viewers engaged with subtle movement throughout the presentation.

Present with your team. Seamlessly.

For slideshows with multiple presenters, you can take turns controlling a single deck — from anywhere — on Mac, iPad, and iPhone.

Play YouTube and Vimeo videos right in Keynote.

Embed a video from YouTube or Vimeo, then play it right in your presentations, without the need to download or open the video in a media player. 2

Present over video conference. Like a pro.

Play a slideshow in its own window so you can access other apps while you present. You can view your presenter notes, upcoming slides, and navigation in a separate window as well.

Outline your presentation. Easier.

With outline view for iPhone and iPad, quickly jot down your thoughts, restructure ideas, and move concepts from slide to slide. Then switch to slide view and start designing.

Present like never before. From anywhere.

With Keynote, presenting remotely can be just as seamless as presenting in person. Say goodbye to saying “Next slide, please” — now multiple people can present together, even remotely, with each person taking control of their section of the deck. Add a live video feed of yourself to any slide for a picture-in-picture experience. Or when presenting on your Mac, include a live feed of your iPhone or iPad screen to walk through your apps. You can even play a slideshow in its own window, so you can simultaneously access your notes and other apps.

Any presentation. Any device. Anytime.

You don’t work in one place on just one device. The same goes for Keynote. Work seamlessly across all your Apple devices. The slides you create using a Mac or iPad will look the same on an iPhone or web browser — and vice versa.

You can also work on presentations stored on iCloud or Box using a PC.

Start using Keynote at iCloud.com

Create and present together. Even when apart.

Work together in the same presentation, from across town or across the world. You can see your team’s edits as they make them — and they can watch as you make yours, too. You can even get notifications when people join, edit, or comment. When presenting as a team, you can also take turns controlling a single deck from anywhere.

Use Apple Pencil when inspiration strikes.

Add color, illustrations, and handwritten comments for more beautiful presentations with Apple Pencil on your iPad.

Plays well with Office.

Teaming up with someone who uses Microsoft PowerPoint? Keynote makes it a great working relationship. You can save Keynote presentations as PowerPoint files. Or import and edit PowerPoint presentations right in Keynote.

Learn more about Microsoft PowerPoint compatibility

See everything that’s new in Keynote

• What’s new in Keynote for iPhone and iPad
• What’s new in Keynote for Mac
• Keynote for iCloud release notes

Additional Resources

• Get Keynote support
• Learn about Microsoft Office compatibility
• Learn about collaboration for Pages, Numbers, and Keynote
• Use Keynote in a video conference app

Keynote User Guides

• Keynote User Guide for Mac
• Keynote User Guide for iPad
• Keynote User Guide for iPhone
• Keynote User Guide for Web

Build spreadsheets that are bottom-line brilliant.

Create documents that are, in a word, beautiful.

• Apple Pencil
• Apple Watch
• All Smart TVs

In This Article

15 software used for mac presentation, 6 online presentation software for mac, does mac have presentation software, how do you create a presentation on mac, is there a mac version of powerpoint, is powerpoint better than keynote, let your presentation talk, related articles, 15 best presentation software for mac [reviewed & ranked].

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Updated on: February 08, 2024

Presentations are integral to any design: how else would you explain your idea to your client or team? People tend to leave presentations as the last possible step of their process and don’t give them as much time and attention as they need.

If you are a designer, architect, artist, businessman, or any other person that regularly makes subpar presentations, take your game to the next level with some of the best presentation software for mac !

You don’t want to download or install any App? Then check these 6 online presentation software for mac .

Here is some of the best presentation software for Mac that you can use to make your ideas and design extraordinary:

Price: Free Best for: Mac users

Keynote is one of the top presentation software for Mac and comes included with most Apple devices.

With its stunning features and powerful tools, you can bring your slides to life and create the most effective presentations for your clients or your boss.

• Best in-built presentation software for Mac
• Simple and intuitive
• Poor compatibility with windows presentation software
• Presentations can take too much storage
• Does not have as many editing tools as PowerPoint

2. FlowVella

Price: Free (limited version) or $10/month Best for: Mac users

This presentation software is excellent to combine words, images, videos, links, PDFs, and other media into a presentation.

This way, having an interactive presentation is easy.

It’s oriented towards marketing, HR professionals, and sales teams.

• Great Drag & Drop Feature
• Dozens of free templates
• You have to buy the software to use all the features and tools

3. Prezi for Mac

Price: Free (limited version) or starting at $10/month Best for: Mac users

Prezi for Mac is another great Mac presentation software that lets you create dynamic presentations. It has a trial version of 14 days.

The bad thing about making presentations is choosing a video or image to put into it. But not with Prezi.

Prezi is a leader in the video presentation movement and allows you to make the most interactive slides for your presentation.

• Great User Interface
• Zoom and overview feature
• Integration with Zoom Software
• It takes time and practice to learn how to work on Prezi.
• Not easy for beginners.

Price: Starting at $35 Best for: Mac users

Deckset is a unique presentation software that lets you put your ideas and thoughts into it and makes the slides for you.

This is great for people that want to spend less time and energy making slides for their presentation but is only for text-based presentations.

It includes a trial version to try before purchasing the complete presentation software.

• It designs your slides for you, taking off most of the pressure of creating a presentation
• Trial Version
• It is a very costly software to buy

5. PowerPoint

Price: Free (With a Microsoft 365 subscription) Best for: Mac users

PowerPoint for Mac is old but gold.

It is one of the oldest presentation software and allows you to create beautiful slides with multiple templates of your choice.

This software has many tools and features that make the presentation process fun and easy.

• Easy and simple to use
• Multiple free templates
• Lack of creativity in the included templates
• Display Compatibility issues

6. LibreOffice’s Impress

In this software for Mac, multiple editing and viewing modes make the process of editing and creating slides versatile and interactive.

This software is great for presentations that are mostly text-based.

• Free software
• It does not put a lot of strain on your system
• Not very good user interface
• Lack of integration with other presentation software

7. iSkySoft Slideshow Maker

Price: $59.95 Lifetime Best for: Mac users

iSkyDoft Slideshow Maker has to be one of the best presentation software for Mac.

It allows the user to add text, photos, and videos to the slides and music, which makes the entire experience of watching a presentation even better.

This presentation software can be used to beautifully commemorate an event, activity, design process, or team activity in one file.

Moreover, the software also has a ton of features and aftereffects that can be added to make the presentation even better.

• Easy-to-use interface with a ton of incredible features
• It has a steep subscription fee that might not be good for beginners or one-time users

8. Focusky 3D

Price: starting at $9.9 Best for: Mac users

If you want to make a presentation on your desktop but also want it to work on other devices, such as your phone or tablet, Focusky is the perfect software for you.

Focusky is a powerful 3D presentation software for Mac with a wide range of tools that allows you to customize your presentation according to your taste.

to customize your presentation according to your taste.

• It works great offline and doesn’t require any internet
• Powerful export functionality (slides into gift/flash)
• Unexciting slide visual effects
• It requires a bit of learning before you can successfully use it

9. TouchCast Pitch

TouchCast Pitch is one of the presentation software that you automatically gravitate towards when you want to make a meaningful, impactful, and interactive presentation.

Pitch turns boring presentations into winning experiences that make it hard to forget.

• It has a huge library of tools and interesting features for your use
• A bit hard to learn and teach students

If you’re trying to make a presentation in less time with the least effort and still hoping it will come out beautiful, Canva is the perfect software to use.

With its extensive features and tools, the software allows you to edit, customize, and create your slides for presentation in record time.

• It is free, simple, and has a good user interface.
• It allows you to create stunning designs in mere minutes
• It is not a specific software for presentations.
• It does not have as many interesting features as other presentation software

Price: Free or $8/month Best for: Mac users

If the presentations that Pitch lets you make are half as interactive and fun as their website, there is no better software for Mac to do presentations.

It has multiple great tools, effects, templates, and designs available for you to use for your presentation or get inspired to create your own.

• Team Collaboration feature
• Great Support Team
• It has a bit of a learning curve, especially for a beginner
• A limited selection of templates

12. WPS Office for Mac

Price: Free (limited version) or $ 25.21 / year Best for: Mac users

WPS Office must be the essential software on your desktop, whether it is Windows or Mac.

The WPS Office for Mac has all the features and tools that let you document your process and create some of the simplest and easiest presentations for your work meetings and project discussions.

• It allows for collaboration
• Easy documentation
• It doesn’t have a lot of tools for PDF editing or grammar-check for text

13. Premast Plus

Price: Free or $5.99/month Best for: Mac users

If you are a designer, or any other creative folk, looking for beautiful graphic presentation software, there is none better than Premast Plus.

It gives you a wide range of tools, templates, illustrations, and icons to use for your presentation to make it the best you can!

• Very simple
• Wide Range of rich templates
• A lot of the tools and features of this software are available only after you purchase a subscription
• A bit unstable.

14. Movavi Slideshow Maker

Price: Free Trial or $37 Best for: Mac users

Movavi Slideshow Maker is great for unconventional presentations as it lets you add images, videos, text, music, transitions, and effects to your file.

It allows you to create a movie out of your work, making the entire presentation fun and engaging.

• It has great and simple user-interface
• It lacks a lot of features and does not have the tools for professional editing and presentation-making

15. Propresenter – Church Presentations

Price: starting at $399 Best for: Mac users

Propresenter is a church presentation software for Mac that allows you to create a beautiful presentation for a sermon.

It can include worship lyrics, sermon notes, videos, images, etc., to create an impactful and powerful presentation.

The best thing about this software is that it is excellent for beginners.

• Perfect presentation software for church
• It has all the tools that you might need to add music, lyrics, sermon, and text.
• Very expensive software and only best for professionals

1. Slidesbean

Slidesbean is an innovative online presentation software for Mac that does most of the heavy lifting while making the presentation.

It has great features and interactive tools that offer everything you need to build the perfect pitch for your presentation!

Great for entrepreneurs who want to create a beautiful pitch deck.

• Great analytics
• The templates look great
• The result looks very professional
• Videos have to be uploaded to third-party platforms
• The AI feature is not too helpful
• Export for PowerPoint only exports as image

2. Renderforest

Looking for a great online presentation software for Mac that allows you to create stunning videos, animations, branding, mockups, presentations, and more?

Renderforest is the perfect site for beginners and professionals.

• High quality & professional looking templates
• Mind-blowing animations
• Video templates look great
• Free version available
• Limited customization
• Can be a bit pricy
• No iOS or Android app
• Video render time can take long

3. Zoho Show

The great thing about this online presentation software for Mac is that it allows for a group/team to collaborate on the process of creating a presentation.

It is a clean, simple, and easy software that makes creating presentations seamless and simple.

• Includes infographics
• Supports real-time collaboration
• It has good template designs
• It has a Chrome web browser extension that makes it easier to work on the slides.
• It allows broadcasting presentations
• Easy-to-use transitions
• Interface can be a bit slow on low-end devices
• Interface could be better
• No desktop App available

Visme is a fan favorite for brands, big and small, to create stunning presentations.

It has numerous templates and color pallets to choose from that make the entire process of making a presentation easy.

• Allows you to create a brand identity with “My brand” feature
• Disk capacity and usage limit can be low on basic and free plans
• No support for collaborators
• Learning curve
• Free version is way too limited
• The interface could be better

5. Google Slides

Google Slides is the most popular online presentation software that is used by millions worldwide.

It provides the basic tools and features necessary to create a striking presentation.

• Fast and easy to use
• Includes real-time collaborative mode
• It’s free
• Connected with Google services like Google Drive
• It doesn’t support non-Google-based fonts
• Limited templates
• Limited transitions and animations
• It won’t provide support for audio imports

Slides are one of the online presentation software that makes your presentation look extremely sleek and professional.

It is a must for all designers and project managers!

If you need to bring project management to the next level, then you must check out the best project management software for Mac .

• Supports custom HTML and CSS
• Supports two directions (vertical & horizontal)
• Smooth and fast interface
• Supports LaTeX
• It doesn’t provide templates
• It doesn’t support PowerPoint exports

Mac has a presentation software already preinstalled in all Apple devices called Keynote. It is completely free and it allows you to create stunning presentations for school projects, your business, your office, etc. It is available for Mac, iPhone, iPad, and even for PCs.

Keynote includes real-time collaboration with your team, which is an essential feature now that everything is done online.

You can create a presentation on Mac with the help of Keynote. To create a keynote presentation follow these 3 steps:

• Choose a theme.
• Add your content to the placeholder images and texts.
• Create a presentation from the slides.

Yes. Microsoft PowerPoint is available for download on Mac and your phone, tablet, or PC, but you would need a Microsoft 365 subscription on your device to use it on Mac. The software isn’t identical to the Windows one but is quite similar with only a few minor differences in menu and layout.

Where PowerPoint is the most common presentation software for everyone worldwide, Keynote has been declared a better presentation software for Mac users, especially for professionals.

But if you are looking for a variety of editing tools, features, and templates for your presentation, there is nothing that trumps PowerPoint.

Creating a powerful presentation is an essential part of your strategy, whether you are a businessman, a designer, an architect, or a project manager.

It would be best if you had a presentation that doesn’t bore your audience and manages to convey all the key information in the best possible way.

All the software mentioned above are some of the most extraordinary presentation software for Mac and can help you create a memorable presentation.

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Juwairiah Zia

Juwairiah Zia is a seasoned professional, a full stack developer and writer in her free time. She’s deeply immersed in various tech domains such as web and mobile application development and mentorship.

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The best presentation software

These powerpoint alternatives go beyond the basics..

The latest presentation apps have made it easier than ever to format slides and create professional-looking slideshows without giving off a "this is a template" vibe. Even standard PowerPoint alternatives have updated key features to make it easier than ever to collaborate and create presentations quickly, so you can spend more time prepping for your actual presentation.

If, like me, you've been using Google Slides unquestioningly for years, it's a whole new world out there. The newest crop of online presentation tools go way beyond the classic slideshow experience, with new features to keep your audience's attention, streamline the creation process with AI, and turn slide decks into videos and interactive conversations.

I've been testing these apps for the past few years, and this time, I spent several days tinkering with the top presentation software solutions out there to bring you the best of the best.

Beautiful.ai for AI-powered design

Prezi for non-linear, conversational presentations

Powtoon for video presentations

Genially for interactive, presenter-less presentations

Pitch for collaborating with your team on presentations

Zoho Show for a simple presentation app

Gamma for generative AI features

What makes the best presentation app?

How we evaluate and test apps.

Our best apps roundups are written by humans who've spent much of their careers using, testing, and writing about software. Unless explicitly stated, we spend dozens of hours researching and testing apps, using each app as it's intended to be used and evaluating it against the criteria we set for the category. We're never paid for placement in our articles from any app or for links to any site—we value the trust readers put in us to offer authentic evaluations of the categories and apps we review. For more details on our process, read the full rundown of how we select apps to feature on the Zapier blog .

When looking for the best presentation apps, I wanted utility players. After all, slideshows are used for just about everything, from pitch decks and product launches to class lectures and church sermons. With that in mind, here's what I was looking for:

Pre-built templates. The best presentation tools should have attractive, professional-looking templates to build presentations in a hurry.

Sharing and collaboration options. Whether you plan to share your webinar slides later, or you just want to collaborate with a coworker on a presentation, it should be easy to share files and collaborate in real-time.

Flexibility and customization options. Templates are great, but top presentation apps should enable you to customize just about everything—giving you the flexibility to build exactly what you need.

Affordability. Creating compelling presentations is important, but you shouldn't have to bust your budget to make it happen. With capable free tools on the market, affordability is a top consideration.

Standalone functionality. There's no reason to use multiple tools when one can do it all, so I didn't test any apps that require and work on top of another presentation app like PowerPoint or Google Slides.

Familiar, deck-based UI. For our purposes here, I only tested software that uses slides, with the familiar deck-based editor you expect from a "presentation" tool (versus, for example, a video creation app).

While many apps now offer AI features in one way or another, I found many of these features to be lacking still—they're often slow, struggle to pull in relevant imagery, and yield wildly inconsistent designs. For that reason, I opted not to make AI features a strict requirement (for now!), and I've still included apps that don't offer AI. (Of course, if you opt for one of those, you can still easily get AI-generated images from a separate tool and copy them into your presentation app of choice.)

Beyond that, I also looked for presentation apps that brought something unique to the table—features above and beyond what you can get for free from a legacy solution like PowerPoint or Google Slides. (And I opted not to test any brand new apps that are still in beta, since there are so many established options out there.)

Here's what my testing workflow looked like:

I went through any onboarding or guided tutorials.

I created a new deck, scanning through all available templates, noting how well-designed they were (and which were free versus paid).

I added new slides, deleted slides, edited text and images, and played around with other content types.

I changed presentation design settings, like color schemes and background images.

I reviewed and tested the sharing and collaboration options.

I tested out presenter view (when available).

After my first round of testing, I went back into the top performers to test any unique or niche features like AI, brand settings, interactive content, and more. With that, these are the best presentation apps I found—each one really brings something different or radically easy to the table.

The best presentation software: at a glance

The best free presentation software, canva (web, windows, mac, android, ios).

Canva pros:

Excellent free plan

Tons of amazing templates for all use cases

Feature-rich

Canva cons:

The Magic Design AI tool is still inconsistent and not super impressive

Canva offers one of the most robust free plans of all the presentation apps I tested. The app delays account creation until after you've created your first design, so you can get started building your presentation in seconds. Choose from an almost overwhelming number of beautiful templates (nearly all available for free), including those designed specifically for education or business use cases.

Anyone who's accidentally scrolled too far and been bumped to the next slide will appreciate Canva's editor interface, which eliminates that problem altogether with a smooth scroll that doesn't jump around. Choose from a handful of preset animations to add life to your presentations, or browse the library of audio and video files available to add. And Canva also has a number of options for sharing your presentation, including adding collaborators to your team, sharing directly to social media, and even via QR code.

Present directly from Canva, and let audience members submit their questions via Canva Live. Once you share a link to invite audience members to your presentation, they can send questions for you to answer. As the presenter, you'll see them pop up in your presenter view window, so you can keep the audience engaged and your presentation clear. Alternatively, record a presentation with a talking head bubble—you can even use an AI presenter here—to share remotely.

Canvas has added a number of AI-powered tools , but I wasn't super impressed by them yet. When I asked the Magic Design tool to generate a presentation from scratch, for example, the result was a bunch of unrelated images, inconsistent design, and surface-level copy. These features will likely improve in time, but for now, you're better off starting from one of Canva's many great templates.

Canva pricing: Free plan available; paid plans start at $119.99/year for 1 user and include additional features like Brand Kit, premium templates and stock assets, and additional AI-powered design tools.

The best presentation app for AI-powered design

Beautiful.ai (web, mac, windows).

Beautiful.ai pros:

True AI design

No fussing around with alignment

Still allows for customization

Beautiful.ai cons:

No free plan

Generative AI features aren't great yet

If you're like me, editing granular spacing issues is the absolute worst part of building a presentation. Beautiful.ai uses artificial intelligence to take a lot of the hassle and granular design requirements out of the presentation process, so you can focus on the content of a presentation without sacrificing professional design. If I needed to make presentations on a regular basis, this is the app I'd use.

Many apps have recently added AI design features, but Beautiful.ai has been doing it for years—and they've perfected the UX of AI design, ensuring the tool's reign as the most streamlined and user-friendly option for AI design.

The editor is a little different from most presentation apps, but it's still intuitive—and you'll start off with a quick two-minute tutorial. When creating a new slide, scroll through "inspiration slides" to find a layout you like; once you choose, the app will pull the layout and automatically adapt it to match the design of the rest of your presentation.

With 10 themes, several templated slides, over 40 fully-designed templates, and 23 different color palettes to choose from, Beautiful.ai strikes a perfect balance between automation and customization.

While Beautiful.ai doesn't offer a free plan, paid plans are reasonably priced and offer sharing and collaboration options that rival collab-focused apps like Google Slides. And speaking of Google, you can connect Beautiful.ai with Google Drive to save all your presentations there.

Note: I did test the newly released generative AI feature (called DesignerBot) and felt it wasn't much to write home about. It's great for adding individual slides to an existing presentation—automatically choosing the best layout and matching the design to the rest of the deck—but as with most other apps, it struggled to generate a quality presentation from scratch.

Beautiful.ai pricing: Plans start at $12/month for unlimited slides, AI content generation, viewer analytics, and more. Upgrade to a Team plan for $40/user/month to get extra collaboration and workspace features and custom brand controls.

If you're a founder looking for an AI presentation tool for your pitch deck, Slidebean is a great Beautiful.ai alternative for startups. The app offers a number of templates; a unique, content-first outline editor; and AI design help that you can toggle on or off for each slide. I didn't include it on the list mainly because of the price: the free plan is quite limited, and the paid all-access plan starts at $228/year.

The best presentation app for conversational presentations

Prezi (web, mac, windows, ios, android).

Prezi pros:

Doesn't restrict you to standard presentation structure

Lots of customization options

Prezi Video lets you display a presentation right over your webcam video

Prezi cons:

Steep learning curve

Struggling to squeeze information into a basic, linear presentation? Give Prezi a try. Unlike nearly all other presentation apps on the market, Prezi Present doesn't restrict the structure of your presentation to a straight line. The editor focuses on topics and subtopics and allows you to arrange them any way you want, so you can create a more conversational flow of information.

With the structural flexibility, you still get all the same customization features you expect from top presentation software, including fully-editable templates. There's a learning curve if you're unfamiliar with non-linear presentations, but templates offer a great jumping-off point, and Prezi's editor does a good job of making the process more approachable.

Plus, Prezi comes with two other apps: Prezi Design and Prezi Video. Prezi Video helps you take remote presentations to a new level. You can record a video where the presentation elements are displayed right over your webcam feed. Record and save the video to share later, or connect with your video conferencing tool of choice (including Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google Meet) to present live.

Prezi pricing: Free 14-day trial and a free plan that includes up to 5 visual projects; paid plans start at $5/month and include additional features like private presentations and Prezi Present.

The best presentation app for video presentations

Powtoon (web, ios, android).

Powtoon pros:

Timing automatically changes based on the content on the slide

Can toggle between slideshow and video

Can orient presentation as horizontal, vertical, or square

Powtoon cons:

Limited free plan

Powtoon makes it easy to create engaging videos by orienting the editor around a slide deck. Editing a Powtoon feels just like editing a presentation, but by the time you finish, you have a professional video. 

You can edit your slides at any time, and when you hit play, a video plays through your deck—the feel is almost like an animated explainer video. Each slide includes the animations you choose and takes up as much time as is needed based on the content on the slide. Powtoon figures the timing automatically, and you can see in the bottom-right of the editor how much time is used on your current slide versus the total presentation. If you ever want to present as a slide deck, just toggle between Slideshow and Movie.

You'll likely need to subscribe to a paid plan to get the most out of Powtoon—like creating videos longer than three minutes, downloading them as MP4 files, and white-labeling your presentations—but doing so won't break the bank. Plus, you'll unlock tons of templates complete with animations and soundtracks.

One of my favorite Powtoon features is the ability to orient your video: you can choose horizontal orientation (like a normal presentation) or opt for vertical (for mobile) or square (for social media). When your presentation is ready, you can publish straight to YouTube, Wistia, Facebook Ads, and any number of other locations.

Powtoon pricing: Limited free plan available; paid plans start at $20/month and include white-labeling, priority support, additional storage, and more.

The best presentation app for interactive presentations

Genially (web).

Genially pros:

Don't need a presenter (it's interactive)

You can set universal branding guidelines

Unlimited creations on the free plan

Genially cons:

Free plan has some limitations worth looking into (e.g., can only make public presentations)

While many presentation apps are built for presenter-led decks, Genially 's interactive features and animated templates make it easy to build a self-led presentation. A variety of interactive buttons allow you to show viewers additional context on hover, have them skip to any page of your deck, and let them navigate to external links.

This presentation program offers a bunch of searchable templates, including some for business proposals, reports, social media presentations, and more (though most of those are available on premium plans only). Genially also includes Smart blocks —templated blocks of content for elements like data visualizations and image galleries.

My favorite feature is the brand settings. Premium users can set universal branding guidelines that include your logo, color scheme, fonts, images, and backgrounds, among other options. Think of them like a custom template, created and customized by you, that the whole team can use. Once set, your team can easily create on-brand presentations that automatically apply your brand settings, without even thinking about it.

Plus, Genially supports additional content like training materials, infographics, and interactive images—all subject to your brand presets.

Genially pricing: Free plan available with unlimited creations and views and access to templates; paid plans start at $7.49/month and include additional download options, privacy controls, offline viewing, premium templates, and more.

The best presentation app for collaborating with your team

Pitch (web, mac, windows, ios, android).

Pitch pros:

Google levels of collaboration

Assign slides to specific team members

Start live video calls straight from decks

Pitch cons:

User interface is a little different than you're used to

Need to collaborate on presentations with your team? Pitch is a Google Slides alternative that gets the job done. As far as decks go, Pitch includes all the beautifully-designed templates, customizability, and ease of use you expect from a top-notch presentation tool. But the app really shines when you add your team.

The right-hand sidebar is all about project management and collaboration: you can set and update the status of your deck, assign entire presentations or individual slides to team members, plus comment, react, or add notes. Save custom templates to make future presentations even easier and faster.

You can also invite collaborators from outside your company to work with you on individual decks. And if you opt for a paid plan, Pitch introduces workspace roles, shared private folders, and version history.

The "Go live" feature is a personal favorite—with just a click on the camera icon in the top-right, you can start a live video call. Any team members who open the presentation can hop in and collaborate in real-time. 

Pitch pricing: Free plan offers unlimited presentations, custom templates, and live video collaboration; paid plans start at $8/user/month for additional workspace features, presentation analytics, and more.

The best simple presentation app

Zoho show (web, ios, android, chrome).

Zoho Show pros:

Simple and easy to use

Version history and ability to lock slides

Completely free

Zoho Show cons:

Templates are pretty basic

If you're looking for a simple, yet capable presentation app that's a step up from Google Slides, Zoho Show is a great option. It's completely free to use, offers a clean, intuitive editor, and includes a number of great templates.

While the handful of "Themes" offered are on the basic side, Zoho templates boast a more modern and professional design than much of what Google Slides or PowerPoint offer. And I love that you can set the font and color scheme for the whole template, right from the start.

The app doesn't skimp on collaboration or shareability either. You can invite collaborators via email or shareable link, and comments and version history make it easy to work together on presentations. Once you're ready to share, you can even broadcast your presentation to a remote audience right from within Zoho. Plus, you can one-click lock slides to prevent any more editing or hide individual slides to customize your presentation for different audiences.

You can even connect Zoho Show to Zapier , so you can do things like automatically create a presentation when something happens in one of the other apps you use most.

Zapier is the leader in workflow automation—integrating with 6,000+ apps from partners like Google, Salesforce, and Microsoft. Use interfaces, data tables, and logic to build secure, automated systems for your business-critical workflows across your organization's technology stack. Learn more .

Zoho Show pricing: Free

The best presentation app for generative AI

Gamma (web).

Gamma pros:

Creates fully fleshed-out presentations from a prompt

Chatbot-like experience

Can still manually edit the presentation

Gamma cons:

Not as much granular customization

I tested a lot of apps claiming to use AI to up your presentation game, and Gamma 's generative features were head and shoulders above the crowd.

Simply give the app a topic—or upload an outline, notes, or any other document or article—approve the outline, and pick a theme. The app will take it from there and create a fully fleshed-out presentation. It's far from perfect, but Gamma produced the most useful jumping-off point of all the AI presentation apps I tested. 

Here's the key: Gamma is much more geared toward the iterative, chatbot experience familiar to ChatGPT users. Click on the Edit with AI button at the top of the right-hand menu to open the chat, and you'll see suggested prompts—or you can type in your own requests for how Gamma should alter the presentation.

Once you've done all you can with prompts, simply close the chat box to manually add the finishing touches. While you do sacrifice some granular customizability in exchange for the AI features, you can still choose your visual theme, change slide layouts, format text, and add any images, videos, or even app and web content.

Gamma pricing: Free plan includes unlimited users, 1 custom theme, 400 AI deck credits, and basic view analytics; upgrade to the Pro plan ("coming soon," as of this writing) for $10/user/month to get additional AI credits, advanced view analytics, custom fonts, and more.

What about the old standbys?

You might notice a few major presentation players aren't on this list, including OGs Microsoft PowerPoint, Apple Keynote, and Google Slides. These apps are perfectly adequate for creating basic presentations, and they're free if you have a Windows or Mac device or a Google account.

I didn't include them on the list because the presentation space has really developed in the last several years, and after testing them out, I found these behemoths haven't kept pace. If they weren't made by Microsoft/Apple/Google, I might not even be mentioning them. They're pretty basic tools, they're behind the curve when it comes to templates (both quantity and design), and they don't offer any uniquely valuable features like robust team collaboration, branding controls, video, and so on.

Some of these companies (think: Microsoft and Google) are openly working on some pretty impressive-sounding AI features, but they haven't been widely released to the public yet. Rest assured, I'm watching this space, and the next time we update this article, I'll retest tools like PowerPoint and Google Slides to see what new features are available.

In any case, if you're reading this, you're probably looking for an alternative that allows you to move away from one of the big 3, and as the presentation platforms featured above show, there's a ton to gain—in terms of features, usability, and more—when you do.

Related reading:

8 Canva AI tools to improve your design workflow

The best online whiteboards for collaboration

How to share a presentation on Zoom without sharing your browser tabs and address bar

This post was originally published in October 2014 and has since been updated with contributions from Danny Schreiber, Matthew Guay, Andrew Kunesh, and Krystina Martinez. The most recent update was in May 2023.

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Kiera Abbamonte

Kiera’s a content writer who helps SaaS and eCommerce companies connect with customers and reach new audiences. Located in Boston, MA, she loves cinnamon coffee and a good baseball game. Catch up with her on Twitter @Kieraabbamonte.

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Best Keynote or PowerPoint alternatives for Mac

Apple Keynote comes free with any new Mac, which means that it’s likely to be most Mac users’ default choice when it comes to slideshow and presentation software.

That doesn’t mean it’s your only option though. Naturally, you can get Microsoft’s PowerPoint – ideal if you want to collaborate with colleagues on PCs – but there are other alternatives, both free and paid, some with a few features that Keynote and PowerPoint just can’t match.

If this offers some inspiration, we’ve also rounded up our favourite alternatives to Numbers and Pages .

Apple Keynote

How It Works: Like Pages and Numbers , Keynote was revamped for macOS Sierra  and gained a more streamlined interface that makes it easy to quickly add animations and other effects to your presentations.

The key feature here is the Inspector panel that sits on the right-hand side of the main workspace. At the top of the Inspector are the Format and Animate buttons that provide instant access to all the program’s main features.

Click the Format button and the Inspector displays options for changing the format of text and graphics, such as changing the font size and style for text, or adding a reflection effect to a photo on a slide. Click the Animate button and the Inspector switches to display Keynote’s ‘builds’ – the animation effects that you use to move objects on and off slides.

As you select these effects the Inspector automatically previews the effect for you, and also displays a number of additional settings, making it really easy to create slick animation effects in no time at all. Keynote is also available online through iWork, so that you can collaborate with colleagues remotely.

Animations And Effects: Keynote includes about 30 different build animations and 40 transition effects, so you have plenty of options for creating eye-catching presentations. There’s also a special type of animation, called Magic Move, that allows you to move objects from one slide to a new position on the next slide.

Keynote can’t quite match the range of graphs, charts, and diagrams available in Microsoft’s PowerPoint, but it does include a really handy option called ‘interactive charts’ that allows you to animate charts so that they show data changing over a period of time.

Find out more in our full review of Keynote 6.6  – and if you’ve been inspired to stick with the Apple classic, check out our tips to make the most of Keynote .

Microsoft PowerPoint

How it works: The Ribbon interface used by PowerPoint makes it look rather intimidating when compared to the more streamlined Inspector palette of Keynote, but the two programs work in the same basic manner.

When you add text, graphics or other elements to a presentation slide the Animations tab in the Ribbon displays three sets of animation effects. The Entrance and Exit effects correspond to the Build In and Build Out options in Keynote and control how elements move on and off the slide.

There’s also a small set of Emphasis effects that can be used to highlight text and graphics while they are actually displayed on a slide. Click the Transition tab on the Ribbon and you’ll see the various transition effects that can be used to move from one slide to another.

Editing effects can be a little tricky, though, as some settings, such as duration and direction, are located in the ribbon itself, while others are found in a secondary Toolbox palette.

This means that PowerPoint takes a little more effort to master, but once you’ve gotten the hang of things you’ll find that PowerPoint matches Keynote’s range of animation effects, as well as providing more extensive collaboration and sharing features for when you need to work with colleagues.

Animations and effects: PowerPoint provides about 30 Entrance and Exit effects, and a similar number of transition effects for moving between slides. That’s slightly fewer than the number of Builds and transitions in Keynote, but PowerPoint outguns Keynote in other areas.

One very useful option is the Motion Paths tool, which allows you to move objects along lines, loops and curves that you draw on your slides. PowerPoint also provides far more extensive tools for creating graphs and charts than Keynote.

Google Slides

How it works: Google Slides is part of the Google Docs suite of online productivity apps, so you’ll need a reliable Internet connection in order to use it. And, to be honest, the tools that it provides for creating presentation slides are fairly basic, so there isn’t a compelling reason to use Google Slides if you already have Keynote.

But if you’re on the road and don’t have a presentations program immediately available then Google Slides could still be useful for quickly creating a simple presentation, or just preparing a rough outline that you can refine in another program when you get back home.

The basic features that you need are all here, including a selection of templates with different slide layouts and graphical styles. You can quickly add text, graphics and video to your slides, and use some simple drawing tools and mathematical symbols for creating diagrams and illustrations.

One advantage of working online with Google Slides is that it provides some useful options for sharing your presentations with colleagues, along with the ability to add comments while you’re working. You can also publish your presentation on the web, or download it in PowerPoint or PDF format.

Animations and effects: There’s only a small selection of animations and transitions available in Google Slides, mainly consisting of simple fade in/out effects, zooms and wipes.

Adobe Presenter Video Express

How it works: Adobe’s Presenter Video Express is a specialised tool for users in education and training who need to prepare materials for online lectures and e-learning courses. It doesn’t allow you to create slide-based presentations like Keynote or PowerPoint, but is designed to work in conjunction with presentations that you create in those programs.

Presenter Video Express works by recording everything on your computer screen – such as a Keynote presentation, or a demo of a new piece of software – and at the same time it also uses your Mac’s webcam to record you while you provide a commentary on the material in your main presentation.

You can edit the video recording using a simple timeline interface that allows you to display either the application running on the computer screen, your own video image, or a split-screen effect that displays your image alongside the computer screen.

Once you’ve finished editing your video you can upload it to web sites such as YouTube or Vimeo, or use Adobe’s Connect web-conferencing system to host your own online seminars.

The monthly fee could quickly get quite expensive, but that makes it ideal if you need it for a one-off project – especially since there’s a 30-day free trial.

Animations and effects: Video Presenter Express can’t be used to create slide-based presentations, so it doesn’t include any animations or transition effects. Its video-editing tools are also quite basic. You can trim clips, add simple text titles, and use pan and zoom effects for emphasis.

However, the program’s primary feature is its ability to combine recordings of the computer screen and the presenter.

OpenOffice Impress

How it works: Its interface is a bit untidy, but the free OpenOffice Impress provides a very good set of presentation tools. Those tools are scattered about a bit, though, as the presentations module within OpenOffice has a pair of crowded toolbars running across both the top and bottom of the screen, as well as a Properties palette on the right-hand side of the screen that works in a similar fashion to the Inspector panel in Keynote.

In addition to the formatting and animation controls found in Keynote, the Properties palette in OpenOffice also crams in additional tools for working with clip-art, modifying slide layouts, and defining master pages for your presentations.

The range of tools is pretty impressive, though. As well as allowing you to adjust basic text properties such as font size and style, OpenOffice includes precise options for adjusting line-spacing within paragraphs and even modifying the indent at the start of a paragraph.

Animations and effects: There are around 45 Entrance and Exit effects, and 60 transitions available in OpenOffice Impress, along with an automatic preview and a slideshow option that allows you to quickly run through your slides in full-screen mode. OpenOffice also provides an extensive set of Motion Path tools that allow you to create custom animations for your slides.

The chart tools are relatively basic, though, with a relatively modest selection of 2D charts and only a simple 3D perspective option that doesn’t really compare to the eye-candy graphics that you can create in Keynote and PowerPoint.

LibreOffice

How it works: The presentations module in LibreOffice is almost identical to that of OpenOffice – which isn’t surprising, as both of these free office suites spring from the same open-source roots.

LibreOffice has the same rather crowded interface as OpenOffice, with toolbars running across both the top and bottom of your slides, and the multi-tabbed Properties panel sitting on the right-hand side of the screen. The arrangement of tools isn’t identical, but the two programs look very similar and it may take a little while for newcomers to figure out where everything is.

But once you’re up and running, LibreOffice is a very competent presentations tool. The Properties panel provides precise control of features such as text formatting, and you can quickly enhance photos by adjusting brightness, contrast and transparency.

As well as a conventional set of clip-art graphics, LibreOffice also includes a tool called FontWorks that allows you to create attractive headlines with perspective effects or by running text along a path.

We also like the mini-toolbar that allows you to quickly switch between slide view, the outliner mode that lets you to quickly jot down the text for each slide, and the Sorter option that provides a quick overview of all your slides.

Animations and effects: LibreOffice has a slightly larger selection of effects than OpenOffice, with around 50 Entrance and Exit effects, and 70 transitions. There’s also a good selection of motion paths that you can use to create more complex, custom animations.

But, like OpenOffice, it only provides basic tools for creating tables and charts. The Table tool does little more than specify the number of rows and columns, while the Chart tools focus on simple 2D graphics with only simple 3D perspective effects to add variety.

Boinx Fotomagico 5

How it works: At first glance, FotoMagico looks like a conventional video-editing program – in fact, it looks very much like the original version of iMovie, with a horizontal Timeline running along the bottom of the screen where you can assemble video clips, photos and other media files.

However, the Timeline also allows you to insert ‘slides’ that can contain photos, text and other media files in a similar fashion to presentation slides. When you create a slide the program provides a split-screen display that shows Start and Finish versions of each slide. This allows you to create your own animation effects, perhaps by placing a small photo on the Start slide and then zooming in on the photo for the Finish slide.

You can also animate each element on the slide separately, so you could make a line of text fade into view at the same time as zooming on your photo. FotoMagic won’t replace Keynote or PowerPoint for business presentations, but it’s a handy option for home users who want to create slick slideshows and video projects. 

Animations and effects: Fotomagico doesn’t include a set of predefined animation effects comparable to Keynote’s builds, but it does allow you to animate your slides using simple effects such as linear moves, rotation and fades. There are also 20 transition effects that you can use between slides, or when editing video clips.

Presentable

How it works: Presentable isn’t intended to replace conventional presentation programs like Keynote or PowerPoint.

In fact, its tools for working with text and graphics are extremely limited, so most of the time you’ll probably carry on using Keynote or some other program to design your slides, and then occasionally just import those slides into Presentable for specific projects.

But Presentable does have one clever trick up its sleeve that makes it a useful companion to Keynote or other programs. Just type a web address into Presentable and it can create a ‘web slide’ that displays a live web page within a slide.

The web page remains fully functional, so you can click on links to navigate around the web site, or play video clips on sites such as YouTube. You can also crop web pages so that only the main video clips or content that you want to display are shown on the slide.

Admittedly, Presentable is a bit of a one-trick pony but it can be quite useful if you need to include web content in your presentations. We also had one or two problems importing our Keynote and PowerPoint slides into the program, but Presentable is free to download from the Mac App Store so it doesn’t cost you anything to check it out and see how its web slides work.

Animations and effects: Presentable’s one key feature is its ability to include web content within slides, and it doesn’t include any additional tools for creating animations or other effects. But if you feel like showing off it does work with the Leap Motion sensor , which allows you to control your presentation with hand gestures.

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12 Best Presentation Software for 2024

By Krystle Wong , Jan 12, 2024

Whether you’re a student, professional or entrepreneur, having access to the right presentation tools can make all the difference.

When you craft a well-executed presentation , your message becomes more memorable. You’re not just sharing information; you’re weaving a story, painting a picture and leaving a lasting impact on your audience’s minds. 

We’re living in the age of information overload, where attention spans are shorter than ever. A good presentation slide takes this into account, breaking down complex information into bite-sized chunks. It guides your audience through a logical flow, allowing them to digest information effortlessly and retain key points without feeling overwhelmed.

To help you stay ahead of the game, I’ve compiled a list of the 12 best software for presentations. These PowerPoint alternatives offer a combination of user-friendly interfaces, stunning visuals, collaboration features and innovative functionalities that will take your presentations to the next level. 

Let’s dive in and explore these top presentation software picks!

1. Venngage 

Allow me to be a little bit biased here but my top pick is none other than, you guessed it — Venngage! Venngage goes beyond just presentations to focus on data visualization and transforming complex information into visually appealing and engaging visuals. 

One of the standout features of Venngage as a presentation software is the extensive library of infographic elements. Gain access to a wide range of pre-designed elements such as icons, charts, maps as well as illustrations to simplify the process of creating data-driven and visually appealing presentations.

You don’t have to be a pro when designing with Venngage. Venngage’s drag-and-drop interface allows you to customize your presentations by simply dragging and dropping elements onto the canvas. You can tweak sizes, colors and layouts with ease, making your presentations visually cohesive and personalized, even if you’re not a design wizard. 

Just so you know, some of our features and templates are free to use and some require a small monthly fee. Sign-up is completely free, as is access to Venngage’s online drag-and-drop editor. Here’s how Venngage’s presentation maker can become your secret weapon in the quest for presentation success.

Vast selection of templates

Venngage boasts an extensive library of professionally designed templates, catering to a wide range of industries and presentation purposes. Whether you’re creating a marketing report, educational presentation or business pitch, Venngage’s presentation tool offers templates that provide a solid foundation for your designs. 

Save 20+ hours of designing with Venngage’s fully customizable, pre-designed infographic templates. These presentation templates provide a good foundation with well-structured layouts and visually appealing aesthetics. 

Data visualization made easy

Venngage simplifies the process of data visualization, making it accessible to users of all backgrounds. With a few clicks, you can transform dull statistics into visually engaging charts and graphs that tell a compelling story.

Seamless real-time in-editor collaboration tools

Venngage brings teamwork to the next level with our seamless collaboration tools designed to foster collaboration across teams, departments and the entire organization. Whether you’re in the same room or across the globe, Venngage enables real-time collaboration that makes working together becomes a breeze. 

Consistently brand your designs with smart Autobrand features

Effortlessly infuse your presentation slides with your brand’s colors, fonts and logos with Venngage’s My Brand Kit . Upload your brand assets and create engaging presentations by applying your branding to any template you create on Venngage.

Who is it for

Marketers, designers, educators and businesses that require data-driven and visually appealing presentations.

Key features 

Infographic elements, data visualization tools, collaboration options, customizable templates.

Create your first 5 designs with Venngage for free and upgrade to a premium or business plan for $10 USD/month per user and $24 USD/month per user to enjoy premium features. For larger teams who need extra support, controls and security, the enterprise plan starts from $499 USD/month for 10+ seats.

Additionally, there are also plans available for classrooms priced at $99 USD/year for up to 35 students per instructor. Non profit organizations can also apply for a nonprofit discount to any Venngage plan.

2. Microsoft PowerPoint

Source: Screenshot from Microsoft PowerPoint

Even with dozens of presentation software and tools out there, PowerPoint presentations have stood the test of time as one of the best presentation software. In fact, 89% of people still use PowerPoint presentations over competitor services . 

Whether you’re a student, teacher, business professional or just a creative soul, PowerPoint’s user-friendly interface allows both beginners and experienced users to create presentations with ease.

PowerPoint delivers captivating and engaging presentations through its advanced animation and transition effects. You can create interactive PowerPoint presentations by captivating your audience and guiding them through your content with seamless transitions and eye-catching animations. 

Seamless integration with other Microsoft Office tools is another significant advantage of PowerPoint as a presentation software. As part of the Microsoft Office suite, PowerPoint effortlessly integrates with other familiar applications such as Word and Excel. This integration allows you to incorporate charts, graphs and written content from these tools directly into your presentation. 

However, collaboration features in PowerPoint can be somewhat limited compared to dedicated collaboration platforms. While you can share and co-edit presentations with others, the collaboration options may not be as robust as those offered by specialized presentation tools.

Suitable for individuals, students, educators and businesses of all sizes.

Customizable templates, multimedia support, extensive slide editing options, robust animations and transitions.

You can subscribe to PowerPoint as part of your Microsoft 365 subscription with various plans tailored for businesses, ranging from $6 to $22 USD/month. Additionally, there is also the option to purchase an unbundled PowerPoint account separately, priced at $159.99 USD.

3. Google Slides

Source: Screenshot from Google Slides

Unlike PowerPoint which requires file sharing and manual syncing for teamwork, Google Slides enables real-time collaboration and easy access from any device with an internet connection. 

Google Slides shines in its seamless collaboration capabilities. Multiple users can work on the same presentation simultaneously, enabling real-time editing and fostering efficient teamwork. The integrated commenting feature on Google Slides allows for shared feedback and discussions, enhancing collaboration even further.

Google Slides’ cloud-based storage and auto-saving feature ensures that your work is constantly saved, minimizing the risk of losing progress or important changes. No more panicking over unsaved slides and changes. 

But that also means that Google Slides heavily relies on an internet connection for full functionality and access is more limited compared to desktop-based software. Although an offline mode is available, Google Slides has certain limitations and may not provide the same level of functionality as when connected to the internet.

Templates and customization features-wise, Google Slides also have fewer design options compared to other presentation tools. This may limit the level of visual creativity and flexibility for those seeking intricate designs or specialized effects.

Ideal for remote teams, educators, students and anyone looking for easy collaboration and access from any device.

Real-time collaboration, shared commenting, offline mode and built-in sharing options.

Google Slides is accessible to all individuals with a Google account at no cost, providing all users with access to its full range of features. However, for businesses and teams looking for additional organizational capabilities, there are subscription plans available ranging from $6 to $18 USD/month.

4. Keynote (for Mac users)

Source: Screenshot from Keynote

For Apple users, Keynote is a presentation tool designed exclusively for your Apple devices and is available on macOS, iOS and iPadOS. Keynote is known for its sleek and intuitive interface, reflecting Apple’s design aesthetics. 

It offers visually appealing templates, animations, and transitions, allowing users to create polished and modern-looking presentations. Keynote users can seamlessly incorporate images, videos, audio files and interactive elements into their presentations. The presentation software also includes a wide range of animations and transitions, enabling smooth and cinematic effects that bring slides to life.

Keynote presentations is known for its seamless integration within the Apple ecosystem. It works effortlessly with other Apple applications, allowing users to combine different elements and data from various sources. Presentations created in Keynote can be easily shared and accessed across Apple devices, ensuring a consistent experience for both the presenter and the audience.

Additionally, Keynote as a presentation software offers collaborative editing capabilities, enabling multiple users to work on the same presentation simultaneously. Users can share their presentations with others, who can then provide feedback, make edits and contribute to the project in real-time.

That said, since Keynote is exclusively designed for Apple devices, it may not be accessible or fully compatible with non-Apple platforms. Hence, sharing presentations created in Keynote with users on different platforms may require exporting or converting the files to a compatible format, which can lead to potential formatting issues or loss of certain features.

Mac users, creatives, professionals, educators and anyone who wants visually stunning presentations.

Elegant templates, advanced multimedia options, cinematic transitions and collaborative editing.

Keynote is available for free on Apple devices, including macOS, iOS, and iPadOS. As it comes pre-installed with these devices, users can access and use Keynote without any additional cost.

Source: Screenshot from Prezi

Known for its distinctive zooming presentation style, Prezi revolutionizes the way you create presentations by offering a visually engaging and non-linear approach. 

One of Prezi’s renowned features is its unique zooming and transition effects, allowing presenters to navigate through a virtual canvas seamlessly. This dynamic presentation style enhances engagement by creating a sense of movement and spatial relationship between ideas.

Moreover, Prezi offers cloud-based collaboration, making it easy for multiple users to collaborate on a presentation in real-time. This feature facilitates seamless teamwork, enabling users to collectively develop and refine their presentations regardless of their physical locations.

Prezi presentations also include interactive elements, such as embedded videos, images and hyperlinks. Utilizing these elements would allow presenters to create interactive presentations and engage their audience on a deeper level.

However, Prezi has a steeper learning curve compared to more traditional presentation tools. Users may require some time and practice to become proficient in navigating the canvas, creating smooth transitions and effectively utilizing all of Prezi’s features.

Creative professionals, educators and individuals who want to create visually captivating and non-linear presentations.

Zooming presentation style, interactive elements, cloud-based collaboration and reusable templates.

For individuals & business professionals

Basics: Create and share up to 5 visual projects for free

Standard: Starting at $5 USD/month

Plus: Starting at $12 USD/month

Premium: Starting at $16 USD/month

Teams: Starting at $19 USD/month per user (billed annually)

For Students & Educators

EDU Plus: Starting at $3/month

EDU Pro: Starting at $4/month

EDU Teams: Enquiry required with Prezi sales team

Source: Screenshot from Canva

One of the great things about Canva as a presentation tool is its user-friendly interface, which makes it super easy to use even if you’re not a design pro. You can simply drag and drop elements to create your presentation slides without breaking a sweat.

Canva’s vast collection of pre-designed templates caters to various purposes and occasions. The availability of these templates allows users to jumpstart their design projects with professional-looking layouts, saving valuable time and effort.

For businesses or educational institutions working on group projects or marketing campaigns, Canva also offers collaboration features that enhance teamwork and co-creation. Users can invite team members or clients to collaborate on a design project, enabling real-time feedback and efficient design processes. 

While Canva does offer some basic slide transition effects, the range and customization options for transitions may be limited compared to dedicated presentation software like Microsoft PowerPoint or Apple Keynote. 

Individuals, students, small businesses and startups seeking professional-looking marketing materials and presentations.

Extensive template options, intuitive drag-and-drop interface, ability to share presentations as downloadable files or online links and built-in multimedia support for adding videos , images, and audio to slides.

The free version of Canva provides a wide range of features and resources, with the only limitations being the use of premium resources that can be acquired either through separate purchases or by subscribing to the Canva Pro plan. The Canva Pro plan is available for $12.99 USD per month or $119.99 USD per year.

For collaborative purposes, Canva Teams is available at a price of $14.99 USD per month, with an additional charge of $14.99 USD per month for every team member beyond the initial five.

7. Adobe Express

Source: Screenshot from Adobe Express

As part of the Adobe Creative Cloud suite, Adobe Express is a presentation software that offers a simplified and user-friendly interface. With its intuitive interface, Adobe Express allows users to create visually stunning presentations with ease. Users can access both design professionals and individuals without extensive design experience.

One of the notable advantages of Adobe Express is its seamless integration with other Adobe products, such as Photoshop and Illustrator. This integration enables users to leverage the power of these industry-standard design tools within their presentations, providing access to advanced design features and a vast library of high-quality assets. 

Adobe Express is also great for creating interactive presentations. Its extensive multimedia support, allowing users to incorporate videos, audio files and interactive elements to keep your audience engaged.

That being said,  some of its advanced features may require familiarity with other Adobe tools, which can be challenging for beginners who are not already familiar with the Adobe Creative Cloud ecosystem.

Designers, creative professionals, individuals and businesses seeking professional-grade presentation design.

Professional design options, multimedia support, easy integration with other Adobe products and cloud-based collaboration.

While the free version for Adobe Express includes all the core features, users can gain access to premium templates and features when they upgrade to the Premium subscription for $9.99 USD/month. 

For businesses and teams, Adobe provides tailored plans that include additional features like collaboration tools, centralized license management and enterprise-level support. The pricing for these plans depends on the number of licenses and the specific needs of the organization. It’s best to consult with Adobe or their authorized resellers to get accurate pricing information for business plans.

8. Haiku Deck

Source: Haiku Deck

Haiku Deck is all about visual storytelling, offering a simple and minimalist approach to designing presentations. With its clean and minimalist templates, Haiku Deck makes it a breeze to create presentations that focus on eye-catching images.

Haiku Deck is a user-friendly presentation software that offers a straightforward and intuitive interface. It’s designed to be easily accessible on both computers and mobile devices, giving you the flexibility to create quick and practical presentations on the go.

Plus, the presentation tool seamlessly integrates with image search engines, making it a piece of cake to find and add high-quality visuals that enhance the overall look and feel of your presentation.

However,if you’re looking for advanced features like complex animations or interactive elements, you might not find them here. While the clean and minimalist templates are gorgeous, they don’t offer as much flexibility for customization.

Educators, individuals and professionals who appreciate the power of visual storytelling and minimalist design.

Image-focused templates, easy-to-use interface, cloud-based collaboration and seamless image search integration.

Haiku Deck offers a free trial that allows you to experience the software with one presentation. If you decide to upgrade, they have different pricing plans available. Additionally, Haiku Deck also offers special pricing to qualifying nonprofit organizations, students and educators.

The Pro plans are available at $9.99 per month with annual billing or $19.99 per month with monthly billing. For those seeking advanced features, the Premium plans are priced at $29.99 per month.

Source: Screenshot from Ludus

Ludus brings together the best of both worlds by offering the traditional slide deck format along with interactive and multimedia elements that take presentations to a whole new level.

The presentation software is rich in multimedia capabilities, allowing users to seamlessly integrate videos, audio and elements to create interactive presentations that captivate the audience.

Ludus offers unique presentation tools that enable users to incorporate interactive elements like clickable buttons, hover effects and embedded web content, enabling a more dynamic and engaging presentation experience. 

This makes Ludus a great choice for designers, creatives, marketing professionals, and anyone who wants to create interactive and visually appealing presentations that leave a lasting impression. Collaboration is another area where Ludus excels. The software offers collaborative editing, allowing multiple users to edit presentations simultaneously. 

However, it’s worth mentioning that Ludus has relatively limited templates compared to some other presentation software options. While the customization options are vast, users might find themselves starting from scratch or investing more time in creating the initial design. Additionally, for individuals new to the platform, there might be a learning curve involved in fully harnessing all of Ludus’ features and capabilities.

Designers, creatives, marketing professionals and anyone looking for interactive and visually appealing presentations.

Interactive and multimedia elements, collaborative editing, extensive design customization, real-time comments and feedback.

Ludus offers a starting price of $14.99 USD/month per user for teams consisting of 1-15 members with all features included. For larger teams requiring additional licenses, Ludus encourages reaching out for more information on pricing. It’s worth noting that Ludus provides a 30-day free trial, allowing users to explore the platform and its features before committing to a subscription.

10. Slidebean

Source: Screenshot from Slidebean

Slidebean offers a unique approach to slide design by automating the process and simplifying the creation of well-designed presentations. With its automation features, Slidebean streamlines the design process, saving users valuable time and effort.

The highlight of Slidebean is its automated slide design functionality. Using artificial intelligence (AI), the software generates visually appealing slide layouts based on the content provided. Slidebean also offers collaboration options, allowing multiple team members to work on a presentation simultaneously. 

Another advantage of Slidebean is its AI-powered content suggestions. The software intelligently analyzes the presentation content and provides helpful suggestions for improving the messaging and overall flow. This feature ensures that users can effectively communicate their ideas and engage their audience. 

Unlike Ludus, Slidebean may not cater to users who prefer extensive customization and control over their slide layouts. Certain advanced features are only available in premium plans, which may require an upgrade for those seeking more advanced functionality.

Startups, entrepreneurs, small businesses, and individuals who want to create polished presentations quickly.

Automated design, content suggestions, collaboration tools and pitch deck-specific templates.

The free version offers limited functionalities, but it provides a sufficient opportunity to experience Slidebean’s capabilities and understand its workflow. However, to export your presentation and access advanced features, upgrading to a higher plan is necessary. 

The all-access plan is available at $228 USD/year, while additional services such as startup expert consultations and pitch deck and financial model services are available for separate purchase. 

11. Beautiful.ai

Source: Screenshot from Beautiful.ai

Beautiful.ai aims to simplify the process of creating visually stunning and professional-looking slides with minimal effort. One of the notable strengths of the presentation software is its collection of smart templates and design suggestions. 

Their templates are intelligently designed to provide visually appealing layouts, saving users valuable time and effort in creating presentations. Unlike other types of presentation software, the platform leverages AI-powered technology to offer layout optimization, ensuring that slide elements are positioned optimally for maximum impact.

Beautiful.ai also offers time-saving features that streamline the presentation creation process. The software automatically adjusts the layout and formatting as users add or modify content, eliminating the need for manual adjustments. 

As the software provides smart templates and design suggestions, customization options may be somewhat limited. Users may find that certain design elements or layout adjustments are not as flexible as they would like. 

Individuals, startups and professionals who want visually impressive presentations without extensive design skills.

Smart templates, automated design suggestions, AI-powered layout optimization and easy slide customization.

Beautiful.ai provides two subscription options for users. The Pro plan is available at a monthly cost of $12 USD /month, while the Team plan is priced at $40 USD/month. Both plans are billed annually. You can also subscribe to the monthly subscription for ad hoc projects and gain access to all pro features for $45 USD/month (billed monthly). 

There is a 14-day free trial period that allows users to thoroughly test and explore the features and capabilities of the tool before committing to a subscription.

Source: Screenshot from Pitch

Pitch is a modern video presentation maker that stands out with its collaborative and iterative approach to presentation creation.

One of the key strengths of Pitch lies in its collaborative features. The presentation software provides robust collaboration tools that allow team members to work together in real-time. This makes it easy for users to collaborate on presentation content, provide feedback and make revisions collectively.

Pitch boasts an extensive slide library, offering a wide range of professionally designed templates to choose from. These templates serve as a foundation for creating visually stunning presentations while providing a starting point that saves time and ensures a polished look.

The availability of diverse templates caters to different industries, topics and presentation styles, allowing users to create presentations for their needs.

Seamless integration with project management tools is another advantage of Pitch. The software integrates well with popular project management platforms, enabling users to streamline their workflow by syncing tasks, deadlines and other project-related information with their presentations. 

For teams, startups and businesses that value collaboration, feedback and the ability to iterate on their presentations

Collaboration tools, version control, project management integration and template library.

Users can create unlimited presentations and enjoy the starter plan for free or upgrade to Pro for $8 USD/month, billed annually. 

There you have it — the top 12 best presentation tools for the year! Whether you value simplicity, collaboration, automation, design versatility or data visualization, these presentation software examples have a solution out there for your future presentations.

Got your mind set on your to-go presentation software? Great! Now it’s time to start creating your slides and ace that presentation. 

12+ Presentation Software for Mac | 2024 Reveals | Tested and Approved By Experts

Alternatives

Leah Nguyen • 01 Apr 2024 • 8 min read

Hang tight because this is where all Mac users unite 💪 Those are the best presentation software for Mac !!

As Mac users, we know it’s sometimes frustrating to find a compatible software that you preferred contrary to the sea of wonders Windows users can get. What would you do if your favourite presentation software refuse to go along with your MacBook? Taking a huge load of Mac memory disk to install Windows system?

In fact, you don’t need to go through all that hassle since we’ve put together this handy list of Mac presentation software that is powerful, easy to use and runs perfectly on all Apple devices.

Ready to wow your audience with free presentation software for Mac? Let’s jump right in 👇

Table of Contents

• TouchCast Pitch
• Adobe Express
• Google Slides

Frequently Asked Questions

Tips for better interactive presentation.

• How to make a presentation interactive?
• Interactive presentation techniques
• Interactive presentation ideas for students

Start in seconds.

Get free templates for your next interactive presentation. Sign up for free and take what you want from the template library!

App-Based Presentation Software for Mac

There’s no place more convenient and friendly for Mac users than the default App Store. Explore some of the options without the hassle of going through the enormous app library we listed below:

#1 – Keynote for Mac

Top feature: Compatible with all Apple devices and has cross-platform sync.

Keynote for Mac is that popular face in your class that everyone knows, but not everyone is fully acquainted with.

Pre-installed as a complimentary on Mac computers, Keynote can be easily synced to iCloud and this compatibility makes transferring presentations between your Mac, iPad and iPhone incredibly simple.

If you are a pro Keynote presenter, you can also make your presentation come alive with illustrations and such with some doodling on the iPad. In other good news, Keynote is now exportable to PowerPoint, which allows for even more convenience and creativity.

#2 – TouchCast Pitch – Presenters for Mac

Top feature: Make live or pre-recorded presentations.  

TouchCast Pitch blesses us with many quintessential online meeting features, such as intelligent business templates, real-looking virtual sets and a personal teleprompter, which is super helpful to ensure we’re not leaving anything out.

And if you want to record your presentation without using a third-party recording app? TouchCast Pitch gives you the power to do that and polish it with their simple editing tool besides presenting live.

As with many other choices for presentation software for Mac, there are numerous templates to choose from. You can also create your presentation from scratch and show off your design skills.

You can make changes to your slides from anywhere, as this bit of kit is available to download straight from the App Store.

#3 – FlowVella for Mac

Top features: Mobile-friendly and Adobe Creative Cloud integrated with a multi-purpose template library.

If it’s a quick and rich presentation format that you’re looking for, then try FlowVella . Whether you’re presenting a pitch in front of the investors or designing a lesson for the class, FlowVella lets you create embed videos, links, galleries, PDFs and such at the touch of your fingertips. No need to pull out a laptop as everything is “drag-and-drop” simply on an iPad.

The interface for FlowVella on Mac isn’t quite perfect, some of the text is hard to read. But, it’s an intuitive system and if you’ve used any other kinds of software for presentations on Mac, you should be able to pick it up easily enough.

Also, thumbs up for their customer support. You can contact them via live chat or email and they’ll address your problems quick as lightning.

#4 – PowerPoint for Mac – Presentation on Mac

Top features: Familiar interface and file formats are widely compatible.

PowerPoint really is a staple for presentations, but to use it on your Mac, you will need to own a license for a Mac-compatible version of the presentation software. These licenses can be a bit pricey, but that doesn’t seem to deter people, as it’s estimated that around 30 million PowerPoint presentations are created every day.

Now, there is an online version that you can access for free. The limited features will be enough for most simple presentations. But, if you put diversity and engagement to the front, you are better off using one of the many alternatives to PowerPoint software for Mac.

💡 Learn how to make your PowerPoint truly interactive for free . It’s an absolute audience favourite!

Web-Based Presentation Software for Mac

Although convenient, the app-based presentation software for Mac’s biggest weakness is they are only available to your own kind, which is a turn-off for any presenter who yearns for two-way interaction and lively engagement with their audience.

Our proposed solution is simple. Migrate your ordinary presentation to one of the best web-based presentation software for Mac below👇

#5 – AhaSlides

Top features: Interactive presentation slides all for free!

AhaSlides is a cloud-based interactive presentation software born from a group of tech guys who had experienced Death by PowerPoint firsthand – a phenomenon caused by over exposure to boring, one-way PowerPoint presentations.

It gives you the means to create an interactive presentation with which your audience can respond to your questions using just their phones.

From live quiz options with leaderboards to brainstorming tools perfect for gathering opinions and adding Q&As , there’s something for every type of presentation.

For presenters in business, you could try adding sliding scales and polls that will contribute to real-time graphics when your audience interacts via their smartphones. If you’re exhibiting at a show or presenting in front of large numbers of people, this can be a great tool for gathering opinions and encouraging focus. It’s great for any type of iOS device and it’s web-based – so it’s great for other systems tools!

#6 – Canva

So, Is there a Canva app for Mac? Of course, Yes!! 👏

Top features: Diverse templates and copyright-free images.

Canva is free presentation software for Mac that you’re after that’s all about design, then there are few options better than Canva. With a huge array of elements and copyright-free imagery available, you can drag and drop them straight into your presentation.

Canva’s prides itself on ease of use, so even if you’re not the most creative person in the world, you’re still able to create your slides on the go with Canva’s drag and drop functionality. There’s also a paid version if you want to access more templates and elements created by professional designers from around the world.

Even though Canva has the option to convert your presentation to PDF or PowerPoint, we recommend you present it straight from its website since we’ve encountered text-overflow/errors in the designs while doing that.

📌 Learn more: Canva Alternatives | 2024 Reveal | Updated 12 Free and Paid Plans

#7 – Zoho Show

Top features: Multi-platforms integration, minimalist designs.

If you are a fan of minimalism, then Zoho Show is the place to go.

One of the key differences between Zoho Show and some of the other web-based presentation software is its compatibility features. With integration to sites like Giphy and Unsplash , Zoho makes adding graphics directly to your presentations easy.

It’s a great option if you’re already using some of the Zoho suite, and therefore probably most suitable as a free presentation option for businesses.

Still, like Canva, Zoho Show also encounters the same problem with its export to PDF/PowerPoint feature, which often results in blank or damaged files.

#8 – Prezi

Top features: Template library and animated elements.

Prezi is a bit of a unique option in this list. It’s one of the top bits of linear presentation software out there, meaning you can see your presentation as a whole and head to different sections in fun and imaginative ways. 

You can also present live and overlay your video on the slides just like TouchCast Pitch . Their huge template library is a great bonus for most presenters getting started, but you likely won’t be able to flex much creativity using Prezi’s free version.

📌 Learn more: Top 5+ Prezi Alternatives | 2024 Reveal From AhaSlides

#9 – Slidebean

Top features: Business templates and a pitch deck design service.

Slidebean is designed mostly for businesses, but its functionality would be suitable for other uses. They provide pitch deck templates that you can reuse and repurpose for your own business. The designs are smart, and it’s no real surprise that they also offer a pitch deck design service.

It’s simple to use and simple in its offerings. If you’re keeping things simple, try it out!

#10 – Adobe Express (Adobe Spark)

Top features: Stunning templates and team collaboration.

Adobe Express (formally Adobe Spark) is quite similar to Canva in its drag-and-drop feature to create graphics and other design elements. Being web-based, it is of course a compatible Mac presentation software and also offers integration with other Adobe Creative Suite programs which is useful if you create any elements with Photoshop or Illustrator.

However, with so many design assets going on, the website can run pretty slowly.

#11 – Powtoon

Top features: Animated slides and one-click animation

You might know Powtoon from their video animation creation feature, but do you know that they also offer a different, creative way to design a presentation? With Powtoon, you can easily create video presentations with no skills from thousands of custom designs.

For some first-time users, Powtoon can be a bit confusing because of its overburdened interface. You’ll need a bit of time to get used to it.

#12 – Google Slides

Top features: Free, accessible and collaborative.

With many features basically the same as PowerPoint, you won’t have much trouble creating a presentation on Google Slides .

Since it’s web-based, you and your team can seamlessly collaborate, comment or make suggestions for others. If you want to get interactive, Google Slides’ plugin library also has different, fun third-party apps to integrate directly into the slides.

Just a warning – sometimes the plugin can make your presentation VERY laggy, so use with caution.

📌 Learn more: Interactive Google Slides Presentation | Set Up with AhaSlides in 3 Steps | 2024 Reveals

So, now you have more than enough interactive presentation software options for Mac – all that’s left is to pick a template and get started.

Which presentation software is a free product that you can install on your windows or mac computer?

Microsoft Powerpoint and AhaSlides

Why do you need to use AhaSlides together with traditional presentation software?

To gain better attention, along with interaction with audience during gatherings, meetings and classes.

Can I convert Keynote to PowerPoint?

Yes you can. Open Keynote presentation, then  Choose File > Export To, and select the format .

Leah Nguyen

Words that convert, stories that stick. I turn complex ideas into engaging narratives - helping audiences learn, remember, and take action.

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How to Get PowerPoint on a Mac

Get the widely used presentation tool

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What to Know

• From the Mac App Store: Apple Menu > App Store > search for PowerPoint > Get > Install > enter Apple ID if prompted > Open .
• PowerPoint requires a subscription from Microsoft. You can sign up via In-App Purchase or at the Microsoft website.
• Keynote, Apple's alternative to PowerPoint, comes pre-installed on new Macs (and can be downloaded from the Mac App Store).

This article explains how to get PowerPoint on Mac, its requirements—including a subscription—and some free alternatives available on the Mac.

How Do I Get PowerPoint on Mac?

Getting PowerPoint on your Mac is very easy. Just a few clicks, and you'll be ready to start making slides and building presentations. Here's what to do:

Open the Mac App Store by going to the Apple menu > App Store or the Applications folder > App Store .

You can also download PowerPoint directly from Microsoft , but these instructions focus on the Mac App Store.

Search for PowerPoint .

On the search results screen, click Get .

Click Install .

Enter your Apple ID password when prompted.

When the download is finished, click Open to launch PowerPoint.

Once you've opened PowerPoint, you'll need to sign into your Microsoft account or use a free trial.

Is PowerPoint Free for the Mac?

PowerPoint is not free on the Mac (or on Windows, for that matter). Microsoft offers a free, 30-day trial after you download PowerPoint. Once the free trial expires, you need to pay to keep using the app. Options include a one-time purchase price or a monthly or annual subscription , which provides cloud storage features and ongoing technical support. You can subscribe through Microsoft's website or use in-app purchases via your Apple ID.

Do Macs Come With PowerPoint?

No. To get PowerPoint on your Mac, you need to download and install it using the steps from the first section of this article (or, as noted before, directly from Microsoft).

What Is the Mac Version of PowerPoint?

While PowerPoint may be the most well-known program for making slides and creating presentations, it's far from the only one. Your Mac probably came with one of the alternatives pre-installed.

Apple makes a program called Keynote which is a direct competitor to PowerPoint. It offers all of the core features of PowerPoint—creating slides and presentations, animations, templates, presenter mode, etc. It integrates tightly with Apple's other software and services like iCloud.

Keynote comes pre-installed for free on all modern Macs. It's likely in your Applications folder as you read this. If it's not, and if your Mac and version of the macOS are compatible with it, you can download it for free from the Mac App Store by searching for "Keynote."

Need to make slides and want to avoid both PowerPoint and Keynote? There are many other PowerPoint alternatives , but one place to start is Google Slides , which is free, web-based, and integrates with your Google account and other Google productivity tools.

To print PowerPoint slides with Notes on a Mac, open your presentation and select Print . In the Print dialog box, select Show Details . In the Layout box, select Notes . Configure the rest of your printing options and select Print .

The easiest way to record a voiceover in PowerPoint on a Mac is to record by slide. Select the slide where you want to add the narration, then select  Insert from the menu bar and click Audio > Record Audio . Enter a name for the narration, select Record , read your script, and select Stop when you're finished recording.

To convert PowerPoint to video on a Mac, open the presentation you want to save and select File > Export . In the export window, next to File Format , select a file format option, such as MP4 or MOV . Choose your video quality, choose whether you want to include narrations, adjust timing, and select Export .

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Stay in sync in your slides, with easy sharing and real-time editing. Use comments and assign action items to build your ideas together.

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With easy-to-use presenter view, speaker notes, and live captions, Slides makes presenting your ideas a breeze. You can even present to Google Meet video calls directly from Slides.

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Presentify - Screen Annotation 4+

Screen draw. highlight mouse‪.‬.

• 4.2 • 77 Ratings
• Offers In-App Purchases

Screenshots

Description.

The best screen annotation app recommended and used by Harvard and MIT professors. Featured by Apple three times. A macOS menu bar app that helps you give better presentations, online classes, or video tutorials by letting you annotate any screen, highlight your cursor, and more. You can annotate anything on the screen, be it images, videos, pdfs, code, you name it. Presentify is quite helpful for online teaching, recording video tutorials, giving a demo, working remotely, and the list goes on. FEATURES ======== ANNOTATION - You can draw on or annotate any screen you wish. Select `Annotate Screen` from the menu bar and start doodling. - A lot of drawing shapes to choose from. You can even write Text now. - Draw with random gradient colors instead of just plain colors. - Auto-erase your annotations. Perfect for emphasizing something specific or explaining your thoughts. Also, toggle its behavior by pressing the Control Key. - You can draw even when other applications are running in full-screen mode. Great for live presentations and during video calls when working remotely. - New Interactive Mode: This opens up Presentify in the background letting the user use other apps and allowing them to annotate by pressing and holding the Fn key. - Now users can interact with the underlying apps when annotating (in default mode) with Presentify. Just press and hold the Fn key to do so. You no longer have to toggle Presentify to advance your presentation slides, play/pause videos, etc. - Highlighter feature lets you highlight portions of text without obscuring it. - You get a Straight Line by pressing and holding the Shift Key while Freehand drawing. And, you can fill the Rectangles and Circles with a semi-transparent color by pressing and holding the Option Key. - Works on iPad connected to a Macbook via Sidecar, Astropad, or Duet. - Works with Keynote (even in Presentation mode). - Compatible with all video calling software like Zoom, Google Meet, Skype, etc. - Works with drawing tablets like XP-Pen, Wacom, etc. WHITEBOARD - Draw on a whiteboard (and not over other apps) if you wish. - You can even change the color of your whiteboard to whatever you feel like. ANNOTATE CONTROLS - A handy control panel to switch between different annotate tools and colors. - Move the control panel anywhere on the screen by dragging it. - Completely hide the control panel. UNDO/REDO SUPPORT - Do not have to worry about mistakes while annotating. KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS - You can start annotating the screen, highlighting your cursor, changing pencil colors and shapes, etc. from any app with simple keyboard shortcuts. - Customize the key shortcuts as you like. HIGHLIGHT YOUR MOUSE POINTER - With Presentify you never have to keep moving your cursor to grab the attention of your audience. - Change your cursor highlight color, opacity, size, and more. - You can even choose to highlight only when you move your cursor/mouse. UPCOMING FEATURES ================= ANNOTATION - Ability to cut and move annotations - Spotlight feature - Zoom MOUSE HIGHLIGHT - New mouse highlight designs and animations OTHERS - Change the slides of your presentation from your iPhone - And, many more PRESS ===== Featured by Apple multiple times. Also, on Hacker News, Reddit, Product Hunt, and various other blogs like ifun.de, igeeksblog.com, etc. with more than 230 upvotes in each. CONTACT ======= For any questions or concerns, you can head to presentify.compzets.com and see the faq page or click on the Support link.

Version 4.2.0

ANNOTATE - Two new favorite color options. This makes the total number of favorite colors to five. - You can now choose between two keys for Interactive mode. Choose Fn if you're a fan of press & hold, or Caps Lock if you prefer to press it just once. OTHERS - Minor bug fixed where the key shortcut wasn't getting displayed for Cursor Highlight in the dropdown menu. - Sharp new menubar icon.

Ratings and Reviews

Really close to perfect, just needs more color buttons and keystroke eraser.

This app is the closest answer I've gotten to my perfect annotator prayers. It's clear that the developer has thought this app through carefully and worked hard on it. It's so incredibly functional, fast, and easily accesible. The hotkeys, in particular, are very well thought out and puts other apps to shame. Please, please consider adding the below 2 items to get this app to top-tier level. I'll gladly rate up to 5 stars. 1. Add more color buttons to the tool bar. I use 4 colors on a daily basis and this is sorely needed. 5 would be even better. If toolbar size is a concern, perhaps make it an option to display 3, 4, or 5 color selections at a time. 2. Keystroke eraser with eraser size option (like the [ ] function) is needed so that can erase selected items only.

Pretty good - couple recommendations

Overall, decent app, and am happy I purchased it. With that being said, here's a couple recommendations for the developer to make this a 5-star application: 1. Add the ability to erase under cursor (as opposed to only being able to clear the entire screen or edit undo currently). There are manu scenarios where I want to erase something written down several minutes ago as part of problem solving. 2. When using "Interactive Mode", allow us to configure in the preferences whether we want to "hold" the button down as it is today, or instead use said button as a "toggle" to flip between so that we don't need to hold down the button for the duration. 3. Add thin, medium, thick (customizable) to the toolbar to allow for quick switching between thicknesses (I frequently need to switch between the thinnest for regular writing, and a super fat thickness when using the highlighter mode).

Developer Response ,

Thanks for such a detailed review. I will definitely work on them. However, just fyi, you can change thickness easily by pressing [ and ] keys. Have you tried it? Best, Ram

Great! Needs a keystroke eraser and one more thing to be 5 Star

Great app - I use it everyday as a virtual classroom teacher. It's minimal design isn't distracting from what I'm teaching and demonstrating. For me though, it needs 2 things. 1. A keystroke eraser - Right now its either erase everything or use the control z undo. If I need to erase something from the beginning of the writing, I have to undo every stroke or just erase it all. 2. A pointer/click/mouse ability - I cannot interact with any button while I'm writing. I would love to be able to switch back to my pointer mouse without turning off presentify and everything erasing everything.

Thanks for your insightful review. The two features you have requested are currently being developed. Will be live soon. I can update this comment once I release them. Stay tuned and thanks again for using and reviewing Presentify. Cheers, Ram

App Privacy

The developer, Ram Patra , indicated that the app’s privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. For more information, see the developer’s privacy policy .

Data Not Collected

The developer does not collect any data from this app.

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Keynote Templates

Keynote , part of Apple’s iWork suite, is a presentation tool for the pros. With beautiful layout tools and typography, it can give your presentation an edge. This Keynote feature covers tips for using the app, giving stand-out presentations, as well as beautiful Keynote templates and themes.

Keynote has everything you need to create sleek presentations with layout tools and typography that’s made with design in mind.

It allows users to create presentations that look sleek without a lot of design capability. The tools are easy and intuitive. The slide navigator includes options for designing slides with different layouts, animations, fonts and you can even bring in presentations from other software.

But how to do you make the most of this tool? Keynote templates can be one of the quickest ways to start using keynote to its full potential right away.

Latest Keynote Template Articles

18 Mar 2024

100+ best keynote templates of 2024.

Even though Apple’s Keynote app gives you plenty of tools and options for creating beautiful presentations, it can be tricky to find the time to build a beautiful, custom design. Don’t worry — we’ve got you covered with this collection of the best Keynote templates!

With these templates, you don’t have to spend hours designing presentation slides. You can simply edit the slides that have already been crafted by professional designers, customize charts, change colors, and voila! You have your own beautiful, unique Keynote presentation.

We picked out a few of the most professional-looking Keynote templates that’ll work perfectly for your next presentation (and we’ve also collected some tips for using Keynote templates to help you as well!). And if you’re not sure whether to use Keynote or Powerpoint, we also have a quick look at 3 reasons to choose Keynote over PowerPoint .

22 Feb 2024

60+ modern, premium keynote templates.

Having a modern, premium Keynote template is a key starting point to a successful presentation. We have gathered a set of amazing Keynote templates that you can use for your next presentation, to give a modern and professional look-and-feel.

These templates range from business-centric themes to fashion design, creative presentations, and many others. All of these templates are affordably priced, and super-simple to install. We’ve also included a few similar Powerpoint templates if you don’t have a copy of Keynote, so you aren’t left out!

Keynote is a presentation tool for Mac (and iOS) that you can use to create beautiful presentations wherever you go, on whatever device you’re using. It’s highly useful, dynamic, and practical. Keynote is easy for producing and professional presentations that set you apart from the usual Powerpoint crowd!

Need a hand getting started? Have a read of our tips for creating a modern Keynote presentation .

14 Feb 2024

70+ best animated keynote templates with stylish transitions.

A great way to make your Keynote slideshow more attractive is to use animation effects. With just a few entrance animations or transition effects, you can instantly make your presentation look more professional.

However, it takes a lot of configuring and testing to figure out the right animations for each and every slide in your presentation. If you’re in a rush to finish up a presentation, there won’t be any time to play around with animation effects and transitions.

We found a solution to this problem in animated Keynote templates. We handpicked some professional and creative Keynote templates for this collection that also comes fully equipped with predefined animations and transition effects. All you have to do is download the template and start customizing it.

We’re also sharing some helpful tips for choosing slide transitions .

60+ Keynote Business Slide Templates 2024

What’s the most important part of a business presentation? The way you dress? Your speech? Or is it your body language? It’s actually none of the above!

Your presentation slides are the most important part of a business presentation. Why? Because your clients will be staring at the slides at all times and you’ll be using those slides to visualize your speech. That’s why you should pay close attention when designing the slides for your presentations.

To help you get started with your Keynote slide designs, we handpicked the best Keynote slides templates you can use for your business and corporate presentation needs. Design your presentation right, follow our tips on how to give a Keynote presentation with impact , and you’ll capture and keep the attention of everyone in the room!

What Is A Keynote Template?

A Keynote template is a collection of slides – complete with a font and color palette – that you can use to create a presentation. The template saves you hours of time because you don’t have to spend hours designing custom slides.

Templates are fully customizable so that you can create and change anything in the design to fit your content or brand standards. Swap colors, fonts, content types and more so that the design looks custom but takes a lot less time to create.

5 Reasons to Use A Keynote Template

Even though you can create presentations in Keynote from scratch, starting with a template is the preferred method. Here’s why:

• Jumpstart presentation designs with a template to create a consistent presentation.
• It’s easier to learn Keynote – especially for those switching from PowerPoint – if you have a presentation framework that’s put together properly. A template can be just the way to learn the software quickly.
• Templates help you create beautiful presentations, even if you don’t have a lot of time or design experience.
• Match a template to the type of presentation you are giving for tools and slide designs that will mesh with content.
• Templates come with many integrations built into the design so that your presentation can include images, sounds, video or other file types.

Free vs. Premium Keynote Templates: Pros + Cons

When it comes to finding Keynote templates, you have two options: free and premium. The big differences are price and functionality.

Free Keynote templates are a no-cost option, but don’t always include the same number of features or customization options as premium themes.

Premium templates (we’ve collected the best Keynote templates previously) often come with extra transition options or animations, more color palettes or skins to choose from and many more slide choices to work with. Most free templates only include a handful of slides and a palette to get you started.

Which option is best for you depends on how you will use the presentation deck. Is it for one-time use? Or will it be the base for a design that gets used over and over? Will multiple people work with the Keynote template?

If you are planning to use the template repeatedly and for multiple uses or users, then a premium theme is probably your best option. The good news is that they are quite affordable. Many premium Keynote templates are $30 or less.

Further Keynote Template Reading

31 Jan 2024

90+ best free keynote templates 2024.

Today we’re bringing you a collection of the best free Keynote templates for making all kinds of presentation slideshows, including business, creative, agency, and startup pitch decks.

Keynote is a great tool for making effective presentations. But, let’s face it, when it comes to the default templates included, your options are limited. Luckily you can still download and use Keynote templates made by other designers. For this collection, we handpicked some of the best free Keynote templates just for you.

Sure, these templates might not have the polish of premium Keynote templates you can spend a few dollars on. But, for the very low price of free, these will give you more than enough to design a stand-out slideshow.

27 Jun 2023

10 presentation design mistakes to avoid (with examples).

One of the most important aspects of a successful presentation is designing an effective slideshow. Unfortunately, it’s also a part most professionals often neglect or don’t pay attention to.

This is why most of the bad presentation designs share a pattern. They are usually made using the default PowerPoint templates. They use the same default fonts as every other presentation. They also include terrible stock photos. And try to stuff as much information as possible into a single slide.

We noticed all these mistakes and more while exploring some of the most popular presentations on SlideShare. They were slideshows with thousands and even millions of views. But, they were riddled with mistakes and flaws.

In this guide, we show you how these mistakes can be harmful as well as give you tips on how to avoid them. Of course, we made sure to include some examples as well.

16 Jun 2023

What is keynote on iphone 5 useful tips.

Apple’s Keynote is a game changer for presentations, turning a traditionally mundane task into a creative and engaging process. Now, imagine having all that power right in the palm of your hand. Yes, we’re talking about Keynote on iPhone!

Gone are the days when you need to lug around your laptop to work on your presentations. With Keynote on iPhone, you can create, edit, and present your slides on the go. Whether you’re commuting, waiting for a meeting, or simply away from your desk, your presentation is just a tap away.

And guess what? You don’t need to be a tech wizard to use Keynote on iPhone. It’s user-friendly and intuitive, designed to make mobile presentation-making a breeze. Let’s take a look at some useful tips to get the most out of Keynote on your iPhone.

15 Jun 2023

How to crop an image in keynote.

Want to step up your Keynote presentation game with some tailored imagery? Cropping images directly in Keynote is an excellent way to focus on the important parts of a picture and keep your audience’s attention exactly where you want it. If you’re unsure about how to go about this, you’re in the right place!

Whether you’re a Keynote newcomer or a seasoned pro, this guide will ensure you master the art of cropping images within your presentations. We’ll break down the process into simple, easy-to-follow steps.

Are you ready to polish your Keynote presentations with precision-cropped images? Let’s delve into the world of image editing within Keynote together, and by the end, your presentations will have a whole new level of professionalism and appeal!

14 Jun 2023

How to convert keynote to google slides.

Ready to switch from Apple’s Keynote to Google Slides but unsure how to take your presentations along with you? You’re in the right place! Converting Keynote presentations to Google Slides is a process that, while not immediately intuitive, is simple once you know the steps.

Whether you’re just starting with Google Slides or are an experienced user transitioning from Keynote, this guide has you covered. We’ll walk you through the process of conversion in easy-to-follow steps, ensuring your presentations make the journey intact.

So, are you ready to embark on this migration mission? Let’s dive in and discover how to convert Keynote presentations to Google Slides together, ensuring your work remains vibrant and accessible, no matter the platform!

15 May 2023

25+ keynote roadmap & timeline templates 2024.

It’s often said that life comes down to a few key moments. Turning points, milestones, forks in the road—whatever you call them, they’re the pivotal points on a timeline.

It’s even easier to create a timeline when you use Keynote timeline templates. These pre-built slide layouts already have illustrations with timelines in every style imaginable.

In this article, we’re going to learn how to use Keynote timeline templates to create an engaging graphic. You’ll see the best Keynote timeline, and roadmap templates that you can use in your upcoming presentation to weave together a sequential story.

27 Apr 2023

60+ best minimal & creative keynote templates.

If you’re in the process of creating a Keynote slideshow presentation for your next business meeting, we have a solution that will help you craft minimal, creative slides with beautiful designs.

There’s no need to spend hours perfecting the design of your slides or hire freelance designers. You can simply use Keynote templates designed by professionals to create the perfect slideshow presentation in a few minutes.

Minimalism is the key to capturing an audience and showing off professionalism. In this collection, we handpicked a set of creative and minimalist Keynote presentation templates for creating slideshows for business meetings, project proposals, pitch decks, and much more.

Plus, we’re also answering the most common Keynote template FAQs to help you get your presentation off to the best possible start.

29 Mar 2023

What is apple keynote (and 5 tips for getting started).

Mac and iPad/iPhone users have probably seen the little blue presentation icon on the devices. But have you ever really used it? This icon is for Apple Keynote, a presentation tool that comes standard on all iOS devices.

Keynote is native to Mac, so you won’t find it on PC devices. It’s a tool that people tend to love once they make the switch from another type of presentation software. It’s focused on design, a polished presentation, and creating a really solid experience as you design your slides.

Today, we’re going to look at Apple Keynote—what it is and, and how to get started with this robust presentation tool.

30 Sep 2022

20+ keynote pitch deck templates (business plan pitches).

When you’re pitching your great business idea, you’ll often be faced with tough competition. You’ve got to tell the growth story of your company so that you add investors and employees to your company. A Keynote pitch deck can help convey your message.

Pitch decks introduce your business plan to potential investors. Keynote pitch deck templates are the best way for you to succeed. Polish leads to a successful pitch presentation. That’s why it’s critical to stand out with an amazing pitch deck presentation.

Check out these fantastic, and professionally designed Keynote templates that have been specifically built for a business presentation or investor pitch and are ready to download and customize at the click of a button.

10 Nov 2021

Keynote vs powerpoint: which presentation app to choose.

It’s presentation time! Whether you are creating a template for your boss or prepping slides for a talk, using the right software can make the job a lot easier. We’re pitting Keynote vs. PowerPoint against one another to lay out the pros and cons of each.

For Mac users, there are two pretty obvious choices – Keynote and PowerPoint. But which do you choose? Should you always stick with one, or use different apps for different presentations?

Each has its own set of benefits and costs, and they’re both great for different uses. Hopefully, we’ll be able to help you make the right choice.

23 Aug 2019

How to convert keynote to powerpoint.

Apple Keynote is one of the most popular apps professionals use to create presentation slideshows. Although, there may come a time when you’ll want to edit a Keynote slideshow in PowerPoint because not everyone has access to the same app.

For example, you may run into problems when you’re collaborating on a team presentation or want to share your slideshow with someone else who’s using a Windows device because the Keynote app is exclusive to Apple devices. Thankfully, the Keynote app has a built-in solution to this problem. In such cases, you can convert your Keynote file to PowerPoint format quite easily.

In this guide, we’ll show you how to export a Keynote presentation to PowerPoint format, step by step.

21 Aug 2019

How to embed a youtube video in keynote.

If you’ve ever wanted to embed a YouTube video in Keynote to create a more engaging slideshow for in-person or recorded presentations, don’t worry. It’s not complicated at all.

We’re going to take you through how to embed a YouTube video in Keynote step-by-step, and share a few tips for how to use video to supercharge your presentations.

You don’t need any special software, and you’ll be all set with a video-packed presentation in minutes!

20 Dec 2016

30+ best keynote templates of 2016.

Preparing for a last minute presentation? Don’t know how to design beautiful slides with Keynote? We’ve got you covered!

Whether you’re trying to put together a slideshow for an unexpected presentation or simply can’t afford to hire a someone to design your slides, we have a solution that’ll save you hours of your time and money: Keynote templates!

The key to winning over the audience and your clients with your presentations is making your slides clear, precise, and visually appealing.

These Keynote templates, designed by professionals, will help you to easily wow your audience.

20 Feb 2013

5 tips and tools for designing a stand-out presentation.

Most people who need to create an exciting presentation are not design experts. Fortunately, there are a number of really neat tools and websites that can assist you in creating a captivating, professional look for your slides.

In this article, we’re going to take a look at five such tools. While I can’t promise that these tools alone will turn you into a design professional, they will certainly point you in the right direction.

10 Tips for Designing Presentations That Don’t Suck: Part 2

Last week we looked at part one of our two part series on designing better presentations. We learned practical tips on using photography, typography, color and more to create stunning results.

Today we’ll wrap things up with tips six through ten and teach you how simplifying your designs can lead to drastically improved results. Let’s get started!

10 Tips for Designing Presentations That Don’t Suck

PowerPoint has produced more bad design in its day that perhaps any other digital tool in history with the possible exception of Microsoft paint.

In this post we’re going to address the epidemic of bad presentation design with ten super practical tips for designer better looking and more professional presentations. Along the way we’ll see a number of awesome slide designs from Note & Point along with some custom examples built by yours truly. Let’s get started!

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How to Make a “Good” Presentation “Great”

• Guy Kawasaki

Remember: Less is more.

A strong presentation is so much more than information pasted onto a series of slides with fancy backgrounds. Whether you’re pitching an idea, reporting market research, or sharing something else, a great presentation can give you a competitive advantage, and be a powerful tool when aiming to persuade, educate, or inspire others. Here are some unique elements that make a presentation stand out.

• Fonts: Sans Serif fonts such as Helvetica or Arial are preferred for their clean lines, which make them easy to digest at various sizes and distances. Limit the number of font styles to two: one for headings and another for body text, to avoid visual confusion or distractions.
• Colors: Colors can evoke emotions and highlight critical points, but their overuse can lead to a cluttered and confusing presentation. A limited palette of two to three main colors, complemented by a simple background, can help you draw attention to key elements without overwhelming the audience.
• Pictures: Pictures can communicate complex ideas quickly and memorably but choosing the right images is key. Images or pictures should be big (perhaps 20-25% of the page), bold, and have a clear purpose that complements the slide’s text.
• Layout: Don’t overcrowd your slides with too much information. When in doubt, adhere to the principle of simplicity, and aim for a clean and uncluttered layout with plenty of white space around text and images. Think phrases and bullets, not sentences.

As an intern or early career professional, chances are that you’ll be tasked with making or giving a presentation in the near future. Whether you’re pitching an idea, reporting market research, or sharing something else, a great presentation can give you a competitive advantage, and be a powerful tool when aiming to persuade, educate, or inspire others.

• Guy Kawasaki is the chief evangelist at Canva and was the former chief evangelist at Apple. Guy is the author of 16 books including Think Remarkable : 9 Paths to Transform Your Life and Make a Difference.

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Use Keynote Remote to control your Keynote presentation

You can control your Keynote presentation from an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch using Keynote Remote.

Check your requirements

Link keynote remote to your mac, link keynote remote to another iphone or ipad, use keynote remote.

Keynote Remote is included with Keynote for iPhone and iPad. To use Keynote Remote to control your presentation, here's what you need:

An iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch with Keynote 2.1 or later for iPhone or iPad

A Mac with Keynote for Mac 6.1 or later

A remote device linked to your Mac or another iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch

You can play your presentation on your Mac and remotely control it with your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.

Turn on Wi-Fi on your iPhone or iPad and turn on Wi-Fi on your Mac .

On your Mac, open Keynote.

From the menu bar, choose Keynote > Settings (or Preferences), click Remotes, then select the "Enable" checkbox.

On your iPhone or iPad, tap Continue.

On your Mac, next to the name of your iPhone or iPad, click Link.

Make sure that the four-digit passcode that appears matches on both devices, then click Confirm on your Mac.

After you link your devices, learn how to use Keynote Remote .

You can play your presentation on iPhone or iPad and remotely control it with another.

Turn on Wi-Fi on both devices .

Open your Keynote presentation on the device with the presentation.

On the device that you want to use as a remote, open the Keynote app.

On the presentation device, tap Link next to the remote device.

Make sure that the four-digit passcode that appears matches on your devices, then click Confirm.

After you link Keynote Remote to your Mac, iPhone or iPad, follow these steps to control your slideshow.

Tap Play, then choose what you want to do:

To move to the next or previous slide, swipe in either direction.

To end the presentation, tap the Close button or swipe down with two fingers.

If your devices can't stay connected, connect both devices to the same Wi-Fi network on your Mac and on your iPhone or iPad .

Before playing your slideshow, you might want to turn on Do Not Disturb on your Mac and on your iPhone or iPad .

Use Keynote with Apple Watch

Learn how to use AirPlay to play your presentation from Keynote to an Apple TV.

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Find what’s been asked and answered by Apple customers.

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Need more help? Save time by starting your support request online and we'll connect you to an expert.

'ZDNET Recommends': What exactly does it mean?

ZDNET's recommendations are based on many hours of testing, research, and comparison shopping. We gather data from the best available sources, including vendor and retailer listings as well as other relevant and independent reviews sites. And we pore over customer reviews to find out what matters to real people who already own and use the products and services we’re assessing.

When you click through from our site to a retailer and buy a product or service, we may earn affiliate commissions. This helps support our work, but does not affect what we cover or how, and it does not affect the price you pay. Neither ZDNET nor the author are compensated for these independent reviews. Indeed, we follow strict guidelines that ensure our editorial content is never influenced by advertisers.

ZDNET's editorial team writes on behalf of you, our reader. Our goal is to deliver the most accurate information and the most knowledgeable advice possible in order to help you make smarter buying decisions on tech gear and a wide array of products and services. Our editors thoroughly review and fact-check every article to ensure that our content meets the highest standards. If we have made an error or published misleading information, we will correct or clarify the article. If you see inaccuracies in our content, please report the mistake via this form .

Get Microsoft Office for Windows or Mac for $32 right now

You can streamline your workflow with Microsoft Office 2019, now just $30. 

Operating efficiently and productively in any office can be made easier with a reliable and compatible set of programs that support word processing, spreadsheet creation, presentation generation, and email, among other things.

Microsoft Office has been covering these bases for years, and you might not want to sleep on discounted, slightly older versions. For example, right now, you can get Microsoft Office 2019 for Windows or Mac for only $32 with code ENJOY20 -- that's over 80% off.

Microsoft Office Home & Business 2019 for Mac

Though these Microsoft Office licenses are the 2019 version, you may find they offer just as much usability and workflow streamlining as the latest version of Microsoft's top-rated suite. Users might also find that a slightly older version works better with slightly older devices.

Boasting Microsoft's storied suite of productivity-enhancing apps, the 2019 versions for Mac and Windows are designed to help professionals with nearly any task. Each suite comes with the following favorites: Excel, Word , PowerPoint, Outlook, and OneNote. 

Users can easily create readable budgeting spreadsheets, robust presentations, and much more with Microsoft Office . While both versions of this suite come with similar apps, Mac users will gain access to Teams Classic, a handy program for virtual collaboration. Windows users will score Publisher, making creating newsletters and flyers easy, and Access, an invaluable data management app.

For smooth installation, Windows users must have their OS updated to Windows 10 or 11, while Mac users should have at least Monterrey Version 12 or newer.

On top of lifetime access to these productivity-boosting programs, this deal is easy to enjoy with instant delivery and download for one compatible device upon purchase. Users will also get lifetime access to Microsoft's respected customer support team at no additional cost. 

If you're like most users, you might not need to shell out extra money for software designed to improve your workflow. 

Get Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2019 for Windows or Microsoft Office Home and Business 2019 for Mac for just $32 with code ENJOY20 for a limited time. 

ZDNET Recommends

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Apple @ Work

Apple @ work: macos 14.4 removes support for launchctl kickstart.

Apple @ Work is exclusively brought to you by Mosyle , the only Apple Unified Platform. Mosyle is the only solution that integrates in a single professional-grade platform all the solutions necessary to seamlessly and automatically deploy, manage & protect Apple devices at work. Over 45,000 organizations trust Mosyle to make millions of Apple devices work-ready with no effort and at an affordable cost.  Request your EXTENDED TRIAL  today and understand why Mosyle is everything you need to work with Apple .

When Apple released macOS 14.4 back in March, they pulled the plug on support for several commands, including the important launchctl kickstar t. This change broke support for Addigy’s MDM Watchdog, a tool designed to keep MDM and software update processes working as expected, but there good news ahead for those struggling with macOS software updates.

About Apple @ Work:  Bradley Chambers managed an enterprise IT network from 2009 to 2021. Through his experience deploying and managing firewalls, switches, a mobile device management system, enterprise grade Wi-Fi, 1000s of Macs, and 1000s of iPads, Bradley will highlight ways in which Apple IT managers deploy Apple devices, build networks to support them, train users, stories from the trenches of IT management, and ways Apple could improve its products for IT departments.

While your end users won’t likely notice it, if your team uses on-device scripts to restart services, you’ll likely run into concerns with it working. Apple’s alternative suggestion, the kill command, isn’t working as well as launchctl kickstart leading to a user needing to do a full device restart as a workaround for service restart attempts.

This will affect tools like MDM Watchdog , which was designed to fix some of the flaws in Apple’s software update services. The watchdog’s strategy was to detect, diagnose, and resolve these hiccups, primarily through service restarts. However, macOS 14.4’s changes mean the watchdog’s key moves for restarting the MDM Client and software update processes are no longer working

What does this mean for users? On the surface, not much — the MDM Watchdog operates behind the scenes, so its struggles won’t bother users with error messages. The real issue lies in potential delays or misses in system updates deployed via MDM, as the watchdog can’t perform its usual restart magic. Apple suggests a device restart as a potential fix to kick things back into gear.

What’s the workaround for software update issues? Apple’s pointing towards its Declarative Device Management (DDM) Updates as the more reliable route for macOS 14.4 and beyond. As DDM continues to be adopted by device management vendors, it’s the solution for robust patching across your entire macOS fleet.

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Microsoft pitched the AI image tool DALL-E to the U.S. military for battle training, report says

A microsoft presentation reveals the company tried to sell azure openai's popular image generator dall-e to the department of defense.

Microsoft Azure’s version of OpenAI’s image generator, DALL-E , was pitched as a battlefield tool for the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), originally reported by The Intercept Wednesday. The report says Microsoft’s sales pitch of Azure OpenAI’s tools was delivered in October 2023, likely hoping to capitalize on the U.S. military’s growing interest in using generative AI for warfare.

“Using the DALL-E models to create images to train battle management systems,” reads a line from Microsoft’s pitch to the DoD, according to a presentation obtained by The Intercept. The sentence on DALL-E’s potential military application appears within a slide deck titled, “Generative AI with DoD Data” alongside Microsoft’s branding.

Azure offers many of OpenAI’s tools, including DALL-E, thanks to Microsoft’s $10 billion partnership with the non-profit. When it comes to military use, Microsoft Azure has the bonus of not being held to OpenAI’s pesky, overarching mission : “to ensure that artificial general intelligence benefits all of humanity.” OpenAI’s policies prohibit using its services to “ harm others ,” or for spyware. However, Microsoft offers OpenAI’s tools under its corporate umbrella, where the company has partnered with the armed forces for decades, according to a Microsoft spokesperson.

“This is an example of potential use cases that was informed by conversations with customers on the art of the possible with generative AI,” said a Microsoft spokesperson in an email responding to the presentation.

Just last year, OpenAI (not Azure OpenAI) prohibited using its tools for “military and warfare” and “weapons development,” as documented on the Internet Archive . However, OpenAI quietly removed a line from its Universal Policies in Jan. 2024, first spotted by The Intercept . Just days later, OpenAI’s VP of global affairs, Anna Makanju, told Bloomberg that it was beginning to work with the Pentagon . OpenAI noted at the time that several national security use cases align with its mission.

“OpenAI’s policies prohibit the use of our tools to develop or use weapons, injure others or destroy property,” said an OpenAI spokesperson in an email. “We were not involved in this presentation and have not had conversations with U.S. defense agencies regarding the hypothetical use cases it describes.”

Governments around the world seem to be embracing AI as the future of warfare. We recently learned that Israel has been using an AI system named Lavender to create a “kill list” of 37,000 people in Gaza, originally reported by +972 magazine . Since July of last year, American military officials have been experimenting with large language models for military tasks, according to Bloomberg .

The tech industry has undoubtedly taken notice of this massive financial opportunity. The former CEO of Google, Eric Schmidt, is building AI kamikaze drones under a company named White Stork . Schmidt has bridged tech and the Pentagon for years, and he’s leading the effort to employ AI on the front lines.

Tech has long been bolstered by the Pentagon, dating back to the first semiconductor chips in the 1950s, so it’s no surprise that AI is being embraced in the same way. While OpenAI’s goals sound lofty and peaceful, its Microsoft partnership allows it to obfuscate them, and sell its world-leading AI to the American military.

A version of this article originally appeared on Gizmodo .

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Google Photos AI image-editing tools expands to iPhone on May 15

Google Photos tools

Google's smartphones like the Pixel have benefited from intelligent AI-based features that can dramatically change a user's photographs. Now, Google is opening up the tools to more people, including iPhone users.

In a Wednesday announcement , Google said it will be making a number of its AI-powered image editing features available to all users of Google Photos.

Google is also making the tools available on more devices than just its Pixel smartphones. While Google's Pixel tablets are mentioned directly, the compatibility list does include iPhones.

To use the features, users must be on devices with 3GB of memory or higher and run iOS 15 or later. Alternately, they can also use an Android smartphone running Android 8.0 or later, or a Chromebook Plus with ChromeOS 118 or later.

The tools will start to roll out to users on other devices starting on May 15. The process that will apparently take a few weeks to complete.

Almost subscription-free

The features iPhone users will be able to use include Photo Unblur to improve blurry shots, and Portrait Light to adjust the light of users in portraits. The Magic Eraser is also available to remove distracting elements from photographs.

While Google says most of the tools will be available without a subscription, there is one tool that will be affected by it.

Magic Editor, a generative AI tool, lets users perform complex edits to images, such as repositioning subjects or making significant background edits. Again, this was a tool intended for Pixel devices, but it's also headed to iOS for devices with at least 4GB of memory.

However, Google Photos users will only get ten saves per month from Magic Editor without paying anything. Subscribers of the Premium Google One plan with 2TB of storage or above do not have the ten-save limitation.

The announcement occurs at a time when Apple is exploring the possibility of offering more generative AI tools to users. While Apple has worked on its own tools , Google has allegedly considered offering premium generative AI features to iPhone users, for a fee .

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Lowest price: Apple's M3 MacBook Air 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD, 10C GPU drops to $1,349

All of the specs of the iPhone SE 4 may have just been leaked

Rumor: M4 MacBook Pro with AI enhancements expected at the end of 2024

Apple will allow activation of used parts in repairs by users & service shops

Ugreen DXP8800 Plus network attached storage review: Good hardware, beta software

What to expect from Apple's Q2 2024 earnings on May 2

Featured deals.

Snap up Apple's latest Mac Studio for $1,795 this weekend

Latest comparisons.

M3 15-inch MacBook Air vs M3 14-inch MacBook Pro — Ultimate buyer's guide

M3 MacBook Air vs M1 MacBook Air — Compared

M3 MacBook Air vs M2 MacBook Air — Compared

Latest news.

Game emulators arrive in App Store following rule changes

Just over a week after Apple changed rules to allow game emulators on iPhone and iPad, the first have made their way into the App Store.

Apple urges court to ignore Epic's anti-steering complaint

Apple has responded to Epic's accusation it is in contempt of court for failing to remove anti-steering measures to its liking, by insisting it's really complying with the order.

Packed with upgrades, Apple's latest M3 MacBook Air with 16GB RAM, 512GB of storage and a 10-core GPU is marked down to $1,349. AppleCare is discounted with an exclusive coupon as well, dropping the price down to $159.

Gaming and AI are in Mac's future, even with low memory capacities

Apple is continuing to insist that users can still get a lot of work done with just 8GB of memory in a Mac, while also being bullish about improving the gaming experience and AI development on the platform.

Accessory manufacturer Ugreen is shifting into a new product category, and has launched a wide range of network attached storage devices with an excellent price-to-performance ratio. Unfortunately the line ships with software that is too immature to unconditionally recommend today.

The best game controllers for iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV

Level up your gaming on the iPhone and Apple TV with a new game controller. Here are some of your best options on the market.

Deals: Apple's M3 MacBook Pro 14-inch with 1TB storage drops to $1,799

Apple's upgraded M3 MacBook Pro 14-inch with a bump up to 1TB of storage is eligible for an exclusive $200 discount, plus grab bonus savings on three years of AppleCare.

Apple health study proves anybody can run a marathon — given enough time

For five years, Apple has been running a Heart and Movement Study using the Apple Watch, and its researchers have now examined the training and cardio exercises that marathon runners do.

A leak that is chiefly rounding up previous rumors about the iPhone SE 4 has added that it will have AI-based camera features, and contrary to expectations, will resemble the iPhone 13 more than the iPhone 14.

Apple is expanding its self-repair program procedures, and is adding the ability for consumers to use parts pairing to fully activate used parts in repairs — assuming they haven't been harvested from stolen devices.

JP Morgan drops Apple target price over questions on when AI iPhone will launch

Investment firm JP Morgan predicts that Apple will introduce AI with the 2025 iPhone 17 Pro, and has dropped its current price target to $210 partly as a result.

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