: How to import vector graphics into Keynote 6.6.1 Apologies if this is the wrong forum for my question. I'm having a difficult time importing vector graphics (svg flat icons) into Keynote 6.6.1.

@Steve758

There is another very easy way to get vector shapes into Keynote.

For first download and install app SvgToKeynote.


Launch application
Select desired SVG file for conversion
Open new .key file and copy shapes into your presentation.


You can download SvgToKeynote here:

SvgToKeynote Homepage

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@Bryan765

With latest Keynote you can use SVG2KEYNOTE, which is a command line utility to create Keynote files from SVG files. Latest Keynote is able to open old Keynote files, so you can easily get whatever vectors again into Keynote.

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@Hamm6457569

What worked very well from me:

Open the SVG file in Affinity Designer.

Select All.

Paste in Keynote.

Pastes as vectors (scales well without pixelation).

So far no problems.

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@Alves566

Well, this may sound crazy, it's a bit of a work around but it works. So, you copy and paste from Illustrator into PPT on a PC as an enhanced meta file. Ungroup it, save the doc. Then on your mac open the PPT in keynote and BOOM, you have a live scalable and changeable vector in keynote. It requires having both a mac and pc but so far that is the only way we have found it to work.

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@Merenda852

There is a way to do this using AI2Key AI plugin for Adobe Illustrator and Keynote '09. Find/Buy a copy Keynote '09 (good luck with that)


Istall AI2Key AI and Keynote '09
Export vector from illustrator as a keynote file.
Open in Keynote '09
Save file in Keynote '09
Open in Keynote 6 and vectors are editable and colorable.


There's youtube videos demoing this technique. I keep a copy of Keynote '09 just for this purpose and it's how most people that make keynote templates for sale do it.

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@Connie430

Pasting paths will usually rasterise you graphic - which does not scale well.

If you want a smooth scaleable graphic (but one you still can't edit in Keynote) you can import PDFs. Those will scale smoothly, and Keynote is pretty good at preserving things like transparency.

You will need to design and edit the graphics in another program. (Also most design programs can expert selected objects - which I recommend you always do because it leaves no unwanted white space around the graphic when you import it.

Not ideal but it does the job.

For graphics I use all the time I have a couple of Keynote files that I just use to hold all my vectors - most of the time I just copy paste these from keynote to keynote so I don't have to mess around with the finder or open my graphics program and do an export.

Keynote would definitely benefit from a good shape library feature and an import SVG capability - can't imagine why Apple hasn't provided this.

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@Martha945

Keynote is clever enough to deal with vectors from 3rd parties, but sadly the import/edit side is not. Copy paste your vector (just like that).


Select your paths.
Copy them (Ctrl+C or Cmd+C)
Go to your Keynote file and just paste it (Ctrl+V or Cmd+V).


Keynote will detect the pasted info as vector, meaning you will be able to scale it all around without loosing any bit of the image or messing up with pixels, sadly though you won't be able to edit the pasted vectors within keynote (no path editing nor color, etc...) the whole pasted vector info will be treated as an image element when it comes to editing.

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@Steve758

Keynote 6.6.1 does not support importing vector graphics. You’ll need to rasterize the graphic to a supported format (PNG is a good choice; both lossless and relatively space-efficient) and insert that. In Inkscape, which it sounds like you already have, it’s just File > Export PNG Image....

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