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Keynote not saving, exporting or adding photos

Hi guys,


just recently, my Keynote (11.0.1) running on MBP 13" 2020, OSX 10.15.7 started behaving really strange.


Issue 1: Cannot save any keynote

Very often, after saving an unfinished work, even a brand new keynote, I get this error message: "The document “Untitled” could not be saved as “Untitled.key”. You don’t have permission." As per the other forums, I tried deleting recent files, tried switching on/off the iWork autosaving feature, tried copying the whole deck into a new keynote, nothing worked. Tried repairing permissions, saving under different names, repairing access rights on my whole computer including all the enclosed folders. Starts to get really frustrating when, randomly, the Keynote decides not to let me save my work.


Issue 2: Cannot add the photos

Every time now, after drag/dropping any jpeg/png into keynote, I get this error message: "The image couldn't be inserted." It does this while using 'Insert > Choose..' as well as with drag & drop. Have to open the file in Photoshop, select all, copy and paste it in Keynote. this way it works.


Issue 3: Randomly refuses to export keynote into pdf

Every now and then, my keynote (however this issue appears in Numbers, too) cannot be exported into pdf. After the progress bar runs to the end, I get the message saying "The document could not be autosaved. Your most recent changes might be lost." If I send the keynote to someone else, they are perfectly able to export and save.


Again, this is a very unlucky combination as I am unable to use both Keynote and Numbers in even a super basic way.


Thanks

MacBook Pro 13″, macOS 10.15

Posted on May 28, 2021 9:01 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on May 28, 2021 10:48 AM

You have tried a number of troubleshooting exercises. Please try creating a new Mac user account, this has sorted a number of users issues with the same issues you have.


Informnation here from Apples support pages: https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/mac-help/mtusr001/mac


Please try this and please report back.

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3 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

May 28, 2021 10:48 AM in response to gotroch

You have tried a number of troubleshooting exercises. Please try creating a new Mac user account, this has sorted a number of users issues with the same issues you have.


Informnation here from Apples support pages: https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/mac-help/mtusr001/mac


Please try this and please report back.

May 31, 2021 8:59 AM in response to gotroch

Next thing would be resetting Keynote as follows:


In the new user account, complete all of the following steps, in the order listed:


 

  1. ensure you have a current backup of all your user files, saved to a separate drive
  2. close all applications
  3. uninstall Keynote; for this procedure to work, an application removal tool must be used, App Delete has a free trial and works for this procedure. It can be downloaded from the developer’s website here:  App Delete
  4. empty the Trash (Finder > Empty Trash)
  5. restart the Mac (Apple Menu > Restart);  Immediately after the Apple startup sound, press the shift key on the keyboard, release shift when the Apple icon appears. Start up will take longer than usual as the Mac is performing a software repair of the start up drive
  6. After the Mac is fully powered up, restart the Mac normally:   Apple Menu > Restart
  7. reinstall Keynote from the Mac App Store Application
  8. Restart the Mac again



May 31, 2021 8:48 AM in response to Gary Scotland

Hi Gary,


thanks for the advice; however, it didn't work. After creating a new user account, I opened the Numbers file and immediately was I struck with the error message saying: "The document “Untitled” could not be saved as “Untitled.key”. You don’t have permission."


Any tips, hints, advices? I really wouldn't wanna reinstall OSX right now...


Thanks

Keynote not saving, exporting or adding photos

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