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Keynote crashes

I've recently upgraded my MacBook Air to macOS Monterey and I've started having problems with Keynote. It often (not always) crashes immediately after trying to open a presentation file or just when launching the app. I seem to have installed the last version of the app (11.2) and the OS is also fully updated (12.3.1) and it doesn't seem to be a problem with a specific file, since Keynote crashes upon trying to open any of the presentations I've build with the app in the las couple of years.


Has anyone found similar problems? Is there any solution? This is really becoming a serious issue, because I am a teacher and I have a number of presentations that I have not been able to complete.


Any recommendation will be of great help. Thanks!

MacBook Air 13″, macOS 12.3

Posted on Apr 3, 2022 3:55 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Apr 3, 2022 4:31 AM

Try this procedure which is known to sort this type of issue.


complete all of the following steps in the order listed:


  • ensure you have a current backup of all your user files, saved to a separate drive


  • close all applications


  • 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


  • empty the Trash (Finder > Empty Trash)


  • 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


  • After the Mac is fully powered up, restart the Mac normally:   Apple Menu > Restart


  • reinstall Keynote from the Mac App Store


  • Restart the Mac again and test Keynote



If Keynote still continues to crash, create a new Mac User Account and test Keynote, as described here:

Set up users, guests and groups on Mac – Apple Support (UK)



Similar questions

9 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Apr 3, 2022 4:31 AM in response to SBR1963

Try this procedure which is known to sort this type of issue.


complete all of the following steps in the order listed:


  • ensure you have a current backup of all your user files, saved to a separate drive


  • close all applications


  • 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


  • empty the Trash (Finder > Empty Trash)


  • 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


  • After the Mac is fully powered up, restart the Mac normally:   Apple Menu > Restart


  • reinstall Keynote from the Mac App Store


  • Restart the Mac again and test Keynote



If Keynote still continues to crash, create a new Mac User Account and test Keynote, as described here:

Set up users, guests and groups on Mac – Apple Support (UK)



Apr 4, 2022 10:00 AM in response to SBR1963

The new user account must be a new Administrator account, and not a guest account.


The next step would be to either clean install Mac OS which is to backup everything on the drive then erase the start up drive and install a reliable stable version of Mac OS to run your Mac


the reasons for starting from an external are:

use a different Mac OS from what you have now, use Catalina

  • keeps your existing user files and Mac OS intact
  • prevent existing software from interfering with Keynote
  • act as a back up drive for your Mac
  • would not delete anything on your existing
  • the system would be as fast and efficient as using your internal drive


I always have an external bootable drive ready as a back up in case of emergencies.


If you have or prepared to get a solid state drive, try the procedure described here:

https://www.macworld.co.uk/how-to/macos-external-drive-3659666/


The Catalina installer from the Mac App Store is here:

macOS Catalina

Apr 4, 2022 8:37 AM in response to Gary Scotland

Hi,

After 24h behaving well, Keynote started crashing again, after deleting with App Delete and reinstalling. Please, could you be more specific about the procedure of creating a new Mac User Account? Should it be an administrator? A group sharing my account? Also, if Keynote continues to crash, what should I do next?


Thanks,

srg

Apr 5, 2022 3:33 AM in response to Gary Scotland

Hi, Gary,

Well, it doesn't work. Migration assistant won't allow a transfer from Monterey to Catalina. Anyway, at least I now have an Air running Monterey and another one running Catalina, where Keynote works. Is there any hope for Keynote (and other apps, like Zoom, e.g.) to run normally on Monterey someday?

Best and thanks for your help.

srg

Keynote crashes

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