Audio on keynote exported quicktime videos cuts out at 50 seconds?

It just started! When I export my keynote into a Quicktime file, the audio cuts out at 50 seconds. I have been creating videos a long time with this method and never had problems before.

MacBook Pro, OS X Yosemite (10.10), Keynote 6.5

Posted on Nov 14, 2014 10:29 AM

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43 replies

Nov 14, 2014 12:13 PM in response to LDNiagara

I started having this problem when I upgraded to Yosemite (build 14A389) and Keynote 6.5. I have routinely recorded audio with my presentations for export to Quicktime. My first two uses with the upgrades have resulted in audio recording that stops after about a minute in the Keynote file itself. I am sure I am not touching the pause button in presentation mode. In the most recent presentation, I spoke for about a minute on the first slide, clicked an arrow key to advance to the second slide, and started talking again. On the audio, I spoke two words and then the audio stops. The first presentation where this happened was similar. That one I exported to Quicktime and the audio there also stops at a similar place.


This seems like a bug, either in Keynote, or in Yosemite.

Nov 15, 2014 4:00 PM in response to LDNiagara

I am also experiencing this same problem since upgrading to Yosemite. I used to record keynote presentations of between 10-50 mins then export them to QuickTime, but ever since I upgraded from Maverick to Yosemite my my voice over only lasts about a minute then goes silent. I produce work for an e-learning course and this problem is threatening my work schedules and ability to generate revenue. As a pro user I pay a lot for Apple products and don't expect this kind of problem, but the company no longer seems to have the pro community in mind, just the silver surfers whose only concern is basic "sleek" looking equipment. Steve Jobs RIP, but you're no doubt turning in your grave when you see the mess the current leadership are making of the great company you nurtured. This feels like a bug similar to the Yosemite WIFI debacle, and so I hold out very little hope of any rescue package.

Nov 18, 2014 4:13 PM in response to TarqTeles

Thanks for the suggestion, TarqTeles, but it didn't work for me. I followed the suggestion: "Just go to File > Advanced > Change File Type and change from "Single File" to "Package". " The Keynote file audio still cuts out after 50 seconds (slide 2). I could predict this wasn't going to work from the file size. My Keynote presentations usually last about 50 minutes, have about 15-30 slides and the file size with audio is typically around 500MB. The files with the audio cutout are around 40MB. So, clearly this is failing at the recording stage, not the file export to QuickTime stage, nor in playback.

Nov 19, 2014 6:14 AM in response to James Griesemer

Hello, good point about the file sizes. I see the same discrepancy.


The iWorks team has been in touch with me via email as a result of this thread and asked for a copy of my files, which I am not at liberty to share with them due to their commercially sensitive content.


What I have told them is that when I rebuild the slides and record my presentations on an older machine using iWorks Keynote '09 on OS 10.9.5 I have no issues, other than the clunkier media editor.

My overall sense is that releasing software updates without testing is not something users are finding pleasant and this, now frequent problem of releasing regular updates without thorough testing by mac users "in the field" is killing Apple's reputation and brand.


Frankly, Steve Jobs would be turning in his grave if he were conscious of the Apple backlash currently audible online.

Nov 19, 2014 7:30 AM in response to stepbate

I have been on the phone with a Senior Tech Advisor with Apple both yesterday and today working through the problem via screen share. He has pushed this up to his engineers. File size seems to be an issue, but they are working through to a fix. He did say the more FEEDBACK we can send through to them via Keynote > Provide Keynote Feedback , the more information they will have and they will realize how many people are having the problem. Make sure to tell them how this is impacting your work deliverables.

Nov 19, 2014 9:58 AM in response to LDNiagara

I am willing to share files with Apple. Mine are copyrighted, but are shareable.


But here's a wrinkle on the problem that puts me a little more in sympathy with Apple engineers, since they may well not have encountered the subtle environments we have that is generating this audio problem.


I was having the same problem you are for several days after I upgraded to Keynote 6.5 and Yosemite 10.10 (running on a mid-2011 MBA). I duplicated a keynote file with audio recorded that cut out after 50 seconds or so: audio stopped on slide 2 even though I had recorded and saved the whole 50 minute presentation. I store my keynote presentations along with Quicktime movies (m4v) and downsampled mp4 files in a sparsebundled disk image. I created a new, larger disk image yesterday because I was running out of storage space. To do that, I copied all the files in the sparsebundle to a temporary folder on a backup drive (My Mac Book Air is running out of storage space). Then, I deleted the old sparse bundle, created the new one, and copied all the files back.


After reading your latest post, I thought I would try again. I opened my test Keynote file, now copied to the new sparse bundle, and the audio works! I can hear the audio in the Keynote file when I "Play Recorded Slideshow" from the Play menu. I also exported to a Quicktime m4v movie and the audio is all there. The Keynote file size didn't change during all this: still 36.8MB, which is typical for the audio recorded ones. I start with a 2 to 4MB presentation of 15-20 slides, record audio, and the file size increases to 35-40MB. Then the Quicktime m4v is typical 200-300MB. This one is: 239.4MB.


So, although the bug is not squashed, take heart and don't delete those files! Your audio may actually be in there somewhere.

Nov 19, 2014 8:52 PM in response to LDNiagara

I am having the same problem....cuts out after a minute on slide 2. I am on a new MacPro, Yosemite 10.10.1, Keynote 6.5. Presentation is 19 min, 36 slides. I have two different files of the same presentation doing same hiccup when exporting to QT. Crashed KN twice in export. Files play audio fine in Keynote. Not QT. Tried both package and single. Willing to share file.

Nov 20, 2014 11:09 AM in response to TarqTeles

It takes 40 hours to put together the recordings I make in Keynote, so to be defeated and let down by poor performing OS / iWorks upgrades at the last post is a major, major blow.

I'm afraid I have little time for experimenting with workarounds that may or may not work.

I pay a premium for and expect sturdy, solid, and reliable software solutions from Apple for my professional needs.

If truth be told I cleared my recordings and tried and tried again, until the only resort left was to revert to iWorks Keynote '09.

So that's my story: I'm in the stone age of iWorks '09 in 2015!

Nov 22, 2014 10:38 AM in response to James Griesemer

Follow up on my last followup. I had two Keynote 6.5 presentations that displayed the audio problem we have been discussing. The first of them somehow "fixed" itself and I was able to hear audio to the end in the "Play Recorded Slideshow" mode and export the slides with audio to Quicktime. On 11/20/2014, I upgraded my mid-2011 MBA to Yosemite 10.10.1. Today, 11/22/2014, I played the remaining problem presentation in Keynote 6.5 and it seems to have "fixed" itself as well. I was able to hear audio to the end in the "Play Recorded Slideshow" mode and export the slides with audio to Quicktime.


I don't know if this had anything to do with the Yosemite upgrade or not. My first problem KN file fixed itself before the upgrade. The second one afterward. When I upgrade the OS, I always clone my machine first using SuperDuper! and fix permissions before cloning.


In any case, the audio was obviously recorded for my entire presentations and this is a playback issue.

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Audio on keynote exported quicktime videos cuts out at 50 seconds?

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