Keynote error: 'The image couldn't be inserted'

Hi. I know this is an old thread but this exact issue happened to me just a while ago and, in case someone ever goes through this problem ever again, I hope I can offer a moment of relief.

The same thing happened to me: I couldn't paste these two PNG files into my Pages and Keynote documents. I can insert other file types like JPEG and PDF, but not these two PNG files and I initially reckoned it was because these were corrupted.

It just so happened I had these two files open in Affinity Photo (a Photoshop alternative). When I closed the open images in Affinity and quit the app, I was able to insert files again in Pages and Keynote.

If you happen to experience this, check if the file is open in a different app. If it doesn't work, well, hey, I tried. I hope someone else comes along and offer a different solution.

What file type is the image you are trying to insert and does it open and display correctly in Preview?

Keynote will accept: TIFF, JPG, PNG, PDF, PSD, PCT, GIF

sign out of iCloud and Keynote won't access it, or if you want to use iCloud but not for Keynote, remove Keynote from iClouds services.

Very strange that re-installing from Mac App Store does not provide a working Keynote application, the next step is clean installing Mac OS, if you want to try this a backup of all user files is required.

Okay, so I found myself in this same wrist-slitting situation, and just tried doing a bunch of different things.

What seems to work is this:

1. Create a new Keynote file.
2. Drag the slides from the "corrupt" Keynote file into the new Keynote file.
3. The photos will still be missing, but you can "replace" them now ... if you don't remember which ones they are, select the missing picture in the "corrupt" file and then check the file name of that photo in the "Format" tab in the Image tab. Then in the new file, click on the missing photo and go to "replace" to get the correct photo back into your slide in the new file.
4. In this way you at least still have your Animate build-ins and build-outs, as well as Transitions and Sizing and Positioning ... BUT DO DOUBLE-CHECK ... I had a few that had to be adjusted, I confess.

This solution is FAR LESS THAN IDEAL, but given the radio silence from Apple on this, I guess those of us out here in the hinterlands need to jerry-rig the system as best we can. Good luck!

Just wanted to reiterate I had the SAME problem. I just created a new KEYNOTE and dragged the images over and renamed it and IT WORKED!

Thanks for all the comments. It stresses you out when you keep getting the same "cannot insert image" error.

Thank you very much.

I think the keyword was 'corrupt file'.

Some images disappeared and showed the infamous ? and X symbol.

I just couldn't even add new images and get the error "not compatible format" when trying to add JPEG FILES!!!!

But making a new keynote presentation and copying the slides from the corrupted one worked. Now I can fix the problem and add some images.

Thank you very much.

Unfortunately what I would like it's that keyonte wouldn't suddenly give place to a corrupted file. I noticed that yesterday 'on-air' while teaching to my students. Shame on you apple.

I had the same problem and solved it as follows.

Duplicated the file, inserted the image in a new slide and deleted the old file.

Extremely frustrating. I updated to the latest versions of iWork apps. Now I can't insert images except from Photos. Drag and Drop or insert doesn't work. Just a message Image *** cannot be inserted. No difference between JPG, PNG, TIF, PDF. And even when I build something using Photos, I can't save it!

Tried reinstalling, resetting parameter RAM, trashing prefs - nothing has worked. The workaround above - copy stuff from a 'bad' file to a new one doesn't help - it still won't save.

Logging in as a different User helps to a point. I can save - but of course I don't have access to the stuff in my regular account, so it's a cumbersome process of transferring stuff from one account to another and then doing the work - only to realize I forget stuff.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks @shedenka. Your solution worked for me.

I have the same problem in my Mac, but in my macbook, don't. And I can't fix it! I tried everything, but still appear error message... My OS is version 10.11.3 and my keynote is 6.6.1 version

I had the same issue since I updated to 6.6.2 on my macbook.

I have duplicated my file and is working by now.

Is working inserting an image from a file

but in copy paste I got this

anyone have a tip for this. i have to finish my lecture for tomorrow 😠

Cheers,

macbook 10.11.5, keynote 6.6.2