# How to import a theme in Keynote on Mac: a step-by-step guide for Keynote 15.4

> Learn how to import a theme in Keynote on Mac. Double-click the .kth file, click Add to Theme Chooser, then find it under My Themes.

URL: https://www.lazur.app/how-to/import-a-theme-in-keynote
Updated: 2026-11-09

To import a theme in Keynote on a Mac, double-click the theme file, which ends in .kth, then click Add to Theme Chooser. The theme then appears under My Themes in the theme chooser, ready to use on new decks or existing ones.

## Quick answer

- Double-click the .kth theme file, then click Add to Theme Chooser.
- Find the theme with File > New, then click My Themes.
- Make it the default with Keynote > Settings > General, then select Use theme.
- Apply it to an open deck with File > Change Theme, then click Choose.
- If it does not show up, quit Keynote, reopen it, and run Add to Theme Chooser again.

Applies to: Keynote for Mac 15.4 on macOS 26 or later. Time: 5 min. Difficulty: Easy.

## What you need

- A theme file that ends in .kth
- Keynote 15.4 or later, which needs macOS 26 or later
- A copy of the theme file saved on your Mac
- Optional: iCloud Drive on and the same Apple Account on each Mac

## How to Import a theme in Keynote on Mac in Keynote on a Mac

1. **Find the theme file on your Mac.** Locate the theme file in Finder. Its name ends in .kth. If the file came in an email, save the attachment to a folder first, such as Downloads or Desktop. Keynote can only add a file that is saved on your Mac. Tip: Keynote links each theme chooser entry to its file by filename. Keep the name as it came when you replace a theme later.
2. **Double-click the .kth file.** Double-click the file. Keynote opens and offers the theme for import. Your existing presentations do not change at this point. Tip: If the file opens in another app, right-click it, choose Open With, and pick Keynote.
3. **Click Add to Theme Chooser.** Click Add to Theme Chooser. Keynote adds the theme to its list of custom themes. This is the step that makes the theme appear in My Themes, so do not skip it. Tip: Apple's guide gives no keyboard shortcut for this step. Use the mouse or trackpad.
4. **Open the theme chooser.** (File > New) Choose File > New. The theme chooser opens. Your custom themes are grouped under their own category, separate from the built-in designs. Tip: If you do not see My Themes, the import did not finish. Go back to the double-click step.
5. **Select My Themes.** Click My Themes in the theme chooser. Your imported theme appears there under its name. Click it once to select it. Tip: If My Themes is empty, check the troubleshooting list before you import the file again.
6. **Choose the theme for a new deck.** With your theme selected, click Choose. Keynote starts a new presentation in that theme. Tip: If you only want the theme as a default, skip this step and use Keynote > Settings in the next step.
7. **Make it the default for new decks.** (Keynote > Settings > General) Choose Keynote > Settings, then open the General pane. Select Use theme, click Change Theme, and pick your imported theme. Tip: This changes new decks only. Decks you already have keep their current theme.
8. **Apply it to an existing deck.** (File > Change Theme) Open the presentation, then choose File > Change Theme. Select your theme. Deselect Keep your style changes if you want the theme's styles to override your earlier edits, then click Choose. Tip: Apple's guide says you cannot change the theme of a presentation you are sharing with others.
9. **Check the result on a title slide and a body slide.** Look at one title slide and one body slide. Check fonts, colors, and backgrounds. Keep the original deck open until you are happy with the result, so you can compare the two. Tip: If the slides look blank, the theme may have been saved from a whole deck. See the troubleshooting list.
10. **Rename or delete a custom theme.** (Control-click theme name > Rename or Delete) Control-click the theme name in the theme chooser. Choose Rename to give it a new name, or Delete to remove it. Tip: With iCloud Drive on, deleting a custom theme removes it from every Mac on the same Apple Account.
11. **Save a deck as your own theme.** (File > Save Theme) Open the deck you want to reuse, then choose File > Save Theme. Click Add to Theme Chooser, type a name, and click Choose. To make a file you can share, click Save instead, type a name, and pick a location. Tip: Only changes to slide layouts are saved to a new theme. Build the look on a master slide first.
12. **Build the design on a master slide.** (View > Edit Master Slides) Choose View > Edit Master Slides. Change the layouts you want in the theme, then close the master view. Save the theme after the layouts look right. Tip: An Apple Community thread reports that a theme saved from a whole presentation can open blank. Working on master slides avoids that.
13. **Send a theme to someone else.** Save the theme file to your computer first, then attach it to an email. The person who receives it follows the double-click steps in this guide on their own Mac. Tip: Send the file with its original name so the theme chooser entry stays linked to it.

Apple's steps for this do not involve a menu import. You install a theme by opening the theme file itself. Double-click it, add it to the theme chooser once, and it stays in a category called My Themes. From there you can use it on a new deck, switch an open deck to it, or make it the default for everything you start.

![Person at a MacBook learning how to import a theme in Keynote on Mac](https://images.lazur.app/content-images/howto/import-a-theme-in-keynote/how-to-import-a-theme-in-keynote-1-ed7792.jpg)

## What you need before you start

Check three things first. You need the theme file, a Mac that can run the right version of Keynote, and a copy of the file saved on your disk. Keynote 15.4 is the newest release Apple lists on its What's new page, and it requires macOS 26 or later. Apple's theme guide does not say which version it covers, so if a menu below looks different, open Keynote > About Keynote to check yours.

- **macOS 26** Minimum macOS for Keynote 15.4, the newest release Apple lists on its What's new page ([source](https://support.apple.com/guide/keynote/whats-new-tan700f60676/mac))
- **Free** Keynote itself. Apple says Keynote, Pages, and Numbers stay free for everyone ([source](https://www.apple.com/apple-creator-studio/))
- **$12.99** Monthly Apple Creator Studio price for new US subscribers, which gives access to premium theme collections ([source](https://www.apple.com/apple-creator-studio/))

- A theme file that ends in .kth. Apple's guide calls these Keynote theme files.
- macOS 26 or later if you want Keynote 15.4.
- The file saved to a folder such as Downloads or Desktop, not only open in a mail app.
- Optional: iCloud Drive on and the same Apple Account on every Mac that needs the theme.

A theme that arrives by email needs one extra step. Save the attachment to a folder before you do anything else. Apple's guide says to save a theme to your computer before you email it, which tells you the file has to exist on disk first.

## Step by step: import the theme file into Keynote

The steps below follow Apple's order. The first group gets the theme into Keynote. The rest covers the ways people actually use it: as the default, on a deck that already exists, and as a theme you save yourself. Each step lists the menu path, so you can find the same item even if your window is arranged differently.

## Where each theme command lives in the menu bar

| Task | Where to click |
| --- | --- |
| Install a received theme | Double-click the .kth file, then click Add to Theme Chooser |
| Find imported themes | File > New, then My Themes |
| Make a theme the default | Keynote > Settings > General, select Use theme, then Change Theme |
| Change an existing deck | File > Change Theme, select a theme, then Choose |
| Save a deck as a theme | File > Save Theme, then Add to Theme Chooser or Save |
| Rename or delete a theme | Control-click the theme name in the theme chooser |
| Design a theme's layouts | View > Edit Master Slides |

_Menu paths taken from Apple's Keynote on Mac theme guides._

Apple's guide gives no keyboard shortcut for installing a theme. Every step in this guide uses the mouse or trackpad. If a site lists a shortcut for these actions, check it against the menu bar before you rely on it, because the guide does not confirm any.

## Why your theme does not appear in My Themes

Most missing themes come from one skipped step. The file was opened, but the Add to Theme Chooser click never happened, or the window closed first. Run the double-click again and watch for the button before you dismiss anything. If the button never appears, the file may not be a Keynote theme, so check its name first.

1. Confirm the name ends in .kth. Finder can hide extensions, so turn on file name extensions in Finder's settings to see it.
2. Run the double-click again, then click Add to Theme Chooser.
3. Quit Keynote with Keynote > Quit Keynote, then open it again.
4. Choose File > New and check My Themes again.

Restarting Keynote is the fix that shows up most often in older forum threads. Those threads cover Keynote 6 to 10, so treat them as clues rather than a guide to the current app. Work through the list above before you try anything from those threads.

## Make the imported theme the default for new decks

If one theme covers most of your work, make it the default. Open Keynote > Settings, then open the General pane. Select Use theme, click Change Theme, and pick your imported theme. Every new presentation you start after that opens in that theme.

Here is how that plays out. A teacher with one school template might set it once and forget it. A person who works on brand decks might set it on a work Mac and leave personal decks alone. The default only changes what Keynote starts with, not the decks already on your Mac.

![Presentation slides open on a laptop, the kind of deck that uses an imported Keynote theme](https://images.lazur.app/content-images/howto/import-a-theme-in-keynote/how-to-import-a-theme-in-keynote-2-d48002.jpg)

## Change the theme of a deck you already have

Open the deck, then choose File > Change Theme. Pick your theme. Look at the option named Keep your style changes before you click Choose. If you deselect it, the theme's styles override the fonts and colors you set by hand. If you leave it selected, your earlier edits stay.

Test this on a copy first. A deck with careful custom formatting can lose that formatting when you deselect the option. Save a copy of the deck before you switch, so you can compare the two versions and keep the one that looks right.

Sharing changes the rules. Apple's guide says you cannot change the theme of a presentation that you are sharing with others. If the change will not go through, check whether the deck is shared before you try again.

## Save your own deck as a theme

You do not need to import a theme to create one. Build a slide style you like, then choose File > Save Theme. Click Add to Theme Chooser, type a name, and click Choose. To make a file you can share, click Save instead, type a name, and pick a location.

One Apple Community answer says saving a whole presentation does not produce a usable theme. A saved theme that opened blank was fixed by building the design on a master slide first. Open View > Edit Master Slides, change the layouts, and save the theme from there.

## Edit an imported theme without losing the original

Editing a theme follows a loop. Open the theme with File > New, make your changes, then choose File > Save Theme. Keynote saves the edit as a new theme, so give it a new name. Only changes to slide layouts carry over, so put your design work on the master slides.

![Desk with a computer and notes, where a downloaded Keynote theme file might be saved](https://images.lazur.app/content-images/howto/import-a-theme-in-keynote/how-to-import-a-theme-in-keynote-3-bfd06c.jpg)

Rename and delete work from the theme chooser. Control-click a theme name, then choose Rename or Delete. Be careful with Delete. With iCloud Drive on, deleting a custom theme removes it from every device that uses the same Apple Account.

## Keep themes in sync across your Macs

Custom themes added with Add to Theme Chooser are available on every device signed in to the same Apple Account, as long as iCloud Drive is on. They do not appear in Keynote for iCloud, the web app. If a teammate needs the theme, send them the .kth file and have them follow the steps here on their Mac.

## Premium themes and what Apple charges for them

Keynote itself is free. Apple says Keynote, Pages, and Numbers stay free for everyone. Some theme collections are different. Keynote 15.1 added an exclusive collection for subscribers, and Keynote 15.4 adds a new collection of professionally designed themes for subscribers too.

Apple Creator Studio costs $12.99 per month or $129 per year for new US subscribers, after a free trial. MacTech reports a one-month free trial for new subscribers. TidBITS lists $129.99 per year, which conflicts with Apple's figure, so use Apple's page as the reference. Apple's pages tie the subscription to premium collections, not to importing a theme file.

## Mistakes people make when they import a theme

- Double-clicking a file that is not a Keynote theme, then assuming Keynote is broken.
- Skipping Add to Theme Chooser, which is the step that puts the theme in My Themes.
- Searching Keynote for iCloud for a custom theme. Custom themes are not available there.
- Renaming the .kth file after it was added, which can break the link Keynote keeps to it.
- Setting a default theme and expecting older decks to change. They keep their theme.
- Editing slides and saving the deck, when the layout change belongs in File > Save Theme.

## Older advice you will find online

Search results for this topic lead to threads about Keynote 6, Keynote 10, and macOS 10.14. Two of those fixes need a warning. A Jamf thread says deleting a database file brings My Themes back, but one user said that stopped working in Keynote 10. An Apple thread about a black theme chooser says turning on Use Theme with Black, then Show Theme Chooser, helped, though the cause was never confirmed.

Try the current steps first. Use the old fixes only when the steps above fail. Copy your .kth file to a folder you control before you touch anything in Keynote's data files.

## What to do next

- Put a video on a themed slide with [How to add a video to a slide in Keynote on Mac](https://www.lazur.app/how-to/add-a-video-to-a-slide-in-keynote).
- Add speaker notes to your themed deck with [How to add presenter notes in Keynote on Mac](https://www.lazur.app/how-to/add-presenter-notes-in-keynote).
- Teachers who build lesson decks can start with [Keynote for teachers on Mac](https://www.lazur.app/for/teachers/keynote).

If the theme still will not show up after these checks, the file itself may be damaged or may not be a theme. Ask the person who made it to export it again, then run the steps from the start.

## If it does not work

- **The theme does not appear in My Themes** Run the double-click again and click Add to Theme Chooser. Then quit Keynote with Keynote > Quit Keynote, reopen it, and check File > New again. Apple's guide says to install a theme with these steps if a custom theme does not appear.
- **The saved theme opens blank** Rebuild the design on a master slide with View > Edit Master Slides, then choose File > Save Theme. An Apple Community thread that reports Keynote v6.1 says saving a whole presentation does not create a usable theme.
- **The theme chooser is black** An Apple Community thread on macOS 10.14 says turning on Use Theme with Black in Keynote's settings, then Show Theme Chooser, helped. The cause was never confirmed, so test it on a copy first.
- **An old fix says to delete a database file** A Jamf Community thread says deleting the database file brought My Themes back in Keynote 10. Another user said it stopped working. Skip it unless the current steps fail, and copy your .kth files first.
- **The theme is missing on my other Mac** Check that both Macs use the same Apple Account and that iCloud Drive is on. Custom themes do not appear in Keynote for iCloud, so check the Mac app, not the browser.
- **My edits did not carry into the theme** Open the theme with File > New, make your changes, then choose File > Save Theme. Only slide layout changes carry over, so put the design on the master slides and save again under a new name.

## With Lazur

Lazur is a voice assistant for the Mac that lives in the notch. Hold ⌥ ⌘ and ask; it sees your screen, answers out loud, points at buttons and walks you through apps. Hold fn to dictate. Free for 3 days, then $18/month: https://www.lazur.app/download

- “Where is My Themes in the theme chooser?”: Lazur circles My Themes on your screen and labels it, so you know where to click. (Points at it)

## FAQ

### Can I import a Keynote theme into Keynote for iCloud?

Not as a custom theme. Apple's guide says custom themes added with Add to Theme Chooser are not available in Keynote for iCloud, the web app. Import the theme in the Keynote app on your Mac, and it will sync to other Macs on the same Apple Account with iCloud Drive on.

### Do I need an Apple Creator Studio subscription to import a theme?

Apple's pages tie the subscription to premium theme collections, not to importing a theme file. Apple says Keynote stays free for everyone. Creator Studio costs $12.99 per month or $129 per year for new US subscribers, after a free trial.

### What is a .kth file?

A .kth file is a Keynote theme file. Apple's guide uses that extension for themes you receive or save. Double-click it to start the import, then click Add to Theme Chooser.

### Will my imported theme show up on my other Macs?

Yes, if they use the same Apple Account and iCloud Drive is on. Deleting a custom theme while iCloud Drive is on removes it from all of those devices, so think before you delete.

### Can I apply an imported theme to a deck I already have?

Yes. Choose File > Change Theme, select the theme, and click Choose. Deselect Keep your style changes if you want the theme's styles to replace your earlier edits.

### Why does my saved theme open blank?

An Apple Community thread reports this for themes saved from a whole presentation. The fix in that thread was to build the design on a master slide with View > Edit Master Slides, then choose File > Save Theme.

### Which Keynote version do I need for these steps?

Apple's What's new page lists Keynote 15.4 first, and it requires macOS 26 or later. Apple's theme guide does not state which version it covers, so check your version under Keynote > About Keynote if a menu looks different.

### Can I change the theme of a deck someone else is sharing with me?

Not while it is shared. Apple's guide says you cannot change the theme of a presentation that you are sharing with others. Save a copy of the deck and make the change on that copy.

## Sources

1. [Create and manage Keynote themes on Mac | Apple Support](https://support.apple.com/guide/keynote/create-and-manage-custom-themes-tanb343cb739/mac), Apple, checked 2026-11-09
2. [Change a Keynote theme on Mac | Apple Support](https://support.apple.com/guide/keynote/change-a-theme-tan20c95bae6/mac), Apple, checked 2026-11-09
3. [What's new in Keynote on Mac | Apple Support](https://support.apple.com/guide/keynote/whats-new-tan700f60676/mac), Apple, checked 2026-11-09
4. [Apple Creator Studio | Apple](https://www.apple.com/apple-creator-studio/), Apple, checked 2026-11-09
5. [Keynote 15.1, Numbers 15.1, and Pages 15.1 | TidBITS](https://tidbits.com/watchlist/keynote-15-1-numbers-15-1-and-pages-15-1/), TidBITS, checked 2026-11-09
6. [Apple rolls out updates to its Creator Studio apps | MacTech](https://www.mactech.com/2026/11/05/apple-rolls-out-updates-to-its-creator-studio-apps/), MacTech, checked 2026-11-09
7. [Why is my saved Keynote theme blank? | Apple Community](https://discussions.apple.com/thread/7998520), Apple Community, checked 2026-11-09
8. [Theme Chooser is black | Apple Community](https://discussions.apple.com/thread/250348416), Apple Community, checked 2026-11-09
9. [Installing Keynote Template | Jamf Community](https://community.jamf.com/t5/jamf-pro/installing-keynote-template/m-p/141030), Jamf Community, checked 2026-11-09