# How to mask an image in Keynote on Mac: three methods, step by step

> Learn how to mask an image in Keynote on Mac with three methods: double-click crop, Mask With Shape, or a drawn shape. Steps included.

URL: https://www.lazur.app/how-to/mask-an-image-in-keynote
Updated: 2026-11-09

To mask an image in Keynote on Mac, double-click the picture, frame the part you want to show, and click Done. For a preset outline, choose Format > Image > Mask With Shape, or Shift-click your own drawing and the photo, then choose Mask with Selection.

## Quick answer

- Double-click the image, frame the part you want, and click Done. This is the quickest mask for most slides.
- For a preset outline, choose Format > Image > Mask With Shape, then drag the handles to size it.
- For your own outline, draw a shape, Shift-click it and the photo, then choose Format > Image > Mask with Selection.
- Remove Background is a different tool. It removes color from the photo instead of hiding parts of it.
- Auto Crop needs a Creator Studio subscription. Apple lists the subscription at $129 a year in the U.S.

Applies to: Keynote 15 on Mac with macOS 26 Tahoe or later. Time: 5 min. Difficulty: Easy.

## What you need

- Keynote 15 on a Mac running macOS 26 or later
- A photo already placed on a slide
- A Force Touch trackpad, only if you want Force Click
- A Creator Studio subscription, only for Auto Crop

## How to Mask an image in Keynote on Mac in Keynote on a Mac

1. **Select the image.** Open the slide that holds the photo and click the photo once. Selection handles appear around it. Tip: Click the picture itself, not the slide background.
2. **Open the Format sidebar.** If the Format sidebar is hidden, click Format in the toolbar. Make sure the Image tab is selected.
3. **Choose Mask With Shape.** (Format > Image > Mask With Shape) With the image still selected, choose Format > Image > Mask With Shape from the menu bar. Keynote places a shape over the photo.
4. **Pick a shape.** Choose the shape you want from the options Keynote shows. The photo now shows only inside that outline.
5. **Drag the shape's handles.** Drag the handles on the shape until it frames the part of the photo you want. Tip: Make the shape a little larger than you think you need, then trim it.
6. **Check the result.** Click an empty part of the slide to deselect the image. Look at the masked photo at full size before you move on.

## Before you start: check your Keynote version

Apple's What's New notes for Keynote 15.1, 15.3 and 15.4 list no changes to masking or the Format menu. Apple's Mac help page on editing images does not name a version, so these steps rest on those notes. Check your version under Keynote > About Keynote.

The version question matters for one reason. Keynote 15.4 requires macOS 26 Tahoe, according to TidBITS, and Apple says Keynote generally needs macOS 26 or later. If your Mac runs an older system, the menus you see may not match the ones described here.

- **15.4** Newest version in Apple's What's New list. It needs macOS 26 Tahoe. ([source](https://tidbits.com/watchlist/keynote-15-4-numbers-15-4-and-pages-15-4/))
- **$129** Per year for Creator Studio in the U.S., the subscription Auto Crop needs. ([source](https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2026/10/apple-creator-studio-adds-powerful-new-ai-features-and-even-more-creative-tools/))

## Three ways to mask an image in Keynote

Keynote gives you three masking routes on the Mac. A mask hides part of the photo instead of cutting it away. That means you can adjust the frame later by double-clicking the image again.

| Method | Use it when | Menu path or action | Needs |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Double-click crop | You want to crop the photo to a frame | Double-click the image, then click Done | Nothing extra |
| Mask With Shape | You want one of Keynote's preset outlines | Format > Image > Mask With Shape | The image selected |
| Mask with Selection | You want your own outline | Shift-click the drawing and the image, then Format > Image > Mask with Selection | One drawn shape and one image |

_The three masking methods in Apple's Keynote on Mac help._

## Method 1: crop the image with the double-click mask

This is the method most people need. Double-click the image and Keynote shows the mask controls. Apple also lets you Force Click on a Force Touch trackpad to open them. Then frame the part of the photo you want to keep and click Done.

1. Click the image once to select it.
2. Double-click the image, or Force Click on a Force Touch trackpad, to show the mask controls.
3. Drag the picture until the part you want sits inside the frame.
4. Drag the frame's selection handles to resize the visible area.
5. Click Done to keep the mask.

The mask controls behave like a crop tool with a fixed frame. You move the photo under the frame, and everything outside stays hidden. Say your slide shows a group photo, and you only want the speaker. Double-click, drag until the speaker sits inside the frame, shrink the frame, then click Done.

## Method 2: mask with a preset shape in Keynote

Use this method when you want a standard outline instead of a rectangle. Select the image, then choose Format > Image > Mask With Shape from the menu bar. Keynote places a shape over the photo. Pick a shape from the options, and drag its handles to size it.

A simple outline usually suits a headshot better than a busy one. Choose a shape that fits the slide's look, then size it so the face sits near the center. Keep an eye on the edges, because a tight frame can clip hair and hands.

## Method 3: mask with your own drawn shape

Choose this when no preset shape fits. First, draw the shape you want on the slide. Then Shift-click the drawing and the image so both are selected. Choose Format > Image > Mask with Selection, and drag the handles on the drawing to set its size.

The photo takes on the outline of the drawing, so the drawing matters more than the photo. Draw a closed shape with clean edges, and check the result at full size. A rough outline gives you a rough edge.

![Person at a laptop arranging slides, the kind of desk where you learn how to mask an image in Keynote on Mac](https://images.lazur.app/content-images/howto/mask-an-image-in-keynote/how-to-mask-an-image-in-keynote-1-44de18.jpg)

## Keyboard shortcuts for masking in Keynote

Apple's Mac page lists no keyboard shortcuts for masking. The modifier keys below come from the steps. Hold the key while you click or drag, and the action changes.

- ⇧ click: select a drawn shape and the photo together for Mask with Selection.
- Force Click: open the mask controls on a Force Touch trackpad.
- ⌥ drag: remove one color everywhere in the Remove Background tool.
- ⇧ drag: add color back where you removed it.
- ⌥ click: reset a masked image before you replace it, based on a community reply.

## Remove Background is a different tool

Remove Background does not mask. It removes areas of color from the photo itself, which helps when a person or logo sits on a plain background. Select the image, open the Format sidebar, click the Image tab, then click Remove Background.

Drag over a color to remove areas like it. Option-drag removes that color everywhere in the photo. Shift-drag adds color back. Reset undoes all of your changes, and Done finishes the edit.

## Auto Crop needs a Creator Studio subscription

Auto Crop suggests crops for you. Double-click the image, click Auto Crop, click the suggestion you like, then click Done. Apple's help page says the feature requires an Apple Creator Studio subscription.

Apple lists Creator Studio at $12.99 a month or $129 a year in the U.S. MacRumors reports that Auto Crop is one of the subscriber-only Keynote features. Apple's masking page names a subscription only for Auto Crop, so the other methods are not listed as paid features.

![Presentation slides on a large screen in a meeting room, with a masked photo on the title slide](https://images.lazur.app/content-images/howto/mask-an-image-in-keynote/how-to-mask-an-image-in-keynote-3-548a17.jpg)

## Keynote for iCloud masks work a little differently

In Keynote for iCloud, double-click the image to show the mask controls. Use the slider to scale the picture, drag to shift it, and drag the selection handles to resize the mask. Click Done when the frame looks right.

To restore the original size, select the image, click Arrange at the top of the Format sidebar, then click Original Size under Size. Apple lists no keyboard shortcuts for cropping in this version.

Apple's iCloud help page does not mention Mask With Shape, Mask with Selection, Remove Background or Auto Crop. That is an absence on one page, not proof those tools are missing. Check the web version yourself before you plan a deck around one.

## Mistakes people make with masked images

- Selecting the slide background instead of the photo. Click the picture itself before you open the Format menu.
- Trying to mask two photos with Mask with Selection. The command needs one drawn shape and one image.
- Forgetting Done. Click Done to close the mask controls and keep your change.
- Replacing a masked image before the final version is ready. A replaced image can arrive at the wrong size.
- Expecting Remove Background to behave like a mask. It erases color, so check the photo at full size after each change.

> **Mask with Selection grays out:** It needs one drawn shape and one image. Two photos can gray it out, based on a 2022 Apple Community thread.

## When Mask with Selection grays out

A 2022 Apple Community thread on macOS 12.2 describes the same problem on a MacBook Air with an M1 chip. The poster selected two JPEG images, and Mask with Selection grayed out or went missing. The most helpful reply says one object must be a shape, not an image. The thread closed without a confirmed fix, so the M1 explanation is only a guess.

![Man using a MacBook at a desk while he works on a presentation and checks how a masked photo looks](https://images.lazur.app/content-images/howto/mask-an-image-in-keynote/how-to-mask-an-image-in-keynote-2-878505.jpg)

Draw a shape, Shift-click it with the photo, and try the menu again. If the command still does not appear, use Mask With Shape instead. That method sits in the same Format > Image menu and does not need a second object.

## Replacing a masked image without losing the frame

A 2020 to 2021 Apple Community thread on macOS 11.6 describes a replaced masked image that comes in smaller. The suggested fix is to Option-click the image to reset the mask, choose Replace Image from the image palette, then remake the mask. The original poster did not confirm the fix worked, so test it on a copy of the deck first.

## After you mask the image

Check the masked image in a slideshow before you present. Choose Play > Play Slideshow to see the slide the way your audience will. Press ⌥⌘P to start the show from the keyboard.

If you want the masked photo to appear on click, add an animation. [Animate an object in Keynote on Mac](https://www.lazur.app/how-to/animate-an-object-in-keynote) walks through the steps. Set the mask first, then animate it, so the timing matches the final frame.

## Next steps for your slides

If the photo sits on a repeated design, set up the layout first. [Edit the master slide in Keynote on Mac](https://www.lazur.app/how-to/edit-the-master-slide-in-keynote) covers how layouts work, so each new slide starts with the right frame.

## Shortcuts

- Select a drawn shape and the photo together: ⇧ click
- Open mask controls on a Force Touch trackpad: Force Click
- Remove one color everywhere in Remove Background: ⌥ drag
- Add color back in Remove Background: ⇧ drag
- Reset a masked image before you replace it: ⌥ click

## If it does not work

- **Double-click does not show mask controls** Apple says Force Click on a Force Touch trackpad also opens them. Click the image once to select it, then double-click the picture itself, not the empty slide around it.
- **Mask with Selection is grayed out** Draw a shape, Shift-click it with the photo, and check that only one of the two is an image. A 2022 Apple Community reply says one object must be a shape.
- **A replaced masked image comes in smaller** Option-click the image to reset the mask, choose Replace Image from the image palette, then remake the mask. This comes from a 2020 to 2021 Apple Community thread on macOS 11.6, and Apple has not confirmed it.
- **Auto Crop does not appear** Auto Crop needs an Apple Creator Studio subscription. Apple lists it at $12.99 a month or $129 a year in the U.S. Without it, use Method 1 or Method 2.
- **Cannot find Remove Background** Select the image, open the Format sidebar, and click the Image tab. Remove Background sits there, and Done finishes the edit.
- **Keynote for iCloud has no preset shape option** Apple's iCloud help page does not mention Mask With Shape. Check the web version directly before you plan around it, and use the Mac app if the shape option matters.

## 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's Mask With Shape?”: Lazur circles the Mask With Shape item and points at it. You still choose it from the menu yourself. (Points at it)

## FAQ

### Can I mask an image in Keynote on Mac without a subscription?

Yes. Double-click cropping, Mask With Shape and Mask with Selection all appear in Apple's Mac help page. Apple's page names a subscription only for Auto Crop, which costs $12.99 a month or $129 a year in the U.S.

### How do I edit a mask after I click Done?

Double-click the masked image again. Apple's help page says double-click shows the mask controls, so you can move the photo or resize the frame. Click Done when you finish.

### Can I undo a mask?

Press Command-Z (⌘Z) right after the change, the same as in most Mac apps. To reset a mask on an image that already has a photo in it, Option-click the image. That fix comes from a community reply, not from Apple.

### Why does the mask controls look different in Keynote for iCloud?

Keynote for iCloud uses its own crop controls: a slider to scale, drag to shift, and handles to resize. Apple's iCloud help page does not mention Mask With Shape, Mask with Selection, Remove Background or Auto Crop.

### Is Remove Background the same as masking?

No. Remove Background removes areas of a color from the photo itself. A mask hides parts of the photo inside a frame or shape. You can use both on one image, but they do different jobs.

### Which Keynote version do these steps match?

Apple's Mac masking page does not name a version. Apple's What's New notes for 15.1, 15.3 and 15.4 show no masking changes, so these steps should match those releases. If your menu looks different, check Keynote > About Keynote and compare.

## Sources

1. [Edit an image in Keynote on Mac (Apple Support)](https://support.apple.com/guide/keynote/edit-an-image-tan811faceea/mac), Apple, checked 2026-11-09
2. [Crop (mask) an image in Keynote for iCloud (Apple Support)](https://support.apple.com/en-sa/guide/keynote-icloud/gilb5028e558/icloud), 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 adds powerful new AI features and even more creative tools](https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2026/10/apple-creator-studio-adds-powerful-new-ai-features-and-even-more-creative-tools/), Apple Newsroom, checked 2026-11-09
5. [Apple Updates Keynote, Numbers, and Pages Apps With New Free and Paid Features](https://www.macrumors.com/2026/01/28/apple-updates-keynote-numbers-pages/), MacRumors, checked 2026-11-09
6. [Keynote 15.4, Numbers 15.4, and Pages 15.4](https://tidbits.com/watchlist/keynote-15-4-numbers-15-4-and-pages-15-4/), TidBITS, checked 2026-11-09
7. [Cannot use 'mask with selection' in keynote (Apple Community)](https://discussions.apple.com/thread/253698831), Apple Community, checked 2026-11-09
8. [Replacing masked images in Keynote (Apple Community)](https://discussions.apple.com/thread/253401086), Apple Community, checked 2026-11-09