How to use Siri in Keynote on Mac: what Keynote 15.4 can and cannot answer

Apple's Keynote 15.4 release note says you can ask Siri questions about Keynote to get quick answers. Apple lists the option as available to everyone, and it needs macOS 26.0 or later. Apple's wording says quick answers, so treat Siri as a helper that explains a feature. You still make the change in Keynote yourself.

What Siri can and cannot do inside Keynote

Apple's notes do not describe a Siri button in Keynote. Siri lives outside the app. You call it from anywhere on the Mac, and your question can be about Keynote. Apple's notes do not say whether Siri reads your open presentation, so test that before you depend on it.

Two Siri features tie into Keynote, and they are not the same. The first arrived with Keynote 15.4. The second arrived earlier, with Keynote 14.3, and it lets Siri use ChatGPT to answer questions about what is in your slides. Keynote 14.3 was released on December 12, 2024, and that option needs Apple Intelligence.

• Keynote 15.4: ask Siri questions about Keynote itself for quick answers. Requires macOS 26.0 or later.
• Keynote 14.3: Siri uses ChatGPT to answer questions about content in your presentation. Requires Apple Intelligence.
• Dictation is not Siri. Edit > Start Dictation types what you say into a slide, which is a different job.

Check the requirements before you start

Start with your versions. Keynote 15.4 needs macOS 26.0 or later, according to the Keynote listing on the App Store. An older Mac cannot run that version, so update macOS first. The App Store lists 15.4.2 as the current version, released October 23, with bug fixes and performance improvements.

Siri also has to be on. Open System Settings, click Siri in the sidebar and choose Turn On Siri. On some versions of macOS the pane is called Apple Intelligence & Siri. Apple's troubleshooting page also says your Mac must be online, since Siri needs an internet connection.

How to turn on Siri and start it on your Mac

Once Siri is on, you have several ways to start it. Apple lists these as Mac-wide methods, so they work from any app, including Keynote. The numbered steps below cover setup and your first question. This section explains the choices you have along the way.

• Press and hold the Microphone key on the function-key row.
• Click the Siri icon in the menu bar at the top of the screen.
• Press ⌘Space to open Spotlight and ask there.
• Control-click selected content and choose Ask Siri.
• Say Hey Siri, or Siri if you have turned that on.

Hey Siri needs a built-in microphone. Apple says third-party external microphones do not support Hey Siri or Siri. On a laptop that supports it, keep the lid open. If Siri does not hear you, check Sound > Input in System Settings and watch the input level as you speak.

Ask Siri a question about Keynote

Ask in plain words, the way you would ask a colleague. Name the feature you need. For example, ask How do I add presenter notes in Keynote? or Where do I change a slide transition in Keynote? Questions that name a feature are easier to check against the menus.

Here is a worked example. Say you want to add presenter notes to slide 4. Ask the question, read the answer, then follow the menu path it names in Keynote. Our guide on how to add presenter notes in Keynote covers the same menus in more detail.

Ask Siri about one item on a slide

Select a word, a text box, an image or another object on the slide. Control-click the selection, then choose Ask Siri. Use this when your question is about that one thing, such as a phrase in a heading or a label on a chart.

Apple's page on this feature covers selected content in general. It does not show a Keynote example. Try it on a spare text box first, and check the result before you use it in a talk.

Get answers about your slides with ChatGPT

Keynote 14.3 added this option. Siri can use ChatGPT to answer questions about the content in your presentation. You choose what content goes to ChatGPT, according to Apple. Siri may ask you to confirm before it sends a request. You can turn off the Confirm Requests setting if you want fewer prompts.

Think about what is on the slide before you ask. A deck with client names, unreleased numbers or private notes deserves a careful look before anything leaves your Mac. Apple's ChatGPT page says the extension has daily usage caps, and that expanded access will cost a fee in the future.

ChatGPT answers can vary, and Apple says to check important information for accuracy. Treat the answer as a starting point. Verify the claim in your source material before it goes on a slide.

What changes with Siri AI on macOS 27

macOS 27 adds Siri AI in beta. It requires Apple Intelligence on a supported device set to a supported language. Apple lists English, French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese and Spanish to start. It is not available in mainland China or to users under 13. Some server features, Siri AI included, have daily usage limits.

To give Siri part of the screen, press ⌘⇧Space to select a window or ⌘⇧6 to select part of the screen. Then choose Ask Siri. Apple's examples are images and PDFs. Apple's page does not mention presentations, so test a slide before you depend on it.

Want the earlier Siri back? Open System Settings > Siri, click Turn On Siri, then select Use Siri Classic. To turn Siri off entirely, click Turn Off Siri instead.

Keynote on iCloud.com and Apple Intelligence

If you work in Keynote on iCloud.com, plan on the Mac app for Siri questions. Apple's page says Writing Tools and Image Playground are not available in Keynote on iCloud.com. Other premium and intelligent features are missing too. The page does not mention Siri at all.

The web version also differs in other ways. Action builds cannot be viewed or edited, unsupported transitions appear as Dissolve, and outline view is not available. Soundtracks and voiceover recordings do not play there either.

What Keynote and Creator Studio cost

Keynote is free on the Mac. Apple Creator Studio costs $12.99 per month or $129 per year in the U.S., with a one-month free trial. Apple says the subscription adds premium templates and themes, Content Hub, and AI features such as image generation, Auto Crop and Super Resolution. Check Apple's current pricing before you subscribe, since prices can change.

When Siri does not respond in Keynote

Most failures come from a short list of settings. Work through them in order before you assume Keynote is at fault. The troubleshooting list below covers each one, starting with the internet connection, because Siri cannot answer without it.

Dictation needs its own check. If you want to speak text into a slide, choose Edit > Start Dictation in Keynote. Place the insertion point first, say punctuation names such as comma, then click Done below the microphone. You change the dictation shortcut or language in System Settings > Keyboard. Our guide on dictating speaker notes in Keynote shows a worked example.

Common mistakes with Siri in Keynote

• Expecting Siri to edit the deck. Apple describes quick answers, so make the edits yourself.
• Looking for a Siri button inside Keynote. Apple's notes describe Mac-wide ways to start Siri instead.
• Skipping the version check. Keynote 15.4 needs macOS 26.0 or later, and older Macs cannot run it.

Where to go next with Keynote on Mac

Once you can ask a question and get a clear answer, the next step is the slide work itself. If you present from a Mac, the guide to exporting a presentation as a movie covers a different output. Teachers who build lesson decks can start with Keynote for teachers on Mac.