How to Build Buttons in Keynote

By Noah Christman

Apple's Keynote can be used to create multi-functional buttons in a presentation.
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Keynote, Apple’s answer to Microsoft PowerPoint, is a presentation program that enables you to create elaborate slideshows with ease. By using one of the many built-in templates, or even building your own, you can create a great-looking presentation in very little time. Adding to the interactivity of Keynote is the ability to create buttons, little objects that, when clicked on, take the viewer to another slide, a webpage, an email message, or even another slideshow entirely.

Step 1

Open up Keynote and create a new presentation from “New” under “File” in the menu bar.

Step 2

Select your template and slide size and then select “Choose.”

Step 3

Click the “Shapes” button on the toolbar and select a shape you wish to turn in to a button. The shape will appear on your slide. Select the handles around the shape to adjust its desired size.

Step 4

Click on the “Inspector” button on the toolbar to open the “Inspector” window.

Step 5

Select the “Graphic Inspector” button in the “Inspector” window to change the fill, stroke, and other graphic elements of your button.

Step 6

Click on the “Link” button, a blue circle with white arrow, found on the right of the “Inspector” window, and select the check box for “Enable as a hyperlink.”

Step 7

Click on the box that reads “Link To:” and select the destination of your button. If choosing a webpage enter the address of the webpage. If using the button to open an email message type in the recipient’s email address and a subject line. If the button should open another slideshow navigate to that file and select “Open.” Your button is now complete.

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