View, copy, and restore an earlier version of a presentation

Because Keynote continually saves your work, you can browse earlier versions of any presentation, save copies of previous versions, and restore a presentation to an earlier version.

View and copy an earlier version

  1. Open the presentation, choose File > Revert To (from the File menu at the top of your screen), then choose Browse All Versions.

  2. To view earlier versions, click tick marks along the timeline, or use the arrows.

    The current version appears in the window on the left. Earlier versions appear in the window on the right. You can edit the current version in this view. You can’t edit earlier versions, but you can copy slides, text, and objects from them.

  3. Do one of the following:

    • Save a copy of the version displayed on the right as a new presentation: Hold down the Option key on the keyboard, then click Restore a Copy. Keynote opens the copy in a new window, where you can edit it. The original version also remains open in its own window.

    • Return to the current version of your presentation: Click Done.

Restore an earlier version

A restored version replaces the current version. To keep the current version and an earlier one, make a copy of the earlier version, as described in the previous task.

  1. Open the presentation, choose File > Revert To (from the File menu at the top of your screen), then choose one of the following:

    • Last Opened: All changes you made to the presentation since you last opened it are deleted.

    • Last Saved: All changes you made to the presentation since you last saved it are deleted.

    • Browse All Versions: The timeline for the presentation opens. The current version appears in the window on the left. Earlier versions appear in the window on the right. You can edit the current version in this view. You can’t edit earlier versions, but you can copy slides, text, and objects from them.

  2. If you chose Browse All Versions, click the tick marks along the timeline or use the arrows to browse versions, then do one of the following:

    • Restore your presentation to the version displayed on the right: Click Restore.

    • Return to your presentation without making any changes: Click Done.

Note: Collaborators on the web with editing privileges can copy and restore only the versions created after you shared the presentation. Collaborators with View Only privileges have no access to earlier versions.

If you add or change a presentation password, the password applies only to versions created after the password was added or changed. To prevent others from restoring unprotected versions or versions with older passwords, stop sharing the presentation, add a password to it, then share the presentation again.

See also
Collaborate with others on a presentation