Use Keynote with your Apple Watch

You can control your Keynote presentation with your Apple Watch.

Here’s what you’ll need

  • Your paired Apple Watch and iPhone.

  • Keynote for iOS 2.5.3 or later on your iPhone. Open Keynote for iOS 2.5.3 or later on your iPhone at least once before you use Keynote on Apple Watch.

  • Keynote on your Apple Watch. Use the Apple Watch app on your iPhone to install the latest version of Keynote. To check that the app has been installed correctly, open the Apple Watch app on your iPhone, tap My Watch, tap Keynote, then tap Show App on Apple Watch.

Control a Keynote presentation from your Apple Watch

Your Apple Watch can control a presentation on your iPhone if:

  • Your iPhone is connected to an external display using an adapter or AirPlay.

  • There are no presentation devices, such as your Mac or iPad, paired with Keynote on your iPhone.

  • You have a presentation open or already playing in Keynote on your iPhone.

You can also use your Apple Watch to control presentations on another device, such as your Mac, if:

  • Keynote on your iPhone is open to the Keynote Remote screen.

  • There is a presentation device, such as your Mac or iPad, paired with Keynote on your iPhone, your iPhone isn’t connected to an external display using an adapter or AirPlay, and you don’t have a presentation open or playing in Keynote on your iPhone.

Find out how to pair a presentation device with Keynote on your iPhone

Play a presentation or go to the next slide or build

When your Keynote presentation is ready, open the Keynote app on Apple Watch, then do the following:

  • If you need to start the slideshow, you’ll see the Play buttonnull. Tap the Play buttonnull to start the presentation.

    Play button in Keynote app on Apple Watch

  • If the slideshow is playing, you’ll see the Next buttonnull. Tap the Next buttonnull to go to the next slide or build.

    Next button in Keynote app on Apple Watch

Go back or exit a presentation

Swipe right on Apple Watch, then do the following:

Back, Next and Exit buttons in Keynote app on Apple Watch

  • Tap the Back button to go to the previous slide or reset the builds on the current slide.

  • Tap the Exit button to end the slideshow.

If you select the Back buttonnull, you’ll see both the Back buttonnull and the Next buttonnull on your Apple Watch until you end the Keynote or your Apple Watch goes to sleep.

Use double tap to control a presentation

While wearing your compatible Apple Watch, you can use double tap (tapping your index finger and thumb together twice) to control a presentation on your paired iPhone, iPad or Mac.

  1. Set up your Apple Watch for double tap.

  2. To start a presentation, double tap.

  3. To advance to the next slide while your presentation is playing, double tap.

To use double tap to control a Keynote presentation from Apple Watch, you need an Apple Watch 9 or later or an Apple Watch Ultra with watchOS 11 or later paired with any of these devices:

  • An iPhone with iOS 16 or later

  • An iPad with iPadOS 16 or later

  • A Mac with macOS Sequoia or later with the latest version of Keynote

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