Pages, Keynote and Numbers files on a Mac: finding, previewing and slimming them
Updated
Apple's Pages, Keynote and Numbers apps work the same way when it comes to files, so this guide covers all three. Most problems come down to two things: files saved into iCloud Drive app folders without you noticing, and presentations that grow large from embedded media.
Where they are saved
When iCloud Drive is on, the apps suggest saving into their own folders in iCloud Drive, named Pages, Keynote and Numbers. Documents saved there sync to your other devices and appear in the apps on iPhone and iPad. If you save somewhere else, such as Documents, they stay in that folder.
- Pages files end in
.pages. - Keynote files end in
.key. - Numbers files end in
.numbers.
Find them
- Open the app and choose File, then Open Recent, for anything you used lately.
- In the app's open window, click iCloud Drive or Recents in the sidebar.
- In Finder, press Command-F, click This Mac and set Kind to Pages Document, Keynote Presentation or Numbers Spreadsheet. If those are not listed in the Kind menu, choose Other and type the name, or use a Name rule ending in
.key,.pagesor.numbers. - Spotlight searches the text inside these documents, so a phrase from a slide or a cell often finds the file faster than its name.
Preview without opening
Select a file and press Space. Quick Look shows a preview of the document, often just the first page or slide. Icon view with large icons, or Gallery view with Command-4, shows the same previews as thumbnails, which helps when you have many versions of a presentation with similar names.
Recover an earlier version
- Open the document.
- Choose File, then Revert To, then Browse All Versions.
- Use the timeline to find the version you want and click Restore, or hold Option and click Restore a Copy to keep both.
These versions are kept on your Mac as you save.
Make a large file smaller
Keynote presentations grow quickly with video and full-resolution photos. Keynote and Pages have a built-in tool for this: choose File, then Reduce File Size, and pick which media to shrink. Save a copy first if you might need the original quality.
Removing unused slide masters and media you deleted from slides but kept in the document also helps. The Reduce File Size option handles the common cases.
Share with people who do not use a Mac
Choose File, then Export To, and pick PDF, Word, PowerPoint or Excel. Exported copies are separate files, so you end up with two versions; give them clear names, such as adding the date, so you know which is the master.
Browse and preview in FileSift
FileSift includes these documents in its Documents folder and shows them as thumbnails, with Quick Look on Space for a closer look. Files that are only in iCloud Drive are marked and are not downloaded in the background, which matters for big presentations you have not opened on this Mac. Plain-English search narrows a long list quickly, and the Duplicates scan finds exact copies, such as the same presentation saved in two folders, always keeping one.
Common questions
Can I open a .key file without Keynote?
Quick Look can show a preview. To edit it, you need Keynote, or ask the sender for a PowerPoint or PDF export.
Why does my Keynote file take so long to open?
Large embedded videos and images, or a file that is only in iCloud and must download first.
Related guides
- How to see which files are only in iCloud on a Mac
- How to recover deleted files on a Mac
- How to preview files on a Mac with Quick Look
- How to find a file on a Mac when you forgot its name
- PDF files on a Mac: where they pile up and how to find them
More in File types, or see all guides.