Keynote does not have a SmartArt-style organization chart builder. Create one well-designed card, duplicate it, and connect the cards with lines that remain attached when objects move.
Build the cards
- Open a blank slide or remove the placeholders you do not need.
- Choose Shape in the toolbar and add a rectangle or rounded rectangle.
- Type the person's name and title in the shape.
- Use the Format sidebar to set the fill, border, text, and size.
- Duplicate the finished card for the remaining roles.
Finish the first card before duplicating it.
Select a row of cards and use the Arrange controls to align and distribute them. Keep cards the same size unless a clear visual rule calls for a difference.
Connect the reporting lines
- Add a line from the Shape button in the toolbar.
- Drag one endpoint until it snaps to the manager's card.
- Drag the other endpoint until it snaps to the direct report's card.
- In the Format sidebar, open Arrange and choose Straight or Corner if you do not want a curve.
- Adjust the line's color, thickness, style, and endpoints to match the chart.
Some Keynote versions also list Straight Connection Line, Curved Connection Line, and Angled Connection Line under Insert > Line:
Menu wording varies by Keynote version. Move either card and confirm that the line stays joined. A decorative line that merely touches 2 cards will not.
Use a consistent connection style. If you change a line's appearance, Keynote can save it as a custom object style for reuse.
Group and reuse the chart
Group objects when you need to move or copy a completed section together. Keep an ungrouped working copy if you expect structural changes. Grouping helps with placement; it does not turn the objects into a data-aware org chart.
The free Keynote org chart template provides styled cards and connection lines as a starting point. Replace the fictional names, duplicate cards as needed, and reconnect the hierarchy.
Bring a Studio chart into Keynote
If your team data already lives in a spreadsheet, build and maintain the hierarchy in Studio:
- Import the CSV or Excel file.
- Review the reporting relationships.
- Adjust card content, theme, and layout.
- Sign in when Studio asks. Guests must sign in before the Export dialog opens. Signing in does not buy a pass.
- Open Export and choose PNG, PDF, or PowerPoint.
Use PNG when the slide needs one stable image. You can size and position it in Keynote, but you cannot edit each card or name separately.
Use PDF for document distribution or print. Use PowerPoint when you need editable presentation objects. Studio's PPTX contains editable shapes, text, and connector lines rather than SmartArt or one flat image.
Keynote can open PowerPoint files, but importing a PPTX is a format conversion. Check the result before presenting, especially fonts, grouped objects, connector paths, and effects. Keep the Studio chart as the hierarchy source because edits made in Keynote do not sync back.
An eligible PNG can be exported free with a watermark. PDF and PowerPoint need a pass or subscription. See the current watermark and export-pass rules.
Export a Keynote-built chart
For a full slide or presentation, choose File > Export To and select the format. Apple supports formats including PDF, PowerPoint, and images. The exported copy is separate from the original Keynote file; later changes to one do not update the other.
For a chart you expect to revise, keep the .key presentation as the working source. Open exported files in their destination application and inspect them. Different formats support different drawing and typography features.
Frequently asked questions
Does Keynote have a built-in org chart tool?
No. Build one with shapes and attached connection lines, start from a template, or import a chart prepared in another tool.
How do I keep lines attached to cards in Keynote?
Use a connection line and drag each endpoint until it snaps to an object. Move a card to test the connection. In the Format sidebar, use Arrange to choose a straight or corner path when needed.
Can Keynote open a Studio PowerPoint export?
Keynote can open PPTX files, and Studio's file contains editable presentation objects. Because Keynote converts the PowerPoint file, inspect fonts, groups, connector paths, and effects before presenting.
Should I use PNG or PowerPoint for Keynote?
Choose PNG for a stable, single-image chart. Choose PowerPoint when separate editable objects matter and you have time to inspect the converted result in Keynote.