To make a Keynote PDF with the page dimensions you need, first set the presentation’s slide size, then export through File > Export To > PDF. Keynote puts each slide on a PDF page. If you need a paper size or print layout controlled separately, use File > Print and save from the PDF menu instead; inspect the print preview because print settings can change the output layout.

Choose the right size control

Keynote’s slide size sets the dimensions and proportions of the slide canvas. The PDF export settings control matters such as image quality and whether notes, skipped slides, builds, or comments are included; Apple directs users to the Print dialog for more PDF options. This means there isn’t a PDF export field where you type an unrelated page size. To make a PDF page match a custom slide canvas, define that size in the presentation before exporting. Apple’s Keynote export guide

For example, if a print shop requests a custom landscape page, confirm its width and height and units first. Set those dimensions as the slide size, then export the slides to PDF. If you simply select Letter or A4 in printing, that specifies paper for the print workflow; it does not change the slide canvas itself. Apple’s guide to changing slide size

Set the presentation’s slide dimensions

  1. Open the presentation in Keynote on your Mac. If it is shared for collaboration, note that Apple says you can’t change the slide size while it is being shared; you may need to work with an unshared copy or ask collaborators to stop sharing first.
  2. Click Document in the sidebar.
  3. Open the menu below Slide Size. Choose an available preset, or choose Custom Slide Size, enter the requested dimensions, then click OK.
  4. Review slides after changing dimensions. A different aspect ratio changes the canvas shape, so check text, images, and objects near the edges before exporting. Apple documents the size change, but does not promise that every existing layout will be repositioned to suit a new ratio. Apple Support: Change the slide size in Keynote on Mac

Use the actual target width and height rather than guessing from a display format. A widescreen presentation and a sheet of paper can have different proportions; fitting one onto the other may leave margins or require scaling. If exact physical output matters, confirm whether the recipient needs the PDF page dimensions to match, or wants slides scaled onto a standard paper sheet.

Export the slides as a PDF

When the slide canvas is correct, choose File > Export To > PDF. Review the export options before saving:

  • Choose an Image Quality setting appropriate to the file’s use. Apple notes that higher image quality produces a larger file.
  • Leave presenter notes and skipped slides unchecked unless you want them in the PDF.
  • Enable Print each stage of builds only if you want each animation build to become its own page.
  • Enable Include comments only if comments belong in the copy you are sharing.
  • Choose the save location and click Export.

Apple states that each slide appears on its own PDF page, and Keynote remembers the last export settings used. Pay attention to the options each time, especially if a previous export included notes, comments, or build stages. Apple’s export instructions

Use Print when the page setup needs more control

For print options beyond the PDF export sheet, cancel the export, choose File > Print, and click Show Details if needed. Keynote’s print workflow offers formats such as Slide, Grid, Handout, and Outline; the format changes how slides are arranged on printed pages. To create a PDF with those print settings, use the PDF menu at the bottom of the print dialog and choose a PDF option. Apple’s Keynote print guide

If you need a custom sheet size, macOS may offer Paper Size > Manage Custom Sizes in the print dialog. Create the requested dimensions there, then choose the custom size. Availability depends on the app or printer configuration, and Apple cautions that these options may not appear everywhere. Apple Support: Create a custom paper size on Mac

Treat this print route as distinct from setting Keynote’s slide dimensions. Print settings can put a slide on paper using a different page size or layout; inspect the preview for scaling, borders, and unwanted multiple slides per page. When exact page dimensions are required, check the resulting PDF’s page properties in a PDF viewer and compare them with the recipient’s specification. This final inspection is a practical check; Apple’s Keynote documentation does not claim a specific verification dialog for exported page dimensions.

Which method should you use?

Use Export To > PDF when each PDF page should represent one slide at the presentation’s own dimensions. Use Print > PDF when you specifically need Keynote’s print layouts or the macOS print workflow’s paper-size controls. If the available paper size is unavailable or differs from the slide ratio, resolve whether the target is the slide canvas or the printed sheet before choosing a route; otherwise the PDF may be valid but sized for the wrong purpose.

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