Sharing a Keynote through Dropbox, and what the client actually sees
If you build in Keynote and keep your work in Dropbox, a shared link is the obvious way to send a deck. Before you do, open that link the way your client will. Dropbox previews a Keynote file as its first slide, and nothing else.
What a Dropbox link shows
Dropbox's help centre lists .key among the files it previews, with two conditions: the file must be under 288 MB, and only the first page displays. Everything after slide one needs the file downloaded and opened in Keynote, which means a Mac, iPhone or iPad. On Android or a Windows laptop there is no way to watch it.
What Dropbox is right for
Shared folders, source files, version history and handing a project to a collaborator who will edit it. If the recipient has Keynote and needs the editable file, a Dropbox link is the right thing to send.
Side by side
Dropbox's limits are from its help centre and may change.
| Dropbox link to a .key | Linkdeck link | |
|---|---|---|
| What the viewer sees in the browser | Slide one as a preview | The whole deck, playing |
| Builds, transitions, video | After download, in Keynote | Yes, in the browser |
| Opens on Android or Windows | Preview only | Yes |
| Editable file | Yes | No, view only |
| Updating the deck | Overwrite the file in the folder | Replace in place, same link (Pro) |
| Per-slide viewing time | No | Yes (Pro) |
| Collect emails before viewing | No | Yes (Pro) |
Keep the folder, send the link
Nothing about Linkdeck replaces Dropbox. Keep the .key and the exports where they are. Export the deck to HTML (File → Export To → HTML), compress the folder, upload it, and send the Linkdeck link to anyone who needs to watch rather than edit. The client opens it on a phone and taps through builds and clips as you built them.
What it costs
- Free: 1 deck, 200 MB, link live for 3 days (24 hours without an account).
- Pro, €12 a month: 10 decks, 500 MB each, permanent links, custom slug, password, email gate, per-slide analytics, replace in place.
Questions
Can I upload the .key from my Dropbox to Linkdeck?
Not the .key itself. Linkdeck hosts Keynote's HTML export: export to HTML on your Mac, compress the folder, and upload the .zip.
Will my Dropbox link keep working if I update the file?
Yes, if you overwrite the same file. The viewer still sees only slide one in the preview. On Linkdeck Pro, replacing the deck keeps the link and the whole deck plays.
Is Linkdeck storage for my files?
No. It hosts decks for viewing, not as a backup. Keep your originals in Dropbox or wherever you store work.
Send the deck that plays, keep the file in Dropbox
Export to HTML, compress, upload. The first deck is free and needs no account.