Search for keywords in Keynote
Sep 24, 2025
Search for keywords in Keynote
Intro
Keynote files get big fast. Finding the one slide you need turns into opening decks, hitting Command F, trying different terms, and repeating. If you only remember a vague idea, or a cryptic filename like 9f4f29146401b66b0d7a0668c3345ff4.key, the hunt can take minutes. This guide shows a faster way. Use Fenn to search by keyword or fuzzy idea and open the exact slide in seconds.
Why the manual way is slow
Filenames are not helpful. Many decks use dates, hashes, or export names you will not recall.
In deck search is per file. You must open a deck before you can search it.
No slide level precision from Finder or Spotlight. You land at the file, then you still have to scroll.
Grouping by theme is limited. You can make folders and Smart Folders, but they do not understand ideas across many decks.
The fast way, with slide level precision
Fenn is a file search engine for macOS that understands keywords and fuzzy ideas, then opens the exact slide you need.
What Fenn does for Keynote
Searches inside
.keydecks across your chosen folders.Supports Keyword, Semantic, Hybrid (both), and Exact match modes.
Shows contextual snippets so you can confirm before opening.
Opens Keynote directly at the right slide.
Privacy and speed
Runs on your Mac. No external AI required.
Built for Apple Silicon for fast indexing and retrieval.
Walkthrough, two common scenarios
1) You only remember a fuzzy idea
Open Fenn.
Set Mode to Semantic or Hybrid.
Type the gist, for example, “Q3 roadmap risks, cost of delay slide.”
Skim the snippet that mentions your terms with a slide number.
Press Return. Keynote opens at that slide.
Time saved: You never needed the filename. No deck hopping.
2) You know an exact phrase
Open Fenn.
Set Mode to Exact match or Keyword.
Search for
"customer timeline risk"or another phrase in quotes.Pick the result with the clearest snippet.
Press Return. You land on the exact slide in Keynote.
Tip: Use Hybrid if you are not sure about exact wording. It catches near matches and exact hits in one pass.
Example, the unhelpful filename
You remember a slide that compares “cost of delay” vs “confidence” from a board draft. The deck is named 9f4f29146401b66b0d7a0668c3345ff4.key. With Fenn, search “cost of delay chart confidence,” select the snippet that mentions both, and open right to the slide. No need to guess which hashed file is which.
Where this method shines
Large archives of decks spread across client or project folders.
Hand offs where filenames changed during exports.
Quarterly board or product reviews where you only recall the idea on the slide.
Honest limits
Fenn is built for retrieval and precision. It does not create permanent folder of “all Keynote files about growth marketing” (yet).
Mini case
Before Fenn, a PM opened five decks and searched each for “risk” to find one visual. After Fenn, they typed “timeline risk cost of delay” and landed on the correct slide in under five seconds. Over a quarter, dozens of these lookups saved hours.
How to set up in two minutes
Install Fenn and grant file access.
Choose sources to index, for example Projects, Clients, and Desktop.
Start with Hybrid mode. Search your next Keynote need.
Use the snippet preview to confirm, then open at the slide.
Pricing
Fenn Local: 9 USD per month, billed annually. One Mac. Updates. Founder support.
Fenn Lifetime: 199 USD one time. One year of updates. One Mac. Founder support.