Why don’t I see Delivery options for my chart?
Delivery options appear after you add a build effect, and they depend on the chart type and the effect. Some effects only build the chart all at once.
Guide · with a free chart maker
How to animate a chart in Keynote
Build a chart in by series or by set, morph between data sets with a Magic Chart, then export the slide as a movie from File → Export To.
In Keynote, select the chart, click Animate in the toolbar, choose Build In and Add an Effect, then use the Delivery pop-up menu to bring the chart in piece by piece. For charts with several data sets, the Magic Chart build animates from one set to the next. File → Export To → Movie turns the result into a video.
Keynote’s chart builds are smooth and look polished, but they work on whole series and sets. For races, counters, moving line labels or a vertical 9:16 export, the tool at the top of this page builds the animation from your data instead.
Animate a chart in Keynote on a Mac
Select the chart
Click the chart once so the whole chart is selected.
Open the Build In tab
Click Animate in the toolbar, then Build In, then Add an Effect, and choose an effect such as Wipe or Dissolve.
Choose the delivery
Use the Delivery pop-up menu to bring the chart in all at once or in parts (for example by series or by set; the options depend on the chart type).
Set the timing
Set the build to start after the transition rather than on click, and adjust its duration, so the slide plays by itself.
Export a movie
Choose File → Export To → Movie, pick self-playing timing and a Resolution, and open Advanced Options for frame rate and format, then Next to save.
Magic Chart: animating between data sets
Keynote’s interactive charts hold several data sets (one per year, say). Add the Magic Chart build and Keynote animates the bars or slices from one set to the next, which is the nearest Keynote gets to a chart that changes over time. It suits a few steps; for dozens of periods, the transitions add up to a long slide.
Exporting the right size
The Resolution pop-up offers preset sizes and Custom; Advanced Options sets the frame rate and the movie format (H.264, HEVC or ProRes, depending on your Mac). For a vertical video, change the slide size first in the Document inspector, then rebuild the chart to fit.
Making the chart from data instead
Copy the chart’s data from Keynote’s Edit Chart Data table and paste it into the tool above with Paste data. The Market share template morphs a donut year by year, like a Magic Chart with smooth in-between frames, and exports 9:16, 1:1 or 16:9 at up to 4K.
Keynote chart animation questions
Can I animate a chart on Keynote for iPad?
Yes: tap the chart, tap Animate, add a Build In effect and choose a Delivery option, then export with the Share or More menu as a movie.
Does an exported Keynote movie keep chart animations?
Yes. Keynote renders builds into the movie when you export with self-playing timing.
Can Keynote make a bar chart race?
Not as a race; Magic Chart moves values between sets but doesn’t reorder bars. Use a bar chart race tool.