[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"extension:v3:en:key":3},{"resolvedFromAlias":4,"canonicalExt":5,"ext":5,"name":6,"category":7,"categoryName":8,"updatedAt":9,"popularity":10,"summary":11,"howToOs":12,"quickAnswer":18,"answerIntro":19,"whatIs":20,"description":21,"furtherReading":22,"openInstructions":41,"commonIssues":56,"securityNotes":78,"faq":82,"aliases":92,"mimeTypes":93,"relatedExtensions":95,"breadcrumbs":143,"categoryAnchor":153,"categoryFuturePath":154,"metaDescription":155,"availableHowToOs":156,"openOnDeviceLinks":157,"cannotOpenReasons":173,"cannotOpenFixes":174,"convertOptions":175,"securityAffiliateMessaging":176,"securityAffiliates":177},false,"key","Apple Keynote Presentation","documents","Documents","2026-06-12T08:15:01.716Z",60,".key most commonly refers to an Apple Keynote presentation file. It can also be used in practice for PGP/GnuPG public key exports, so identifying the context of the file matters.",[13,14,15,16,17],"windows","mac","linux","ios","android","To open .KEY files on Windows, if the file is a presentation: open it on a Mac with Apple Keynote, or ask the sender to export it from Keynote to a more widely supported format (such as PDF) before you open it on Windows.","To open a .key file, first determine whether it is an Apple Keynote presentation or a PGP/GnuPG key file. Apple Keynote opens Keynote .key presentations; PGP/GnuPG tools import .key files that contain exported keys.","A .key file is best known as the native document format for Apple Keynote presentations. In other workflows, .key is also used as a filename for exported OpenPGP keys (for later import), even though the extension is not exclusive to that purpose.","Apple Keynote uses .key as the file extension for its presentation documents. In everyday use, a .key file typically contains slides, layouts, and presentation content created in Keynote.",[23,26,29,32,35,38],{"title":24,"url":25},"IANA Media Types Registry (includes application/vnd.apple.keynote)","https://www.iana.org/assignments/media-types/",{"title":27,"url":28},"Keynote (presentation software) – Wikipedia","https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keynote_%28presentation_software%29",{"title":30,"url":31},"GnuPG manual: exporting keys to a file for later import","https://www.gnupg.org/gph/en/manual/r783.html",{"title":33,"url":34},"freedesktop.org Shared MIME-info specification","https://specifications.freedesktop.org/shared-mime-info-spec/latest-single/",{"title":36,"url":37},"shared-mime-info project page (freedesktop.org)","https://www.freedesktop.org/wiki/Software/shared-mime-info/",{"title":39,"url":40},".key MIME type reference (commonly seen types including Keynote and PGP keys)","https://mime.wcode.net/key",{"windows":42,"macos":45,"linux":48,"ios":51,"android":53},[43,44],"If the file is a presentation: open it on a Mac with Apple Keynote, or ask the sender to export it from Keynote to a more widely supported format (such as PDF) before you open it on Windows.","If the file is a PGP key export: import it using your OpenPGP/GnuPG tool rather than trying to open it as a document (it is typically meant to be imported, not “viewed”).",[46,47],"Double-click the .key file to open it in Apple Keynote (if it is a Keynote presentation).","If it does not open as a presentation, verify whether it is actually an exported OpenPGP key file; those are typically imported into GnuPG-compatible tools rather than opened in Keynote.",[49,50],"If it is a Keynote presentation, you may need to open it on macOS with Apple Keynote or have it exported to another format; Linux desktop environments may recognize types via shared-mime-info associations, but that does not guarantee a full-featured editor/viewer is available.","If it is an OpenPGP key export, import it using your GnuPG toolchain (the file is intended for import, not editing).",[52],"Open the .key file in Apple Keynote for iOS (if it is a Keynote presentation) or request an exported format if you cannot open it.",[54,55],"If it is a Keynote presentation, the most reliable approach is to have it exported from Keynote (for example to PDF) on a Mac and then open the exported file on Android.","If it is an OpenPGP key export, use an OpenPGP-compatible app that can import keys; the .key file is typically meant for import.",[57,64,71],{"title":58,"description":59,"steps":60},"The .key file won’t open (wrong type of .key)",".key is most commonly a Keynote presentation, but it is also used for exported PGP/GnuPG keys in practice. If you try to open a PGP key file in a presentation app (or vice versa), it will fail or look like gibberish.",[61,62,63],"Confirm what you received: was it meant to be a presentation (slides) or a cryptographic public key for encryption/verification?","If it is a PGP/GnuPG key file, import it using your OpenPGP/GnuPG tool rather than opening it as a document.","If it is a Keynote presentation and you are not on macOS/iOS, ask the sender to export it from Keynote to a widely readable format (such as PDF) for viewing.",{"title":65,"description":66,"steps":67},"Linux desktop shows an unexpected app for .key files","On Linux, file opening behavior depends on MIME type detection and extension associations, which are often managed through the shared-mime-info database. If the association is incorrect, double-click may open the wrong tool.",[68,69,70],"Right-click the file and choose “Open With…” to select the correct application for this specific file.","If it is a Keynote presentation but you lack a suitable viewer/editor, open it on macOS with Keynote or request an export (e.g., PDF) from the sender.","If it is a PGP key export, use a GnuPG-compatible key management/import tool instead of a presentation app.",{"title":72,"description":73,"steps":74},"Someone sent me a .key but I only need to view it","Keynote presentations are best viewed in Keynote, but many recipients only need a read-only copy. Converting/exporting from Keynote avoids platform and compatibility issues.",[75,76,77],"Ask the sender to open the file in Apple Keynote and export it to a viewer-friendly format (commonly PDF).","If you need to present and not edit, request an exported format that preserves appearance closely.","Keep the original .key if you may need to edit later in Keynote.",[79,80,81],"Do not import a .key file into your OpenPGP/GnuPG keyring unless you trust its source. Key files are used for identity and trust decisions; importing an attacker-provided key and trusting it can lead to verifying the wrong signatures or encrypting to the wrong person.","Treat unexpected .key email attachments cautiously: the extension is ambiguous (presentation vs cryptographic key export). Confirm with the sender what it is supposed to be before opening or importing.","Keynote files are documents handled by complex parsers; if the file is untrusted, consider opening it in a safer workflow (for example, on a non-critical machine or after requesting a PDF export) to reduce exposure to document-parser vulnerabilities.",[83,86,89],{"question":84,"answer":85},"What is a .key file most commonly?","Most commonly, .key is an Apple Keynote presentation file used by the Keynote presentation software.",{"question":87,"answer":88},"Why did my .key file open in a crypto app (or won’t open in Keynote)?","Because .key is also used in practice as a filename for exported OpenPGP/GnuPG keys meant for later import. If the file contains a PGP key export, it is not a presentation and should be imported into an OpenPGP/GnuPG tool.",{"question":90,"answer":91},"Is there an official MIME type for Keynote .key files?","Yes. IANA registers application/vnd.apple.keynote for Apple Keynote documents.",[],[94],"application/vnd.apple.keynote",[96,102,108,114,120,125,131,137],{"ext":97,"name":98,"category":7,"categoryName":8,"popularity":99,"summary":100,"howToOs":101},"pdf","Portable Document Format",100,"PDF files maintain consistent formatting across devices and are widely used for documents that require a fixed layout, such as forms and reports.",[13,14,15,16,17],{"ext":103,"name":104,"category":7,"categoryName":8,"popularity":105,"summary":106,"howToOs":107},"docx","Microsoft Word Open XML Document",98,"DOCX files are widely used word-processing documents created by Microsoft Word, supporting rich text and multimedia elements.",[13,14,15,16,17],{"ext":109,"name":110,"category":7,"categoryName":8,"popularity":111,"summary":112,"howToOs":113},"xlsx","Microsoft Excel Open XML Spreadsheet",92,"XLSX files are widely-used spreadsheet files that store data, formulas, and charts, and are compatible with various spreadsheet applications.",[13,14,15,16,17],{"ext":115,"name":116,"category":7,"categoryName":8,"popularity":117,"summary":118,"howToOs":119},"log","Plain-text Log File",85,".log files are typically plain-text logs that record events, messages, and errors from software or operating systems. They can usually be opened with basic text editors on any platform.",[13,14,15,16,17],{"ext":121,"name":122,"category":7,"categoryName":8,"popularity":117,"summary":123,"howToOs":124},"pptx","Microsoft PowerPoint Open XML Presentation","PPTX files are widely used for creating and sharing presentation decks with multimedia content.",[13,14,15,16,17],{"ext":126,"name":127,"category":7,"categoryName":8,"popularity":128,"summary":129,"howToOs":130},"txt","Plain Text File",82,"TXT files contain plain text and can be opened on any operating system with a variety of text editors.",[13,14,15,16,17],{"ext":132,"name":133,"category":7,"categoryName":8,"popularity":134,"summary":135,"howToOs":136},"xlsm","Excel Macro-Enabled Workbook (Office Open XML)",75,".xlsm is an Office Open XML Excel workbook that can contain VBA macros. Open it in Microsoft Excel; be cautious because macros can run code.",[13,14,15,16,17],{"ext":138,"name":139,"category":7,"categoryName":8,"popularity":140,"summary":141,"howToOs":142},"ppsx","PowerPoint Show (Office Open XML Slideshow)",70,".ppsx is a Microsoft PowerPoint “Show” file that is designed to open directly in Slide Show mode instead of the normal editing view.",[13,14,15,16,17],[144,147,150],{"label":145,"to":146},"Home","/",{"label":148,"to":149},"File Extension Index","/file-extension",{"label":151,"to":152},".KEY","/file-extension/key","category-documents","/category/documents","Learn what .KEY files are, how to open them on every platform, common fixes, and security best practices.",[13,14,15,16,17],[158,161,164,167,170],{"os":13,"label":159,"to":160},"Open .KEY on Windows","/how-to/open-key-on-windows",{"os":14,"label":162,"to":163},"Open .KEY on Mac","/how-to/open-key-on-mac",{"os":15,"label":165,"to":166},"Open .KEY on Linux","/how-to/open-key-on-linux",{"os":16,"label":168,"to":169},"Open .KEY on iOS","/how-to/open-key-on-ios",{"os":17,"label":171,"to":172},"Open .KEY on Android","/how-to/open-key-on-android",[58,65,72],[61,62,63],[],"untrusted_source",[178,182],{"name":179,"description":180,"affiliateUrl":181},"Avast","Avast offers free and premium antivirus software that protects against viruses, malware, ransomware, and phishing. Scan files before opening them to ensure safety.","https://www.avast.com/lp-aff-consumer-store?expid=inf601",{"name":183,"description":184,"affiliateUrl":185},"Norton","Norton 360 delivers comprehensive antivirus protection, VPN, and identity theft monitoring. Scan files for threats before opening to keep your device secure.","http://buy.norton.com/aff_home?utm_campaign=en-ww_nor_n36_aff_nas_nau_nah_cj_nad_low:_sec_nat_mktc_norton_360"]