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Pages update by Apple leaves my files inaccessible

Apple issued a new update for Pages yesterday, the App Store indicates. This apparently involved dropping support for the oldest versions. My iMac is too old to accept system updates beyond Sierra 10.12.6, which as of yesterday means I can no longer run Pages 7.1 — attempts to open files created with that version now get me the error message “The current version [of Pages] requires OS X 10.15 or later, but you can download the last compatible version.” Well, no, I can’t. The included download link for “the last compatible version” refuses to download anything.

I recognize Apple’s need to keep upgrading both its hardware and software, but that should. be no reason to make perfectly functional older Macs useless by discontinuing access to the perfectly good apps they use. Does Apple not maintain even minimal responsibility to these ‘legacy’ apps — specifically, in my case, is there no way to let my old iMac go on running Pages 7.1?

Posted on Jun 2, 2021 6:57 AM

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Posted on Jun 2, 2021 8:05 AM

Only fellow users and the occasional Apple Host community specialist are here.


I can open a Pages v11.1 document with Pages v7.3 on macOS High Sierra 10.13.6 running on a 2011 Mac mini. High Sierra requires Pages v7.3 through v8.1.


Although the hardware requirements for High Sierra are the same as those for Sierra, and obtaining the full installer for High Sierra is doable¹, what is uncertain would be if the Mac App Store would offer to upgrade your Pages v7.1 (not compatible with HIgh Sierra) to v8.1. It did upgrade my v7.3 to v8.1. I have neither Sierra, not Pages v7.1 to test.


¹ Using Safari browser only, visit How to get old versions of macOS, and follow the link to the Mac App Store, then download High Sierra to your /Applications folder.

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Jun 2, 2021 8:05 AM in response to dougbale

Only fellow users and the occasional Apple Host community specialist are here.


I can open a Pages v11.1 document with Pages v7.3 on macOS High Sierra 10.13.6 running on a 2011 Mac mini. High Sierra requires Pages v7.3 through v8.1.


Although the hardware requirements for High Sierra are the same as those for Sierra, and obtaining the full installer for High Sierra is doable¹, what is uncertain would be if the Mac App Store would offer to upgrade your Pages v7.1 (not compatible with HIgh Sierra) to v8.1. It did upgrade my v7.3 to v8.1. I have neither Sierra, not Pages v7.1 to test.


¹ Using Safari browser only, visit How to get old versions of macOS, and follow the link to the Mac App Store, then download High Sierra to your /Applications folder.

Jun 2, 2021 7:44 AM in response to dougbale

How embarrassing. The issue turned out to be not that my old Pages app had been denied continued support, but that my internet router wasn’t making reliable contact with my old Mac (while functioning just fine with a newer one). I don’t understand the relationship, but with a router reboot, the problem has gone away. Apologies, Apple.

Pages update by Apple leaves my files inaccessible

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