User profile for user: kellyb16
kellyb16 Author
User level: Level 1
4 points

iCloud version to old Pages program?

I have been working in Pages v.5.6.2. but saving to my iCloud as a safety backup. I opened the document in iCloud to show someone on another device, made a few edits... and now I can't open my document on my computer. It says I need to update Pages, but I can't because my hardware is too old to go beyond High Sierra (10.13.6).

Is there a way to convert it to the old program like Word did with ".doc" vs ".docx"?


I don't want to continue working in iCloud that is acting super glitchy and having trouble loading pages or moving what page I'm on when I make a small change. It's a doctoral dissertation over 250 pages. Do I have to "copy" and "paste" and reformat the whole thing?

MacBook Pro 13″, macOS 10.13

Posted on Nov 17, 2023 5:00 PM

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User profile for user: Peggy
Peggy
User level: Level 8
42,045 points

Posted on Nov 17, 2023 7:44 PM

Every time you open a Pages or Numbers document on iCloud or an iOS device it is updated to the current version of the app & can no longer be opened by an older version & you will get a message to update to the current version. However, the current versions of the iWork apps require Ventura or Sonom, macOS 13.x or macOS 14.x. Since updating your Mac is not an option use iWork for iCloud or your iOS device to open the files & then download or share a copy. Do not choose Numbers or Pages as the file type. The best option is to choose Excel or Word as the file type, which you can then open with your version of Numbers/Pages, LibreOffice, Excel/Word, or many other apps. Unfortunately, some of your document may be altered in the translation process.


Another option would be to find an older copy of the document in a Time Machine backup.


In the future it would be worth making a copy of any document you want to open in iWork for iCloud or on an iOS device beforehand, preserving a copy that can still be opened in your version of Pages on your Mac.

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User profile for user: Peggy
Peggy
User level: Level 8
42,045 points

Nov 17, 2023 7:44 PM in response to kellyb16

Every time you open a Pages or Numbers document on iCloud or an iOS device it is updated to the current version of the app & can no longer be opened by an older version & you will get a message to update to the current version. However, the current versions of the iWork apps require Ventura or Sonom, macOS 13.x or macOS 14.x. Since updating your Mac is not an option use iWork for iCloud or your iOS device to open the files & then download or share a copy. Do not choose Numbers or Pages as the file type. The best option is to choose Excel or Word as the file type, which you can then open with your version of Numbers/Pages, LibreOffice, Excel/Word, or many other apps. Unfortunately, some of your document may be altered in the translation process.


Another option would be to find an older copy of the document in a Time Machine backup.


In the future it would be worth making a copy of any document you want to open in iWork for iCloud or on an iOS device beforehand, preserving a copy that can still be opened in your version of Pages on your Mac.

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iCloud version to old Pages program?

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