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Page: have to convert to word processing first?

I updated to Pages. When I next opened a new document, I found I couldn't type on it. I went to the format tab but there were no fonts, no sizes, none of the usual options for text. Hmm. I went searching and under the File menu discovered "Convert to word processing." That did the trick. I looked again and it said, "Convert to Page Layout." Well, dandy. I can type on the doc.

The thing is, I don't want to have to do this every time, every single time, I open a new doc. I looked through the info on Pages to see if there was a way to make word processing a default and only found this on the:

Create a document in Pages on Mac

Create a basic word-processing document

  1. To open Pages, click the Pages icon in the Dock, Launchpad, or Application folder.
  2. If the template chooser doesn’t appear, click New Document in the bottom-left corner of the dialog.
  3. Double-click the Blank or Blank Landscape template in the Basic category.
  4. Start typing.


Except that's not working. Typing does nothing until I convert to word processing So frustrating. I've restarted my computer, but that didn't help.

Help!

Thank you,

Susan McC


Posted on Oct 10, 2024 3:07 AM

Reply
3 replies

Oct 10, 2024 4:44 AM in response to SuMcC

Susan,


I have no way of knowing what operating system or Pages version you are referring too. Clarify, please?


If you are starting with a blank Pages template from the Template Chooser (or File menu > New…), there are Basic Blank (e.g. word processing) or Basic Blank Layout (e.g. page layout) templates available in recent versions of Pages. Use just the Basic Blank template to avoid the page layout mode you seem to be experiencing. Another way to quickly tell if you are using a word-processing template is in the Documents panel where Document Body will be selected.


Also, in Pages Preferences/Settings General, there is the option to show the Template Chooser, or force Pages to open a new document using a designated template. If the latter is set, ensure it is the Blank and not Blank Layout template. Not all of the templates provided by Pages are intended for word-processing mode.

Oct 11, 2024 4:09 AM in response to VikingOSX

I'm running Sequoia 15.0 and Pages 14.2.

Thank you. I found it down under /Basic/ in the chooser after reading what you wrote.

I've always been able to get what I need just by going to /Recents/. I have no idea why it wasn't in recents since that it what I almost always use. (I'd already explored the Preferences/Settings thing. It didn't show me what I needed.) Some of these updates make me crazy. There are days I miss the old, old Appleworks.


Thanks again for helping me track down the word-processing docs without always having to make a big deal out of it.



Page: have to convert to word processing first?

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