message "The required index.xml file is missing."

I had the same problem however I see other users stating problems opening pages documents created from the older version. Fix- I closed the older version of pages that opened with the document that I was trying to view, I then opened the new version of pages, then clicked on the file I wanted to open. It opened seemingly without issue. I believe the document then upgraded to the newer version. Upon closing pages again, I clicked on the file that previously opened with the older version but this time it opened with the new version. I am not sure if this is correct but, I'm going to keep both versions of pages. This way, I can continue to open pages that were created with either version. , I am afraid that if I delete the older version of pages, there will be pages that the newer version can not open? Not sure but this works for me.

Read the previous posts.

You have not said what newer or older versions of Pages you are using.

Pages 5 and 6 will open Pages '09 documents but will convert them to their format which Pages '09 will no longer be able to open. Pages 5 and 6 generally have far fewer features than Pages '09 and the conversion will remove the features they can't handle.

You can run both versions happily on your Mac just be conscious of what the document is and which version to open it with. You can right click on the documents and choose the version of App.

Peter

I had the same problem however I see other users stating problems opening pages documents created from the older version. Fix- I closed the older version of pages that opened with the document that I was trying to view, I then opened the new version of pages, then clicked on the file I wanted to open. It opened seemingly without issue. I believe the document then upgraded to the newer version. Upon closing pages again, I clicked on the file that previously opened with the older version but this time it opened with the new version. I am not sure if this is correct but, I'm going to keep both versions of pages. This way, I can continue to open pages that were created with either version. , I am afraid that if I delete the older version of pages, there will be pages that the newer version can not open? Not sure but this works for me.

I have Pages versions 5.6.2 and 4.3. Thanks for the reply PeterBreis0807. I didn't know I could right click and "choose" which version I opened it with. (never really looked at it) I always just took the default. Should I remove the older version of Pages? Am I opening myself up to conflict? I thought when I downloaded the newer version, it would overwrite the older version. Apparently not & thanks for your time.

When you are using Pages '09 v4.n, and click the red traffic light in the document title bar, it closes the document, but does not quit Pages '09. Thus, Pages '09 is the dominant running Pages application, and double-click attempts at opening Pages v5 or later documents will fail with the index.xml message.

If you are uncertain about a Pages document, open it via the open with top Pages (default) (n.nn) menu item. If it is a Pages '09 document, it won't be harmed by just opening it, but if you attempt to change anything, Pages will pop a dialog offering to convert the document to the newer format. If you want to keep that Pages '09 document, you quit the current Pages application, otherwise it will no longer remain a Pages '09 document.

Pages 5 or 6 are converting the file, you don't need a "Utility".

Unfortunately Pages 5 & 6 lack a lot of features in Pages '09 documents and can substantially change them.

baffled in baltimore wrote:

The lack of such a utility and the lack of any kind of support on these forums for an issue that is causing a complete work stoppage for me is evidence of Apple's disinterest in providing a professional level of support.

This issue has been addressed here countless times and is being addressed yet again here.

As soon as I can find a suitable replacement I will stop using iWork entirely.

Good luck with that. There is no real replacement for Pages '09 which is why I and others here are still using it. For a start it is compatible with multiple versions of macOS which the later versions are not.

Peter

Sorry erex2012, I answered an older post.

No don't remove the older Pages '09 v4.3 it is still superior and much more compatible than Pages 5 or 6.

The only thing I use Pages 5 or 6 for is to create Vector Shapes. The tools for that are actually quite good. I then take the Shapes I created in Pages 6.3 and export them to Pages '09 to use there and in Keynote or Numbers.

Peter

I agree 100%!

The '09 Pages is still a far superior program.

My understanding is that Apple "dumbed down" The new Pages to make it compatible with the IOS version.

I've used the IOS version and despite having some interesting IOS features, it's a joke.

Everything you do is either too many "buried" steps or just not there.

The formatting tools etc in Pages 09 are far more user friendly and packed with features that are easy to navigate.

Also those tools don't take up a third of your screen like the "new" Pages does.

Apple told me they would be bringing back features over time, but I just don't see that happening.

I'm keeping my 09 version as long as I can.

We are a rapidly disappearing "It Just Works!" legacy culture in Apple's Brave New World, or as Apple's "Amazing" Autocorrect would have it: "Brief Knew Weird"

A Brief Knew Weird where they ruined Pages 5 and 6 to make it "more compatible" with iOS then didn't even do the basic and obvious "compatibility" step of ensuring there were common compatible fonts on both Systems!

Apple has become an horrendous, barely struggling mediocre bureaucracy.

Go see The Circle, you'll recognise the building, …and the clapping seal audiences will be similarly familiar. 🙂

Peter

If you had an older version of Pages then it was saved and moved to the /Applications/iWork folder when you updated. The new version of Pages.app will be in the /Applications folder. The newer version lost many features when it was updated to v5.0. If you have both versions you'll need to decide which to use. But keep in mind you can't open documents created by the new version with the older version of the app.

Here is a comment from another user with this problem which explains how it was fixed:

"I was also having the same problem and upon speaking with an IT support specialist at Apple Care, they explained to me that my MacBook was trying to open my documents with the old version of Pages, even though I had recently installed the new version along with the Mavericks update. I had to quit the old version of Pages on my dock (right click, Quit), remove it from my dock (right click, Options, Remove from Dock), and using the Finder (Finder, Applications) find and open the new version of Pages (double click). Once open, the icon for the new version of Pages appeared on my dock. Right click, Options, Keep In Dock.

This fixed my problem, allowing my MacBook to open documents with the new version of Pages! :-) I hope this helps anyone who has this problem in the future. I took the initiative and did the same with my Keynote and Numbers apps because for some reason the old versions of those were on my dock too, despite the recent update. IT support rep explained that happens sometimes."

You have 2 versions of Pages on your Mac.

Pages 5.2 is in your Applications folder.

Pages '09/'08 is in your Applications/iWork folder.

You are alternately opening the wrong versions.

Pages '09/'08 can not open Pages 5 files and you will get the warning that you need a newer version.

Pages 5.2 can open Pages '09 files but may damage/alter them. It can not open Pages '08 files at all.

Once opened and saved in Pages 5 the Pages '09 files can not be opened in Pages '09.

Anything that is saved to iCloud is also converted to Pages 5 files.

All Pages files no matter what version and incompatibility have the same extension .pages.

Pages 5 files are now only compatible with themselves on a very restricted set of hardware, software and Operating Systems and will not transfer correctly on any other server software than iCloud.

Apple has removed over 90 features from Pages 5 and added many bugs:

http://www.freeforum101.com/iworktipsntrick/viewforum.php?f=22&sid=3527487677f0c 6fa05b6297cd00f8eb9&mforum=iworktipsntrick

Peter

HI, I too have this issue but only recently! I cannot open a few newer files created in Pages. I do not know where to go to find the old version of Pages to remove it? It only looks like I have one version on my desktop? If I remove the old version will I still be able to open old files? Thanks:)

Gosh just found the new version of Pages in my applications & double clicked but it disappeared, is this because I need to get rid of the old one first? If I try to right click it jsut open the 'old' version of Pages & there is no 'Options'?

OK now I found the 'Options' with the right click............ very proud, but there is not a 'remove from dock' option?

I know I'm old & dumb on the mac but thanks for your time & help:)

IT WORKED I DID IT, ALL MY FILES OPENED, THANK YOU:)

Read what I wrote above. It says where the different versions are, and what opens what.

You will probably regret removing the old version, it has 110 features that Apple removed in Pages 5.

Either trash Pages 5, after Exporting its files to Pages '09 or open the correct version of Pages for each file by right clicking on documents and choosing either Pages '09 or Pages 5.

Peter

Thanks , this worked for me , i almost purchased the apps again in my frustration with being unable to open Pages and Numbers !

If you take an MS Word .doc/x document and naively force rename the extension to .pages, subsequent attempts to open this document will present the following dialog in Pages ’09:

Pages v5 (any version) will produce this dialog without the second sentence.

Renaming this document from a .pages to .doc/x extension will then allow it to open in Pages.