Opening iWork documents created with Pages '08 in new iMac running latest version of Pages

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Opening iWork documents created with Pages '08 in new iMac running latest version of Pages

I am getting ready to replace my old (late 2011) 27 inch iMac with a 27inch 2020 model. The question I have is about iWork (Pages). I have been running Pages ’08 (version 3.0.3). I recently tried to install the latest version of Pages from the Apple APP store but the newest Pages could not be installed on this computer. Since most of my word processing documents are done with Pages’08, when I move these files to the new iMac and install the latest version of Pages, will I then be able to open these documents? If not what should I do? I have hundreds of documents created with Pages "08. I really need some help!

Posted on Oct 10, 2020 12:26 PM

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Answer 1

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VikingOSX

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Oct 10, 2020 1:43 PM in response to drbill36

The current Pages v10.2 in the Mac App Store requires that you already have macOS Catalina installed, otherwise you cannot install it. Neither Pages '08 or '09 will work on Catalina as it requires 64-bit applications. Pages v10.2 will open all Pages documents from Pages '05 thru current, Word, and RTF documents.

Pages, Numbers, and Keynote v10.2 will likely be preinstalled on the 2020 iMac with macOS Catalina.

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Answer 2

Oct 11, 2020 5:30 AM in response to drbill36

I would keep your iWork '08/'09 documents in a pristine, secondary storage, and only open copies of them in the current Pages, Numbers, and Keynote applications.

Since Oct 2013, these applications were not based on the document format, or all application functionality found in the older iWork suites. Consequently, if you were to open an original, older document in the newer applications — any attempt to change its content would result in a prompt to convert the document to the currently used format. When that happens, the document is no longer an iWork '08/'09 document, and unsupported features may be removed, or where now implemented differently, may change the layout intent in the new document content.

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