Pages document is too old to open???

I bought a new Macbook Air and loaded Pages 5.01 which i think is latest version (sometimes called 09 (????) ). When I attempt to open a Pages document created in an older version of Pages I get an error message saying that the document can't be opened because it is too old. It says I should save it in Pages 09 first. Great advice since it will not open in 09 so that I can save it. It was created and saved in Pages 08 v 3.03 . Anyone have any ideas?

Pages 5 is the newest version, sometimes referred to as iWork 2013. The new versions cannot open any iWork '08 or earlier documents or templates. You will get an error saying to open the files in iWork '09 then open them in the new version. I suggest that you buy a retail copy of iWork '09 from a third party such as Amazon or eBay & then update to the new iWork apps in the Mac App Store. You might check this link for the iWork '09 trial. I have no idea if it is still available.

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Since updating to Maverick, the new version on Pages states that previous Pages documents are too old to load? Is there a work-around?

Since updating to Maverick and the new version of Pages, previously saved documents are too old to load? Is there a work-around?

You might have better luck posting in the Pages community.
Pages Community

Absurdity of Pages documents being 'too old'

I understand the need for obsolescence -- whether planned or necessary -- and I'm even willing to buy again new versions of software that were perfectly good the way they were. Progress and all.
But to have my brand-new, beautiful iMac tell me that my Pages documents from 2011 are 'too old' and can't be read anymore by the iMac's Pages is simply absurd.
And the solutions offered -- OSX 9.2 users should open the 'too old' documents in Preview and cut-and-paste; or save them in Pages 9 first (although Pages 9 can't be found or downloaded anymore); or buy from a third party vendor a copy of Pages 9!! -- just seem ludicrous and unacceptable workarounds.
This isn't even treated like a 'known issue.' At which Cupertino meeting did someone say 'but the new Pages won't recognize old Pages documents,' and someone higher up responded, 'that will be fine.' Really??
Again, I understand we don't live in an eight-track world anymore and the roads must roll, but for all the games and gestures, the fact remains that words, text and writing remain fundamental to the computing experience. To think that long manuscripts, detailed memos, form letters, and all manners of written history on Pages can no longer be accessed because they are 'too old' is completely unacceptable.
Sadly, programmers too often treat text like an 'object' -- something to be picked up and moved, rather than a living, breathing piece of digital 'code' that can be shaped and reshaped by the writer within the object itself.
Apple is not the only culprit: The new Microsoft Office can't read Pages either, as this insane format and upgrade war rages on.
So yes, I know there are ways around this ridiculous situation, but how does it exist to begin with? How can Apple's Support Forum staff reply with the suggestion we go to Amazon and buy Pages 9 there??
Yes, upgrading to a new computer or operating system often means discarding older, comfortable programs. (I will miss the older 'Power PC' software, but progress is progress). But text -- the written word -- is the most basic software that is. How could a new version of Pages not 'recognize' older versions of Pages?
It is ridiculous and an affront to millions of Apple users who stick with the company -- this is my fifth major Apple computer, not counting our iPads, iPhones and such -- but the trust I've built up with the company has never been so shaken. How could this not be fixed, or even recognized as a problem?
david

How can Apple's Support Forum staff reply with the suggestion
Did you contact Apple support directly? Just as an FYI, these forums are user to user only - we're just fellow users volunteering our time here.
As for Pages: when I installed the new Pages version, my older version remained intact. I have two separate versions installed; I found that the default was to open anything with the new version which I changed in the Ger Info window (back to the old one). I also found that the new version lacks several functionalities, so I am ignoring it. I will keep using the older version. Unfortunately, if you have a brand new Mac, you do not have the older version installed - how about using your iWork install DVD from your previous Mac to install the older version?

Pages 08 docs 'too old' to open in Pages 5.

It tells me to first save them in Pages 09 but I don't have it!
What's more, I can no longer get it because Pages 5 has replaced it in the App Store!
A bit confused. Any ideas? I'm willing to buy Pages 09, even though that's ridiculous, but how?

Same problem here. A temporary fix is to export Pages 08 documents as Word files, and then open the Word versions in Pages 5.
I saw an Apple genius about this problem and she gave me Pages 09 at no charge, but also said there's no solution, presently, except to do as the warning message says - save them in 09 first and then reopen them into Pages 5. To my knowledge, there's no way to convert them en masse, so it has to be done individually.

HT202879 downloaded new version of pages now I cannot open my old files-message-too old to open ?

downloaded new version of pages now I cannot open my old files-message-this document is too old to open ?

Pages 5 will not open Pages '08 files.
Pages '08 should still be in your Applications/iWork folder.
Peter

Pages 5.1 error "This document is too old. To open it, save it with Pages '09 first."

When trying to open a Pages '08 file from a MacBook Pro in Pages 5.1 on an iMac, I get thr error message, "This document is too old. To open it, save it with Pages '09 first". I cannot locate a Pages '09 to use. I can export the file from Pages '08 into a Microsoft Word Doc file and can open it then. How I do I solve the problem and open files in Pages 5.1?

It is A solution that works if you don't have too many Page files to convert, but is very poor solution if trying to move everything off of the MacBook Pro to the iMac. I don't necessarily need to open the 5 years of files, but if I need to look at something archived, I'm dead in the water.
It doesn't make sense that a Mac can open a Microsoft product but cannot open a Mac product. I can understand that a program is not forward compatibale, but almost all programs are backward compatible. This same problem appears with Numbers 3.1.
Apple needs Microsoft as a solution?

This document can't be opened because it's too old.To open it, save it with Pages '09 first.

Bought new MAC desktop tried to open old Ipages and I get this message, what do I do now?
This document can’t be opened because it’s too old.To open it, save it with Pages ’09 first.
Thanks

If you migrated your old system to the new Mac you should still have Pages '08 in your Applications/iWork folder.
Open your document in Pages '08 and Export it to Word .doc/.docx and open that in Pages 5.
Peter

I set up my new iPad, then deleted the Pages documents on my old iPad, but this had the effect of deleting them on my new iPad too because they are synced. How do I retrieve the deleted documents?

I set up my new iPad, then deleted the Pages documents on my old iPad, but this had the effect of deleting them on my new iPad too because they are synced. How do I retrieve the deleted documents?

Sorry no. That's how it works.
Check if you still have an old backup and do a restore otherwise it's gone.

Pages version is too old!

I want to open a pages document. It says my version for pages is 4. something. And it is too old to open document. When I go to the App store, it says it is already downloaded and purchased. I tried putting it in trash and then downloading it again and it does not give me the newer version. We paid for it recently.What can I do?

You now have two versions of Pages installed on your Mac. Both use the .pages document extension, and the document formats are incompatible.
Pages v5+ is in /Applications, and is the default application when you double-click a .pages documentDrag this application icon to your Dock and drop it there.
Pages ’09 v4+ is in /Applications/iWork ’09. It was put/left there by the Pages v5 installation processDrag this application icon to your Dock, adjacent to the Pages ’09 icon, and drop it.
If you open a Pages ’09 v4 document in Pages v5, it will be transformed into the new, .pages document format that is incompatible with the earlier Pages version. The same forced incompatibility occurs if you are using iCloud and share your documents with Pages v2.2.1 on IOS 7, or Pages for iCloud beta.
You should launch Pages ’09 v4+ and use its file chooser to select v4 documents. Also, if you close a Pages ’09 v4+ document, but the application remains running — double-clicking a document that was touched by Pages v5 — will cause the warning dialog about needing a newer version of Pages.

I have transferred my documents from iMac to macbook air, but when I try to read then I get the message "This document is too old. Download it to version 09. How do I do that?

I have transferred my pages documents from my macbook pro to my macbook air, but I cannot read them as I get the message "This document is too old. Download to version 09". How do I do that? I spent over an hour on the phone to a technician at Apple but he was no help.

I have the same issue having replaced my 07 iMac for a new iMac, I was using iWork 08 (Pages) and all my Pages documents cannot be read by the latest iWork (Pages). I get the same message and, although I have worked out that any that had been exported to Word format can be read and then re-saved, I cannot now open the purely Pages documents to export them to Word first. I am amazed that the new Pages cannot read Pages 08 document but can continue to read Word ones! So, how can I get my hands on Pages 09, so that I can re-save them in the current Pages format?
Martin

I need to install iWork 09 so I can open the many pages document files that will NOT open under the new pages 5. Mavericks will not accept an install from my iWork's 09 CD. How do I get around this?

I need to install iWork 09 so I can open the many pages document files that will NOT open under the new pages 5. Mavericks will not accept an install from my iWork's 09 CD. How do I get around this?

Hi, I'm helping StringSinger2 with this problem.
The previously installed version is Pages 3.0.3 (the same as from iWork 08). This version (Pages 3.0.3/iWork 08) is incompatible with Pages 5.
That is why it would be helpful to install iWork 09, which is the version between the two. It will open the older 08 files, and its saved files are readable by the new Pages5.
SO...
When I try to install iWorks 09 from my retail DVD the error message is "the installer is damaged". (I know the dvd is good, I installed iWorks09 to my laptop today.) Is the "installer" part of the system files? And - If that is damaged is there a patch for that?
Many Thanks!

How can you save a pages document so it can be opened in Microsoft Word

How can I save a pages document so it can be opened in a Windows (Word) program?

Word can't read .pages documents. You have to export the Pages document to a Word document. File > export or share > Word
Download the Pages User Guide from your Pages Help menu to learn more about how Pages works.

I moved all my Pages documents from my Macbook Pro to my present Macbook Air and then gave away my Pro. Now, when I try to view my documents I get the message that the document is too old and I have to save it on Pages 09 first. How do I do that? i

I moved all my Pages docs from my Macbook Pro to my new Macbook Air. Now, when I try to view my docs I am told that they are too old and I must save them in 09 first. How do I do that? The version of Pages I am using on the Air is 5.2.2

No release of Pages v5 can open AppleWorks, Pages '05, Pages '06, Pages '08, or RTF documents. Sometimes, it cannot open its own documents.
You will need to do one of the following:
Borrow your MacBook Pro back until you can export all your incompatible documents to MS Word (Which Pages v5 can open)
Install your iWork '08 DVD on your new Air, and then immediately apply the following Apple Updaters. Again Export to MS document formats.
Pages v3.0.3
Numbers v1.0.3
Keynote v4.0.4
Purchase iWork '09 DVD, and then immediately update with Apple iWork 9.3 updater.
Open the document(s) that Pages v5 won't permit
Save as Pages '09 v4.3 documents, or export as MS Word
Upload to Zamzar, and convert to MS Word (free for limited volume)
No sensitive documents
Email notification within 3 - 4 minutes with MS Word document download link
After you do either item 2 or 3, run Disk Utility and verify/repair application permissions on your boot drive. Open your converted documents in Pages v5.

Pages document won't save or open

got a new macbook air... pages is 5.0.1
After i start a document, when i want to save it I get: The file “Untitled.pages” couldn’t be opened.
Any help out there?

Well, Did you save it as Untitled? Where did you save it? On the HD or on iCloud? Is it just this untitled document or are you having problems with more Pages documents? what else haven't ypu told us?

Pages documents "too old to open?"

I have folders of important documents created using older versions of Pages that will not open in the new version. I do not have an older version of Pages on this (new) computer. Is there a known solution?

You should still have your older software in your Applications/iWork folder.
Pages 5 will not open Pages '08 files and does a poor job of opening Pages '09 files. It also has over 90 features removed.
You can archive /trash Pages 5 and continue using your older version.
Peter

Pages document is too old to open???

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