User profile for user: muesli_usa
muesli_usa Author
User level: Level 1
10 points

Pages does not work on Catalina?

Hi, I upgraded my MacBook Pro (Retina 13 inch late 2013) to OS Catalina 10.15.7

Since then Pages does not worl properly anymore. Most of the time when I open an existing document or when I want to make a new one in Pages I receive the message that Pages crashed (stopped unexpectedly) and the only thing I can do is sending a report to Apple, but without response. Opening again gives the same result: stopping immediately.

How to use Pages on my laptop in Catalina? Catalina is the highest possible upgrade to my MacBook Pro.

Thanks for all help!

MacBook Pro 14″, macOS 14.5

Posted on Apr 21, 2025 12:30 PM

Reply
8 replies
Sort By: 
User profile for user: muesli_usa
muesli_usa Author
User level: Level 1
10 points

Apr 21, 2025 2:16 PM in response to muesli_usa

Thanks for your reply but it does not work. I have purchased this MacBook Pro in 2013 and Pages and Keynote were installed on the OS version when I bought it. Since then I have upgraded a couple of times to newer OS versions and everything kept working fine. Just now the recent upgrade to Catalina gives problems.

When I go to the App store I cannot open the App. I allow in the next window to make the coupling with App store but it always stops and returns to the previous screen. I never bought an App or never had to upgrade an App to the new OS version. Just now it seems that Catalina does not work anymore with older versions.

Reply
User profile for user: muesli_usa
muesli_usa Author
User level: Level 1
10 points

Apr 22, 2025 3:32 AM in response to muesli_usa

I have found in Catalina how to open the App store. When I go to my account I see there Pages and Keynote. But all that I try to do (open or more) don't work. I always get the same message.

Does it mean that in Catalina I don't have Pages or similar App anymore (and the same with Keynote)?

Would it be better to return to the older version of OS (Sierra, High Sierra or Mojave)? Is this possible? I need Pages and Keynote for my work.

Thanks.

Reply
User profile for user: VikingOSX
VikingOSX
User level: Level 10
120,371 points

Apr 21, 2025 12:57 PM in response to muesli_usa

Versions of Pages that are older, and not intended to work with Catalina may crash. If you previously installed Pages v5 or later from the Mac App Store, you may be able to get the last compatible version of Pages (v11.1) for Catalina. If Pages was preinstalled by Apple, or by a reseller, then you are done.


Launch the Mac App Store on Catalina. Sign in with the same Apple ID that you used to previously install Pages. Press cmd+0 (zero) to open the Purchased panel. If Pages appears on it, then proceed with the download and installation of it. There may be one or more dialogs. Do not click Cancel and the last one will ask you if you want to install the last compatible version of Pages for Catalina. Do so. Same process with Numbers and Keynote.

Reply
User profile for user: VikingOSX
VikingOSX
User level: Level 10
120,371 points

Apr 21, 2025 3:23 PM in response to muesli_usa

Since the apps were preinstalled, there is no means to get a compatible version of Pages, Numbers, or Keynote for macOS Catalina now. Versions of these presently in the Mac App Store require macOS 14.0 or later.


About all you can do now is use the iCloud.com version of these applications on your existing documents from Catalina.

Reply
User profile for user: VikingOSX
VikingOSX
User level: Level 10
120,371 points

Apr 22, 2025 4:12 AM in response to muesli_usa

The Open in the Mac App Store presumes that you have macOS Sonoma (14.*) and Pages, Numbers, or Keynote v14.4 installed. Failing that, the open also fails owing to the outdated operating system and these application versions on disk.


Do you have a Time Machine backup of the previous operating system before the Catalina upgrade, and set that aside, not to be used by Catalina for TM backups?

Reply
User profile for user: muesli_usa
muesli_usa Author
User level: Level 1
10 points

Apr 22, 2025 5:13 AM in response to VikingOSX

Before upgrading from Sierra to Catalina I have made a backup with Time Machine and stored it on an external drive (Seagate). I have done this for the case that upgrade would have been blocked at some point. But I still have it. Can I use this for re-installing on my laptop? Do I have to remove Catalina first? Where can I find a description of the steps to follow for re-install Sierra?

Reply
User profile for user: Peggy
Peggy
User level: Level 8
41,745 points

Apr 22, 2025 9:56 AM in response to muesli_usa

I have not tried this but it is one possible method to get the post-2013 versions of the iWork apps. First, you need access to a computer running macOS Sonoma or Sequoia (as of this date). Perhaps a friend will let you do this. Then you need to sign into the Mac App Store with your Apple ID & "purchase" the apps. Yes, they are free, but the process to acquire them & get them associated with your Apple ID is considered a purchase. You will then need to sign out of the Mac App Store on that Mac (unless it's yours) & delete the apps. Then sign into the Mac App Store on your older Mac & it *might* allow you to download them as I described in my previous reply. 


I have not been able to test this method as all of my Macs have the latest versions for the version of macOS they are running, so it is just a theory but someone posted in the Numbers forum that it does, indeed, work.

Reply

Pages does not work on Catalina?

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.
Learn more Sign up