Upgraded Pages & Numbers to version 14.4 - Now taking 12 seconds to open existing files

Question

Upgraded Pages & Numbers to version 14.4 - Now taking 12 seconds to open existing files

Before upgrading Pages and Numbers software on my iMac existing files opened normally (quickly) now the new version is in place and my existing Pages and Numbers Files open slowly with color wheel showing. They do open (I've timed it) in about 12 seconds. I also see that the icon for Pages and Numbers in the Dock do not have the "active" dot showing. Other applications do have the dot and open immediately. When I do click on the dock icons they open quickly... to blank files but again, if I want to open an existing Pages or Numbers file the color wheel rolls for about 12 seconds before opening the file.

Posted on Aug 26, 2025 02:22 PM

Reply

Answer 1

VikingOSX

Level 10

122,052 points

Aug 27, 2025 05:09 AM in response to EmrickCachets2

On my M4 Mac Mini Pro, I can double-click a 181 page document on the local drive and it will open in about 3 (timed) seconds using Pages v14.4 and Sequoia v15.6.1. If you are using an Intel processor, or the source drive is an Apple Fusion drive, or the document is on a remote cloud service, then you are at the mercy of that media, or network delays.

I can guarantee that when Pages is an open application, that its indicator dot is present in the Dock. That configuration setting in the Desktop & Dock panel is not arbitrary and applies to all open applications.

The color wheel is a resource contention indicator. Pages is waiting for disk or cpu access, perhaps not for the document, but something else on the Mac is delaying Pages' access to that resource. A good source of distraction would be entirely unnecessary anti-virus software that does interfere with the normal operation of the operating system and applications. A Spotlight re-indexing, or Time Machine backup can also slow Pages, or other application response times.

Reply

Answer 2

Aug 27, 2025 06:46 AM in response to VikingOSX

Thanks for taking the time to reply. I do use one of the last Intel Core i7 iMacs that Apple made... purchased in 2021. Currently running Sequoia 15.6.1. *(Just updated this week from 15.6 and this issue was happening on that version and I hoped that the latest upgrade would help, but didn't.) I also added 64GB (2 32GB Cards) to the two open ports thinking this may help... now a total of 96GB.

So, as you say I'm at the mercy of the Intel drive... but, all that I know is BEFORE upgrading both Pages and Numbers to the current 14.4 versions I DID see the dot on the icons in the dock and all existing files DID open normally.

*(The "dot" does appear on the icons in the dock when I click on them (when I click on the dock icons a "new blank file" opens immediately) and/or when I do "slowly" open an existing file the dot appears... but when the files are closed the dot disappears (The older versions of Pages and Numbers kept the dot showing when not in use.)

I have no anti-virus software. I do use Time Machine for backup... but connect the external drive used for this ONLY when doing a backup... not familiar with "Spotlight re-indexing"... so I doubt that I do this. Actually I never even use Spotlight for searching anything.

I've asked Apple Support techs if it is possible to go back to the previous version of these apps but they didn't think so.

Again, thank you for your time...and "if" this reply sparks another thought please share it with me.

Oh yes, one more thing I just thought about... "sometimes" (very rare, but like when the Apple support person is on the phone) the existing files open at normal speed. I've seen this occasionally and think... "it may be fixed!"... but, next time I go to open an existing file the 12 second delay occurs again. :0(

Reply

Answer 3

VikingOSX

Level 10

122,052 points

Aug 27, 2025 12:03 PM in response to EmrickCachets2

Press and hold the shift-key when launching Pages to see if this helps it forget its last saved execution state. You should only need to do this once, rather than every time. Maybe that will return it to faster file opening…

I just signed into my 2020 Core i7 3.8 Ghz 27-in iMac with 40 GB RAM and Apple SSD. The same 181-page Pages document opened in Pages v14.4 on macOS Sequoia v15.6.1 in about 8 seconds.

I leave my external Crucial X9 SSD connected to my M4 Mac Mini Pro and iMac as I let Time Machine run every hour the Macs are powered on. That way, I risk very little lost files (or changes) due to any prolonged backup time frames. Spotlight and Time Machine are joined at the hip, so it is running whether you realize it or not.

My M4 Mac Mini is my primary workstation, so it is on from when I get up in the morning until I go to bed that night.

Reply

Answer 4

Aug 27, 2025 12:43 PM in response to VikingOSX

Thanks again for the "hold shift key" idea. I first went to one of the existing Pages Files and held the shift key while double clicking the file. I DID open normally. And as before once a file has been opened other files open normally during each work session.

I then tried opening an existing Numbers File and got the delayed color wheel 12 second opening.

In both cases the dot does not stay on the dock icons as they should. I then thought maybe you meant to hold the shift key while opening Pages or Numbers using the dock icon... that maybe the dot would stay on because doing this even without holding the shift key does open a blank file on each of these in normal speed.

The blank files opened as usual but the dot still does not stay on the dock icons.

I do have a LOT of artwork files that would be very bad to lose but backing up once per month doesn't put too many new files at risk... I'm kinda' slow with my art and I stopped the set up using scheduled backups keeping the drive active thinking that this was using too much of my computer's activity. :0)

So, looks like I'm still just about where I was before... but, your ideas are greatly appreciated.

Reply

Answer 5

Aug 28, 2025 02:06 PM in response to EmrickCachets2

Hello Viking OSX - Just fyi... I got to thinking about my TimeMachine Backups. I went back (probably a bit too far) and "restored" version 10.0 for both Pages and Numbers... and then ditched the 14.4 versions.

And guess what... all existing files open with normal quick speed. The older version does everything I need so I'll just stay with it as long as I can and be happy! :0)

Still don't know why 14.4 didn't like living on my iMac and maybe in the future I'll respond to another update and try again, but right now don't know why I would. Thanks again for your input!

Reply

Answer 6

VikingOSX

Level 10

122,052 points

Aug 28, 2025 02:10 PM in response to EmrickCachets2

I am actually surprised that Pages v10.* would even work on Sequoia v15.6.1. Not something I would do over a 12 second delay on your end considering it takes 8 seconds to open a 181-page document with Pages v14.4 on my Intel Core I7 (2020) running Sequoia v15.6.1.

Reply

Answer 7

Aug 28, 2025 03:38 PM in response to VikingOSX

Well like I said I may have gone back in the Time Machine farther than I should have... I may go back to find the version just before 14.4 and do the same thing again. But yes, it does work just fine with my current iMac set up.

Most of my files are not large numbers of pages usually one or two pages long per file. And my Numbers Files are records of sales of my Cachet Artwork which is very simple and straight forward.

The bulk of valuable files on my computer are scans of my artwork and Photoshop, Affinity, PRINT Files for print versions of my art.

www.emrickcachets.com

The 12 second delay was just long enough to annoy me. I suppose I could have lived with it but I'd rather not. :0)

Reply