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Open older iWork files in newer versions of Pages, Numbers, and Keynote

Learn what to expect when using iWork for Mac to open documents created in older versions of iWork, or when exporting documents to iWork '09 format.

iWork '09 is not compatible with macOS Catalina 10.15 and later. To continue using your iWork apps with the latest operating system, update to the latest versions of Pages, Numbers, and Keynote.

Open an older iWork document

Current versions of iWork for Mac apps can open documents created in any version of iWork. To open an older iWork document in Pages, Numbers, or Keynote, double-click the document, or open it from within the app:

  1. Choose File > Open.

  2. Select the document.

  3. Click Open.

If you see a Warnings window

When you open an older iWork document, you might see a Warnings window. This window displays a list of features in your document that are supported in the older version of the app, but aren't available in newer versions of iWork for Mac.

Numbers Warning "This Numbers spreadsheet may look different."

Read about changes that happen when upgrading an iWork document.

Save an older iWork document

The first time you save or edit an older iWork document, you need to confirm how you want iWork to handle the updated document:

Numbers "Would you like to upgrade this spreadsheet?" alert
  • Click Upgrade to convert the existing document to the new format.

  • Click Cancel to cancel the save or edit, leaving your original document unchanged.

  • Click “Edit a Copy” to convert a copy of the document to the new format and preserve the original in the older iWork format.

Revert an upgraded document

If you've already upgraded your document to the new iWork file format and want to change your document back to a version compatible with earlier iWork apps, use one of these options:

Revert to a previous version

  • Choose File > Revert To. This removes any changes you made and restores the version of your document that was saved in an earlier version of iWork.

Save a copy in iWork '09 format

  • If you edited the document and want to preserve the edits, you can save the file as an iWork '09 document. Choose File > Export To. Then, choose Pages '09, Numbers '09, or Keynote '09 as the file format. See changes that occur when exporting to iWork ’09 for information on possible changes to the document.

Changes that happen when you upgrade an iWork document

All apps:

  • Rotation is removed from tables and charts.

  • Table fills are removed.

  • Grouped wedges in pie charts are ungrouped.

  • Spotlight metadata is removed.

Pages:

  • Change tracking isn't supported in tables, headers, footers, and section layout objects. Tracked changes in these locations are accepted as final.

  • Links to other Pages files are removed.

Numbers:

  • Table Categories

    • Collections of rows in a table with categories are now referred to as “groups.”

    • A new column containing group names is added to the table. The column is shown only if categories are turned on. It does not affect column addresses in formulas or charts.

    • Function names in calculations for each group now appear in separate label rows.

Keynote:

  • The “Require password to exit show” setting is removed. To set a new password, choose Keynote > Preferences > Slideshow, then select “Require password to exit slideshows.” Enter a password when prompted, then click Set Password. This password applies to all presentations played on this computer.

  • Slides indented more than six levels are promoted to level six.

  • Links to other Keynote files are removed.

  • Rotation is removed from object placeholders.

  • Transitions that aren't available in Keynote for Mac are converted to Dissolve.

  • The Revolve transition is renamed Object Flip.

  • Convergence builds are converted to Dissolve.

  • Builds are removed from slide layouts and chart legends.

  • Smart builds are converted to image galleries.

Changes that happen when you export to iWork ’09

All apps:

  • Drop caps styles are removed.

  • Auto-fit for series value labels in charts is turned off. Labels may overlap.

  • Auto-fit for error bars in charts is turned off. Error bars may overlap.

  • Charts showing a representative sample of their data instead show all data points.

  • Curved shadows and contact shadows are converted to drop shadows.

  • Comments on objects are removed.

  • Anchored objects are converted to floating or inline objects.

  • Formulas that aren't available in iWork ’09 are removed. The last calculated values are exported.

  • Interactive charts are converted to regular charts.

  • Bubble charts are converted to scatter charts.

  • Donut charts are converted to pie charts.

  • Drawings are converted to groups of lines and shapes.

  • Image galleries are removed. One image from each gallery is exported.

  • Right-to-left tables (like Arabic and Hebrew) aren't supported.

  • Vertical text (like Chinese, Japanese, and Korean) isn’t fully supported in iWork '09.

  • Replies are removed from threaded comments.

  • Rounded corners in charts are converted to square corners.

  • Equations authored in Pages, Numbers, and Keynote are converted to images when you export to iWork '09.

  • Gradient text fills are converted to solid colors.

  • Image text fills are converted to solid colors.

  • Non-solid text outlines are converted to solid outlines.

  • Embedded web videos are converted to images that link to the videos online.

Pages:

  • Tables of contents are converted to plain text. They don't update automatically in Pages '09.

  • Right-to-left text (like Arabic and Hebrew) isn’t fully supported in Pages '09.

  • Annotations are removed.

  • Page backgrounds are removed.

  • Links to pages are removed.

  • Captions are removed from tables placed inline with text.

Numbers:

  • If a document contains “OR” filters within a column and “AND” filters across columns, all filter rules are exported; “AND” filters are converted to “OR.”

  • Duration-based filters and conditional highlights are removed.

  • Right-to-left sheets (like Arabic and Hebrew) aren't supported.

  • Table Categories

    • Categories that group by day of week are changed to group by unique values.

    • Chart references to summaries are replaced with the last calculated values.

    • Charts that refer to a range that includes cells in multiple groups use the last calculated values instead of references.

    • Formulas that refer to a range that includes cells in multiple groups are replaced with the last calculated values.

    • Formulas that refer to summaries are replaced with the last calculated values.

  • Inline objects are moved to sheets.

  • Links to sheets are removed.

  • Captions are removed from tables and charts.

  • Pivot tables are converted to standard tables.

Keynote:

  • Transitions, build-in effects, and build-out effects that aren't available in Keynote '09 are converted to Dissolve.

  • The Object Flip transition is renamed Revolve.

  • Emphasis builds are removed.

  • Comments on table cells are removed.

  • Inline objects aren't supported and are removed.

  • Movies and audio do not play during the transition from one slide to the next.

  • Live video is removed.

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