What Is a PAGES File?

How to open and convert PAGES files

A file with the PAGES file extension is a Pages Document file created by the Apple Pages word processor program. It might be a simple text document or more complex and include several pages with pictures, tables, charts, or more.

PAGES files are actually just ZIP files that include not only the document information necessary for Pages but also a JPG file and an optional PDF file that can be used for previewing the document. The JPG file can preview the first page only while the PDF can be used to see the entire document.

PAGES files

How to Open a PAGES File

Apple's word processor, Pages, is normally used to open PAGES files, and it works only on macOS computers. The same application is available for iOS devices.

Take great care when opening executable file formats received via email or downloaded from websites you're not familiar with. Always avoid opening executable files from sources you are unfamiliar with. Fortunately, PAGES files aren't usually a concern.

However, one quick way to view PAGES files in Windows or another operating system is to upload it to Google Drive. See how to convert the PAGES file below if you need to open the document in a different program or if you don't have Pages installed.

Another method is to extract the preview documents from the PAGES files, which can be done with any file extraction tool that supports the ZIP format (which is most of them). Our favorites are 7-Zip and PeaZip.

If you're downloading the PAGES file online or through an email attachment, before you save it, change the Save as type option to All Files and then name put .zip at the end. If you do that, the file will appear as a ZIP file so that you can just double-click it without needing a third-party file unzip tool.

Once you've extracted the files from the archive, go into the QuickLook folder and open Thumbnail.jpg to see a preview of the first page of the document. If there's a Preview.pdf file there too, you can preview the whole PAGES document.

There isn't always a PDF file built-in to a PAGES file since the creator has to choose to make the PAGES file in a way that supports adding that PDF in there (it's called creating it with "additional preview information" included).

How to Convert a PAGES File

You can convert your PAGES file online using Zamzar. Upload the file there, and you'll be given the option to convert the PAGES file to PDF, DOC, DOCX, EPUB, PAGES09, or TXT.

Pages can convert the PAGES file, too, to Word formats, PDF, plain text, RTF, EPUB, PAGES09, and ZIP.

Another option is to convert the PAGES file with Filestar, a desktop file converter that can save the document to several other formats.

More Information on PAGES Files

When a PAGES file is saved to iCloud through the Pages program, the file extension changes to .PAGES-TEF. They're officially called Pages iCloud Document files.

Another similar file extension is PAGES.ZIP, but they belong to versions of Pages released between 2005 and 2007, which are versions 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0.

PAGES09 files are produced by versions of Pages 4.0, 4.1, 4.2, and 4.3, which were released between 2009 and 2012.

Still Can't Open Your File?

The first thing you should do if you can't open your PAGES file is to take note of the operating system you're using. If you're on Windows, you probably don't have a program installed that can open the PAGES file, so double-clicking it likely won't get you far.

Also remember that even if you do intend to open the file as a ZIP file, you have to either rename the .PAGES section of the filename to .ZIP or open the PAGES file directly with a tool like 7-Zip.

Something else to consider is that some file extensions look awfully similar but that doesn't necessarily mean that the formats are the same or that they can open with the same software programs. For example, although their file extensions are nearly identical, PAGES files are not at all related to PAGE files (without an "S"), which are HybridJava Web Page files.

Windows uses a file called pagefile.sys to assist with RAM, but it, too, has nothing to do with PAGES files.

FAQ
  • Can I open a Pages file in Word?

    If you have access to a Mac (or can ask the sender to change the format to .docx), open the document in Pages and go to File > Export To > Word and select the .docx format to generate a file that Word can open for viewing and editing.

  • How do I open a Pages file in Windows 10?

    To open a Pages file in Windows 10, change the .pages extension to .zip, then use a free zip program to extract the files. The largest file extracted, usually named preview.jpg, can be opened in any image editor, but it's only the document's first page. You can insert the preview.jpg image into Word, but you won't be able to edit or view the rest of the document if it's more than one page.

  • How do I open a Pages file in Google Docs?

    Sign in to your Google Docs account. Choose the Open file picker icon and select Upload. Drag and drop the Pages file to the upload window or choose Select a file from your device and select the Pages file on your computer or mobile device.

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