How to Share a Pages file with a Windows user.

pages

Here’s how to share a pages document with a PC user.

Apple has always been more co-operative than Windows when it comes to sharing across the platforms. Microsoft Office has never had the ability to read Apple pages files but Pages has always been able to read and write Word files. Usually you had to ‘export’ the file or ‘save as’ a word document.

With the latest version of Pages it’s easier than it ever was. You can share a pages file as  a Microsoft Word document with one mouse click.

Sending a Word file

1. Open the Pages file you want to share.

2. Go to the ‘Share’ Menu item and click on ‘Word’

share word

This will convert the document to Word format, open a new email, and pop the Word file in the e-mail, leaving your original Pages file untouched.

3. All you need to do is enter the person’s email address and click send.

Sending a PDF

You can also choose ‘PDF.’

The Advantage of a ‘Word’ document is  the person who receives it can  edit it. The problem with a Word document is this: if they don’t have the same fonts as you installed, it might not look the same.

The advantage of a ‘PDF’ file is they will see the file exactly the same as you see it. Your fonts will be copied into the file. But, they won’t be able to edit the file.

So if you want them to be able to edit the document, send it as Word.

If they want them to print it, send it as PDF.

 

Ventura and Pages 12

Here’s what it looks like on macOS Ventura with Pages 12, you can see the option to send as a ‘Word’ file.

Posted

Comments

9 responses to “How to Share a Pages file with a Windows user.”

  1. Leslie Grubb

    I don’t have the ‘share’ menu tab in order to change the pages doc to mic word. Please help!

  2. Pam

    My pages says it cannot share as a word as for some reason the iWork is no longer offered??? I tried to reload this and it still will not do this.

  3. MARK

    My mac doesnt have those options when i click SHARE it offers send a link
    Share a copy

    This mac is a real nightmare Giving it another 3 days or it goes back
    NEVER had a problem with windows

    1. You are right – this has changed with the latest version of Pages.
      Now you need to select ‘Send a copy’ then ‘Mail’ then it will ask you for word doc or pdf etc.

      1. Mary Anne

        2023: I can select ‘send a copy’, then ‘Mail’ but there is no option for word doc or pdf.

  4. Daneille

    This was a great help though there were more steps required than listed.
    I clicked share.
    Send as email.
    Then the choices Pages, Word, pdf, and epub came up.

  5. Amy

    I just converted a .pages file using this free online tool. Super helpful!

    http://www.zamzar.com/

  6. Rose

    Can’t send a document from pages. The message said could not be sent because does not have a preferred outgoing mail server. Select a server from list,however there is no list.

    1. Do you have Apple mail set up?

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.