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Pages: Create templates - this is how it works

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How to create templates in Pages
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Multiple Macs? Save Pages templates in iCloud!
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Delete templates again
Pages always start with a specific template

Apple's Pages has grown into a powerful Word alternative. With the help of templates you can get even more out of the software..

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With Apple's iWork, every new Mac comes with a powerful and free office alternative. The Pages word processor in particular is now excellently equipped for many purposes. Templates are well suited for maximum productivity: They help to create recurring document types with just two clicks. The creation of Pages format templates helps to save time, because certain recurring elements do not have to be created every time. The procedure is initially the same as creating a document, but it has to be saved differently.

How to create templates in Pages

1st step:

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Open Apple Pages and press [cmd] + [N] to open the document template selection. Usually you use the simple white sheet of paper called “Blank” or one of the templates provided by Apple.

2nd step:

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To create a new template, for example for a letter, you can use the " Letter - Classic " template as a basis, for example . Of course, you can also create a template from a blank sheet of paper. We use the template mentioned here in the example. Click on this.

3rd step:

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Pages now shows you the letter template: This is already formatted, but has meaningless filler text, so-called dummy text. This is used by layout designers to test layouts. You can customize it.

4th step:

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Now format the elements the way you want them. In a first step you can completely change the document font : Press [cmd] + [A ] to select the entire text and then select a font that suits you in the formatting field on the right . At this point we use the tried and tested "Arial".

5th step:

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In the next step you can format the individual elements. The whole letter box looks a bit old-fashioned. Select the sender information at the top right, press [cmd] + [X] to cut it out, then click in the header and insert the text again with [cmd] + [V]. Select the text again and format it to your liking.

6th step:

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Next, you can move the date from left to right, for example : click on it and choose right justification.

7th step:

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You now have the destination address . The dummy text can be left here, you can fill it out if necessary.

8th step:

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The dummy text of the letter can remain. You can change this if necessary. However, you can create a signature field below the letter, for example : Insert several paragraphs with the Enter key and then use [Alt] + [-] to enter a few minus signs one after the other as an auxiliary line. Write your name under it.

9th step:

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If the template is the way you want it, you can include it in your templates: To do this, click on " File " in the menu bar and then on " Save as template ".

10th step:

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Pages now asks whether the document should be saved as a separate template. You now have the choice of simply saving the template or adding it directly to the template selection of Pages - the one from step 1. This is the most practical option. So click on " Add to template selection " to save the template here.

11th step:

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Pages now adds the template to the overview. You can give the template a name that is as unique as possible so that you can find it quickly. It is then permanently saved under " My templates " in the template overview.

Multiple Macs? Save Pages templates in iCloud!

By the way, Pages doesn't automatically sync the templates with iCloud for some unknown reason. This is extremely annoying for users who have multiple Macs. There is a trick to circumvent the problem:

1st step:

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Open the template again by calling up the template manager in Pages with [cmd] + [N] and clicking on the template you have created there. Then call up " File "> " Save as template " again in the menu bar .

2nd step:

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Instead of clicking on "Add to template selection", select " Save ".

3rd step:

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Now simply save the template in the iCloud in the " Pages " folder (or any other folder of the cloud service). Of course, all other cloud services, network shares or NAS drives also work, it is important that all Macs have access to them at all times.

4th step:

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On the other Mac, open Pages and choose File > Open .

5th step:

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Now select the template you just created and saved in the cloud in the Finder window.

6th step:

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Apple Pages will now ask you if you want to add the template to the template picker . This saves them permanently as a template in the Pages installation on the respective Mac. Alternatively, you can simply open the template by clicking on “ New Document ”: This ensures a tidy template manager when using a large number of templates.

Delete templates again

To delete templates from the template manager, simply click them with the right mouse button and select " Delete ". Pages then asks again whether you really want to remove the template. Confirm the query with " Delete ". This will permanently remove the template. If you want to save the template beforehand for later use, you can proceed as in the workshop " Saving Pages Templates in iCloud ".

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Pages always start with a specific template

By the way: If you use a certain template very often or at all - for example, the author of this article has a template that always contains the contact details in the footer of the document - you can set Pages so that it always uses this particular template . To do this, click on " Pages " in the menu bar and select " Settings ". In the “ New Documents ” tab you will find the “ Use template ” option . Pages uses the “Empty” template by default. If a different template is to be used, all you have to do is check the item and click on " Change template ". You can then use the template manager to upload your Select the default template ..

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