What happens when you convert Pages to DOC
- The Pages is opened by LibreOffice, the open-source office suite, on our conversion server and saved as a Word 97 to 2003 document (DOC).
- Text, formatting, styles, images, tables, headers and footers carry over. Complex layouts, macros, tracked changes and some advanced features may shift or be simplified, so check the result before sending it on.
- Pages files are read with LibreOffice's Apple import filter. Simple documents convert well; elaborate page layouts made in Pages may come out simplified.
- Password-protected documents cannot be converted, because they cannot be opened without the password.
- This conversion runs on our server: the file is uploaded, converted, and deleted together with the result as soon as the result has been sent back to you. Nothing is kept. Files up to 25 MB are accepted.
How to convert Pages to DOC online
- Press "Choose Pages files" and select one or more files, or drag them onto the box. Files up to 25 MB each can be converted.
- There are no settings to choose: the converter keeps everything the target format can hold.
- Press "Convert to DOC". The file is uploaded to our conversion server, converted in a few seconds, and deleted together with the result as soon as the result is sent back.
- Save each DOC with its download button. Our server has already deleted both your Pages and the DOC by then.
Why convert Pages to DOC?
Pages files usually come from documents written on Macs, iPhones and iPads. People convert them to DOC because some older Word versions, forms and upload portals still ask for the DOC format from Word 97 to 2003.
In short, Pages is good at what it was made for, and DOC is the more practical choice when the file has to open, upload or print somewhere else. Pages opens in Pages on Mac, iPhone and iPad, and on iCloud.com; Windows has no Pages app, while DOC opens in Word, Google Docs, Pages and LibreOffice Writer.
How to convert Pages to DOC on Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android
On Windows
Open this page in Chrome, Edge or Firefox, drag your Pages files in from File Explorer, and press Convert. Each DOC is saved to your Downloads folder.
On a Mac
Safari, Chrome and Firefox all work. Drag the Pages files from Finder onto the drop zone and the DOC files land in Downloads.
On iPhone and iPad
Open the page in Safari and tap Choose Pages files. You can pick from Photos or from the Files app. The converted DOC appears in Files, in the Downloads folder.
On Android
Open the page in Chrome, tap Choose Pages files and pick them from Files or your gallery. The DOC is saved to the Download folder, where any file manager can find it.
Best settings for Pages to DOC
There are no settings to choose: the Pages is opened and saved as a Word 97 to 2003 document (DOC), keeping as much of its formatting as the format allows.
Check the converted file before deleting the Pages. Simple documents convert exactly; unusual fonts, complex layouts and advanced features are where differences appear.
Pages vs DOC: the differences
| Pages | DOC | |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Apple Pages document | Word 97 to 2003 document |
| Type | word-processing document | word-processing document |
| Created by | Apple | Microsoft |
| First released | 2005 | 1997 |
| Compression | Lossless | Lossless |
| What it holds | formatted text, images and layout in Apple's own package format | formatted text, images and tables in a binary file |
| In a browser | opens in Pages on Mac, iPhone and iPad, and on iCloud.com; Windows has no Pages app | opens in Word, Google Docs, Pages and LibreOffice Writer |
| Common uses | documents written on Macs, iPhones and iPads | older Word files, templates and documents from legacy systems |
| MIME type | application/vnd.apple.pages | application/msword |
About Pages and DOC files
What is a Pages file?
A Pages file only opens in Apple's Pages app, which does not exist for Windows or Android. That is why Pages files are so often converted to PDF or DOCX before they are shared.
What is a DOC file?
DOC is the binary Word format used before 2007. Unlike DOCX it is not a ZIP of XML files, so its contents cannot be read without a program that understands the binary layout.
Pages to DOC not working? Common problems
- "Files up to 25 MB can be converted." Server conversions have a size limit. Compress the images in the document, or split it, and try again.
- "The conversion took too long and was stopped." Very long or complex documents can exceed the time limit. Split the document and convert the parts.
- The document will not convert. It may be password protected, damaged, or saved in a newer or unusual version of the format.
Convert Pages to DOC from the command line
This page uses LibreOffice. Installed on your computer, it converts from the command line without opening a window:
soffice --headless --convert-to doc input.pagesConverting on your own computer keeps the file entirely local, which is worth it for very large or very sensitive documents. For everything else, the converter on this page does it without installing anything.
Pages to DOC converter FAQ
Will I lose quality converting Pages to DOC?
The content is kept. Office formats do not match feature for feature, so complex layouts or advanced features in the Pages may shift slightly in the DOC.
Why is the DOC a different size from the Pages?
The two formats store text and pictures differently, so the DOC can be somewhat larger or smaller than the Pages. Images are carried over as they are.
Are my Pages files uploaded?
Yes, for this conversion. A faithful Pages to DOC conversion needs LibreOffice, the open-source office suite, which cannot run in a browser. The file travels over an encrypted connection, is converted in a private temporary folder, and is deleted together with the DOC as soon as the result has been sent back to you. We do not keep, read or share it.
Can I convert several Pages files to DOC at once?
Yes. Select or drop as many files as you like; they are converted one after another and each gets its own download button.
How do I open a DOC file?
DOC opens in Word, Google Docs, Pages and LibreOffice Writer. DOC is common for older Word files, templates and documents from legacy systems.
Is this Pages to DOC converter free?
Yes. There is no sign-up and no watermark. Because this conversion uses our server, there is a fair-use limit of 25 MB per file and a number of files per hour, which stops the service being overloaded.
Can I convert Pages to DOC on my phone?
Yes. It works in Safari on iPhone and iPad and in Chrome on Android. The conversion happens on our server, so it is as fast on a phone as on a computer; the DOC is saved to your Downloads folder.