iWork Pages is a document type designed by Apple to contend with Microsoft Office Word, but it is easier and more stylish to create files. And this is just the reason why more and more Mac users prefer to work with Pages documents. However, there are possibilities that we may leave a Pages document unsaved due to sudden power off or accidentally closing Pages without saving, or just mistakenly delete a Pages document on Mac.
Here, in this quick guide, we will cover 8 solutions to recover unsaved, deleted or lost pages document on Mac.
To recover a Pages document that wasn’t saved on Mac, there are 5 solutions listed as following.
It has been proved that the most efficient solution for unsaved Pages document recovery is to utilize a professional Data Recovery Program, because Pages AutoSave might fail often.
For Mac users, we highly recommend Cisdem Data Recovery, it provides abundant features to recover deleted PowerPoint, Word, Excel, Pages, Keynote, Numbers and others fast, smartly and efficiently. Also, it supports the latest macOS Sonoma/Ventura and M2 chip.
Main Features of Cisdem Data Recovery for Mac
Tips: If you cannot find the unsaved Pages document in Unsaved Documents Folder, you can go to Type > Documents > Pages.
Also, you can check the YouTube tutorial video here:
One quick trick is to make use of the built-in function of Pages --- Open Recent Files. This is how to recover Pages document never saved easily.
Auto-save is a part of MacOS, allowing an app to autosave the document users are working on. When you are editing on a document, the changes are saved automatically, there will be no “Save” command appears. If you have turned AutoSave ON and want to recover an unsaved Pages document free without software, use this feature.
Tips: How to Turn on Auto-Save?
Basically, auto-save is turned ON on all Mac, but maybe yours is turned off for some reason. To save your troubles on “Recover unsaved Pages document” in future days, here we recommend you to turn on the Auto-Save.
Go to System Preferences > General, un-check the box before “Ask to keep changes when closing documents”. Then the Auto-save will be ON.
If you have re-launched the Pages application, but it doesn’t open the unsaved files still, you will need to find the unsaved Pages document in temporary folders.
In the case you just create a new Pages document, you don’t have enough time to name the file before any problems happen, and hence have no idea where you stored the Pages document, here is the solution to recover the untitled Pages document that wasn’t saved.
Besides leaving pages document unsaved on Mac, we may sometime mistakenly delete Pages document or an iWork Pages document just went disappeared for unknown reason, then we need to recover deleted, lost or disappeared Pages document on Mac.
The methods to recover deleted/lost Pages document are quite different from those for recovering unsaved Page document. It may require a 3rd party program or a backup. You can use Cisdem Data Recovery to restore deleted or disappeared Pages document as well, but here we will introduce 3 free methods to retrieve your Pages document.
If you are the one get used to back up files with Time Machine, you are able to recover deleted Pages document with Time Machine. Time Machine is a program allowing users to back up their files onto an external hard drive and find the deleted or lost file back when files are gone or corrupted for some reason.
This is an easy yet easily-overlooked way to recover a deleted Pages document. In fact, when we delete a document on the Mac, it is just moved to the Trash bin instead of being permanently deleted. For permanent deletion, we need to go to Trash bin and delete manually. If you haven’t performed the step of “Delete Immediately” in the Trash bin, you can still recover the deleted Pages document.
In the event that your document is still open in Pages while partial changes you’ve made to it have been removed somehow, you can use Revert feature to rescue the deleted Pages document back. This method is also feasible if you need to recover an earlier document version in Pages.
In conclusion, no matter you want to recover unsaved Pages document on Mac, or recover deleted Pages document, as long as you use the appropriate method, we are able to find them back. Also, we should always remember that, backup all your important files before your files are gone forever.
Connie has been writing for Mac productivity and utility apps since 2009. Each review and solution is based on her practical tests, she is aways energetic and trustworthy in this field.
Megan
I found this page useful. Love the tutorial video inserted. I have got back my deleted Pages document successfully.
Gregersenartpoint
Note: to ensure a better recover lost Pages document, you’d better not any anything on your Mac after you lost the Pages document and try the following steps quickly, the sooner the better.
amanda
If you have emptied the trash can, then you should check out the part 3 to recover Pages document on Mac.
JImena Velazco
I just have to say, thank you so much to whomever provided this cheat code to gain access to a Pages doc that did not save. You are a lifesaver!