Tired of starting from nothing or a template that’s way too general? Are you beginning with an existing document that’s somewhat similar instead, then work backwards from that laboriously? Find out here how to set up and use your own templates in the iWork apps Pages and Numbers.
First, No Recipe for Sweet Extraction
When one roasts a bean of coffee, among the many things that are produced inside is CO₂. As is its wont, the gas will escape that light to dark brown shell—sooner or later.
Later, here, is better than sooner: for if an espresso were to be made with freshly roasted coffee, the plethora of CO₂ escaping during the extraction should interfere with releasing the ground’s sought sweet aroma. An unbalanced and overly sour pull would be the result.
So, that’s no recipe for a good espresso. Let’s set up recipes for documents, spreadsheets and presentations instead:
How to Use Document Templates in Pages and Numbers on Mac, iPhone and iPad
Set up a Document Template
Time needed: 2 minutes
To create a new document template in an iWork application such as Pages and Numbers on a Mac:
- Start with a new or existing document, spread sheet or presentation in the iWorks program.
- Edit it so that it is in the state you want to use for the template.
Placeholders and fields: You can make your and others’ future lives easier with placeholder text and fields, of course.
- Select File | Save as Template from the menu.
- Select Add to Template Chooser.
Here’s why: This will add your template to the template selection when you start a new document, spreadsheet or presentation available across iWorks installations on Mac, iPhone and iPad.
Local alternative: You can also save the template as a file on the local disk; choose Save… for this.
- Type the name you want to use for the new template.
- Press Enter.
No need to “Create”: Clicking Create will create a new document from your template (instead of creating the template).
- Optional: Also save the document as is (not as a template) in iCloud Drive.
Here’s why: You can use this file to create a new document with it as a starting point in iCloud Pages and Numbers (see below).
Another alternative: You can also save the file to the disk as a regular iWorks document, of course, and make that file a template in Finder.
Lock it To prevent accidental changes, lock the file in Mac Finder or Terminal.:
Start a Document from a Template in iWork
To create a new document from a template in Pages and Numbers:
- Select File | New from the menu (on a Mac) or tap + and pick Choose a Template (on iPhone and iPad) in the respective app.
Keyboard shortcut: Using a keyboard on Mac or iPad, you can also press Command N to start a new document, spreadsheet or presentation. - Select My Templates.
- Now double-click or tap the template you want to use.
Using a Template Saved Locally in Mac Finder
To make a new document starting from a template saved on a Mac using Finder:
- Double-click the template (or select Open With | Pages/Numbers from the context menu) in Finder.
- Click New Document.
Edit a Template in iWork
To make changes to a template you have set up in an iWork app:
- Create a new document using the template you want to edit.
- Edit the template as needed.
- Save the document as a template using the previous name.
How to Use Document Templates in iWork on Mac, iPhone and iPad: FAQ
Can I start with a template to create a new template?
Yes.
You can start with a template (both personal and from Apple), adapt it and save it as a new template in iWorks.
If I change a document saved as a template, will the template update?
No.
To update the template, save the changed version again as a template.
Can I use the template in iCloud Pages and Numbers?
No (and yes).
You cannot use personally saved templates on iCloud.com. You can, of course, create a copy of any document:
- Find the document you want to use as a starting-off point in iCloud Pages and Numbers file browser.
- Click the three-dots icon that becomes visible as you over over the document.
- Select Duplicate from the menu that has appeared.
- Rename (and possibly move) the copy, the edit it as desired.
(How to Use Document Templates in iWork on a Mac tested with Pages and Numbers 14; first published June 2024)