# How to create a template in Pages on Mac: step by step for Pages 15.4

> Learn how to create a template in Pages on Mac: save a document as a template, add placeholders, build page templates and fix a missing one.

URL: https://www.lazur.app/how-to/create-a-template-in-pages
Updated: 2026-11-07

To create a template in Pages on Mac, open a document, choose File > Save as Template, then click Add to Template Chooser, type a name and press Return. Your template then appears under My Templates the next time you press ⌘N, and you can start every new document from it.

## Quick answer

- Open the document, then choose File > Save as Template and pick Add to Template Chooser.
- Find your template under My Templates in the template chooser, which opens with ⌘N.
- Use placeholders for the text and images you replace every time.
- Page templates reuse one page layout inside a longer document.
- Pages for iCloud cannot use or create custom templates, so work in the Mac app.

Applies to: Pages 15.4 for Mac on macOS 26 or later. Time: 10 min. Difficulty: Easy.

## What you need

- Pages 15.4 for Mac, which needs macOS 26 or later
- A document with the layout you want to reuse
- The Mac app, not Pages for iCloud

## How to Create a template in Pages on Mac in Pages on a Mac

1. **Open the document you want to reuse.** Shortcut: ⌘S. Open a document that already has the layout, fonts, margins, header and placeholder text you want. Remove private details such as client names and dates, or mark them as placeholders later. Save with ⌘S first so the file is up to date. Tip: A template keeps everything in the document, so clean it up before you save.
2. **Open the Save as Template dialog.** (File > Save as Template) With the document open, go to File > Save as Template in the menu bar. The dialog offers Add to Template Chooser and Save. Add to Template Chooser lists the template under My Templates. Save writes a file to a folder you pick. Tip: Some Apple pages say File > Save Template. It is the same dialog with slightly different wording.
3. **Name the template and press Return.** (File > Save as Template > Add to Template Chooser) Shortcut: Return. Choose Add to Template Chooser. Type a clear name, such as Monthly client report, and press Return. Pages adds the template to the chooser. Custom templates keep the order you created them in, so a clear name matters more than a clever one. Tip: Pick the name carefully, because you cannot rearrange custom templates later.
4. **Save to a file instead, if you need one.** (File > Save as Template > Save) If you want a file you can share or move, choose Save in the dialog. Type a name, pick a location and click Save. Saving to iCloud makes the template a downloadable file on iPhone or iPad. This route does not list the template under My Templates. Tip: Use Add to Template Chooser when you want the template in the chooser.
5. **Find your template in the chooser.** (File > New) Shortcut: ⌘N. Press ⌘N, or choose File > New. The template chooser opens. Click My Templates, the last category on the left. Your new template sits there with the other templates you saved. Tip: Press Esc to close the chooser without picking anything.
6. **Build from an existing template.** (File > New) Choose File > New, then double-click the template you want as your base. The original stays unchanged. Edit the new document, then choose File > Save as Template and give it a new name. Tip: Only templates shown in the chooser can be a base. If yours is missing, install it first.
7. **Mark text or images as placeholders.** (Format > Advanced > Define as Text Placeholder) Select the text or the image you will replace each time. Choose Format > Advanced > Define as Text Placeholder for selected text, or Define as Media Placeholder for an image or video. Then save the template again with File > Save as Template. Tip: Media placeholders work on images and video, not on plain text.
8. **Create a page template.** (View menu button > Edit Page Templates > Add Page) Shortcut: ⇧⌘E. Click the View menu button in the toolbar and choose Edit Page Templates. Click Add Page, then pick a starting template. Use this for pages that repeat inside a longer document. Tip: ⇧⌘E turns Edit Page Template view on and off, so you can leave the view with the same key.
9. **Rename or delete a custom template.** (File > New) Shortcut: Control-click. Choose File > New. Control-click the template name in My Templates, then choose Rename or Delete. Templates that came with Pages cannot be deleted. Tip: Delete the old copy after you save an edited version, so the chooser stays tidy.

![Man at a Mac laptop learning how to create a template in Pages on Mac for repeat documents](https://images.lazur.app/content-images/howto/create-a-template-in-pages/how-to-create-a-template-in-pages-1-b23294.jpg)

A template in Pages is a saved document that you reuse as a starting point. Each new document you open from it begins with the same fonts, margins, headers, text and images. The template itself stays untouched, so you always get a clean copy. This pays off for documents you make again and again, such as invoices, weekly reports, meeting notes or a letter on your own letterhead. Templates help in two ways. The layout is right from the start, and you stop retyping the same details. Build the document the way you want it first, then save it. The steps below assume you already have that document open.

## Check your Pages version before you start

The steps in this guide match Pages 15.4 for Mac. Apple's What's New page says Pages 15.4 requires macOS 26 or later, so check your Mac first. Pages 15.x is the edition that comes with Apple Creator Studio, and new features now go only into that line. MacRumors reports that the older Mac app was updated to version 14.5 on January 28, 2026, only to inform users. If your menus look different, you may be on an older app. Menu names can also vary by language, so compare them with what you see on your screen.

- **macOS 26** Minimum macOS for Pages 15.4 for Mac, per Apple's What's New page ([source](https://support.apple.com/guide/pages/whats-new-tan700f60676/mac))
- **14.5** Version the older Mac Pages app was updated to on January 28, 2026, with no new features ([source](https://www.macrumors.com/2026/01/28/apple-updates-keynote-numbers-pages/))
- **$12.99** Per month in the U.S. for Apple Creator Studio, with a one-month free trial ([source](https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2026/01/introducing-apple-creator-studio-an-inspiring-collection-of-creative-apps/))

## Build a new template from an existing one

You do not have to start from scratch. Pages can base a new template on one that already exists. Choose File > New, then double-click the template you like. The document opens as a new file, and the original template stays unchanged. Edit the layout, swap in your logo, colors and sign-off, then choose File > Save as Template. This route suits anyone who likes a built-in design but wants it to match their own work. Only templates shown in the template chooser can serve as a base. If the one you want is missing, install it first, then try again.

## Quick reference: menus and shortcuts

| Goal | Menu path | Shortcut |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Open the template chooser | File > New | ⌘N |
| Save the open document as a template | File > Save as Template | None listed by Apple |
| Rename or delete a custom template | File > New, then Control-click the template | None listed by Apple |
| Enter or exit Edit Page Template view | View menu button > Edit Page Templates | ⇧⌘E |
| Make a page template from this page | Format > Advanced > Create Page Template from Current Page | None listed by Apple |

_Menu paths follow Apple's Pages for Mac guides. Apple lists no shortcut for some actions._

## Add placeholders for the parts you change

A placeholder marks a spot you fill in each time. Take a monthly sales summary. The title and the logo stay the same, but the month and the numbers change. Select the text you will replace, then choose Format > Advanced > Define as Text Placeholder. For a picture, select the image or video and choose Define as Media Placeholder. Save the template again with File > Save as Template. When you open the template later, the placeholders show you which parts to replace.

1. Name placeholder content plainly, such as Client name or Report month, so you know what to type.
2. Mark only the text you will change. Leave headings and labels as normal text.
3. Use one placeholder per field. Two fields in one spot make editing confusing.
4. Open the saved template with File > New to test it before you rely on it.
5. Keep sample text short. Long samples hide the layout you are trying to reuse.

## Make page templates for repeating layouts

A document template sets up a whole file. A page template sets up one page inside a file. Use one when a longer document repeats a layout, such as a cover page, a two-column case study page or a closing page with a contact block. Apple gives two routes. The first is to click the View menu button in the toolbar, choose Edit Page Templates, click Add Page, and pick a starting template. The second is to switch to Page Thumbnails view, choose Format > Advanced > Create Page Template from Current Page, then Control-click the copy, choose Rename, and click Done. The second route works well when a page already has the layout you want.

![Person typing at a laptop in a bright office, building a document in Pages on Mac](https://images.lazur.app/content-images/howto/create-a-template-in-pages/how-to-create-a-template-in-pages-2-0369e2.jpg)

## Edit, rename and delete a template you saved

A saved custom template cannot be edited directly. Apple's guide says so, and it is easy to forget. To change one, open File > New, double-click the template, make your edits, then choose File > Save as Template. Save it under a name, then delete the old copy once the new one works, so you do not end up with two near duplicates. To delete a template, choose File > New, Control-click its name, and choose Delete. You can rename it the same way with Rename. Templates that came with Pages cannot be deleted, so the delete option only applies to your own work.

## Where your templates live and how they sync

Custom templates sit in My Templates, the last category on the left of the template chooser. They appear in the order you created them, and you cannot rearrange them. Apple says they sync across devices on the same Apple Account when iCloud Drive is on. The Save option in the Save as Template dialog works differently. You pick a location, and the template becomes a file there. If you save to iCloud, that file can be downloaded on an iPhone or iPad. Use Add to Template Chooser when you want the template listed under My Templates.

> **Pages for iCloud:** Pages for iCloud cannot use or create custom templates. Make and use your custom templates in the Mac app. Check which app your team opens before you share one.

## When your template does not show up

Most missing-template problems trace back to three things. First, the template chooser setting. A 2021 Apple Community thread about Pages 11.0 on Big Sur reports that a Community Specialist's fix worked. Open Pages > Preferences > General, set For New Documents to Show Template Chooser, then quit and reopen Pages. The original poster replied that it worked. Second, the save method. Save writes a file to a folder, while Add to Template Chooser lists it under My Templates. Third, the version. Menu names differ between editions, so compare your steps with your screen. Forum posts also suggest checking folders, turning off iCloud sync or reinstalling Pages. Apple's pages do not confirm those, so treat them as guesses.

## Shortcuts that matter for templates

Learn ⌘N first. It opens the template chooser, where your custom templates sit at the bottom. ⌥⌘N does the same job and also shows the Language pop-up, which helps when a template is in a different language. Esc closes the chooser without picking anything. Save with ⌘S before you close a document, and use ⌥⇧⌘S for Save As when you want a copy under a new name. ⇧⌘E switches Edit Page Template view on and off, which is where you build page templates. A community thread says ⇧⌘N opens the chooser, but Apple's table does not list it, so do not count on it.

## Worked example: a monthly report template

Say you write a monthly report for a client. You open a blank document and set the body text, the header and the margins the way you like them. Then you add a title, a date line, a results table and the client logo. Mark the title and the date as text placeholders. Mark the logo as a media placeholder. Choose File > Save as Template, type Monthly client report, and press Return to add it to the chooser. Next month, press ⌘N, click My Templates, and double-click the report. Fill in the placeholders, check the numbers, and the draft is ready to review.

## Mistakes people make with Pages templates

- Using Save when you wanted Add to Template Chooser. Only the chooser option lists the template under My Templates.
- Leaving old names, dates or draft text in place. Clear private details first, or every new document starts with them.
- Editing a saved template in place. Open it with File > New, change it, and save it again.
- Using Pages for iCloud for custom templates. Apple says that version cannot use or create them.
- Trusting a shortcut from a forum. Apple lists ⌘N for the chooser, and that is the one to memorize.
- Skipping placeholders. Without them, you retype the same spots in every new file.

## What to do next

Save one template this week, using a document you actually make. Pick a name you will recognize in a long list. Then try a page template on a report that repeats a layout. If you write a lot in Pages, the [Pages for writers guide](https://www.lazur.app/for/writers/pages) covers drafting. Teachers who build handouts can read [Pages for teachers on Mac](https://www.lazur.app/for/teachers/pages). If your template needs a table of contents, follow [How to create a table of contents in Pages on Mac](https://www.lazur.app/how-to/create-a-table-of-contents-in-pages).

![Student writing notes on a laptop, reusing a template for each weekly assignment](https://images.lazur.app/content-images/howto/create-a-template-in-pages/how-to-create-a-template-in-pages-3-5d1a59.jpg)

## Version notes and where the facts come from

Apple's pages disagree on one menu name. One page says File > Save as Template, and another says File > Save Template. This guide uses the first, since it appears in Apple's template guide. Apple's shortcut table lists ⌘N, ⌥⌘N, Esc, ⌘S, ⌥⇧⌘S and ⇧⌘E for these tasks. The steps come from Apple's written guides, not a live Pages 15.4 window, so your menu names may differ a little. Check the sources to see where each fact came from, and check your own Pages version before you start.

## Shortcuts

- Open the template chooser: ⌘N
- Open the template chooser with the Language pop-up: ⌥⌘N
- Close the template chooser: Esc
- Save a document: ⌘S
- Save As: ⌥⇧⌘S
- Enter or exit Edit Page Template view: ⇧⌘E

## If it does not work

- **My template is missing from the template chooser.** Open Pages > Preferences > General, set For New Documents to Show Template Chooser, then quit and reopen Pages. This fix comes from a 2021 Apple Community thread about Pages 11.0, so menu names may differ on your version.
- **I saved the template, but it is not under My Templates.** You probably used Save and picked a folder, which writes a file. Open the document again, choose File > Save as Template, and pick Add to Template Chooser.
- **The template does not show on my iPhone or iPad.** Check that iCloud Drive is on for the same Apple Account on both devices. Apple says custom templates sync that way. A template saved to iCloud is also downloadable on iPhone and iPad.
- **Pages for iCloud will not use my template.** Custom templates work only in the Mac app. Apple says Pages for iCloud cannot use or create them, so open the Mac app to use the template.
- **My edits to a saved template did not stick.** A saved custom template cannot be edited directly. Open it with File > New, change it, then choose File > Save as Template. Delete the old copy once the new one works.
- **Forum posts suggest other fixes.** Folder checks, turning off iCloud sync and reinstalling Pages came up in forums. Apple's pages do not confirm them. Try the chooser setting first, and copy your template files somewhere safe before any reinstall.

## With Lazur

Lazur is a voice assistant for the Mac that lives in the notch. Hold ⌥ ⌘ and ask; it sees your screen, answers out loud, points at buttons and walks you through apps. Hold fn to dictate. Free for 3 days, then $18/month: https://www.lazur.app/download

- “Where is Save as Template?”: Lazur circles File > Save as Template on your screen and says where it sits. You choose the command yourself. (Points at it)

## FAQ

### Can I make a template from a document I already wrote?

Yes. Open the document, choose File > Save as Template, and name it. Each new document you start from it will carry the same text, layout and images, so clear private details before you save.

### Where do my custom templates appear?

In the template chooser, under My Templates, which is the last category on the left. Press ⌘N to open the chooser. Custom templates are listed in the order you created them, and you cannot rearrange them.

### Why is Save as Template missing from my File menu?

Make sure a document is open. Apple's pages name the command two ways, File > Save as Template and File > Save Template, so look for either. If neither appears, your Pages version may be older than the 15.4 release this guide covers.

### Can I edit a template after I saved it?

Not directly. Open it from File > New, change it, then choose File > Save as Template. Delete the old copy once the new one works, so the chooser does not fill with near duplicates.

### Can I use custom templates in Pages for iCloud?

No. Apple says Pages for iCloud cannot use or create custom templates. Make and use them in the Mac app.

### Do I need Apple Creator Studio to make templates?

Apple says Keynote, Pages, Numbers and Freeform will remain free for all users. Creator Studio costs $12.99 per month or $129 per year in the U.S., and MacRumors reports it adds an exclusive collection of professionally designed Pages templates. Our sources do not say whether custom templates need a subscription. Check Apple's pricing for your region.

### Why does my template not appear on my iPhone or iPad?

Apple says custom templates sync across devices on the same Apple Account when iCloud Drive is on. Check that iCloud Drive is on for both devices. Saving to iCloud also creates a downloadable file for iPhone and iPad.

### Can I delete the templates that came with Pages?

No. Apple says templates that came with Pages cannot be deleted. You can delete your own custom templates from File > New by Control-clicking the name and choosing Delete.

## Sources

1. [Create a custom template in Pages on Mac, Apple Support](https://support.apple.com/guide/pages/create-a-custom-template-tan526e83fd0/mac), Apple, checked 2026-11-07
2. [Create and manage Pages templates on Mac, Apple Support](https://support.apple.com/guide/pages/create-and-manage-custom-templates-tanb343cb739/mac), Apple, checked 2026-11-07
3. [Create and use page templates in Pages on Mac, Apple Support](https://support.apple.com/guide/pages/page-templates-tan1959e234e/mac), Apple, checked 2026-11-07
4. [Keyboard shortcuts for Pages on Mac, Apple Support](https://support.apple.com/guide/pages/keyboard-shortcuts-tanc0ffef022/mac), Apple, checked 2026-11-07
5. [What's new in Pages on Mac, Apple Support](https://support.apple.com/guide/pages/whats-new-tan700f60676/mac), Apple, checked 2026-11-07
6. [Apple Updates Keynote, Numbers, and Pages Apps With New Free and Paid Features, MacRumors](https://www.macrumors.com/2026/01/28/apple-updates-keynote-numbers-pages/), MacRumors, checked 2026-11-07
7. [Introducing Apple Creator Studio, Apple Newsroom](https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2026/01/introducing-apple-creator-studio-an-inspiring-collection-of-creative-apps/), Apple, checked 2026-11-07
8. [WHERE ARE MY PAGES TEMPLATES?, Apple Community](https://discussions.apple.com/thread/252673493), Apple Community, checked 2026-11-07