Office

How to Completely Uninstall Apple Pages on Mac

To remove Apple Pages, quit the app and drag it from the Applications folder to the Trash. Since it is a sandboxed app, this action alone does not remove its associated data folders or user documents.

Last updated: October 31, 20263 min read

Remove Apple Pages and everything it leaves behind

Apple Pages data usually takes 200 MB – 2 GB on a Mac. The free scan shows the exact size on your Mac before you change anything.

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Free scan · No account · Nothing is deleted without your OK · Moves to the Trash first · macOS 14+

Application: Apple Pages
Typical data size: 200 MB – 2 GB
Category: Office
File Location: ~/Library/Containers/com.apple.iWork.Pages

Manual cleanup steps

Quit the app completely (⌘+Q in the menu bar).
Move Apple Pages from the Applications folder to the Trash.
Remove the folders Apple Pages left behind, listed in the table below.
Empty the Trash to free up the space.

Everything Apple Pages keeps on your Mac

5 locations. Tick each one as you remove it; back up anything marked as your data first.

~/Library/Containers/com.apple.iWork.Pages Sandbox container · sandboxed app data: caches, preferences, custom templates and autosaves Back up first: your data~/Library/Application Scripts/com.apple.iWork.Pages Extension scripts · sandbox script folder created by macOS Yes, once the app is gone~/Library/Containers/com.apple.iWork.Pages.PagesNotificationServiceExtension Sandbox container · notification extension data Yes, once the app is gone~/Library/Mobile Documents/com~apple~Pages Your files · Pages documents in iCloud Drive; deleting here deletes them in iCloud Back up first: your data~/Library/Containers/com.apple.iWork.Pages/Data/Library/Autosave Information Other · autosaved copies of untitled documents you never saved Back up first: your data~/Library/Group Containers/74J34U3R6X.com.apple.iWork Shared container · data shared by Pages, Numbers and Keynote Only if no other app uses it

Locations checked on a Mac with Apple Pages installed.

What Apple Pages leaves behind

Specific to Apple Pages

Dragging the app to the Trash leaves behind containers holding preferences, custom templates, and autosaves. It also retains scripts, notification service data, and a group container shared with Numbers and Keynote. User documents remain in iCloud Drive or chosen local folders, and their combined data typically ranges from 200 MB – 2 GB.

Account and sync: Pages is free with an Apple Account; documents saved to iCloud Drive stay in iCloud after the app is removed.

Preparing to uninstall Apple Pages

Before removal, ensure all work is finalized because some files exist only as temporary autosaves within the container. You should verify that your documents are safely stored in the Pages folder of iCloud Drive. Because the app is free with an Apple Account, it can be downloaded again later without losing iCloud documents.

Save any untitled documents currently open in the appExport documents to PDF or Office format for external editingSave copies of your custom templatesQuit the app before removing its files

0 of 4 done

By hand or with OptiClear

	By hand	With OptiClear
Places to check	5 folders, one by one	One scan
File sizes	You look them up yourself	Shown for every item
Removing the wrong thing	Easy to delete the wrong folder	Goes to the Trash first, so it can be restored
Cost	Free	Scan is free; cleaning needs Pro (yearly plan has a 7-day free trial)

See it working

OptiClear — Scan overview — every category on one screen — Scan overview — every category on one screen

OptiClear — Privacy audit: what each app has been allowed to reach — Privacy audit: what each app has been allowed to reach

OptiClear — Large and aging files, ranked by what they cost you — Large and aging files, ranked by what they cost you

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Frequently asked questions

Not all of them. Folders marked “Back up first: your data” hold your own Apple Pages data: back them up before removing them. Items marked “Only if no other app uses it” are also used by other apps from the same company; keep them while any of those apps is installed. Items marked “Yes, once the app is gone” only matter while Apple Pages is installed, so remove them after the app.

Will my iCloud documents be deleted if I empty the Trash?

No, documents in the iCloud Drive folder stay in iCloud after the app is removed.

Can I delete the shared Group Containers folder immediately?

Keep that folder if you still have Numbers or Keynote installed on your Mac.