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Cannot paste tables from Numbers into Pages

I am just copying someone else'e comment, because I have exactly the same problem and the answers have been totally off the mark:


I cannot manage to copy information (a table) from a document in Numbers to a document in Pages. When I paste, nothing appears. When I paste in another app (e.g. a text editor), the data appears as expected, so the clipboard does contain the data.


  • I have tried using the Menu (Edit > Copy / Paste).
  • I have tried CMD+C / CMD+V.
  • Copying from and pasting to other applications works fine.
    • I can copy from/to Numbers from/to a text editor, and from/to Notes. (A neat table shows up when pasting in Notes)
    • I can copy from/to Pages from/to a text editor and from/to Notes
  • I have tried quitting the apps (Numbers and Pages), restarting my mac, and I have tried killing pboard


I am just absolutely unable to copy a table from Numbers to Pages. It is extremely frustrating.


(As a workaround, I'm pasting the table first in Notes, then Copy from there and paste in Pages. This works).

MacBook Pro 15″, macOS 10.12

Posted on Aug 2, 2023 4:55 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Aug 2, 2023 5:21 AM

You select the cells of the content in Numbers that you want to copy and then copy to the clipboard. In Pages, you insert a table, then select the first cell (e.g. A1) with a single-click, and then paste. Pages will then expand the rows and columns to fit the pasted content from Numbers, though understand that if that content exceeds more than six columns of data in Numbers, Pages will make the columns smaller to fit that content and the result may be unusably small columns. In that case you export the Numbers selection as a PDF, drop that on Pages and rotate 90 degrees (portrait).


Alternatively, you can not insert a table in Pages and the act of pasting from Numbers will insert that content as a Pages table. Numbers cell colors and formulas are retained. Same caveat as the first paragraph.


Pages tables do not offer all of the formatting options provided in Numbers.


Using Pages v13.1 and Numbers v13.1, I just performed the first and second paragraphs and cell colors and formulas were preserved in a Pages table.

1 reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Aug 2, 2023 5:21 AM in response to mfsecca

You select the cells of the content in Numbers that you want to copy and then copy to the clipboard. In Pages, you insert a table, then select the first cell (e.g. A1) with a single-click, and then paste. Pages will then expand the rows and columns to fit the pasted content from Numbers, though understand that if that content exceeds more than six columns of data in Numbers, Pages will make the columns smaller to fit that content and the result may be unusably small columns. In that case you export the Numbers selection as a PDF, drop that on Pages and rotate 90 degrees (portrait).


Alternatively, you can not insert a table in Pages and the act of pasting from Numbers will insert that content as a Pages table. Numbers cell colors and formulas are retained. Same caveat as the first paragraph.


Pages tables do not offer all of the formatting options provided in Numbers.


Using Pages v13.1 and Numbers v13.1, I just performed the first and second paragraphs and cell colors and formulas were preserved in a Pages table.

Cannot paste tables from Numbers into Pages

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