Pages and Numbers not opening specific template after Golden Gate update

Based on your description, it suggests that you have been using Pages v14.4 or v14.5 and then installed Pages v15.3.1.

Installing the new Pages does not replace the older Pages applications, nor does it update the Settings in Pages v15.3.1 with those from the older Pages versions. Without updating the Pages v15.3.1 Settings, it has no use template setting and will default to the Template Chooser. This won't be an issue if you are pointing that use template setting to a standard template bundled with Pages v15.3.1. However…

Pages v15 and later installations do not automatically migrate Pages v14 Settings, or the custom user templates in the v14 My Templates. Yes, <enter expletive here>.

The Pages v14.4 and v14.5 My Templates are located at this path:

~/Library/Containers/com.apple.iWork.Pages/Data/Library/Application Support/User Templates

and the Pages v15 and later My Templates are located at this path:

~/Library/Containers/com.apple.Pages/Data/Library/Application Support/User Templates

Check in Finder Settings > General that you do not have the following set:

Next, you want to open each of the above paths in separate Finder Windows. This will provide a means to copy or move the Pages v14.* custom user templates into Pages v15.3.1 or later.

1. Click on the Desktop and then press shift+cmd+G to open a Go To Folder panel. Copy/paste the Pages v14.* templates path above into that Go To Folder window and press return. A new Finder Window will appear containing those custom user templates.
2. Click on the Desktop, and once again, press shift+cmd+G to open that Go To Folder panel. Copy/paste the Pages v15.3.1 template path into this dialog. Right-click on the text beneath the Go To: wording and select Open in New Window. That new Finder Window will be empty waiting for the Pages v14.* user templates.
3. Click on the first window containing your Pages v14.* user templates and press cmd+A to select all.
   1. Either drag and drop (move), or hold the option key while drag and drop (copy) into the empty Finder window.
4. Close both Finder Windows
5. Launch Pages v15.3.1 and the Template Chooser should now have My Templates populated with your custom templates. Now you can set the use template to a custom template.

pine man wrote:

Thanks for your very comprehensive reply.

You are correct that the apps are updated from v.14 but I cannot find the files you refer to for the settings.

The paths that I have provided in my previous post are present when both Pages v14.5 versions and Pages v15.3.1 applications are installed. There was a reason I suggested using the Go To Folder dialog to simplify reaching those respective user template folder locations. Otherwise, manual navigation in the Finder is vexing.

In an attempt to clear any old v.14 files I uninstalled Pages v15.3.1 then installed Pages v.14.5. Having done so I then uninstalled v.14.5 and reinstalled v.15.3.1

Uninstalling Pages v15.3.1 has no effect on any Pages v14.* content as it is stored in separately named preference and container files. Once you uninstall Pages v14.5, it is no longer available from the Mac App Store.

When v.15.3.1 is launched I still get the 'What's New etc' pop-up and that pop-up appears every time it is launched suggesting that something within the app is not registering that it has been opened before and assumes it is a new app.

Reinstalling Pages v15.3.1 and launching it would give you that initial splash panel. When you click Continue to proceed, you should never see that panel again. I certainly did not.

When I click on Continue in the pop-up I am taken to the Template Chooser. If I set the settings to open with My Template it does so until the app is quitted and then it reverts to the pop-up followed by Template Chooser on launching again.

I do not have Pages v15.3.1 configured in my System Settings > iCloud panel. When I set the use template to an existing custom user template and quit Pages, a new launch of Pages opens a File Chooser. When I click New Document on that panel, it then opens the custom template. Several years ago, Pages use to launch and directly open that specified template, but no longer. When I quit Pages and repeat this process, it again opens the custom template.

The only way I can avoid the pop-ups is to sync Pages with iCloud Drive so that when launched I get straight to a mini Finder window to select either a file or new document.

Hope this all makes sense.

On my principle Desktop Mac, I removed Pages v14.5 and all of its dependency files and folders. What I described above with those user template folder paths was done with my other Desktop Mac running macOS Tahoe 26.7. It still has Pages v14.5 and v15.3.1 installed.

You should not receive more than the initial Pages v15.3.1 splash screen after clicking Continue. See if it occurs again after rebooting the Mac.

I believe the default double-click on a Pages document will attempt to open it in Pages v14.5, and not Pages v15.3.1 while both are installed.

I believe that initial splash screen is meant to be informative only. Mine lasted just one launch of Pages v15.3.1. Others have reported a nagging splash screen and I have no idea why it is occurring. You should probably not perform any Terminal based corrective measures with Pages. It does have teeth…

If you click any of the optional purple-themed items in Pages v15.3.1, that may nag you to start a trial of Apple's Creator Studio, something I avoid like the plague.