Word, Excel and PowerPoint on a Mac: use Pages, Numbers and Keynote

Why it happens

Apple makes its own set of work apps and puts them on every new Mac at no cost. They live in your Applications folder, next to Safari and Mail. If you deleted them, or your Mac is older, they're a free download from the App Store.

How to fix it

1. Open a Finder window and click Applications in the sidebar.

2. Double-click Pages to write a letter or report. For a spreadsheet open Numbers instead, and for a presentation open Keynote.

   Finder›Applications›Pages

3. To open a document someone emailed you, Control-click the file, choose Open With, and pick Pages, Numbers or Keynote to match the kind of file.

   Finder›Control-click›Open With

4. When you need to send it back in the other person's format, choose File > Export To in Pages, Numbers or Keynote and pick the format from the list. PDF is there too.

   Pages›File›Export To

Still not fixed?

1. No Pages, Numbers or Keynote in Applications? Open the App Store, search for the app by name and click Get. They're free.

   App Store

2. If a file looks a little different from how the sender saw it, the cause is usually a font your Mac doesn't have. When the layout must be exact, ask them to send a PDF as well.

3. For a quick plain note with no formatting, TextEdit is also built in. Press Command-Space, type TextEdit and press Return.

4. If Pages, Numbers or Keynote won't download or won't open, check General > Software Update first, then contact Apple Support.

   General›Software Update