Mail merge helps you generate personalized postcards, invitations, and more, using contacts from your address book or a spreadsheet. Here’s how you can use the feature in Apple’s free Mac word processor, Pages.

Before We Begin

Make sure you have Pages 12.1 or later installed on your Mac, which will need to be running macOS Big Sur or later. You’ll also need to install Apple’s spreadsheet app Numbers if you plan to use a spreadsheet for your contacts instead of the built-in Contacts app. Like Pages, Numbers is available free on the Mac App Store.

One note on spreadsheets: Pages will only accept the Numbers spreadsheet format for mail merge usage, so the Numbers app is required if you choose this approach (you can’t use Excel or Sheets).

Creating Your Contact Spreadsheet in Numbers

While you can use the Contacts saved on your Mac directly, creating a dedicated spreadsheet in Numbers gives you more control and flexibility. Start by opening Numbers and creating a new blank spreadsheet.

Next, create column headers for each bit of information you plan to merge into your documents. These might include, for example, first name, last name, address (broken into separate fields for line 1, line 2, city, state/province, and ZIP/postal code), email address, or phone number.

When naming the columns, it’s best to keep things simple and avoid using special characters that might cause issues during the mail merge process. Also, ensure there are no blank rows dividing contacts. Once finished, save your spreadsheet with a descriptive name. You may also wish to consider testing your mail merge with a small subset of contacts first before adding hundreds of entries.

Alternatively, Use Your Contacts

While creating a spreadsheet gives you plenty of flexibility, using the built-in Contacts app can be quicker and more convenient, especially if your contact information is already well-organized. However, this approach really only works when you’ve taken time to properly prepare your contacts.

Start by opening the Contacts app on your Mac and reviewing each contact you plan to include in your mail merge. Be sure all necessary fields are filled out correctly, and pay special attention to address formatting, as inconsistencies here can lead to problems in your merged documents.

If you don’t intend to use your entire Contacts list, or you intend to use the same group for multiple projects, it’s likely in your best interest to create a new list for the applicable contacts. Do this by clicking “File” then either “New List” or “New List From Selection” (select your contacts beforehand). To add contacts to a list, simply drag their contact card over to your new list’s name in the sidebar. Note that Smart Lists, while useful for other purposes, won’t work for mail merge—you’ll need to use a regular list.

One significant advantage of using Contacts is that Pages can directly access all fields in a contact card, including custom fields you might have added. However, keep in mind that you can’t add new custom fields specifically for your mail merge as you can with a spreadsheet. You’re limited to the fields available in Contacts, though these are usually sufficient for most mail merge needs.

Setting Up Your Letter Template in Pages

With your contact data prepared, it’s time to create your document template in Pages. Launch Pages and either create a new document or open an existing template.

Format your document with any standard elements you’ll need, such as company letterhead, the date, closing signature, and footer information. Leave appropriate spaces where you want personalized information to appear.

While Pages includes many pre-made templates with mail merge fields already in place, you may want to create your own to match your specific needs. The key to success is planning where your merge fields will go before you start adding them. This forethought will save you time and prevent formatting issues later.

Adding Merge Fields to Your Document

Now comes the fun part—adding dynamic merge fields that will populate with your contact information. Begin by placing your cursor where you want to insert a merge field. Click the Document icon in the sidebar, scroll down and select “Mail Merge,” then click “Add Merge Field.”

You can choose from various types of fields to insert, including name fields (first, last, or full name), address fields, contact fields like email and phone, or custom fields from your spreadsheet.

You’ll need to repeat this process for each piece of contact information you want to merge. Common placements include after “Dear” in the greeting, in the address block, within the body text for personalization, and on envelopes or labels if you’re creating those. You can preview how your merge fields will look at any time by clicking the Preview button in the Mail Merge pane.

Previewing and Generating Your Merged Documents

Before generating all your merged documents, it’s critical to preview and test thoroughly. Start by clicking the Merge button in the Mail Merge pane and choose your data source—either select Contacts (and pick a specific list if applicable) or choose your Numbers spreadsheet. Use the Preview function to check your formatting carefully.

Review several different records to ensure fields are populating correctly, text is wrapping properly, and page breaks are occurring in appropriate places. When you’re satisfied with how everything looks, click Merge to generate all documents. Pages will create a new document containing all your merged letters, with each letter automatically starting on a new page.

Mail Merge Troubleshooting Tips (and Tricks)

When you run into issues with your mail merge, several common problems can be easily resolved. If fields aren’t populating, verify that your column names match exactly in your spreadsheet, check for extra spaces in field names, and ensure your data source is selected correctly.

For formatting issues, preview multiple records with varying data lengths, adjust margins and spacing as needed, and consider using text boxes for better control over layout. If you experience performance problems, try splitting large merges into smaller batches, close unnecessary applications, and allow extra time for processing.

Also, following some best practices can help prevent issues before they occur. Always save your template before starting the merge and keep a backup of your contact data. Test with a small sample first to catch any problems early. Use consistent data formatting in your spreadsheet and remove any blank rows or columns that might cause confusion.

Mail merge is a useful feature of the Pages app, even in its slightly complicated current state. It provides a remarkable productivity boost, allowing you to generate dozens—if not hundreds or more—of customized Pages creations. Just remember to always preview your merged documents carefully before printing or sending them out!

Didn’t realize you could do this in Pages? Check out some of Pages other hidden features.