Get previous version of Pages, Numbers, etc?

[daniel-n-b]

Well, the mas command line interface option didn't work either.

Each time I as asked if I wanted to install the latest compatible version, and it gave the following error message:

“Redownload Unavailable with This Apple ID”
"This redownload is not available for this Apple ID either because it was bought by a different user or the item was refunded or cancelled.”

In thinking about this error message, and in looking at a note to myself from 2010, I see that I registered the software under a different email address than I'm currently using for my Apple_ID. So one more thing I can try is to change my Apple_ID email address back to the one I'd used when I registered as the user of this software, which is fortunately still an email address I have, and maybe then it will realize I'm the same person.

 

[daniel-n-b]

Well, the mas command line interface option didn't work either.

Each time I as asked if I wanted to install the latest compatible version, and it gave the following error message:

“Redownload Unavailable with This Apple ID”
"This redownload is not available for this Apple ID either because it was bought by a different user or the item was refunded or cancelled.”

In thinking about this error message, and in looking at a note to myself from 2010, I see that I registered the software under a different email address than I'm currently using for my Apple_ID. So one more thing I can try is to change my Apple_ID email address back to the one I'd used when I registered as the user of this software, which is fortunately still an email address I have, and maybe then it will realize I'm the same person.

Nope. But maybe it's going by the AppleID I'd first used when I made the purchase, rather than the email address i'd registered with. If so, back in 2010 when I bought this, the email address associated with my AppleID was based on a web domain that I've long since let go of. Naturally the email address that went with that defunct web domain is also defunct, so I can't even try changing my AppleID to that.

I'm welcome to hear other ideas, but I think this may be a lost cause.

 

[Mike Richardson]

Nope. But maybe it's going by the AppleID I'd first used when I made the purchase, rather than the email address i'd registered with. If so, back in 2010 when I bought this, the email address associated with my AppleID was based on a web domain that I've long since let go of. Naturally the email address that went with that defunct web domain is also defunct, so I can't even try changing my AppleID to that.

I'm welcome to hear other ideas, but I think this may be a lost cause.

You let go of the domain name - does this mean you let it expire?

If no one else purchased it since then (or it has expired again) then you could purchase the domain name and then set up e-mail forwarding or something, and then see if it allows you to download Pages, etc.

---

Here is something I did when I sold my 2011 MacBook Air to a friend of mine a few years ago.

At the time the 2011 MBA was the newest Mac he had ever owned. (The last Mac he actually bought new was probably a G3 iMac or something from that era.)

So his App Store account did not have the free iWork programs. I don't remember if he had the option to buy them.

I signed out of his App Store account and then signed into mine, and then proceeded to download the the 3 iWork programs. I made sure they launched and opened and worked.

Then I signed out of my account and back into his.

The iWork apps still worked fine, even after a reboot, and they worked fine a few months after that.

I'm not advocating using that technique to rip off apps or anything. (if it even works at all anymore - this was back during High Sierra). But I found it particularly stupid that he didn't get to have iWork apps just because he bought a used Mac instead of a new one.

 

[Fishrrman]

daniel wrote:
"I'm welcome to hear other ideas, but I think this may be a lost cause."

Did you try the link I posted in reply 21 above?
And do as instructed there?

 

[daniel-n-b]

daniel wrote:
"I'm welcome to hear other ideas, but I think this may be a lost cause."

Did you try the link I posted in reply 21 above?
And do as instructed there?

Actually I took a look at that, saw that it was from 2014 and figured it wouldn't work. But after your reminder I tried the link and found that it's still valid, and the iWork trial installer downloaded easily enough. When I went to install it, it gave me an error that it was from an unidentified developer. This sounded fishy at first, but the trial installer is actually from 2008, so nobody was marking the names of the developers back then! I also scanned the mounted installer image for viruses with Intego Virus barrier. When I got the green light, I overrode the security settings and installed the software.
The glitch in my case happened when I tried to run the software, which gave me an error message:
"Pages cannot be opened because of a problem"
"Check with the developer to make sure Pages works with this version of macOS...."

Naturally this app version from 2008 doesn't work under OSX 10.12.6.

Fortunately in my case I just happen to have a virtual machine for running a few cherished programs from the SnowLeopard 10.6.8 era. I'd already installed Pages '09 there, but if this trial will tell the App store that I'm a legitimate user now, then it's well worth installing there again. I'll give this a try soon, and keep my fingers crossed until then.

 

[daniel-n-b]

Just tried this within a 10.6.8 virtual machine. To make a long story short, it still didn't work, but it came awfully close, and I think I know what to do differently so that maybe it will work.
I'll try again, but later, as it's already going on 1 am in my timezone...

 

[bogdanw]

- install Homebrew using instructions at https://brew.sh
- install mas using instructions at https://formulae.brew.sh/formula/mas#default

There is no need for Homebrew. Download one of the releases (mas-1.8.6.catalina.bottle.tar.gz for Catalina) unpack the archive and use the mas binary from Terminal. https://github.com/mas-cli/mas/releases
I placed it in Applications, so the command is /Applications/mas/1.8.6/bin/mas install 409203825
It only works if the account owns/had previously “purchased” the app. Otherwise you get: “Redownload Unavailable with This Apple ID
This redownload is not available for this Apple ID either because it was bought by a different user or the item was refunded or cancelled.”

 

[chrfr]

Just tried this within a 10.6.8 virtual machine. To make a long story short, it still didn't work, but it came awfully close, and I think I know what to do differently so that maybe it will work.
I'll try again, but later, as it's already going on 1 am in my timezone...

Make a newer virtual machine with a relatively current macOS which still supports the apps you need, and ”purchase” the current apps in that VM. This will give your Apple ID access to download the older versions on your older macOS installation.

 

[sracer]

I just created a VirtualBox VM with High Sierra to test the viability of using a MacOS VM on my ThinkPad specifically for iWork and Pixelmator. I followed the recommendation about using the "purchased" tab. I was able to install them.

 

[daniel-n-b]

This approach still didn't work for me, but maybe someone can point out what else needs to be done to make it work.

Here's what I did the first time, which almost worked:
My virtual machine was already set up with an working copy of iWork '09, but my goal was to use the iWork trial to tell the appstore that I'm trying out the iWork apps, thereby "purchasing" them, and thereby unlocking the iWork apps within my current mac setup, and not only within the virtual machine.

So I moved the iWork apps that were working into the trash, and ran the installer for the iWork '09 trial apps.
The installation was a success, but when I tried to run them I got an error message saying the apps don't support the current OS. So I moved the trial-installed apps into the trash, and moved the working apps back out of the trash, and tried to run one of the iWork apps.

Now I was presented with two screens, the first asking my email address, which I entered, and the second asking if I wanted to buy the app or run it in trial mode. I opted for the trial mode, and then it gave me access to the app. In repeating this process for the other 2 apps, each time it asked if I wanted to buy the app, but I only saw the prompt for the email address once.

I think if I'd entered the same email address that was associated with my AppleID, it would have connected this trial with my Apple ID, telling the app store that I'd tried out these apps, and unlocking them for me. Unfortunately I had recently changed my Apple_ID email address back to the old one I'd used way back when I registered as the user of this software (as mentioned in step 26). So when I mistakenly entered my newer email address, it didn't work.

I thought I'd be able to repeat this whole sequence within my virtual machine, and this time enter the correct email address. I have been able to repeat almost all of it, but I'm not getting another chance to enter my email address, meaning that the OS must have stored my email address somewhere when I did it the first time.

Does anyone have ideas on what file(s) I should try deleting, in order to get MacOS 10.6.8 to forget my email address?

​

 

[daniel-n-b]

Make a newer virtual machine with a relatively current macOS which still supports the apps you need, and ”purchase” the current apps in that VM. This will give your Apple ID access to download the older versions on your older macOS installation.

Are you saying I should create a VM with Mac OS 11 in it, which is what they're requiring? I guess that should work, although I'd have to see if parallels supports this or not, and I'm not really clear on how to do it. It also sounds like a whole lot of time and effort.

All this would be a whole lot faster and simpler if Apple would just charge people some money to download older versions, rather than completely prohibiting them.

 

[chrfr]

Are you saying I should create a VM with Mac OS 11 in it, which is what they're requiring?

Yes, that would do it.

 

[daniel-n-b]

The approach with the iWork '09 Trial just doesn't seem to work, despite having a vintage Mac OS system that's as compatible as possible with that era. I wasn't able to change the first email I'd typed in, but I was able to change my Apple ID to match the one I'd entered, and then I "purchased" the trial again. I suspect they've changed something.

Fortunately, the approach that chrfr recommended did work for me. Thank you Chrfr! Here's a few details for others, in case this speeds things up for them:
1) Parallels is totally okay about running Big Sur within a VM, even on a computer that's not supposed to be capable of running Big Sur.
2) There may be a more direct way of accomplishing this, but I ended up first creating a VM with a Catalina installer, then downloading the installer for Big Sur, and then using that Big Sur installer to upgrade the VM from Catalina.
3) I was able to download the Big Sur installer from MrMacintosh rather than doing it within the VM. I preferred this option partly because of my shaky internet connection where I am.
4) Once Big Sur was installed I had no trouble downloading the iWork apps.
5) Once I got through all that and went to the app store back in Catalina, I was dismayed for a moment when I got the same error message. But when I went to my account page, it did show that I'd "purchased" the iWork apps, and from this page I got the option to download old versions that work within my new Catalina system.
Thank you to everyone who offered suggestions.

 

[umbilical]

I need it for Mojave and to my surprise I don't see any of the 3 apps on Purchases.

 

[umbilical]

It works! for me on Mojave like this:

1. Install mas with brew

brew install mas-cli/tap/mas

GitHub - mas-cli/mas: :package: Mac App Store command line interface

:package: Mac App Store command line interface. Contribute to mas-cli/mas development by creating an account on GitHub.

github.com

note: yes! it need be installed for older versions, in this case Mojave.

2. Install the Apps

mas install 409183694
mas install 409201541
mas install 409203825

IDs:
409183694 id is Keynote
409201541 id is Pages
409203825 id is Numbers

3. After run each install, goes to the App Store and ask me like (screenshot attached), I press download and that is!

note:

that install this versions:
Pages version 10.1 (6913)
Keynote version 10.1 (6913)
Numbers version 10.1 (6913)

thanks!

 

[ice.blink]

I successfully used mas install to get Pages/Numbers/Keynote for Big Sur (v11), but now with MacOS Monterey (12.7.3) the same mas commands yield:

Warning: Pages is already installed

App Store lists these apps under Purchases, but the link is simply "Open".
If anyone has app store IDs for the Monterey versions, please post.

 

[ice.blink]

I successfully used mas install to get Pages/Numbers/Keynote for Big Sur (v11), but now with MacOS Monterey (12.7.3) the same mas commands yield:

Warning: Pages is already installed

App Store lists these apps under Purchases, but the link is simply "Open".
If anyone has app store IDs for the Monterey versions, please post.

With a little command line finagling, I was able to FIX my issue.

mas install --force 409203825

Adding "--force" appears to force install the pkg ID, causing MacOS to prompt you to install an older version.
I'm guessing --force would work for all versions.

 

[MPowered360]

With a little command line finagling, I was able to FIX my issue.

mas install --force 409203825

Adding "--force" appears to force install the pkg ID, causing MacOS to prompt you to install an older version.
I'm guessing --force would work for all versions.

Did you do that on MacOS Monterey (12.7.3)?

 

[ice.blink]

Did you do that on MacOS Monterey (12.7.3)?

Yes. MacOS 12.7.3
Note: I had previously run a simple "mas install 409203825" on MacOS 11.x to get the latest app available for Big Sur. Kinda surprised an upgrade was not available via the App store after the upgrade to Monterey.

 

[macstatic]

It only works if the account owns/had previously “purchased” the app. Otherwise you get: “Redownload Unavailable with This Apple ID
This redownload is not available for this Apple ID either because it was bought by a different user or the item was refunded or cancelled.”

I don't understand. Isn't the whole point that if you "missed the train" (not downloading Pages etc. back when the current version actually was compatible with your MacOS) you can instead use the Mas Terminal app to get a second chance at downloading it to your (now outdated) MacOS anyway?
I'm getting the same error message as you did. Is there a solution to this problem?

...or is the only way then to borrow someone else's Mac (with a current OS that current version of Pages etc. actually runs on), create a new user, log into that user, log into your Apple ID, then download the apps you can't otherwise download on your own computer. Once that's done, you can delete the app(s) there, or even the entire user account as you've now "purchased" the apps in question. And on your own computer you can then use the "Already purchased" section of the Mac App store to download it to your Mac (with an outdated MacOS version for Pages etc. but will be asked if you want to download a version which actually is compatible with your OS).

In my case I already have Pages, Numbers, Keynote etc. (I still run MacOS 10.14.6 Mojave, but I "purchased" (downloaded) from the Mac App store those apps many years ago).
However, my wife (who also runs MacOS 10.14.6 on her Mac) doesn't have Pages as we "missed the boat" and never "purchased" it from the App store using her Apple ID, after reading this thread I did the following (all on my Mac, not hers):

1) first I installed Mas by using the custom Homebrew tap, using these commands (yes, I already had Homebrew installed) with these Terminal commands:

$ brew tap mas-cli/tap
$ brew install mas-cli/tap/mas

2) Then, remembering I already had Pages installed on my Mac I removed it by dragging it to the trash, then rebooting the computer (to flush any cache etc.)

3) Next, I created a new Mac user for my wife, then logged into that, and entered her Apple ID credentials.

4) while logged into her user account I opened the Terminal window and following instructions found in this posting I entered the following Terminal command to download Pages:

$ mas install 409201541

5) A message pops up which looks promising:

6) but once I click "Download" I get this message:

And yes, I also tried using "--force" as suggested in this posting.

mas install --force 409201541

Since I've already deleted Pages from this computer and I'm in a different Mac user account with a different Apple ID, does this mean the Apple App store checks to see which other Apple IDs are used on the same computer (even if they're on a different Mac user account) and if the app in question has already been "purchased" by someone else it refuses to do so again, just because it's on the same computer?
If so, would it help to log out from my Apple ID (not my wife's), leaving only my wife to be the only one to be logged in with their Apple ID?
Would that cause other problems when I'm finished "purchasing" Pages etc. into her Apple ID account and I want to continue using my own computer with my own Apple ID again?


UPDATE: giving all this a second thought.....
Could the solution be as easy as doing all this on my wife's Mac instead of on my own, thereby having it all done completely within her own Mac/Apple ID environment?
I chose to do this on my Mac because she has no need for "geeky" stuff like Homebrew, Xcode, Mas etc. which would also take up unnecessary storage space. But if there's no other way round it and there are simple ways to remove all of that when I've successfully "purchased" the Pages and other apps I'm OK with that.

 

[gilby101]

Could the solution be as easy as doing all this on my wife's Mac instead of on my own, thereby having it all done completely within her own Mac/Apple ID environment?

You want old Pages on your wife's Mac - better do it on that Mac.

 

[macstatic]

You want old Pages on your wife's Mac - better do it on that Mac.

Does Apple look up the serial number of the computer hardware and tie it to an App Store purchase?
I'm asking because I even tried to log out of my own Apple ID, change over to my wife's Mac user where I logged into her Apple ID in order to download Pages. Didn't work -same error as before ("Redownload unavailable with this Apple ID").

Yes, I could always install Homebrew, Xcode etc. along with the mas-cli on her Mac, but before doing that I'd like to know: does using the mas-cli actually make it possible to download the latest compatible version of an app WITHOUT first having downloaded the current version (as in the case when using the actual "App Store" form the Apple menu)?

In other words, if I once again follow the same the step by step instructions above, but this time on my wife's computer, also with her Apple ID of course, I should be able to do this successfully?

 

[Fishrrman]

OP:

This may not help with your immediate situation, but...

A suggestion for the future (to everyone reading this, actually)...

Get an external drive.
It doesn't need to be anything fancy.
ANY drive will do... SSD, HDD, old, etc. Just an old one you have laying around.

Set this up to become your personal "software archives".

From that point on, save copies of your applications and utilities, just "to have them available", so you don't end up "fighting the Apple" to get them back if you need to.

Keep copies of apps, old OS installers (I think I have installers all the way back to around 10.4), etc.

No promises that they will continue to work years from now. But at least you have something to try.

 

[macstatic]

Get an external drive.
It doesn't need to be anything fancy.
ANY drive will do... SSD, HDD, old, etc. Just an old one you have laying around.

Set this up to become your personal "software archives".

Absolutely! 👍
Excellent advice indeed!

I've been doing this for years, because things change, the Internet never stays the same and software availability comes and goes.
And especially for software which I've purchased I keep them organized in folders along with registration/license and payment info etc. So if I ever need to reinstall something I have everything in one place. And don't forget: make a backup of this software archive as well!

But althought this is excellent advice -also with previously purchased/downloaded Apple software from the App Store it really doesn't solve my immediate problem.

 

[macstatic]

Well, I just installed Homebrew and mas-cli on my wife's Mac (MacOS 10.14.6 Mojave -same as on mine) and tried it all there (with her Apple ID of course) but for some reason I got the exact same response as earlier.
First a "Pages needs MacOS 13, but you can download the latest compatible version for your OS", then an error message saying that the download is unavailable with this Apple ID.

Still I read that others have had success in downloading older app versions (of apps they haven't downloaded earlier when theirs was the current version), so I'm wondering what I'm doing wrong.