How to easily work with columns in Pages on Mac

If you use Pages on Mac for all your document creations, then you might know about some cool features like how to change the background color of a document or how to add, delete, and rearrange pages.

Another great and convenient feature in Pages is the use of columns. Columns can give you an effective way to format documents like newsletters, brochures, and pamphlets. If you haven’t tried using columns before, here are some basic tips and tricks for how to work with columns in Pages on Mac.

Columns in Pages on Mac

Inserting columns in Pages

You can insert columns into a whole document before you add your text or after. It’s almost easier to do it afterward because you can see immediately how it will look. But if you want to start your document with columns, that’s easy too.

  1. Open your document or create a new one in Pages.
  2. Click the Format button on the top right to open the formatting sidebar.
  3. Click the Layout button, and you should see the Columns settings right below it. You may need to expand the Columns settings by clicking the arrow to the left if it’s collapsed.
  4. Use the arrows or pop in a number for the number of columns you want to insert.
Insert Columns in Pages on Mac

That’s it! Simple, right?

Inserting columns for certain text

If you want to add columns for only specific text, like a paragraph, just select the text and then follow the steps above to insert the number of columns.

You can also insert columns for text within a text box. Just click the select the text box and then choose the number of columns in the sidebar.

Insert Columns Text Box in Pages on Mac

Adjusting columns in Pages

When you change the page Layout to include columns, you’ll notice default values for the size of the columns and gutters (spaces between columns). But you can change these per your preference.

Just select the column in the settings and double-click inside the Column or Gutter value. Make your change and hit your Return key if you’re done or your Tab key to move on to the next value.

Adjust Columns in Pages on Mac

You can also create columns with different widths if you prefer. For instance, you may want your first column wider than the second one.

Uncheck the box below the Column settings for Equal column width. Then, adjust the column sizes as described above.

Different Sized Columns in Pages on Mac

Using columns in Pages

As you type your text, it will be automatically formatted using these columns. So you don’t have to worry about how to move your cursor to the top of the next column or to a new column on the next page.

If you want to end a column before it reaches the bottom and start a new one, this is easy. For example, maybe your document is divided into sections or chapters. You may finish up a section before you get to the bottom of the column and want to jump to a new column on the next page.

At the end of the column, click Insert > Column Break from the toolbar or the menu bar.

Insert Column Break in Pages on Mac

You’ll then see your cursor jump to the next column, whether on the same page or the following page.

Columns in the Pages app

When you’re composing a document, whether it’s for work or school, its appearance can be just as important as its content in many situations. So, remember that you can use columns in Pages on Mac for those times when it will add value to your document.

Do you use Pages for your business or educational documents, and if so, which features do you find the most useful? Let us know in the comments below.

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