Conversion of very old Pagemaker files from 1990 to 1996

Forum|Forum|23 days ago
April 30, 2026
4 replies
108 views

I wrote a newspaper column using Pagemaker for several years. I cannot access the ones written before 1996. I am hoping to convert the columns into a blog but can’t access the text.

I have tried using Indesign but the files are not recognized. I tried opening with Word, but each column (roughly 1000 words each) is roughly 400 pages long as it is filled with formatting detritis.

Any suggestions?

Brad @ Roaring Mouse

Community Expert

I do conversions all the time. If it’s not too many files, send me a DM.

If you are only looking to get the text from these, then a quick and dirty conversion to InDesign will work for you. I can do that for you if you like. I can handle PM files Mac/PC as far back as PM3.

If you want more detailed conversions to InDesign, then we can talk about what’s possible.

As for getting CS6, Prodesigntools used to have links to the Adobe trial installers for CS6, but they have since been disabled and no longer work. One could install the trial and use it for trial period to convert as many files as necessary before it needs to be activated.

-Brad

Peter Spier

Community Expert

I have a running copy of CS6, and there’s even a possibility I have PM 7 on an old laptop stashed away.

How many files are we talking about?

Per Berntsen

Community Expert

InDesign CS6 (no longer available) can open some Pagemaker files.
If you post in the InDesign forum, someone might offer to help you.
Change the title of your post slightly to avoid a duplicate post error message.
Also, a search for Pagemaker on that forum will bring up many results.

@kglad

Pagemaker is long gone (the last major version was released in 2001), and I don’t think you can download it anywhere.
Even if you could, it will not work on a modern OS.

kglad

Community Expert

you can get cs6, then.

Per Berntsen

Community Expert

No, but sometimes users who have InDesign CS6 installed will offer to open Pagemaker files, and save them as InDesign files that can be opened in later versions of InDesign.