Apple has quietly removed the ability to publish books directly to Apple Books from its Pages app. This change affects authors and publishers who relied on the convenience of exporting and publishing eBooks within a single tool.
The company announced the update in an email sent to publishers on April 3, 2025. That same day, Apple released version 14.4 of Pages, which removed the built-in publishing function. While the “Publish to Apple Books” option still appears in the Pages menu on Mac, it no longer works as expected.
A Sudden Change with Limited Notice
The removal came without much advance warning, especially for authors outside the U.S. Many were near the end of their business day when Apple’s email arrived. iPad users, meanwhile, noticed the feature had already disappeared.
Apple had previously folded its iBooks Author app into Pages back in 2020 after retiring the standalone program. At that time, Apple promised users a smooth publishing experience through Pages. This new change marks a significant step away from that promise.
New Publishing Path Requires Extra Steps
Now, authors must export their books as ePub files and upload them manually through the Apple Books for Authors portal. This process mirrors how self-publishing works on Amazon Kindle, removing the ease of in-app distribution that Pages once offered.
Though Apple did not explain the decision, some believe it’s linked to the recent integration of Apple Intelligence writing tools into iWork apps. The company may be shifting focus from publishing features to AI-powered content creation.
Impact on the Writing Community
The change may inconvenience independent authors and small publishers who valued the simplicity of Pages. Many will need to adapt quickly to new workflows or explore third-party tools to continue publishing on Apple’s platform.
As Apple streamlines its software, writers are left with more powerful tools—but fewer shortcuts. The future of digital publishing through Apple may now depend on how easily creators can adjust to this shift.
