InDesign Guide

InDesign Basics
Version: InDesign CC 2020

Updated: July 23, 2020
Contact: [email protected]
InDesign Basics
Contents
Introduction to InDesign 1
Interface 1
Workspaces 2
Using Panels 2
Document Setup 3
Pages 3
Guides 4
Preview Mode 6
Layers & Object Arrangement 6
Text 7
Formatting 7
Linking Text Frames 8
Paragraph Styles 8
Text Wrap 9
Type on a Path or Shape 9
Images 11
Image Frames 11
Image Linking 11
Shapes 13
Colors 14
Fill vs Stroke 14
Using the Color Picker 14
Swatches 15
Gradients 16
Effects 17
Opacity 17
Drop Shadows 17
Errors 18
Overflow Text 18
Broken Image Link 18
Missing Font 18
Saving & Exporting 19
Transporting & Sharing Projects 20
Troubleshooting 22
Keyboard Shortcuts 23
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InDesign Basics Page 1
Introduction to InDesign
InDesign is a layout software, meant for creating print and digital projects such as flyers,
brochures, and books. InDesign is used to arrange elements and design layouts, and isn’t meant
as a photo editor or word processor. If a project requires edited images or big blocks of text,
consider using other programs and then importing or copying them into an InDesign. Photoshop
can be used to edit images, and Google Docs or Word can be used to draft text. Be aware that
different versions of InDesign may vary in appearance and functionality.
Interface
1. Menu Bar
2. Options Bar
5. Toolbar
3. Document Window 4. Panels

1. Menu bar: Includes saving options (under File) and interface options (under Window).
2. Options bar: Changes depending on what tool is selected. Contains specific options that allow
for greater control over elements like shapes and text.
3. Document Window: Where the document design takes place. May display a ruler and guides,
which are not visible in the final print.
4. Panels: Provide a way to access important tools and settings quickly. Many panels available,
and some have similar functions as the Options bar.
5. Toolbar: Used to interact with and add to the document. Many tools have a small white triangle
in the bottom-right-corner, which indicates that there are more tools stacked beneath the top tool.
To see the additional tools, click-and-hold on the tool icon; a drop-down menu will appear.
Workspaces
InDesign contains several preset Workspaces, which change the default Panels to better serve
particular kinds of projects, such as books or digital publishing. The default Essentials workspace
is good for most projects, but for projects with a lot of text or specific font designs, try the
Typography workspace.
To change the workspace, navigate to Windows >
Workspaces > Typography.
If a panel is closed or moved, the interface can
be returned to the original layout. To reset the
interface, navigate to Window > Workspace,
and selecting the “Reset” option (i.e. “Reset
Typography”).
Using Panels
The panels on the right side of the interface will change depending on what Workspace is
currently active, but all panels are available in any Workspace. To access a panel not currently
visible, navigate to Windows and select the desired panel. Panels with a checkmark to the left are
currently accessible from the main interface.
To open a panel, click the name of the panel to the right of the InDesign interface. The panel will
extend.
To hide a panel, click the double-arrows in the top-right corner of the panel to minimize it.
To access additional panel options, click the four stacked lines at the top-right corner of the
panel. There are often important options for deleting or duplicating elements associated with
the panel.

Document Setup
To create a new document:
1. Launch InDesign and click “Create new.”
• Alternatively, navigate to File > New > Document.
2. Select the appropriate intent for the project at the top of the window:
• Print for projects meant to be printed, such as flyers or booklets.
• Web for projects that are viewed on a computer, such as for a PDF, website, or image.
• Mobile for projects that are meant for mobile devices.
3. Adjust document settings, located to the left of the window, as desired. Settings include:
• Orientation (between landscape and portrait)
• Page size
• Number of pages
• Unit measurement (set as “Picas” by default).
4. When done, click “Create” to the bottom-right.
• Note: for a magazine-spread layout, make sure the Facing Pages option is selected. For
single pages stacked on top of each other, deselect the Facing Pages option.
To change any of these options after creating the document, go to File > Document Setup.
Pages
Some types of projects, such as books or multiple-page PDFs, require additional pages. Other
projects, such as flyers, may only require one page. Basic page controls are listed below:
• To access pages, click to open the Pages panel to the right of the interface (if it isn’t an
option, navigate to Window > Pages).
• To add a new page, click the New Page button to the bottom of the Pages panel.

• To re-order pages, click-and-drag them up-or-
down the list of pages.
• To delete a page, open the Pages panel, select
the page, and click the trashcan icon.
Master Pages
Master pages are templates that can be used to
keep certain aspect of a document, such as footers
and pages numbers, consistent across pages. Using
master pages can save a lot of time and energy,
especially for multi-page documents. Master Pages
are located above regular pages in the Pages panel and every document has one master page by
default (“A-Master”).
To use and apply master pages:
1. Navigate to the Pages panel to the right of the interface. If it isn’t
an option, navigate to Window > Pages.
2. Double-click a master page from the top of the panel. “A-Master”
is available by default.
3. Add elements, such as text and images, as desired.
4. Right-click within the Pages panel and select “Apply Master to
Pages...” from the pop-up. A new window will appear.
5. Use the drop-downs to select the desired master page, as well as
the page to apply it to. Select “All” to apply it to every page.
• To clear a master page, select “None” as the master.
Elements that come from a master page will appear with dotted frames.
To add pages numbers:
1. Insert a text frame onto a master page.
2. Navigate to Type > Insert Special Character > Markers > Current Page Number. An “A” will
appear in the frame, which is a placeholder.
3. Format as desired in the Options bar.
4. Apply master to pages as described above.
5. Right-click the first page that numbering should start in the Pages panel, and select
“Numbering & Section Options”. The first page of a document isn’t always the first page for
numbering, such as a cover/title page.
6. Select the “Start page numbering at” option.
7. When done, click OK.
To remove a number from a page, such as the cover/title, a master page without a page number
text frame must be applied.

Guides
Guides provide a way of measuring and dividing up a page for layout purposes, without directly
impacting the look of the document; guides and grids won’t print or be visible in the final product.
Because frames and shapes easily snap to guides, setting them up early can insure that the final
result has clean margins and consistent spacing.
In the example below, the guides divide the page into sections with gutters of 1/4th inch, allowing
for consistent and even spacing between columns of text, images and shapes. The size of the
gutters will vary with the design of the project; if a little text needs to fill a big space, larger margins
can help.
By default, InDesign measures in picas, a common unit of Shortcut: Rulers

measurement for newspaper layouts; one pica is roughly 1/6th inch.
To toggle ruler visibility:
Depending on the project, it may be easier to work with a different
Mac: Command+R
increment, such as inches or pixels.
Windows: Control+R
To change the unit of measurement, right click a ruler and make a
selection.
To make a guide:
1. Click a ruler (horizontal or vertical), and drag the cursor inwards toward the document. A blue
line will appear. If guides aren’t visible, navigate to View >
Grids & Guides > Show Guides.
• To make a horizontal guide, click-and-drag downwards on
the ruler at the top of the document window.
• To make a vertical guide, click-and-drag to the right on
the ruler framing the left-side of the document window.
2. Drag the guide into place and release the mouse.
Basic Guide controls:
• To move a guide, click-and-drag it into position.

• To manually adjust a guide on the X-axis (for vertical guides)
or Y-axis (for horizontal guides), type the appropriate value
into the X or Y positioning box in the Options bar.
• To delete a guide, select it and press the Delete key.
When finished creating guides, navigate to View > Grids &
Guides > Lock Guides. Locking the guides insure they are not
accidentally selected, moved, or deleted while working on a
project. Guides may be unlocked by following the same steps.
Preview Mode
Preview Mode hides anything that won’t be visible in the final project, such as guide and margin
lines, and the outlines of frames and shapes. Press W on the keyboard to toggle between the
editing mode and the preview mode. Be sure to use the preview mode throughout the design
process, and to view the final project before exporting or printing.
Layers & Object Arrangement

Each object or element is placed on its own layer. Layers are like a stack of see-through sheets,
in which each sheet is transparent except for the element. Elements can be see in-front or behind
other objects. Layers are accessed from the Layers panel to the right of the window.
Objects at the top of the layers list
appear in front of other objects,
whereas objects at the bottom
appear behind. Each page has its
own set of layers, so if the desired
layers aren’t visible, confirm the
correct page is selected in the
Pages panel.
Basic layer controls:
• To toggle the visibility of a
layer, click the eye icon to the left of the layer.
• To lock a layer, click the box between the layer and the visibility toggle. Locking a layer will
prevent it from being accidentally moved or deleted.
• To delete a layer, select it and click the trashcan icon to the bottom-right of the panel.
• To re-order a layer, click-and-drag it up-or-down the list.
• To select an element that’s behind/below another element, hold Command and click the
frame of the element.
• To re-order elements directly within the document, select the element, right-click it, and select
an “Arrange” option.

Text
Text is contained within frames, which create a defined space. Text frames
can be moved like any other object or element.
To add text, select the Type tool from the Toolbar to the left and click-and-drag to create a
frame. Text can then be typed or pasted into the frame.
If there’s too much text to fit within the frame, the overflow text won’t be visible. Overflow
text is represented by a red box with a plus sign near the bottom-right-edge of the text
frame. Adjust the size of the frame or the text format until everything is visible, or see the
Linking Frames section for more details.
Formatting
When text is selected, formatting options will appear in the Options bar to the top of the window.
Two formatting modes are available: Character, and Paragraph. Switch between these modes with
the buttons to the left in the Options bar.
Character formatting
Options include standard settings such as font and size. Additional formatting includes:
Leading: (pronounced led-ing) is the space Scale (Horizontal & Vertical): Stretch or squash
between lines of continuous text. Select a few the text in a vertical or horizontal direction. This
lines of text and try increasing or decreasing is useful for changing the shape of a title to fill a
the leading to see what change it makes. certain area.
Leading can be useful when a block of text
needs to fill up a little more less space.
Tracking: The white space between each letter in
a selected block of text. The default settings are
Kerning: The white space between individual usually fine, tracking can be adjusted to alter the
letters. Unless small changes need to be look of a word, such as to fit a title all on one line
made, “Optical” is recommended. or to stretch it to fill a large area.
Fill & Stroke Color: The internal color of the letter shape. The color that outlines the letter shape.
Having an outline on title font can sometimes increase readability.
Paragraph Formatting
Options include alignment, indents, and spacing before and after paragraphs.

Linking Text Frames

Linking frames allows text to flow between two or more frames. This feature is especially useful for
longer documents that have text spread out over several pages, because words will automatically
shift between linked frames; if the design of the document or the frame sizes change, the text
automatically moves between linked frames as space becomes available. It allows text to be edited
in one continuous chunk, instead of separated in individual text frames throughout the document.
To create a linked text frame:
1. Select the Selection tool from the Toolbar. A small red square will be visible at the
bottom-right of a text frame with overflow text.
2. Click the red plus that’s on the border of the text box. The cursor will become
“loaded” with the text.
3. Click-and-drag to create a new text frame. The frames will be link together, and the
text will automatically wrap into the new frame.
Text frame with overflow Linked text frames
Alternatively, pre-existing text frames can be linked: Click the red square within the first text frame
so the cursor is “loaded.” Click anywhere within the second text frame to link them together.
Paragraph Styles
The formatting of text can be saved as a type of preset, known as a Style. Styles are useful for
applying the formatting of text from one part of a document to text elsewhere. Instead of needing
to highlight and re-configure all formatting manually, such as font and size, a saved Paragraph
Style can apply all formatting with one click. Using Paragraph Styles will help keep design
consistent across the entire document and save time.
To save a new Paragraph Style:
1. Format a section of text as desired (font, size,
etc).
2. Click the Paragraph Styles panel to the right
of the interface. If it isn’t an option, navigate to
Window > Paragraph Styles.
3. Click the Create New Style icon at the bottom of
the panel. A new style named “Paragraph Style
1” will appear in the list.

4. Select the new Style.
5. Click the name of the Style and enter a new title.
To apply a Paragraph Style, highlight the desired text and select the style from the Paragraph
Styles panel. The formatting will change to match the Paragraph Style.
To change the formatting of a Paragraph Style, apply changes to the text as normal. Then, right-
click the style in the Paragraph Styles panel and select “Redefine Style”. All text that has that
Paragraph Style applied to it will update automatically to match the new formatting.
If the formatting of text with a Paragraph Style is changed, a plus icon will appear next to it in the
Paragraph Styles panel. To clear changes and revert back to the original Style, right-click it and
select “Apply ___, Clear Overrides”.
Text Wrap
Use Text Wrap to format text around an object, shape, or any type of frame. For example, every
screenshot image in this guide has Text Wrap enabled and the text flows around it. If Text Wrap is
not enabled and a text frame is placed on top of the object, the text will appear over the image; if
the text frame is below the object, the text will be covered up by the object.
To wrap text, select the desired object and click to open the Text Wrap panel to the right of the
interface (if it isn’t an option, navigate to Window > Text Wrap).
In the Text Wrap panel, options include (left to right):
• No text wrap: click to disable Text Wrap.
• Wrap around bounding box: creates a rectangular wrap,
the dimensions of which are determined by the frame of the
object.
• Wrap around shape: wraps text around the boundary of the
shape.
• Jump object: prevents text from appearing in any available
space to the right or left of the object frame.
• Jump next section: forces the surrounding paragraph to the
top of the next column or frame.
Below the Text Wrap options are offsets for the top, bottom, left,
and right sides of the object/frame. Offsets are used to give more space
between the object and the wrapped text. To lock the offsets increments
together, click the link icon between them.

Type on a Path or Shape

Text can be placed along a shape or path, which can add visual interest or draw attention to
specific text.
To add text along a shape or path:
1. Draw a shape, such as a circle (see the Shapes section for more details).
2. Select the Type on a Path tool, which may be located within the Type tool in the
Toolbar.
3. Hover over the border line of the shape. A small plus icon will appear to the right
of the cursor.
4. Click the line and a typing indicator will appear. Type and format text as normal.
To change the start and end points of the text, click-and-drag the blue lines that
appear on either side with the Selection tool.
To shape the path of the text without showing the shape, set the color of the fill and
stroke of the shape to transparent. See the Colors section for more details.

Images
To add an image:
1. Ensure no element is selected. Navigate to Edit > Deselect All.
2. Navigate to File > Place.
3. Locate and select the desired image, and click Open. The cursor will be
loaded with the image.
4. Click-and-drag to the desired size, in the approximate desired area.
If the image is inadvertently placed incorrectly, such as within a different element or its a huge
size, undo (Edit > Undo, or Command+Z/CTRL+Z) and click-and-drag to place it again.
Image Frames
Similar to text, images are contained within frames. An image frame acts
much like the window; the parts of the image within the frame are visible, Frame outline: Blue
Image outline: Brown
and anything that extends beyond the frame isn’t. Images have two outlines:
a blue one, which is the image frame, and a brown one, which is the border
of the image itself. Be aware that the image and its frame can be different
sizes, and the frame can be used to crop the image.
Basic resizing controls:
• To resize an image and its frame together (recommended in most
cases), hold the Command key and click-and-drag one of the handles.
Hold the Shift key to maintain the image proportions and prevent distortion.
• To resize the image frame, such as to crop the image, click-and-drag the frame handles. The
size of the image itself won’t change, only the size of the frame.
• To resize the image itself without resizing the frame, double-click the image and its brown
outline will appear. Click-and-drag the handles to resize. Hold the Shift key to prevent
distortion.
• To change the position of the image within its frame, such as to change the area
of the image that’s shown, click-and-drag the circle in the center of the image.
The frame will stay in place and the image will move within it.
Fitting
Unless the image needs to be cropped with the frame, its recommended to keep the image and its
frame the same size to prevent confusion. If the image or its frame are inadvertently moved and
they no match, they can be lined up again quickly.
To match the image to its frame, right-click it and hover over “Fitting” in the pop-up. Then, select
either “Fit Frame to Content” or “Fit Content to Frame”.
Image Linking
Images added to frames are not, by default, embedded in a document; they are merely linked. If

an image that’s in a document is moved, the link to it in InDesign will break and it won’t appear
when the project is exported. For example, if the images for a project are stored on the desktop
and then moved elsewhere (such as the Pictures folder) later, all of the links will break and those
images won’t appear in the document properly. This is because InDesign expects the images to
still be on the desktop, but it can no longer find them at that location. See the Errors section for
more details about fixing broken image links.

Shapes
The rectangle tool, as well as the ellipse tool and polygon tool, can be used
to create shapes. All shapes can have custom colors and borders.
To create a shape, select one of the shape tools from the Toolbar, such as
the rectangle tool, and click-and-drag to draw it.
To create a proportionate shape, such as a circle or square, hold the Shift key while drawing. This
will lock the aspect ratio and ensure all sides of the shape are the same length.
To adjust the shape or size of a shape:
1. Use the Selection tool to select the shape. Small white handles will appear
along the edges and corners of the shape.
2. Click-and-drag the handles to alter the size and shape. To adjust the size
while keeping the same shape, hold the Shift key.
To rotate a shape:
1. Use the Selection tool to select the shape.
2. Hover just outside one of the corner handles. The cursor should change to a
curved, double-headed arrow.
3. Click-and-drag while this cursor is visible to rotate the shape in either direction. The
degrees of rotation will be visible to the right of the cursor.
Text frames and other elements can be adjusted the same way as shapes, such as
rotation. The Selection tool can be used to adjust the points of the shape, which can be
used to re-shape it. See the Color section for details about how to change colors and
borders.
Custom Shapes with the Pen Tool

In addition to standard shapes, custom shapes can be drawn with the Pen tool. The Pen tool can
be used to draw shapes with straight lines, as well as with curves. The tool works by
creating anchor points and connecting lines between them.
To draw a shape with the Pen tool:
1. Select the Pen tool from the Toolbar to the left.
2. Within the document, click once to create the first anchor point of the shape.
3. Move the cursor and click to create the second point. A line will be drawn
between the points.
4. Repeat step 3 for as many points as desired.
5. Click the first point again to close the shape.
Curves
To create a curve with the Pen tool, click-and-drag the cursor when creating an
anchor point, instead of single-clicking. As the cursor is dragged, the curve will
extend.

To adjust the curvature, select the Selection tool from the Toolbar, which looks
like a white pointer. Click the anchor point that has the curve, and then click-
and-drag the handles that appear.
To convert a regular (non-curved) anchor point into a curve:
1. Select the shape.
2. Select the Convert Direction Point tool (looks like an arrow, may be
nested under the Pen tool in the Toolbar)
3. Click-and-drag an anchor point to convert the anchor point into a curve.

Colors
Fill vs Stroke
Each element has two areas that color can be applied to: the fill, which is the inside, and the
stroke, which is the border. Fill and Stroke colors can be adjusted in the Options bar when the
element, such as text or a shape, is selected.
Text Shape
Fill Fill
Stroke Stroke
To choose a color, double-click the Fill or Stroke from the Options bar. The Color Picker will open
(see below for details). Alternatively, click the arrow next to the Fill or Stroke to open a panel of
Swatches and select a color. The white box with a red line through it indicates transparency.
To change the thickness of the Stroke, click the drop-down to the right of the
Fill and Stroke in the Options bar. Alternatively, click to open the Stroke panel
to the right of the interface (if it isn’t available, navigate to Window > Stroke).
The pattern of the Stroke can be adjusted here too.
Using the Color Picker

The Color Picker has many options for finding the right colors. The most obvious is the visual
method on the left side of the pop-up. To choose a color visually, click around the large square
and drag the meter on the right up and down to alter the available colors. When a color is clicked
on, the numbers on the right side will change. These numbers indicate the color’s code in various
color spaces.
When creating an InDesign Document, the color code will be set according to the intent. When a
Print preset is selected, CMYK colors will be used. When Intent: Web is selected, RGB colors will
be used. If a document is printed and the print colors look significantly different than the colors
on the screen do, it may be the result of an
incorrect setting in InDesign–or it may be
the result of a faulty printer!
RGB - Web
RGB stands for red, green, and blue, and
represents how colors are coded for digital
screens. Every color visible on a screen is
made up of a combination of red, green,
and blue, and altering these numbers (from
0-255) changes the intensity of that aspect
of a color. For instance, a pure blue would

be R: 0, G: 0, B: 255–no red or green,

RGB CMYK Hex code
full blue.
Purpose Digital Printed Website
CMYK - Print designs documents design
CMYK stands for cyan, magenta, yellow, (pdfs, (html, css)
and key (which is black). This color set images)
may be familliar to anyone who has Black R: 0 C: 0% #000000
changed color cartridges in a printer G: 0 M: 0%
before. Any color that’s printed is made B: 0 Y: 0%
of these four colors, with intensities K: 100%
measured in percentage.
White R: 255 C: 0% # ffffff
G: 255 M: 0%
Hex Codes B: 255 Y: 0%
Hexidecimal codes, usually called hex K: 0%
codes, present colors as a string of
PLU Gold R: 255 C: 0% #ffcc00
either 3 or 6 numbers (0-9) or letters
G: 204 M: 30%
(A-F), marked with a # symbol. The hex
B: 0 Y: 100%
code is visible in the bottom-right corner
K: 0%
of the Color Picker. Similar to RGB, this
code marks colors meant for a screen,
but is used in coding and website design rather than document design. Most current browsers
can read both color codes, but hex codes are recommended for projects that will be exported as
HTML.
Swatches
Color swatches can be used to save a color and quickly apply it to
elements. This is especially useful when working with a color theme
or palette because it will save time when applying colors through the
document. Swatches are accessible in the drop-down menu for both Fill
and Stroke.
To save a color as a swatch, open the Color Picker (double-click the Fill
or Stroke color from the Options bar) and select the desired color. Then,
click “Add Swatch”. The color will apply to the selected element, and be
added to the swatches list for later use at any time.
Gradients
A gradient is a gradual blend between two or more colors. Gradients can be applied anywhere that
color can, including as a Fill or Stroke.
To apply a gradient:
1. Create an element to apply the gradient to. Then, select it.

2. Look at the fill and stroke colors at the bottom of the toolbar. Fill is the solid square,
and stroke is the outline. Click the Fill so that it’s in front of the stroke, which will
ensure that it’s active.
3. Select the Gradient Swatch Tool from the Toolbar.
4. Open the Gradient panel from the right of the interface. If it isn’t an option, navigate
to Window > Gradient.
5. In the Gradient panel, click the “Type” drop-
down and select either Linear or Radial. If
the desired element was selected and the
Fill color active, a black-and-white gradient
will apply to the element.
6. Open the Swatches panel for the Fill from
the Option bar to the top of the interface.
7. Click the New Swatch button to the bottom
of the Swatches panel. A new, white-to-black gradient
swatch will be created, named “New Gradient Swatch.”
8. Double-click the new swatch. A new window will
appear. Ensure the “Preview” box is checked.
9. The Gradient Ramp to the bottom
of the window has two tabs, called
“Stops,” by default. A Stop is the point
that the gradient changes from one
color to the other. Click a Stop to set
the color.
10. Select the proper color space from
the “Stop Color” drop-down. Use
“CYMK” if the document is to be
printed, and “RGB” for digital.
11. Use the color sliders to choose a
color.
12. Repeat the color selection process
for each Stop.
13. Click-and-drag the Stops to change
their location on the gradient.
14. Click OK when done setting up the gradient swatch. The new gradient swatch can be applied
to any element in the document as desired from the Swatches panel.
Basic gradient controls:
• To change the direction of the gradient, With the Gradient Swatch Tool, click-and-drag a line
through the element in the desired direction for the gradient.
• To adjust the colors of the gradient swatch, double-click it from a Swatches panel.
• To add more Stops to the gradient, click the Gradient Ramp. A new Stop will appear.

Effects
Effects can be applied to any element, such as text, shapes, and images. When an element is
select, effects are accessible under the “fx” drop-down in the Options bar.
Opacity
Changing the opacity of an object can be useful for overlapping shapes and
creating interesting graphics. Opacity can be added to any layer, including text
frames.
To change an object’s opacity:
1. Select an element with the Selection tool.
2. Locate the opacity drop-down menu in the Options bar,
which looks like a checkered box with a percentage to the
right.
3. Click the drop-down menu and move the slider, or enter a 100% opacity 50% opacity
new percentage. Experiment to find the best looking opacity
for your object.
Drop Shadows
Adding a drop shadow can help text or images pop off the page.
To add a drop shadow: Drop
1. Select the element with the Selection tool. Shadow
2. Click the “fx” button in the Options bar, and select the “Drop Shadow” option
from the pop-up that appears. A new window will appear.
3. Before making any changes, check the Preview box to the bottom-left. This will show a
preview of any changes.
4. Experiment with the options,
such as Opacity, Angle, and
Size, as desired.
5. When done, click OK. The
drop shadow will apply to the
element.
To remove and effect, click the “fx”
button from the Options bar, select
the effect, and uncheck the effect in
the list to the left of the window.

Errors
InDesign has a built-in function that highlights errors that might affect the final
export. Errors are noted at the bottom of the interface. If there are none, it will
say “No errors.”
To view errors:
1. Double-click the error count at the bottom of the
Interface. A new window will appear.
2. Navigate through the drop-down menus to see the
errors.
3. Double-click an error to move the page its on.
Alternatively, click the page number link (orange).
4. Make edits as needed.
Overflow Text
To solve an overflow text error, navigate to the overflowing text and adjust the formatting
so all of the text is visible. The overflow text error can appear if there are extra spaces or
unneeded lines without text at the bottom of a text box (see the Linking Frames section
for more details).
Broken Image Link

If an image that’s in the document is moved on the computer, the link from InDesign to the file will
break. A preview of the image will still be visible, but the image won’t probably appear in the final
document when exported. An image that is linked correctly will have a chain-link icon to the top-
left of its frame. A broken link will have a red circle with a question mark.
To correct a broken image link:
1. Navigate to image and click the red circle. A new window will appear.
2. Locate and select the image file.
3. Click Open to reconnect the link.
Missing Font
If text has been copied into a document, or if a document has been shared improperly, it may
be missing fonts or font substyles, such as Regular or Bold. InDesign indicates missing fonts by
highlighting the text in pink.
To correct a missing font error, highlight the affected font and select
an alternative font or font substyle. The original missing font can be
downloaded and installed on the computer to resolve this issue as well.

Saving & Exporting

When working in InDesign, always save as an InDesign Document (.indd). This allows changes to
be made to the document in the future. If the project is only saved as a PDF, it will be very difficult
or outright impossible to edit it later. Work from an InDesign Document file and export, such as to
a PDF, when done.
To save as an InDesign Document, navigate to File > Professional Printing
Save.
If the project is to be sent to a print
To export the document as a high-quality PDF, navigate shop, they may accept .indd, or
to File > Adobe PDF Presets > High Quality Print. This is have other requirements for their
the best option for printing from a regular printer. project files, such as required fonts
to be converted to objects. Consult
To export the project as a different file format, such as an the shop before exporting.
image or an HTML document, navigate to File > Export
and select the desired file type in the Format drop-down.
If saving as an image, JPEG is recommended for projects with any photos, and PNG for projects
with just text and shapes.

Transporting & Sharing Projects

In order to transport or share projects, the document must be packaged. Packaging will bundle the
InDesign document along with any relevant assets, such as linked images and fonts. Packaging
will ensure that everything required for the document to display correctly is included. Additionally,
if the document is going to be professionally printed, the print shop may ask for the document to
submitted as a package.
To package a project:
1. Navigate to File > Package... The pop-up that appears will have information about font and
image locations. Click “Package...” to continue.
2. A pop-up will appear that allows printing instructions to be added to the file. Add information if
desired, and otherwise click Continue.
3. A pop-up will appear that clarifies font copyright standards. Click through to the next screen.
4. The final pop-up includes many options, such as Copy Fonts and Copy Linked Graphics.
Leave the default options selected unless they need to be changed for a specific reason,
such as a desire not to have multiple copies of fonts on a computer.
5. Click “Package” to bundle the document. The package will appear in the designated location
as a folder, not a file.

Design Tip: Font Selection

A single text frame can house multiple font sizes and styles. Title and header text should be
larger and bolder than body text, to make it stand out on the page. Headers and body text are
usually the same font style, but a title or other important call-out text might have a different,
unique, or eye-catching font.
Fonts are broken up into many categories based on the shape of the letters, the most popular
groups being serif and sans serif. A serif is the decorative flourish on the end strokes, so serif
fonts usually look more traditional, while sans serif fonts have a more modern appearance.
{ Serif } { Sans }
Serif Font Sans Serif Font
Serifs No serifs
Thin and thick Strokes even

strokes throughout
Readability is the most important consideration when formatting font. For printed documents, it
is recommended that blocks of text, such as body text, be printed in a serif font such as Times
New Roman or Cambria, which are easy to scan with the eyes when printed.
For documents meant to be read on the screen, such as PDFs or images, sans serifs fonts
are a better choice for blocks of text. Sans serif fonts, such as Helvetica Neue and Verdana,
are easier to read and adjust to on a screen.

Troubleshooting
I can’t see any/all the text I typed into a text frame.
Text that’s cut-off, or can’t be seen at all, is caused when text can’t fit within a text frame. This
can happen when too much text is in a text box, if the text is formatted improperly, or if the text
frame is set near a frame that has Text Wrap enabled. For details on overflowing text boxes, see
the Linking Frames section. Otherwise, adjust the formatting of the text or check whether nearby
frames have Text Wrap enabled (see the Text Wrap section for more details).
I can’t access panels referenced in this guide, OR my InDesign window looks different.
InDesign, as well as other Adobe software programs, uses a customizable interface known as a
Workspace. There are several preset Workspace options built-in that show different panels and
options. Sometimes panels and windows are accidentally moved or closed.
To change the current workspace, navigate to Window > Workspace and select a desired preset,
or select “Reset” to revert the current Workspace back to its default settings.
To access a panel that’s not currently listed, navigate to Window and select the desired panel.
My text is highlighted in pink and I can’t get rid of it.

A pink text highlight indicates the text is in a font that’s missing on the computer. See the Missing
Font section for more details.

Keyboard Shortcuts
Purpose Key Command: Mac / Windows
Save Project Command+S / Ctrl+S
Undo Command+Z / Ctrl+Z
Redo Shift+Command+Z / Shift+Ctrl+Z
Show/Hide Ruler Command+R / Crtl+R
Maintain Aspect Ratio Hold Shift while creating/resizing objects
Selection Tool V
Type Tool T
Rectangle Frame Tool F

Z
Zoom Tool Click to zoom out. Hold option while
clicking to zoom out.
Toggle Preview Mode W



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InDesign Basics

Version: InDesign CC 2020

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3. Document Window 4. Panels

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By default, InDesign measures in picas, a common unit of Shortcut: Rulers

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Layers & Object Arrangement

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Linking Text Frames

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Type on a Path or Shape

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Custom Shapes with the Pen Tool

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Using the Color Picker

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be R: 0, G: 0, B: 255–no red or green,

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Broken Image Link

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Saving & Exporting

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Transporting & Sharing Projects

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Design Tip: Font Selection

Thin and thick Strokes even

Need support? Contact [email protected]

My text is highlighted in pink and I can’t get rid of it.

Need support? Contact [email protected]

Purpose Key Command: Mac / Windows

Save Project Command+S / Ctrl+S

Undo Command+Z / Ctrl+Z

Redo Shift+Command+Z / Shift+Ctrl+Z

Show/Hide Ruler Command+R / Crtl+R

Maintain Aspect Ratio Hold Shift while creating/resizing objects

Rectangle Frame Tool F

Need support? Contact [email protected]

Need support? Contact [email protected]

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