1. Getting Started with InDesign CC
What You’ll Do
Use the Tools and Control Panel
Open a Document with Adobe Bridge
Insert Images or Text in a Document
Introduction
Adobe InDesign CC is a desktop publishing and layout program that runs seamlessly on both Windows and Macintosh platforms. InDesign CC is a stand-alone program, but it’s also part of Adobe’s Creative Cloud of professional programs that work together to help you create designs in print, on the web, or on mobile devices. Adobe Creative Cloud also includes additional Adobe services and tools—such as Bridge, Camera Raw plug-in, Media Encoder, Extension Manager, Exchange, and ExtendScript Toolkit—to help you manage and work with files. With InDesign CC, you can sign in to Adobe Creative Cloud and Adobe.com with your Adobe ID to access online cloud services. If you don’t have an account, you can create one. Creative Cloud is a membership-based cloud solution that allows you to access and download Adobe software programs, personal files, tutorial videos, and sync program settings online from any computer or device. A free membership is available with entry level features. A monthly cost-based membership adds downloads and more features. You can go to www.creativecloud.com for more details.
With InDesign, you can create books, brochures, catalogs, manuals, labels, certificates, newsletters, flyers, forms, label sheets, and even interactive presentations. As a page layout program, you can create a one page flyer, a 500 or more page book, or something in between. InDesign provides all the tools you need to create a page layout design, import or enter text, insert images, add drawings, create tables, and finalize the document. When you’re done, you can print the document to a local desktop or commercial printer, create a template, so you can reuse the document again later, or export the document as an Adobe PDF or digital ebook for use online, over a network or on mobile and tablet devices, or for use in other programs, such as Adobe Flash (FLA or SWF) or Adobe Dreamweaver (HTML) and web browsers.
Installing InDesign
The process of installing the InDesign program, either 32- or 64-bit (New!) edition, is fairly straightforward; you download the InDesign CC software from Adobe Creative Cloud (New!) to your computer and double-click the setup program, and then follow the on-screen instructions. If you meet the minimum system requirements, the installer will guide you through the steps to complete the installation. Remember to have your serial number handy, because you will have to type it in during the installation process. In order to access online content on Adobe Creative Cloud (New!) and Adobe.com, you’ll need to sign in with your Adobe ID, which you can do within the installer or program. Creative Cloud is a membership-based cloud solution that allows you to access and download Adobe software, personal files, and sync program settings online from any computer or device. Go to www.creativecloud.com or www.adobe.com for more details.
Install InDesign CC in Windows
Download the InDesign CC software online from Adobe Creative Cloud to your hard disk.
Open the folder with the downloaded software, and then double-click the setup icon.
Follow the on-screen instructions to install the product; the installer asks you to enter a serial number or enter or create an Adobe ID for Creative Cloud and Adobe.com to sign in (required) (New!) and register the product, read and accept a licensing agreement, select program options, indicate the language you want, and specify where you want to install the software.
See Also
See “Accessing Adobe Creative Cloud” on page 542 for more information on signing in and out of Creative Cloud.
Install InDesign CC in Macintosh
Download the InDesign CC software online from Adobe Creative Cloud to your hard disk.
Open the folder with the downloaded software, and then double-click the setup icon.
Follow the on-screen instructions to install the product; the installer asks you to enter a serial number or enter or create an Adobe ID for Creative Cloud and Adobe.com to sign in (required) (New!) and register the product, read and accept a licensing agreement, select program options, indicate the language you want, and specify where you want to install the software.
InDesign CC System Requirements
Did You Know?
Adobe applications can be downloaded. It’s all very simple; go to www.creativecloud.com, sign-in, and then follow links to download, or go to www.adobe.com, click Products, click the application you want, and then follow links to purchase and download.
You can get resources and content. Many Adobe CC products include bonus content and files in the Goodies or Cool Extras folder. Check it out! For additional online resources, go to www.adobe.com and visit Adobe Exchange. In InDesign, you can use the Adobe Exchange panel (New!). Click the Window menu, point to Extensions, and then click Adobe Exchange. See “Using the Adobe Exchange Panel” on page 541 for more information on using the panel.
Getting Started
You can start InDesign in several ways, depending on the platform and version you are using. When you start InDesign, the program displays the InDesign window. The program also checks for updates to InDesign and related CC software using the Adobe Application Manager. In order to access online content on Adobe Creative Cloud (New!) and Adobe.com, you’ll need to sign in to the service with your Adobe ID. If you’re not signed in when you start InDesign, you’ll be asked to sign in, which you can also do or sign out from the Help menu (New!). After you start InDesign, the program window opens with an updated user interface (New!) to match other Adobe apps, such as Illustrator, Photoshop, and Premier Pro. The user interface also includes HiDPI (New!), which enables the rendering process for an improved display on high resolution devices, such as a Macbook Pro with Retina display, where artwork, graphics, text, content, and UI elements appear crisper.
Start InDesign CC in Windows
Start Windows, if necessary, and then use the method for your Windows version.
♦ Windows 8. Display the Start screen; click or tap the Start button on the Charm bar.
♦ Windows 7. Click Start on the taskbar, and then point to All Programs (which changes to Back).
Click Adobe InDesign CC.
If prompted, specify the following:
♦ Enter or create an Adobe ID to sign in to register the product and use Creative Cloud.
Did You Know?
You can create a shortcut icon on your desktop to start InDesign (Win). In Win 8, right-click the Adobe InDesign CC tile, and then click Pin to Start or Pin to taskbar. In Win 7, right-click Adobe InDesign CC on the Start menu, point to Send To, and then click Desktop (Create Shortcut).
♦ For Mac OS X Lion or later, you can also click the Launchpad icon on the Dock, and then click the Adobe InDesign CC icon.
Double-click the Adobe InDesign CC folder.
Double-click the Adobe InDesign CC program icon.
If prompted, specify the following:
♦ Enter or create an Adobe ID to sign in to register the product and use Creative Cloud.
Did You Know?
You can create a shortcut on the Macintosh. Drag and drop the InDesign application to the bottom of the screen, and then add it to the dock.
You can create and use a keyboard shortcut to start InDesign (Win 7). In Win 7, click Start on the taskbar, point to All Programs, right-click Adobe InDesign CC, and then click Properties. In the Shortcut Key box, type or press any letter, number, or function key, such as P, to which Windows adds Ctrl+Alt, and then click OK. To start InDesign, press the keyboard shortcut you defined (Ctrl+Alt+P).
Viewing the InDesign Window
When you start InDesign, an updated program window (New!) displays several windows of varying types you can use to work with documents. In InDesign, windows appear in the workspace in panels. A panel is a window you can collapse, expand, and group with other panels, known as a panel group, to improve accessibility and workflow. A panel group consists of either individual panels stacked one on top of the other or related panels organized together with tabs.
The Tools panel contains a set of tools you can use to create shapes, such as lines, rectangles, and ellipses. You can fill and stroke shapes and text with different colors and stroke widths. When you select a tool, additional options appear on the Control panel.
A menu is a list of commands that you use to accomplish specific tasks. A command is a directive that accesses a feature of a program. InDesign has its own set of menus. The Application bar provides easy access to commonly used features, such as choosing zoom levels, view options, screen mode, document arrangement, workspaces, and online Help.
The Document window displays open InDesign documents. It includes tabs to make it easier to switch back and forth between documents and a close button to quickly close a document. In Interface preferences, you change the interface color theme (New!) from a dark gray (default) to a light gray, as well as choose to match the pasteboard area outside the document in the Document window.
Showing and Hiding Panels
Panels give you easy access to many task-specific commands and operations from color control to vector path information. By default, the main panel display is located along the right side of your window. You can use the Window menu or click a panel tab within a group to display it, and then select options on the panel or choose panel-specific commands from the panel Options menu to perform actions. Instead of continually moving, resizing, or opening and closing windows, you can use the header bar with the panel tabs to collapse or expand individual panels within a window to save space.
Open and Close a Panel
Click the Window menu.
Point to a submenu (if needed), such as Color, Editorial, Extensions, Interactive, Object & Layout, or Type & Tables.
Click a panel name, such as Animation, Color, Layers, or Swatches.
Timesaver
To close a panel, or a single tab, right-click (Win) or control-click (Mac) a panel tab, and then click Close Tab Group or Close (for a single tab). On the Mac, you can also click the Close button on the panel.
Collapse or Expand a Panel
To collapse or expand an open panel, click the dark gray area or double-click a title tab on the header bar of the panel.
If the panel is in icon mode, click on the icon to expand or collapse it. To reduce the panel back to icon mode, click on the double right-facing arrows in the dark gray area. To expand from icons to panels, click on the double left facing arrows.
Working with Panels
The movable panels are organized into groups, such as Stroke/Color and Pages/Links, to save screen space and help with workflow. You can also dock (add) or undock (subtract) specific panels within a group to customize your workspace. A panel appears with a header, which includes the tab titles and three options: the Collapse To Icons or Expand Panels button, the Close button, and the Options button. The Options menu provides you with panel commands. The entire set of panels includes a double arrow at the top you can use to collapse and expand the entire panel back and forth between icons and full panels.
Dock a Panel
Select a panel; click on a named panel, or click the Window menu, and then click a panel name.
Drag the panel away from the group to another panel.
♦ Add to Panel Group. Drag to a panel group until a blue rectangle appears around the panel.
♦ Append to Panel. Drag to a panel until a blue line appears along the side of the panel.
Undock a Panel
Select a panel; click on a named panel, or click the Window menu, and then click a panel name.
Drag the panel out of the group.
Drop it onto the InDesign window.
Did You Know?
You can dock and undock panels to a docking channel. You can dock and undock, panels or panel groups in docking channels. A docking channel is a region located on the left and right side of the InDesign window to which you can attach and detach panels. When you drag a panel over a dockable area, a blue line appears.
Collapse and Expand the Panel Set Between Icons and Panels
♦ To collapse the panel set to icons with text, click the double arrow pointing right (Collapse to Icons) at the top of the panels.
♦ To expand the panel set from icons with text to full panels, click the double arrow pointing left (Expand Panels) at the top of the panels.
♦ To have an expanded panel icon automatically collapse or hide when you click away, right-click (Win) or Control-click (Mac) a panel, and then click Auto-Collapse Iconic Panels or Auto-Show Hidden Panels.
Use the Panel Options Menu
Open or expand a panel.
Click the Options button on the right side of the panel header bar.
Click a command from the list (commands vary).
Did You Know?
You can temporarily hide all of InDesign’s panels and Tools panel. Press the Tab key to hide the panels. Press the Tab key a second time to display the hidden panels. Hold down the Shift key, and then press the Tab key to hide the panels, but not the Tools and Control panels.
Using the Tools and Control Panel
InDesign has an abundance of tools that give an InDesign designer tremendous control over any creative designing problems that may crop up. For example, the InDesign toolbox contains a variety of different tools: selection tools (you can never have enough selection tools), drawing or shape tools, type tools, and other tools dedicated to creating documents, transforming objects, and working with pages. Add viewing tools and you have everything you need to do any job.
When you work on a document, it’s important to know what tools are available, and how they can help in achieving your design goals. InDesign likes to save space, so it consolidates similar tools under one button. To access multiple tools, click and hold on any Tools panel button that contains a small black triangle, located in the lower right corner of the tool button. Take a moment to explore the InDesign toolbox and get to know the tools.
The InDesign Tools panel contains the tools needed to work through any InDesign job, but it’s not necessary to click on a tool to access it. Simply using a letter of the alphabet can access all of InDesign’s tools. For example, pressing the P key switches to the Pen tool, and pressing the T key switches to the Type tool. If you’re not sure what letter to press, you can use the Tools Hints panel, which lists all the hidden modifier keys available for the currently selected tool. Click the Window menu, point to Utilities, and then click Tool Hints. If you prefer a complete list of letter assignments for all the tools, you can refer to Adobe InDesign CC Keyboard Shortcuts (available for download on the web at www.perspection.com). You can temporarily switch from the current tool to any other tool by holding down the appropriate letter key. As you hold down the key, your current tool changes to the new tool, and when you release it, you return to the previous tool. To really get efficient in InDesign, you need to learn to use both hands. Use one hand for your mouse or drawing tablet, and the other on the keyboard to make quick changes of tools and options. Think of using InDesign like playing a piano—you need to use both hands.
Using the Control Panel
The Control panel displays the options for the currently selected tool. For most tools, your options include X and Y Location, W and H dimensions, Scale X and Y, Rotation and Shear Angle, Rotate and Flip, Fill and Stroke Color, Stroke Weight and Style, Apply Effect, Opacity, Drop Shadow, Quick Apply, and Options button. The important thing to remember is that the Control panel is customized based on the tool you have selected, so options will vary.
Opening a Document
InDesign lets you open document files created in different formats, such as InDesign (INDD), InDesign CS3 Interchange (INX), InDesign Markup (IDML), and QuarkXPress (3.3-4.1x). If you want to simply open an InDesign document, the Open Recent or Open commands are the most efficient ways. However, if you need to manage, organize, or process files, Adobe Bridge is the way to go. You open an existing InDesign document file the same way you open documents in other programs. In Windows Explorer (Win) or Finder (Mac), you can double-click an InDesign document to open the InDesign program and the document. When you open a document, a tab appears across the top of the Document window, with the document title. When you open an InDesign CS6 document, the document tab includes “[Converted],” which you can save to update it to InDesign CC (New!). You can click the tab at any time to display that particular document.
Open an Existing Document
Click the File menu, and then click Open to display all file types in the file list of the Open dialog box.
Click the Files of Type (Win) or Enable (Mac) list arrow, and then select a format.
Select All Readable Files to display all files that can be opened in InDesign or select InDesign to display only InDesign files.
Navigate to the location with the document you want to open.
Click the file you want to open.
Timesaver
Press and hold the Shift key to select multiple contiguous files to open while in the Open dialog box.
Click the (Open) Normal (original document or copy of a template), (Open) Original (original document or template), or (Open) Copy (copy of a document or template) option.
Click Open.
If an alert appears for missing fonts or links, select an option, and then click OK or another button.
Click the document you want to open.
Did You Know?
You can open a recent file quickly from the Start menu (Win 7). In Win 7, click the Start button, point to Adobe InDesign CC, and then click the file name you want to open.
You can delete a file in a dialog box (Win). In the Open or Save As dialog box, right click the file you want to delete, and then click Delete.
InDesign Open File Formats
Opening a Document with Adobe Bridge
With Adobe Bridge CC, available for download from Creative Cloud, you can drag assets into your layouts as needed, preview them, and add metadata to them. Bridge allows you to search, sort, filter, manage, and process files one at a time or in batches. You can also use Bridge to create new folders; rename, move, delete and group files (known as stacking); edit metadata; rotate images; and run batch commands. You can also view information about files and data imported from your digital camera.
Browse and Open Documents with Adobe Bridge
Click the Go to Bridge button on the Application bar or click the File menu, and then click Browse in Bridge.
♦ If prompted, install or update from Adobe Application Manager.
In Bridge, select a specific workspace to view your files the way you want.
Navigate to the location with the file you want to open.
To open an image in InDesign, use any of the following:
♦ Double-click on a thumbnail to open it in the default program.
♦ Drag the thumbnail from the Bridge into an open Adobe application.
♦ Select a thumbnail, click the File menu, point to Open With, and then click Adobe InDesign CC.
♦ Select a thumbnail, click the File menu, point to Place, and then click In InDesign.
To return to InDesign, click the File menu, and then click Return to Adobe InDesign.
Work with Files Using Bridge
Click the Go to Bridge button on the Application bar or click the File menu, and then click Browse in Bridge.
♦ If prompted, install or update from Adobe Application Manager.
Click the Folders tab and choose a folder from the scrolling list.
Click the Favorites tab to choose from a listing of user-defined items, such as Pictures.
To narrow down the list of images using a filter, click the criteria you want to use in the Filter panel.
Click an image within the preview window to select it.
Click the Preview tab to view a larger thumbnail of the selected image. Multiple images appear when you select them.
Drag the Zoom slider to increase or decrease the thumbnail views.
Use the file management buttons to rotate or delete images, or create a new folder.
Double-click on a thumbnail to open it in the default program, or drag the thumbnail from the Bridge into an open Adobe application.
Did You Know?
You can reveal a document in Adobe Bridge from InDesign. Open a document in InDesign, click the Open icon (looks like a piece of paper with edge folded over) on the Status Bar, and then click Reveal In Bridge.
Inserting Images or Text in a Document
You can use InDesign’s Place command to insert artwork into an open document. To increase your control of the new image, InDesign allows you to use the place cursor to create a frame with the size you want on the active layer. InDesign lets you place files saved in InDesign, Media Files, Images, Adobe PDF, EPS, MS Excel or Word, and TXT formats to name a few. When you place a vector-based image, you have the ability to modify the width, height, and rotation while retaining the vector format. When you insert an image, you can also create a caption.
Insert an Image or Text in a Document
Open an InDesign document.
Click the File menu, and then click Place.
Navigate to the location with the image, and then select the image you want to place into the active document.
Select any of the following options:
♦ Show Import Options. Select to specify import options for the imported item.
♦ Replace Selected Item. Select to replace the currently selected item on the page.
♦ Create Static Captions. Select to create a static text caption using the title of the file.
Click Open.
If you selected the Show Import Options check box, specify the Import options that you want, and then click OK. If not, click or drag the place cursor to insert the image. If you selected the Create Static Captions check box, click or drag to create a text box.
InDesign places the image in the active layer, and then encloses it within a frame.
Adjust the Scale X and Scale Y values on the Control panel to resize the placed image.
Using the Status Bar
To work efficiently in InDesign you need information about the active document. Details about the document’s preflight profile can help in the design and preparation of the final document. You can quickly enable the current or all open documents as preflight documents. In addition, you can open the Preflight panel or Preflight Profile dialog box to view and set preflight options. From the Status Bar, you can also switch between pages.
Use the Status Bar
Click the triangle (Preflight menu) near the Status bar info box, and then select from the following options:
♦ Preflight Panel. Opens the Preflight panel.
♦ Define Profiles. Opens the Preflight Profiles dialog box.
♦ Preflight Document. Enables or disables the current document as a preflight document.
♦ Enable Preflight for All Documents. Enables or disables all open documents as preflight documents.
To locate the current document in Explorer, Finder, or Bridge, click the Open menu, and then click Reveal in Explorer (Win) or Reveal in Finder (Mac), or Reveal in Bridge.
To switch between pages, use any of the following:
♦ First or Last. Displays the first or last page.
♦ Previous or Next. Displays the previous or next page.
♦ Page Navigation. Displays the specified page.
Working with Document Windows
When you open multiple documents, you can use the Arrange Documents or Window menu or tabs at the top of the Document window to switch between them. You can click a tab name to switch to and activate the document. By default, tabs are displayed in the order in which you open or create documents. When you want to move or copy information between documents, it’s easier to display several document windows on the screen at the same time and move them around. However, you must make the window active to work in it. Each tab also includes a Close button to quickly close a document. If the document view is too small or large, you can change it to suit your needs. If you want to compare multiple documents, you can also split the layout view.
Work with Multiple Documents
Open more than one document.
Click a tab name to switch to the document.
Timesaver
Press Ctrl+Tab or Ctrl+Shift+Tab to cycle to the tab you want.
♦ You can also click the Window menu, and then click a document name at the bottom of the menu.
To move a document window around, do any of the following:
♦ To rearrange the order of tabbed documents, drag a window’s tab to a new location.
♦ To switch to another document when dragging a selection, drag the selection over the document’s tab.
♦ To remove a document from the tabbed documents group, drag a window’s tab away from the tabbed group.
Click the Arrange Documents menu on the Application bar.
♦ You can also click the Window menu, point to Arrange, and then select an arrangement command.
♦ Split Window. Creates a new window and displays a split window. You can also click the Split Layout View button to turn the view on and off.
♦ Bring All to Front. Displays all open document to the front screen (Mac).
On the menu, select an arrangement button icon:
♦ Consolidate All. Displays all active documents as tabs.
♦ Tile All In Grid. Displays all open documents in a grid pattern on the screen.
♦ Tile All Vertically. Displays all open documents vertically on the screen.
♦ Tile All Horizontally. Displays all open documents horizontally on the screen.
♦ 2-Up, 3-Up, 4-Up, 5-Up, or 6-Up. Displays the number of documents in the selected pattern (in the menu icon) on the screen.
♦ Float All in Windows. Displays all open windows in separate undocked floating windows.
♦ New Window. Creates a new window with the contents of the active window.
To dock or undock a document window, drag the window’s tab out of the group or into the group.
Checking for Updates Online
As time passes, InDesign—like any other program—will change. There are two types of changes to a program: updates and patches. Updates are improvements to a program such as a new feature, option, or command. Patches are software fixes for problems discovered after the public release of the program. The good news is that both updates and patches are free, and once downloaded, are self-installing. Adobe gives you two ways to check for changes. You can check manually by going to the Adobe web site, or automatically through the Adobe Application Manager by using the Updates command on the Help menu. When you access a related program, such as Adobe Bridge on the Application bar, that is not installed, the Adobe Application Manager (New!) opens, where you can install or update Adobe programs. The Adobe Application Manager Preferences dialog box allows you to set update options for InDesign and other installed Adobe products, such as Bridge. You can choose to be notified of new updates on the menu bar and you can also choose to allow Adobe to verify the success or failure of an update by sending a failure status to you.
Check for Updates Directly from the Internet
Open your Internet browser.
Go to the following web address: www.adobe.com/downloads/updates/
Click the list arrow, and then click InDesign - Macintosh or InDesign - Windows.
Click Go.
Any updates or patches appear in a list.
Based on your operating system, follow the onscreen instructions to download and install the software.
Important
Checking on your own requires a computer with a connection to the Internet. Since some of the updates can be rather large, it’s recommended you have high-speed access.
Adobe checks your software with the latest available version.
To manually check, click the Check For New Updates button.
To change preferences, click Preferences, select the update options you want, and then click OK.
Select the check boxes with the updates you want to install, and then click Update.
♦ Click the Expand/Collapse arrow to show or hide updates.
When you’re done, click the Close button.
Did You Know?
You can sign in or sign out to Creative Cloud with your Adobe ID. You can sign in to your Creative Cloud (New!) with your Adobe ID to access online services for use with InDesign. If you don’t have an account, you can create one. Click the Help menu, click Sign In, Sign In Now in the Creative Cloud dialog box, enter your Adobe ID and password, click Sign In, and then click Continue. To sign out, click the Help menu, click Sign Out (user account e-mail), and then click Sign out. Signing out allows you to activate your Adobe products on another device.
You can complete or update your Adobe ID profile. An Adobe ID allows you to access Adobe online services. To complete or update your Adobe ID profiles, click the Help menu, click Complete/Update Adobe ID Profile, and then follow the online instructions.
Getting Help While You Work
At some time, everyone has a question or two about using a program. When you start InDesign Help, your default web browser window opens, displaying online Community Help categories and topics for InDesign. Along with help text, some help topics include links to text and video tutorials. You can start a help search from InDesign on the Application bar. When you perform a search using keywords or phrases, a list of possible answers is shown from the search location with the most likely responses at the top. You can search product help from Adobe.com, Support, or Community Help by using keywords or phrases or browsing through a list of categories and topics to locate specific information. Adobe.com accesses related help information on Adobe.com, Support accesses Adobe support related help information, while Community Help accesses product help online. In addition to help content, comments and ratings from users are available to help guide you to an answer. You can add feedback and suggestions by signing in to Adobe.com using an Adobe ID.
Get Help Information
Click the Help menu, and then click InDesign Help.
Timesaver
Press F1 (Win) or 
+/ (Mac).
Your default web browser opens, displaying online help and tutorials for InDesign.
Click the topic link you want.
♦ What’s New. Click the What’s New in CC link.
♦ PDF Manual. Click the InDesign CC manual link to open the PDF document, which you can save to your local device.
Read the topic, and if you want, click any links to get information on related topics or definitions.
To search for a topic, type one or more keywords in the Search box, and then press Enter (Win) or Return (Mac).
When you’re done, click the Close button to exit your web browser.
Search for Help Information
In InDesign, on the Application bar, type one or more keywords in the Search box, and then press Enter (Win) or Return (Mac).
♦ You can also click the Help menu, and then click InDesign Help to open Help and use the Search box.
Your default web browser opens, displaying Adobe Community Help with a list of topics that match the keywords you entered in the Search box for InDesign.
To search another Adobe product, click the Select Product list arrow, and then select a product.
To change the search, select any of the following options, and then re-enter the search keywords:
♦ Adobe.com. Click to display results from Adobe.com.
♦ Support. Click to display results from Adobe.com.
♦ Community Help. Click to display results from Community Help for the Adobe program.
Click the link to the topic you want from the search list of results.
Read the topic, and if you want, click any links to get information on related topics or definitions.
♦ Navigate Topics. Click a navigation link at the top of the page. Click InDesign to go back to the help home page.
When you’re done, click the Close button to exit your web browser.
Saving a Document
When you finish working on your InDesign document, you need to save it before you close the document or exit InDesign. You can save an InDesign CC document in the programs default file format (INDD) or as a template in the default template format (INDT). A template is a special document that makes it easier to create a new document. You might want to change the type if you’re creating a custom template or sharing files with someone who doesn’t have the Adobe InDesign program. When you open an InDesign CS5-CS6 document, the document tab includes “[Converted].” A converted document in InDesign CC acts like an untitled document, which you need to save to update it (New!). You cannot save the CC document in the CS6 or CS5 document format (INDD). However, you can save it to IDML (InDesign Markup Language), which you can open in InDesign CS4 or later (make sure software is updated).
Save an InDesign Document
Click the File menu, and then click Save (for an untitled or converted document) or Save As.
♦ When you click Save for an InDesign CC document, the file is saved with its current name and in the same location.
Timesaver
Press Ctrl+S (Win) or +S (Mac) for a Save. Press Ctrl+Shift+S (Win) or +Shift+S (Mac) for a Save As.
Enter a name for the file.
Click the Save as Type list arrow (Win) or Format popup (Mac), and then click InDesign CC document.
Navigate to the location where you want to save the document.
Select the Always Save Preview Images with Documents check box to save a preview image with the document for use in dialog boxes and thumbnails as a preview.
Click Save.
Enter a name for the file.
Click the Save as Type list arrow (Win) or Format popup (Mac), and then click InDesign CS4 or later (IDML).
Navigate to the location where you want to save the document.
Click Save.
Did You Know?
You can save a copy of an InDesign document. Click the File menu, click Save a Copy or press Ctrl+Alt+S (Win) or +Option+S (Mac), click the Save As Type (Win) or Format (Mac) popup, click InDesign CC document, enter a name, specify a location, select the Always Save Preview Images with Documents check box to save a preview image with the document for use in dialog boxes and other thumbnails as a preview, and then click Save.
You can save a document as a template. Click the File menu, click Save As, click the Save As Type (Win) or Format (Mac) popup, click InDesign CC Template, enter a name, specify a location, and then click Save.
You can revert to the last saved version. Click the File menu, and then click Revert.
You can save all open documents. Press Ctrl+Alt+Shift+S (Win) or + Option+Shift+S (Mac) to save all open documents to their existing locations and filenames.
Finishing Up
After you work on a document, you can finish up by closing the document or by exiting InDesign. You should save the document before closing it. Exiting InDesign closes the current document and the InDesign program and returns you to the desktop. You can use the Exit command on the File menu (Win) or Quit InDesign command on the InDesign menu (Mac) to close a document and exit InDesign, or you can use the Close button on the InDesign Document tab. If you try to close a document without saving your final changes, a dialog box opens, asking if you want to do so.
Close a Document
Click the Close button on the Document tab, or click the File menu, and then click Close.
Timesaver
Press Ctrl+W (Win) or +W (Mac) to close a document.
If necessary, click Yes to save any changes you made to your open documents before the program quits.
Exit InDesign
Choose one of the following:
♦ Click the Close button, or click the File menu, and then click Exit (Win).
♦ Click the InDesign menu, and then click Quit InDesign (Mac).
Timesaver
Press Ctrl+Q (Win) or +Q (Mac) to exit InDesign.
If necessary, click Yes to save any changes you made to your open documents before the program quits.