User Guide Cancel

Supported file formats

Search
InDesign

InDesign

Open app
  1. InDesign User Guide
  2. Get to know InDesign
    1. Introduction to InDesign
      1. What's New in InDesign
      2. System requirements
      3. Common questions
      4. Use Creative Cloud libraries
    2. Workspace
      1. Workspace basics
      2. Contextual task bar
      3. Customize your workspace in InDesign
      4. Toolbox
      5. Set preferences
      6. Properties panel
      7. Touch workspace
      8. Default keyboard shortcuts
      9. Undo edits and manage History panel
      10. Document recovery and undo
    3. Generative AI (Not available in mainland China)
      1. Text to Image
      2. Generative Expand
      3. Generate Effect in InDesign (Beta)
      4. Generative AI FAQ
  3. Create and layout documents
    1. Documents and pages
      1. Create documents
      2. Work with parent pages
      3. Work with document pages
      4. Set page size, margins, and bleed
      5. Work with files and templates
      6. Convert PDFs to InDesign files in InDesign (Beta)
      7. Create book files
      8. Add basic page numbering
      9. Number pages, chapters, and sections
      10. Convert QuarkXPress and PageMaker documents
      11. Share content
      12. Understand a basic managed-file workflow
      13. Save documents
    2. Grids
      1. Grids
      2. Format grids
    3. Layout aids
      1. Rulers
      2. Align and distribute objects using rulers
      3. Measure objects using the Measure tool
  4. Add content
    1. Text
      1. Add text to frames
      2. Threading text
      3. South-East Asian Scripts
      4. Arabic and Hebrew features in InDesign
      5. Create type on a path
      6. Bullets and numbering
      7. Insert MathML to create math expressions
      8. Glyphs and special characters
      9. Text composition
      10. Text variables
      11. Generate QR codes
      12. Edit text
      13. Align text
      14. Wrap text around objects
      15. Anchored objects
      16. Linked content
      17. Format paragraphs
      18. Format characters
    2. Typography
      1. Using fonts in InDesign
      2. Kerning and tracking
      3. Scale and skew type
      4. Apply color effects to type
    3. Format text
      1. Format text
      2. Auto Style text
      3. Work with Style Packs
      4. Tabs and indents
    4. Review text
      1. Track and review changes
      2. Add editorial notes in InDesign
      3. Import PDF comments
    5. Spell check and language dictionaries
      1. Check spelling, autocorrect, and dynamic spelling
      2. Create, add, and manage dictionaries and words
      3. Change dictionary preferences
      4. Duden dictionary
    6. Add references
      1. Create a table of contents
      2. Footnotes
      3. Create an index
      4. Endnotes
      5. Captions
    7. Styles
      1. Paragraph and character styles
      2. Map, export, and manage styles
      3. Object styles
      4. Drop caps and nested styles
      5. Work with styles
      6. Leading
    8. Tables
      1. Format tables
      2. Create tables
      3. Table and Cell styles
      4. Select and edit tables
      5. Table strokes and fills
    9. Interactivity
      1. Hyperlinks
      2. Dynamic PDF documents
      3. Bookmarks
      4. Buttons
      5. Forms
      6. Animation
      7. Cross-references
      8. Structure PDFs
      9. Page transitions
      10. Movies and sounds
    10. Graphics
      1. Understand paths and shapes
      2. Draw with the Pencil tool
      3. Draw with the Pen tool
      4. Apply line (stroke) settings 
      5. Compound paths and shapes
      6. Edit paths
      7. Clipping paths
      8. Change corner appearance
      9. Frames and objects
      10. Align and distribute objects
      11. Linked and embedded graphics
      12. Integrate AEM assets
    11. Color and transparency
      1. Apply color
      2. Use colors from imported graphics
      3. Work with swatches
      4. Mix inks
      5. Tints
      6. Understand spot and process colors
      7. Blend colors
      8. Gradients
      9. Flatten transparent artwork
      10. Add transparency effects
  5. Find and replace
    1. Find and replace text
    2. Find and replace fonts
    3. Find and replace glyphs
    4. Find and replace using GREP expressions and queries
    5. Find and replace objects
    6. Find and replace colors
    7. Search options to find and replace
  6. Share
    1. Save and access cloud documents
    2. Organize, manage, and share cloud documents
    3. View and manage versions in cloud documents
    4. Common questions about InDesign cloud documents
    5. InCopy on the web (Beta)
    6. Share and collaborate        
    7. Share for Review
    8. Review a shared InDesign document
    9. Manage feedback
    10. Invite to edit
  7. Export, import, and publish
    1. Place, export, and publish
      1. Publish online
      2. Publish online dashboard
      3. Copy, insert graphics
      4. Export to Adobe Express
      5. Export content for EPUB
      6. Adobe PDF options
      7. Export to HTML5
      8. Export content to HTML (Legacy)
      9. Export to Adobe PDF
      10. Export to JPEG format
      11. Import SVG files
      12. DPS and AEM Mobile overview
      13. Supported File Formats
      14. Export and import User Settings
    2. Printing
      1. Print booklets
      2. Printer's marks and bleeds
      3. Print documents
      4. Inks, separation, and screen frequency
      5. Overprinting
      6. Create PostScript and EPS files
      7. Preflight files before handoff
      8. Print thumbnails and oversized documents
      9. Prepare PDFs for service providers
      10. Prepare to print separations
  8. Extend InDesign
    1. Automation
      1. Data merge
      2. Plug-ins
      3. Capture extension in InDesign
      4. Scripting
  9. Troubleshooting
    1. Fixed issues
    2. Known issues
    3. Crash on launch
    4. Preference folder read-only issue
    5. Troubleshoot file issues
    6. Unable to export InDesign file to PDF
    7. InDesign document recovery

Learn about the different file formats supported in InDesign.

This document provides an overview of file formats supported in InDesign. See Placing graphics for more information on how to open, import, export, and save files.

File > Open

You can open the following file formats in InDesign:

Extension

File name

Version

Comments

indd

InDesign document

CC and earlier

 

indl

InDesign library

CC and earlier

 

indt

InDesign template

CC and earlier

 

indb

InDesign book

CC and earlier

 

inx

InDesign interchange

CS4 and earlier

 

idml

InDesign Markup Language

CS4 and later

 

xqx

QuarkXPress Passport

4.1.x

Save newer versions in Quark to these accepted versions

xqx

QuarkXPress

3.3 - 4.1.x

Save newer versions in Quark to these accepted versions

File > Save As

Extension

File name

Version

indd

InDesign document

CC and earlier

indt

InDesign template

CC and earlier

idml

InDesign Markup Language

CC and earlier

File > New

Extension

File name

Version

indd

InDesign document

CC and earlier

indl

InDesign Library

CC and earlier

indb

InDesign Book

CC and earlier

File > Export

You can export the following file formats from InDesign:

Extension

File name

Version

Comments

pdf

Portable Document Format

PDF 1.3 - 1.7

Since ID CS3 support of multipage PDF files

eps

Encapsulated PostScript

PS level 2 - 3

 

idml

InDesign Markup Language

CC

Export not applicable for InCopy.

jpg, jpeg

Joint Photographic Experts Group

Export not applicable for InCopy.

xml

Extensible Markup Language

txt

Adobe InDesign Tagged Text

icml

Adobe InCopy document

CC

Export not applicable for InCopy.

rtf

Rich Text Format

epub

Open Publication Structure eBook

Export not applicable for InCopy.

html

Hypertext Markup Language

Export not applicable for InCopy.

png

Portable Network Graphic

Export not applicable for InCopy.

idms

InDesign Snippet

Not applicable for InCopy.
Note:

For backward compatibility to InDesign CS4 export to InDesign Markup Language (idml). For backward compatibility to InDesign CS3, open the .idml in CS4 and export as InDesign CS3 Interchange (inx).

File > Place formats (Import in graphics and text files)

These file formats can be brought into InDesign using the Place command.

Extension

File name

Version

Comments

pdf

Portable Document Format

PDF 1.3 - 1.7

Since ID CS3 support of multipage PDF files

eps

Encapsulated PostScript

PS level 2 - 3

jpg, jpeg

Joint Photographic Experts Group

rtf

Rich Text Format

heif

High-Efficiency Image Format

18.0 and later

This format isn't backward compatible. If you face an issue exporting to pdf or opening in an earlier version, delete the image and try again.

heic

High Efficiency Image Container

18.0 and later

This format isn't backward compatible. If you face an issue exporting to pdf or opening in an earlier version, delete the image and try again.

webp

Web Picture

18.0 and later

This format isn't backward compatible. If you face an issue exporting to pdf or opening in an earlier version, delete the image and try again.

jp2k

JPEG 2000

18.0 and later

This format isn't backward compatible. If you face an issue exporting to pdf or opening in an earlier version, delete the image and try again.

mp4

MPEG-4 Video

H.264 encoding

mov

QuickTime Video

H.264 encoding

idms

InDesign Snippet

Not applicable for InCopy.

Extension

File name

txt

Text only

tiff

Tagged Image File Format

gif

Graphic Interchange Format

bmp

Bitmap

dcs

Desktop Color Separation

pict

Picture file format (macOS)

wmf

MS Windows Metafile

emf

MS Windows Enhanced Metafile

pcx

PC Paintbrush File format

png

Portable Network Graphic

xml

Extensible Markup Language

txt

Adobe InDesign Tagged Text

icml

Adobe InCopy document

Extension

File name

sct

Scitex Continuous Tone

ai

Adobe Illustrator

psd

Adobe Photoshop

indd

InDesign document

doc, docx

Microsoft Word document

xls, xlsx

Microsoft Excel documents

avi

Audio Video Interface

mp3

MPEG Audio Layer

3gp

Third Generation Partnership Project

aif, aiff

Audio Interchange File Format

mpg

Moving Picture Experts Group

wav

Waveform Audio File Format

Save for InCopy

You can save your InDesign documents to edit in InCopy. Go to Edit > InCopy > Export, or options from Link or Assignment panels.

Extension

File name

Version

Comments

icma

Assignment file

CC

is .inca in ID CS3

icml

Content file, Exported file

CC

is .incx in ID CS3

idap

Package for InDesign

CC

is .indp in ID CS3

icap

Package for InCopy

CC

is .incp in ID CS3

Related resources

Talk to us

We would love to hear from you. Share your thoughts with the Adobe InDesign Community. 

 Adobe

Get help faster and easier

New user?

Quick links

View all your plans Manage your plans
View quick links
Hide quick links

Legal Notices    |    Online Privacy Policy