Select one or more objects using the Selection tool.
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Settings and preferences
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Create and organize pages
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Arrange and order pages
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- Create color labels for page thumbnails
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- Rotate the spread view
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Layout and grid tools
- Apply layout adjustments
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Grids
- Create and customize layout grids
- Use a baseline grid
- Use a document grid
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- Set frame grid properties
- Show or hide frame grid character count
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- Generative AI features
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Add and manage text
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Format and style text
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Text styles
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Tabs, indents, and spacing
- About kerning and tracking
- Adjust kerning between characters
- Adjust text spacing with tracking
- Adjust text baseline and vertical position
- Adjust text spacing
- Control glyph scaling
- Highlight spacing issues
- Set and repeat tabs
- Edit and manage tab settings
- Specify characters for decimal tabs
- Set indents
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- Lists and numbering
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Text styles
- Fonts
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Language and proofing
- Language settings
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Arabic and Hebrew
- Set up World-Ready composers for Arabic and Hebrew
- Control text direction for Arabic and Hebrew
- Justify Arabic text with automatic Kashida insertion
- Apply ligatures to Arabic and Hebrew text
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- Set digit types for Arabic and Hebrew text
- Copy and paste Arabic and Hebrew text from Microsoft Word
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Chinese, Japanese, and Korean
- About Mojikumi and Yakumono in Japanese layout
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- Apply Yakumono character types in layout
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- Adjust spacing around Japanese punctuation
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Glyphs, characters, and expressions
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- Create and insert math expressions
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- Find and replace with text patterns (GREP)
- Save and manage find and replace queries
- Manage language dictionaries
- Spell check
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Indexes and references
- Add a Table of Contents
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Add graphics and media
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Add and edit graphics
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- Apply effects to text and shapes
- Add images to documents
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- Create contact sheets
- Manage frames and objects
- Object libraries and snippets
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Transform and arrange objects
- Move, scale, rotate, shear, and flip objects
- Transform multiple objects and repeat transformations
- Object transformation settings and options
- About anchored objects
- Transform anchored objects
- Create and position anchored objects
- Manage and update anchored objects
- Group and lock objects
- Create hidden and nonprinting objects
- Align or distribute objects
- Manage links
- Manage object styles
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- Page transitions
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Add and edit graphics
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Add tables and data
- Create tables
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Interactive elements and forms
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Create lines and shapes
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Apply color
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Define and manage color assets
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Advanced color techniques
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Define and manage color assets
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Collaborate and review
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Share and collaborate
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Edit with InCopy
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Save, export, and publish
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Export to EPUB
- Export to EPUB
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- Accessibility enhancements for indexes
- Adjust text resizing for accessibility
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- Add ARIA labels to objects
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- Create accessible glossaries
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- Publish work online
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Print
- Page setup and printer marks
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Color output and separations
- About color separations
- Prepare documents for color separation
- Create color separations
- Save and print color separations
- Print gradients as separations
- About ink trapping
- Trap a document or a book
- Trap preset options
- Set the trap width for colors next to black
- Print a composite
- Use color management when printing
- Color output options
- Print objects on all color plates
- About overprinting
- Overprint strokes and fills
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- Simulate spot ink overprinting
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Automation and scripting
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App integrations
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Troubleshoot
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Launch and crash issues
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- Crash or Error 2 when saving documents
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File and output issues
- Can't open PDF files created in InDesign
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Settings, interface, and feature issues
- Feature keyboard shortcuts don’t work
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- Data merge fails with absolute paths on macOS
- Pages panel scroll bar missing or UI elements disappear
- Missing user dictionaries
- Error 195 during InDesign installation
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- Cloud collaboration and web issues
Object transformation settings and options
Last updated on
Jun 2, 2026
Learn how to use the Transform panel to control how objects rotate, scale, and transform from specific anchor points.
Transformations occur from a reference point on or near the object. By default, the reference point is the center, but it can be set to any of the nine positions within the object's bounding box. The selected reference point determines how objects rotate, scale, or shear when using transformation tools or the Transform and Control panels.
Change the reference point using the Transform panel
Select Window > Object & Layout > Transform.
In the Reference Point locator, select the point to use as the transformation origin. The selected reference point becomes the default origin for subsequent transformations until it's changed.
Reposition the reference point to a custom location
Select the object using the Selection tool.
Select the Rotate tool, Scale tool, or Shear tool.
Position your pointer over the reference point displayed on the selected object.
Drag the reference point to any location on or near the object.
Position the pointer anywhere on the object or pasteboard to move the reference point to that location.
Control how transformation values display for nested objects
Select Window > Object & Layout > Transform.
Select the panel menu icon, then select or deselect Transformations Are Totals.
By default, Transformations Are Totals is selected. When this option is selected, rotation, scale, and shear values for nested objects display relative to the pasteboard. Once deselected, the values display relative to the container object.
Include or exclude stroke weight in measurements
Select Window > Object & Layout > Transform.
Select the panel menu icon, then select or deselect Dimensions Include Stroke Weight.
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