Select the Type tool and drag to create a text frame where you want the jump line to appear.
Last updated on
Jun 2, 2026
Learn how to use jump line markers in Adobe InDesign to keep continuation page references accurate as text reflows.
Jump lines help readers follow stories that continue across pages, such as, Continued on page 42. Jump line page numbers update automatically when you move or reflow threaded text frames. To keep them stable, place jump lines in a separate text frame so they stay in position even as the story changes.
You can also find jump line page numbers in the Find/Change dialog box by inserting a Current Page Number character.
Add jump lines to a story
Position the new frame so it touches or overlaps the text frame containing the story you want to track.
Place the insertion point in the new text frame and type the text that should appear before the page number. For example, Continued on page or Story continues on.
Select Type > Insert Special Character > Markers and then select one of the following:
- Next Page Number: Inserts the page number of the story’s next frame, commonly used for Continued On jump lines.
- Previous Page Number: Inserts the page number of the story's previous frame, commonly used for Continued From jump lines.
The page number updates automatically when you move or reflow the story.
Press Shift, select both frames, then select Object > Group to keep the story and its jump line together when moving the content.
Repeat the steps to add more jump lines.
Fix unexpected characters in jump lines
Select the page where you want the change to start, then select Layout > Numbering & Section Options.
Edit or remove the section prefix to eliminate the extra character at the start of the page number.
Add auto-update chapter numbers
Chapter numbers work like page numbers. They update automatically and can be formatted and styled like regular text. They’re commonly used in book documents, where each document can have only one chapter number. If you need multiple chapters within a single document, use sections instead.
Tip
Chapter numbers don’t appear as prefixes in a generated index or table of contents, for example, 1-3 or 1-4. To include chapter-style prefixes in these cases, use section prefixes rather than chapter numbers.
Add a chapter number
Create a text frame where you want the chapter number to appear. To display chapter numbers on multiple pages, create the text frame on a parent page and apply that parent page to your document pages.
Type any text that should appear before or after the chapter number.
Place the insertion point where you want the chapter number to appear.
Select Type > Text Variables > Insert Text Variable > Chapter Number.
Change chapter numbering options
Select Layout > Numbering & Section Options.
Adjust the starting number or format of the chapter numbering.
Add automatically updated section markers
By default, page and chapter numbers in a book run consecutively. With Numbering & Section Options, you can restart page numbering at a specific page, add prefixes to page numbers, and change the numbering style for both pages and chapters.
You can also define a section prefix to label section pages automatically. For example, if you set A– as the section prefix on page 16 and include the prefix, the page appears as A–16 in the table of contents or index. Any text you enter as a section marker appears when you choose Type > Insert Special Character > Markers > Section Marker.
Define sections in a document
Open the Pages panel by selecting Window > Pages.
Select the first page where you want the new section to begin.
Choose Numbering & Section Options in the Pages panel menu.
Select Start Section to mark the page as the beginning of a new section.
Specify the document numbering and section options. A section indicator icon appears above the page in the Pages panel to show where the section starts.
Select OK.
Repeat these steps on the next page to end the section.
Insert section markers
Double-click the parent page in the Pages panel where you want the section marker to appear.
Create a text frame using the Type tool to hold the section marker text.
Choose Type > Insert Special Character > Markers > Section Marker.
Edit section settings or remove sections
Double-click the section indicator icon above the page in the Pages panel.
Do one of the following:
- Change the section style or starting number by adjusting the section and numbering options.
- Remove the section by deselecting Start Section.
Select OK.
Tip
Hover over a section indicator icon in the Pages panel to instantly see the section’s starting page number or prefix in a tooltip.
Add page number markers to parent pages
Page number markers work best on parent pages because they update everywhere those parents are applied. On a parent page, the marker shows the page prefix. On a document page, the actual page number is shown. If you place it on the pasteboard, you’ll see PB.
Double-click the parent page where you want the numbers to appear in the Pages panel (Window > Pages).
Add a text frame where you’d like the page number to sit, making sure it’s wide enough for the longest number and any extra text you plan to add.
Position the text frame where you want the page number to appear.
With the cursor inside the frame, select Type > Insert Special Character > Markers > Current Page Number.
Apply parent page to the document pages where you want the numbering to appear.
Note
If your document uses facing pages, add separate text frames to the left and right parent pages so the numbers land in the right spots.
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