Create and customize layout grids

Last updated on Jun 2, 2026

Learn how to use layout grid settings to control character size, spacing, and page structure for Japanese document layouts.

Layout grids provide precise typographic control for professional Japanese editorial design, replacing traditional paper-based layout sheets with customizable digital grids.

Set up a new document with layout grid

Select File > New > Document.

Enter the number of pages and select page dimensions in the New Document dialog box.

Select Layout Grid to switch from the default Margins and Columns view.

In the Grid Attributes section, set font family and style to establish the base character size for your grid.

Enter the Size value to define the font size that determines individual grid cell dimensions.

Adjust Char Aki (character spacing) and Line Aki (line spacing) to control gaps between grid cells.

In the Lines and Columns section, enter Characters per line, Lines per column, and number of Columns.

Set the Starting Point to define where the grid begins on the page (Top/Outside, Center, Bottom/Inside).

Select OK to create the document with your layout grid settings. After creating the layout grid, page margins automatically align to the grid's outer edges. Any remaining space outside the starting point becomes the margin area.

Note

The Vertical and Horizontal fields in the Grid Attributes section control character scaling as a percentage. These values alter grid cell dimensions when you need condensed or expanded text.

Modify existing layout grid settings

When changing grid settings on specific pages, InDesign creates page-specific grids. You can create different layout grids for different sections in a single document. Changes made in the Layout Grid dialog box affect Margins and Columns settings because both systems define the same document structure. If you enter values that don't divide evenly by the character or line count, gaps may appear in the grid. To eliminate gaps, reopen the Layout Grid dialog box and select OK without changes to let InDesign adjust the grid to fit as closely as possible.

Navigate to the page or spread you want to modify, or select multiple pages from the Pages panel.

Select Layout > Layout Grid.

Adjust any settings in the Layout Grid dialog box.

Select OK.

Apply layout grid to documents created with Margins and Columns

Open the document created with Margins and Columns.

Select View > Grids & Guides > Show Layout Grid to display the default grid.

Select Layout > Layout Grid to customize grid attributes.

Configure Font, Size, Characters, Lines, and Starting Point settings to match your layout requirements.

Select OK. The layout grid appears for reference when positioning. To add text, create frame grids using the Horizontal Grid tool or Vertical Grid tool.

Layout grids support text frames, frame grids, and graphic frames. When you drag objects near grid cells, the object's closest corner snaps to one of the four grid cell corners, ensuring precise alignment.

To create frame grids that inherit the layout grid's character and spacing attributes, select the Horizontal Grid tool or Vertical Grid tool from the Tools panel, then drag on the page. Frame grids created while a layout grid is active automatically match the grid's font size, character spacing, and line spacing.

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