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How to Import a PDF to InDesign

Want to display PDF content within an InDesign layout? Here’s how to import a PDF to InDesign along with some must-know tips.

In this handy guide, we’ve shared how to import a PDF to InDesign, so that you can place Acrobat content in a larger InDesign project. 


Video Tutorial: Importing PDF to InDesign

If you prefer to learn visually, check out this quick tutorial video.


How to Import a PDF to InDesign

To import a PDF to InDesign, you’ll make use of the Place command. Here’s how:

  1. Open your current InDesign project, and choose File > Place.
  2. Within the Place dialog box, select your PDF.
  3. Check the box for Show Import Options and then click Open.
  4. In the Place PDF dialog box, specify which pages you’d like to place into the InDesign document. (You can place a single page, a defined range of pages, or the entire PDF.) Adjust the cropping and background options as needed.
  5. Click Ok.

Note: The dialog box also contains a preview window, with thumbnails of any PDF pages that you’re going to place. Keep in mind that InDesign will not import any sound, hyperlinks, movies, or clickable buttons from the PDF.


What to Know About Importing PDFs to InDesign

Maintaining Resolution 

The Place command will import your PDF at the best possible resolution, depending on the scale and screen used. If you’re using a non-PostScript printer, the PDF pages will print at the same resolution as the original InDesign content. 

Once you’ve placed a PDF page in an InDesign document, it will appear as an onscreen preview. This acts as a link between the InDesign project and the original PDF. However, links can be broken if you add a password to the PDF. 

Meanwhile, if you change the original PDF’s page order, the link will point to the same page number. This may affect which page is displayed in InDesign, so make sure to preview those pages before sending them to the printer. 

Preserving Color in PDF

InDesign preserves every color in a placed PDF, even if the original color library is not installed. The software also preserves color traps, so that your overlapping colors maintain a visual edge. 

Maintaining PDF Security

Any security settings associated with the original PDF are preserved when placed in an InDesign project. This is because the PDF is linked to the InDesign document, instead of being pasted inside it. If you decide to update the PDF’s security settings, they will be updated in the InDesign project as well. 


Cover image via KatePilko.

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