Adobe InDesign: Feature Requests
When entering a new feature request, please provide:
1. Description
2. Why is this valuable to you?
Thank you.
758 results found
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Add macOS Core Image Filters as Native Object Effects in InDesign (e.g., Vibrancy, Gaussian Blur, Glass Distortion)
Please add support for macOS Core Image filters (e.g., CIGaussianBlur, CIVibrancy, CIBloom, CIGlassDistortion) as native, real-time object effects within InDesign. These filters are already GPU-accelerated and supported natively by macOS. Tapping into this framework would allow InDesign to offer real-time visual effects like frosted glass, material-style blurs, and ambient glow — without the need to pre-render images in Photoshop.
For designers: Effects like vibrancy, translucency, blur, and light diffusion are increasingly common in modern design — not just in UI/UX, but in packaging, promotional layouts, and publication work. These are time-consuming to fake using raster-based workarounds. Having real-time effects within…
2 votes -
Apply effects to layers. Please.
I would like the ability to apply effects to layers. For instance, I would like “Layer A” to multiply over “Layer B”. What I don't want is all the elements on “Layer A” that are pink and green in the attached reference image to multiply over one another.
1 vote -
vertical text wrap
Currently, if you have text center aligned (horizontally) when wrapping, the text stays centered between the end of the next box and the wrapping object. This should happen in the vertical as well, but currently doesn't.
If there is text above a wrapping object, and the text is vertically center aligned, the text will either not move (if the wrapping object is lower than the text would end) or it will stay flush with the wrap.
In my case, the fact the vertical doesn't work the same way as the horizontal makes it extremely difficult to design with a single…
1 vote -
Possibility to insert multi-language variables in one document
I would like to be able to insert multilingual variables in InDesign, within a single document. I often have to produce multilingual documents and have to insert dates, texts and so on.... I would like to be able to insert these variables in different layers of a document (e.g. ‘Italian’ layer = Italian text variable; ‘English’ layer = English text variable and so on).
I think this could be a good function to add in future versions.
2 votes -
Add Native Slug Area and Mechanical Dimensioning Tools (Inspired by Mechanical Cubed + Illustrator's Dimensions Tool)
As a freelance Production Designer and Creative with a fine arts background, I work across pharma, retail, and packaging—where detailed mechanicals, slug data, and precise dimension callouts are a daily necessity. One of the most essential—but frustratingly missing—features in InDesign is the ability to efficiently manage mechanical specs and slug information natively.
To bridge this gap, many of us rely on plug-ins like Mechanical Cubed and Slug Cubed from Triple Triangle Inc. These tools automate the placement and consistency of critical production data—such as trim, bleed, dimensions, and job metadata—directly into the slug area.
Interestingly, Adobe Illustrator already includes a…
2 votes -
Allow placement of PDFs/images by actual page size, not their bounding box.
Enable an option to place or drag-and-drop PDF and image files based on their actual page dimensions (MediaBox or defined size), rather than defaulting to bounding box-based fitting—the following alignment of such is unnecessary hustle. Ideally with user-selectable placement mode (bounding box vs. full page).
1 vote -
Layers Panel: be able to Group two Objects that are already in a Group with more than two objects
I am creating flowcharts within InDesign as it seems to work better for me than in Illustrator. The Layers Panel allows me to do this. But I really, really wish I didn't have to do this workaround. These are my personal notes for future reference:
Grouping for complex assemblages of objects: creating a new group
This is needed because the Layers Panel won't allow you to group items deep in the Layers Panel, only if they're at the top level; you can't create a "Group within a Group."
- Use Layers Panel
- Keep two objects (doesn't matter what) off…3 votes -
2 votes
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An actually useful AI idea: Accessibility/Reading Order
I find many AI features unhelpful - if I need text to image I can do it in Photoshop or Express, I don't need my layout program to do it. What I would love to see AI do is be able to analyze documents and automatically fix accessibility issues, such as reading order and export tagging of headers etc.
4 votes -
Direct Editing of Photoshop Layers in InDesign
Description:
Currently, users must switch back to Photoshop to edit layer details, masks, or effects before re-importing images into InDesign. This process can be time-consuming and interrupts the creative flow. It would be highly efficient to enable direct editing of Photoshop layers—such as brush adjustments, opacity, blend modes, and layer masks—within InDesign itself, without needing to reopen Photoshop.Benefits for Users:
Streamlines the workflow by reducing the need to switch between Photoshop and InDesign
Speeds up the design process, as minor adjustments could be made directly in InDesign
Allows more flexibility in applying last-minute edits and achieving the desired look…6 votes -
Miro/Keynote-style simplified pen tool and magnetising arrows for diagrams.
Often I have to make flow charts and diagrams for our projects, and the power of the hyper-manual pen tool and frames tends to show down the design process when compared to similar processes in Miro or Keynote. If there was a way to make a simple curved line and magnetise it to a text box that would make pushing around content 1000% faster.
3 votes -
Setting for location of new text-to-image generated images
Can there be a setting option for the default location of new text-to-image generated images - I would like to be able to set this to the folder containing the current document rather than the user/documents folder. Thanks!
3 votes -
drop caps
Hi.
im editing books in hebrew and I'm trying to do a drop cap not for only one letter or more, but insted for one word.
so I think it will be great if you could add this feature that allowing to choose the option of one word.
also in the same subject, Indesign styling the drop cap by it self, its not letting you to change the size of the drop cap. so if you could add this one it will great for all the pepolr whom editing books in hebrew.1 vote -
Custom organization of links panel
Options within Links Panel to sort links not by name/page/location folder, but into custom folders or priority. Allow users to place links at the top that are changed or edited more frequently. Current issue is job requires me to change multiple logo files spread throughout document quickly. If multiple instances are grouped, sorting by layer does not work and layer will also sort by layer name and not top layer. Letting users set priority status to links or create & name custom folders within the links panel can help find things quickly.
2 votes -
Data Merge for double-sided prints
Description
Allow Data Merge to generate fronts and backs across facing pages (e.g., page 1 fronts, page 2 backs) for multiple records.Why valuable?
It would eliminate manual workarounds when producing double-sided personalized items like event badges, saving time and reducing errors.Why is this valuable for me?:
I want to create double-sided badges for participants of an event.
1 vote -
New features for XML automation
Being able to insert instructions in an XML text to apply styles (object, paragraph, text) to the InDesign document or its parts when the XML file is loaded.
1 vote -
Auto-size new option
It would also be useful for an anchored object to be able to set Auto-size to the width of the container object (e.g., in percentage), in a way similar to what is possible with CSS.
1 vote -
Text Frame new options
It would be interesting if, in the Text Frame Options, there were an option to set a maximum size for both height and width. Thanks
1 vote -
Include bit depth (8/16/32 bits per channel) as an item to be included in the Links panel (or at least in the Info panel).
I know that bit depth is included in XMP File Info but as this panel is modal (and overly high) it is tedious to fetch this information from there. It would be convenient to have both in Links and Info panels. Possibly these panels could be updated with other useful data, too,. This is useful as HDR is becoming increasingly popular, and while PDFs can include 32-bit images, I'd imagine they are problematic in press.
2 votes -
Auto size headshots in frames based on a "key object" frame
Similar to how Photoshop has facial recognition, a lot of the time in my job I have to place many headshots in a grid of frames, etc. and they're not all the same resolution, crop or size. It would be awesome to have a feature that lets you select all of the frames with face photos, then click one of the frames like setting the "key object" and then InDesign will size the headshot images within the rest of the frames to match the cropping of the "key object" so everything looks consistent.
2 votes
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