Adobe InDesign: Feature Requests
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2. Why is this valuable to you?
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5240 results found
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Please make the reflect tool work the same way as in illustrator!
It works completely opposite of Illustrator which makes it super confusing if you're switching between them (i.e. to do the same transformation, you have to use a horizontal reflection in indesign and a vertical one in illustrator.) A preview like in illustrator would be great too.
3 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 built-in Dimensions tool, so it’s surprising that InDesign—Adobe’s flagship print and layout software—lacks this capability.
InDesign would benefit greatly from native tools that:
Automatically generate and manage mechanical dimension lines
Populate standardized slug info using document metadata
Apply reusable slug templates across multi-page or multi-SKU files
Lock dimension and slug elements to prevent accidental edits
These features are essential in high-volume environments where accuracy and consistency are just as important as creative execution.
By integrating this functionality directly into InDesign, Adobe can streamline workflows for production artists, packaging designers, and print creatives—many of whom already rely on workarounds or third-party solutions to fill this gap.
Happy to share real-world examples of how this functionality has saved time and improved production precision.
Thanks for considering this suggestion.
—
Khalid Best
Freelance Production Designer & Creative
Fine Arts Trained
https://www.linkedin.com/in/khalid-best-b49b0155/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 -
Remove tips, Add an option to turn on/off tutorial mode
Remove tips, Add an option to turn on/off tutorial mode.
InDesign and other adobe apps constantly tell me things that I know about. This is helpful for new users, but annoying for professionals. InDesign is the industry standard and should cater to professionals while having a beginner or tutorial mode for those who are new to it.
It is unacceptable to open a window and show it to me while im working. Multiple times i've pressed ctrl z which brings up a window that says DID YOU KNOW ABOUT DOCUMENT HISTORY. Its not helpful for me personally.
2 votes -
No Break Option via a keyboard shortcut.
Please incorporate a possibility to activate the No Break Option via a keyboard shortcut. I have to create a text style, which is file atttached… and not comptaible with another text style…
2 votes -
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 -
[ID-4261554] InDesign MacOS Sequoia Window Snapping Feature
I'd appreciate if InDesign would implement window snapping feature as well in macOS Sequoia since all other Adobe apps have this already.
2 votes -
Text variables with text preparation
Text variables with text preparation:
Text variables whose final values are calculated using a script, GREP, case conversion according to user-defined schemes, and the ability to assign character styles to parts of the resulting string would be very helpful.
Text variables can extensively use the existing serialization mechanism for paragraph and character styles, such as in running headings.For example, many scientific journals generate a DOI (Digital
Object Identifier) for each scientific article, which is a URL that optionally uses a constant prefix, year of publication, issue number in the specified year, and the initial page number of the article. Rather than checking all these details each time, text variables with text preparation could be used.It would also be interesting to work with non-text variables for color and size, which could be used in styles, changing many styles with one variable.
It would also be nice to be able to use the values of multiple text variables in building a combined one.
Text variables with text preparation:
Text variables whose final values are calculated using a script, GREP, case conversion according to user-defined schemes, and the ability to assign character styles to parts of the resulting string would be very helpful.
Text variables can extensively use the existing serialization mechanism for paragraph and character styles, such as in running headings.For example, many scientific journals generate a DOI (Digital
Object Identifier) for each scientific article, which is a URL that optionally uses a constant prefix, year of publication, issue number in the specified year, and the initial page number of the article.…2 votes -
Create a checkbox to block and unblock text edition.
I work with book layouts and sometimes will accidentally type in a letter into the already written text while formatting it. Most times I noticed and undo it, but here and then a mistake may go unnoticed and risk having that typo printed.
It would be interesting to rely on a feature that allows me to easily disable and enable writting.
For instance, when the box is marked, I can still edit size, color, all that, but can no longer add or delete any text.
When it's unmarked, it works as usual.
Another option would be a "popup" that shows more clearly than the "history" section when I have typed in a new text.I work with book layouts and sometimes will accidentally type in a letter into the already written text while formatting it. Most times I noticed and undo it, but here and then a mistake may go unnoticed and risk having that typo printed.
It would be interesting to rely on a feature that allows me to easily disable and enable writting.
For instance, when the box is marked, I can still edit size, color, all that, but can no longer add or delete any text.
When it's unmarked, it works as usual.
Another option would be a "popup" that shows…2 votes -
Please stop Find/Change Font defaulting to Minion
Please please please stop defaulting to Minion in Find/change fonts. I know this has been suggested, but this is a constant annoyance! Can someone at least make this intuitive and default either to the main font of the document or the font family that needs to be changed. This could be an option within the tool.
For instance, if the offending font is, say, Adobe Caslon [nothing], it stands to reason that the user might want it to change to a valid Adobe Caslon. Not that this is certain, but it's likely. So if the suggested font is in the Adobe Caslon family, it's quick and easy to change it.
Please please please stop defaulting to Minion in Find/change fonts. I know this has been suggested, but this is a constant annoyance! Can someone at least make this intuitive and default either to the main font of the document or the font family that needs to be changed. This could be an option within the tool.
For instance, if the offending font is, say, Adobe Caslon [nothing], it stands to reason that the user might want it to change to a valid Adobe Caslon. Not that this is certain, but it's likely. So if the suggested font is in the…
2 votes -
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 the page named "Dummy Object," select them with the mouse, then Menu > Object > Group
- Rename this to what you want your group's name to be
- Drag TWO OR MORE objects or groups into this group
- Drag the two Dummy Objects to the top of the Layers panel
to get them out of the group
- Drag the new group to the right position in the Layers panelI 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…2 votes -
Online publishing and interactivity needs importvments
1- make it responsive so it will fill in the screen
2- add navigation (TOC) on the side
3- better way to mange multiple publications, possibly folders..
4- Adding custom URL, for example: Comapnyname.com/issue 01
5- Allow publishing from another adobe ID, this would be great for teams so the publication isn't tied to one person. Maybe the publishing can be directly in the dashboard, for example: user login into the dash board, select new publication or exciting one, the click publish to get indesign file to be uploaded or opened on the computer and automatically published. this way we are sure the person own the file!
6- The interactivity panels needed to be improved and account the complexity may have, mabye we can have Interactive Styles panels, copy/past interactivity?
7- an option in in-design settings, where everytime user add link, it will automatically copy it project folder, this cab be turned on and off
8- make all indesign cash/backup files, located on the local machine to speed up the work on server.Thanks
1- make it responsive so it will fill in the screen
2- add navigation (TOC) on the side
3- better way to mange multiple publications, possibly folders..
4- Adding custom URL, for example: Comapnyname.com/issue 01
5- Allow publishing from another adobe ID, this would be great for teams so the publication isn't tied to one person. Maybe the publishing can be directly in the dashboard, for example: user login into the dash board, select new publication or exciting one, the click publish to get indesign file to be uploaded or opened on the computer and automatically published. this way we…2 votes -
Restore the old position of "Save", "cancel" & "don't save" buttons
Restore the old position of "Save", "cancel" & "don't save" buttons when closing a file or keep the same position of the buttons in all apps
2 votes -
Support for conversion or migration of legacy Adobe pagemaker files
It would be nice if Adobe InDesign allows opening or showing conversion options for legacy Adobe Pagemaker PMD files
2 votes -
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 -
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.
2 votes -
Make other type of non-separable characters
Sometimes, on dealing with math questions, we need to use measurament unities like "kg/cm²" and the character "/" wrap the line, separating a measure that is one itself. So I think it might be nice to include other non-separable characters than space and hyphen, like non-separable "!", "()", "/", ", etc. Maybe it could be even an option in the character panel...
2 votes -
Please fix text boxes after accepting a PDF comment
When importing PDF comments and accepting the markup/comment, the text box becomes unresponsive until you click off and back on multiple times. This has been an unaddressed bug for years. I am working on a catalogue with over 1,000 comments, this is going to double the time it takes to work on each page. Please fix this bug
2 votes -
Please remove the text (GPU Preview) in the name tabs.
They take up needed space if you have several files open. I know I can turn it off if I turn off GPU but would rather not.
2 votes -
Button to uniform Master page(s) margins to the whole Document margins
In the Layout/Margins and Coloumns window menu when I have selected a Master Page, I find no way to re-uniform the margins to the original margins set for the entire document. This would be a useful feature: when I changed the format adding 4mm to my 17x24 cm to be 17x24,4cm as the standard used by Amazon kdp for paper format, I would like to preserve the preceding paging by adding 2 mm to the inferior and superior margins. I did it in the menu File/set document for the whole document, but I saw my pages did not update since the format was manually set for the Master pages. So I had to change manually again the format for each master page in the Layout/Margins and colums menu. If I could set the command "uniform to the document settings" (in the position I put on the image attached) if would be more professional and it would also follow the document settings if I change format again.
Could you please implement this flag button?
In the Layout/Margins and Coloumns window menu when I have selected a Master Page, I find no way to re-uniform the margins to the original margins set for the entire document. This would be a useful feature: when I changed the format adding 4mm to my 17x24 cm to be 17x24,4cm as the standard used by Amazon kdp for paper format, I would like to preserve the preceding paging by adding 2 mm to the inferior and superior margins. I did it in the menu File/set document for the whole document, but I saw my pages did not update since…
2 votes -
Export Adobe PDF - General - Pages - CURRENT PAGE
Export Adobe PDF - General - Pages - "Current Page" only.
Each time I want to export just one page from one Indesign document I have to type the page number. There should be an option "Current Page" not only "All" and "Range"2 votes
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