How to open a PDF in InDesign

Adobe InDesign is a versatile and powerful tool for creating print and digital publications, such as brochures, magazines and e-books.

Although InDesign is primarily designed to work with its native file formats (.indd and .idml), there are times when you may need to import a PDF document into your InDesign project.

In this article, we’ll walk you through the process of opening a PDF in InDesign using a few different methods, allowing you to seamlessly integrate PDF content into your designs.

Method 1: Place a PDF in InDesign

The simplest method of embedding a PDF into your InDesign project is by placing the PDF file into an existing document. This method treats the PDF as an image or graphic element, allowing you to resize and place it within your layout. To place a PDF in InDesign, follow these steps:

1. Open your InDesign document or create a new one.
2. Click “File” > “Place” in the top menu bar, or press “Ctrl + D” (Windows) or “Cmd + D” (Mac) on your keyboard to open the Place dialog box.
3. Navigate to the location of the PDF file on your computer, select it and click “Open”.
4. Your cursor will now display a thumbnail of the PDF file. Click and drag on the document canvas to create a new frame and place the PDF inside. Alternatively, you can click inside an existing frame to place the PDF inside that frame.

Please note: If the PDF file contains multiple pages, only the first page will be placed by default. To insert additional pages from the PDF, repeat the steps...