Script Name
Last updated on
Jun 2, 2026
Learn how to automate tasks in Adobe InDesign using Scripts and Script Label panels for faster, consistent workflows.
You can use two scripting panels in InDesign to streamline your workflow: the Scripts panel and the Script Label panel.
Scripts panel
Use the Scripts panel to run scripts that automate repetitive tasks. The panel displays scripts stored in the Scripts folders within the InDesign application and the Preferences folders.
To open the Scripts panel, select Window > Utilities > Scripts. Add scripts to the Scripts Panel folder so they appear in the panel.
Script storage locations
- macOS: Users/[username]/Library/Preferences/Adobe InDesign/[version]/[language]/Scripts/Scripts Panel
- Windows: Users\[username]\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\InDesign\[version]\[language]\Scripts\Scripts Panel
Tip
To find the Scripts Panel folder, right-click (Windows) or control-click (macOS) a script in the Scripts panel, then select Reveal in Explorer or Reveal in Finder.
Script Label panel
Use the Script Label panel to assign labels to page items such as text frames or shapes. Labels help scripts identify specific objects. To open the panel, select Window > Utilities > Script Label.
Scripting lets you automate tasks, from simple actions to complex features. You can create your own scripts or run scripts created by others using available scripting guides and developer resources.
Available sample scripts in InDesign
You can install and use the sample scripts. To run a script, double-click it in the Scripts panel.
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Function |
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AddGuides |
Adds guides around the selected object or objects. |
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AddPoints |
Adds points to the paths of the selected object or objects. |
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Add QR Code |
Places a QR code on the placegun or directly as a page item. |
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AdjustPageItems |
Moves the content of even/odd pages by specified amounts to reposition items after parent page margin change or page insertions. |
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AlignToPage |
Aligns objects to specified positions on a page. |
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AnimationEncyclopedia |
Creates buttons with different animation properties. |
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BreakFrame |
Removes the selected text frame and contents from a story. |
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CornerEffects |
Redraws the path of selected items using different corner effects, including effects applied to specific path points. |
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CreateCharacterStyles |
Defines a complete character style based on the selected text. |
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CropMarks |
Adds crop and registration marks around selected objects. |
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ExportAllStories |
Exports all stories in a document to a series of text files. |
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FindChangeByList |
Performs standard text find/change operations by reading a tab-delimited text file. |
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ImageCatalog |
Places all graphics from a specified folder in a contact sheet layout. |
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MakeGrid |
Creates a grid by subdividing or duplicating the selected object or objects. |
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Neon |
Applies a blend effect to the selected object or objects. |
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PathEffects |
Changes the path point positions on selected objects to add a creative effect. |
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PlaceMultipagePDF |
Places all pages from a PDF document. |
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SelectObjects |
Selects objects on the active spread by their object type. |
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SortParagraphs |
Sorts selected paragraphs alphabetically. |
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SplitStory |
Splits text frames in the selected story into separate unlinked text frames. |
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TabUtilities |
Applies tab stops and indents to selected text. |
UXP plugin development
While scripts help automate tasks, UXP scripting lets developers build plugins with rich, interactive user interfaces.
Community-contributed scripts
Find open-source scripts from the Adobe InDesign community to extend functionality and automate specialized tasks.
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Script |
Author |
Purpose |
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Kris Coppieters |
Use keyboard shortcuts to insert one or more Unicode characters into InDesign text easily. |
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Stefan Rakete |
Use keyboard shortcuts to add defined typographic quotes before and after the selected text. |
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Paolo Agostinetto |
Copy one layer and its elements from one document to another. |
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Roland Dreger |
Determine the x-height of a text passage. |
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Ariel Walden |
Modify the document's margins to match the selected text frame throughout. |
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Ariel Walden |
Break the thread between text frames easily. |
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Kris Coppieters |
Alert users to the presence of notes with a startup script for InDesign and Adobe InCopy. |
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Kris Coppieters |
Copy and paste coordinates onto page items. |
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Gregor Fellenz |
Chain InDesign GREP queries into new scripts. |
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Gregor Fellenz |
Clear style overrides from InDesign Text, Tables, or Objects. |
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Luis Felipe Corullón |
Invert the selection in the InDesign document. |
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Paolo Agostinetto |
This script allows you to copy a layer and its elements from one document to another. |
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Peter Kahrel |
Convert end-of-document endnotes to end-of-book endnotes. |
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Peter Kahrel |
Create endnotes whose references don't update automatically when you add or remove endnotes. |
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Olav Kvern |
Resizes the current selection, such as an image, to fit the page. |
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Olav Kvern |
Resize the page to the size of the current selection, such as an image. |
Adobe maintains a repository of open source community scripts on GitHub. For more information about the InDesign Community Script repository, see the ReadMe file. This ReadMe file includes details about contributing a script and links to the scripters.
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