Remove or replace book documents

Last updated on Jun 2, 2026

Learn how to use Book panel commands in Adobe InDesign to update document lists and swap files in book collections.

Removing a document deletes only its reference from the book panel, while replacing swaps one document for another in the book's sequence. Both operations preserve the original InDesign files on disk, while only modifying the document list in the book file.

Remove a document from a book

Open an InDesign book (INDB) file.

Select a document name in the Book panel.

Select the panel menu icon and then select Remove Document.

Replace a document in a book

Open an InDesign book (INDB) file.

Select the document you want to replace in the Book panel.

Select the panel menu and then select Replace Document.

Navigate to the replacement InDesign file, select it, and select Open. The new document appears in the same position in the book panel as the previous document.

Note

If your replacement document uses styles or formatting that differ from the book's source style, synchronize the book to maintain consistency.