Convert PDF features and limitations

PDF to InDesign conversion features

• Open multiple PDFs from any source (e.g., PDFs created from Illustrator, Photoshop, Express, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint, Apple Numbers, Canva, etc.)
• Strikethrough, superscript and subscript, baseline shift, underline, tables, special characters, hyperlinks, nested ordered and unordered lists, spot colors, and gradients are supported.
• Can't open unsupported, digitally signed, or password-protected PDF files.
• Superscript and Subscript are visually correct and editable in most cases.
• Tables are supported.
• Paragraph Styles and Character Styles are created as part of the PDF to INDD document conversion only if the number of unique styles in the document isn’t more than 80.
• PDF conversion supports the Drop Shadow Effect in PDFs created in InDesign. Object Opacity, Blending modes, and the optimization for creating multiple text frames are now fully or partially supported for PDFs.
• Grouping of paragraphs into a single text frame is supported.
• Select Preserve InDesign Editing Capabilities in the export dialog to PDF. This will help recreate the PDF as it was originally created in InDesign.

Limitations and known issues

• InDesign isn't able to convert PDF files that are corrupted or malformed in any manner and were created from unreliable sources.
• InDesign does not support:
  • Advanced Bullets & Numbered lists (having different colors or styles).
  • Advanced Table Features (e.g., tables with different borders and variations, and advanced Bullets and numbers).
• You can convert a PDF or Illustrator file that is less than 150 MB and has a maximum page count of 200.

Unable to open the PDF created in Illustrator

If the Illustrator (AI) file was created without selecting the Create PDF Compatible File option while saving in Illustrator, InDesign cannot process it. To fix this, open the file in Illustrator, re-save it with the Create PDF Compatible File option selected, and then try to open it again.

Files saved without PDF compatibility in older versions of Illustrator will also fail to open in InDesign. To fix this, open the file in Illustrator, re-save it with the Create PDF Compatible File option selected, and then try to open it again.

If the file still doesn’t work, there may be an internal issue with the .ai file itself. In this case, InDesign cannot process the file. Try troubleshooting in Illustrator (such as simplifying complex artwork, removing corrupt elements, or resaving under a new name) before reopening it.