Select File > Place.
Last updated on
Jun 2, 2026
Learn how to use the Place command to add graphics with full format support and link management in Adobe InDesign.
The Place command gives you the most control when importing graphics, offering complete support for resolution, file formats, color management, and multipage documents. Use this method when you need to maintain links to original files, update graphics later, or work with complex formats like layered Photoshop files or multipage PDFs.
Place a single graphic file
Navigate to and select the graphic file you want to import.
Select Show Import Options to configure format-specific settings before importing.
Select Open.
If you selected import options, configure the settings in the dialog box and select OK.
Select anywhere on the document, or select an existing frame. You can view the graphic's filename in the Links panel with its full path.
Place multiple graphics at once
Select File > Place.
Select multiple files by holding Ctrl (Windows) or Command (macOS).
Select Show Import Options if you need to configure settings for any of the selected files.
Select Open.
Configure import options for each file if prompted, then select OK. The loaded graphics cursor displays a thumbnail of the current graphic and a number indicating how many files remain to be placed. You can scroll or change pages without losing the loaded graphics.
Select anywhere to place the first graphic, and repeat for each remaining graphic in sequence.
Place multiple graphics in a grid layout
Select File > Place and choose multiple graphic files.
Select Open and configure any import options.
Drag to start creating the grid.
Press the Up Arrow or Down Arrow keys while dragging to change the number of rows.
Press the Left Arrow or Right Arrow keys while dragging to change the number of columns.
Release the mouse button once done.
Hold Ctrl (Windows) or Command (macOS) while pressing arrow keys to adjust spacing between frames in the grid.
Place layered Adobe files with layer control
Select File > Place.
Select Show Import Options before selecting your file.
Select a layered Adobe file (PSD, PDF, AI, or INDD format) and select Open.
Select the layers to display from the Import Options dialog box. Select a specific layer composition for Photoshop files.
Select OK.
Select or drag to place the file in your layout.
InDesign preserves the layer visibility settings when you place a file, and you can modify them later through the Object Layer Options dialog box.
Import metadata
XMP templates store standardized metadata for documents, such as author, copyright, and keywords. Importing an XMP file lets you replace, merge, or append metadata to maintain consistency across projects and applications.
Before you begin
Make sure you have an XMP template file exported from InDesign or another XMP-enabled application, and that you know its location on your computer or network.
Select File > File Info.
Select the pop-up menu next to Preferences in the File Info the dialog box.
Select an XMP template from the menu if it appears in the list or select Import to browse for an XMP file.
If you select Import, navigate to the XMP file location and double-click the template file.
In the Import Options dialog box, select how to handle existing metadata:
- Clear existing properties and replace with template properties
- Keep original metadata, but replace matching properties from template
- Keep original metadata, but append matching properties from template
Select OK.
Tip
To view the folder where InDesign looks for XMP templates, select the pop-up menu next to Preferences in the File Info dialog box and select Templates Folder.
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