Select Window > Text Wrap.
Last updated on
Jun 2, 2026
Learn how to use text wrap boundaries to flow text around frames, images, and shapes in Adobe InDesign.
Text wrap creates a boundary around an object that allows text to flow around it. Use it for images, shapes, or text frames. It affects text on the same layer or layers underneath the wrap object and remains active when the object is moved or resized.
Apply text wrap to simple objects
Use the Selection tool or the Direct Selection tool to select the object to wrap text around.
Select a wrap shape in the Text Wrap panel:
- Wrap around bounding box: Creates a rectangular boundary.
- Wrap around object shape: Follows the object's contours.
- Jump object: Prevents text from appearing beside the object.
- Jump to next column: Forces text to the next column.
Specify offset values to control the distance between text and the wrap boundary.
Tip
For the Wrap around bounding box and the Wrap around object shape options, use the Wrap To menu to specify which side receives the wrap.
To set the default text wrap for all new objects, deselect everything before specifying text wrap settings in the Text Wrap panel.
Apply text wrap to irregular shapes
Select Window > Text Wrap.
Select the imported image using the Selection tool or the Direct Selection tool.
Select Wrap around object shape in the Text Wrap panel.
Specify offset values to control spacing between text and the wrap boundary.
Select the Text Wrap panel menu icon and then select Show Options to display additional controls.
Select a contour option from the Type menu:
- Bounding Box: Wraps to the image rectangle.
- Detect Edges: Automatically detects edges.
- Alpha Channel: Uses saved alpha channels.
- Photoshop Path: Uses saved paths.
- Graphic Frame: Uses the container frame.
- Same as Clipping: Matches the clipping path.
Select Include Inside Edges to allow text inside hollow areas of the image.
Control text wrap settings
Learn how to adjust offset distances and wrap boundaries to refine how text flows around objects in Adobe InDesign.
Text wrap settings control the distance between wrapped text and the wrap object, as well as how text behaves on specific sides or in multi-column layouts. Adjusting these settings helps you create balanced, readable layouts without manual text repositioning.
Adjust offset distances
Use the Selection tool or the Direct Selection tool to select the object with text wrap applied.
Select Window > Text Wrap.
In the Text Wrap panel, locate the offset value fields: Top Offset, Bottom Offset, Left Offset, and Right Offset.
Enter positive values to move the text wrap boundary away from the frame, or negative values to move the boundary inside the frame.
Press Enter (Windows) or Return (macOS).
Control which side wraps text
Select the wrap object using the Selection tool.
In the Text Wrap panel, select Show Options from the panel menu if the Wrap To menu isn't visible.
From the Wrap To menu, select your preferred option: Right Side, Left Side, Both Right & Left Sides, Side Towards Spine, Side Away from Spine, or Largest Area.
Modify the wrap boundary shape
Select the wrap object with the Direct Selection tool.
If the text wrap boundary matches the object shape, you'll see anchor points along the boundary path.
Use the Pen tool to add or delete anchor points and the Direct Selection tool to drag anchor points and adjust the curve. Once you manually edit the wrap boundary, User-Modified Path appears in the Type menu. To restore the original clipping path, select Same as Clipping from the Type menu.
To reset the boundary to match the original object shape, select a new option from the Type menu in the Text Wrap panel.
Exclude text wrap for specific frames
By default, text flows around objects with text wrap applied, but you can set individual text frames to ignore text wrap. This lets text flow behind or through wrapped objects, which helps overlap layouts or fixed-position text.
Configure a text frame to ignore wrap objects
Use the Selection tool to select the text frame that should ignore text wrap settings.
Select Object > Text Frame Options.
In the Text Frame Options dialog box, select the Ignore Text Wrap checkbox.
Select OK.
Control text wrap using stacking order
Select Edit > Preferences > Composition (Windows) or InDesign > Preferences > Composition (macOS).
In the Composition preferences, select Text Wrap Only Affects Text Beneath. The Text Wrap Only Affects Text Beneath preference affects all text frames in your document, unlike Ignore Text Wrap.
Select OK. Text frames positioned on top of a wrap object in the stacking order now automatically ignore that object's text wrap.
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