Select the paragraphs you want to format as a list.
Last updated on
Jun 2, 2026
Learn how to use automatic list formatting in Adobe InDesign to add bullets or sequential numbering to paragraphs.
Start bulleted lists with a bullet character at the beginning of each paragraph. Start numbered lists with a number or letter followed by a separator, such as a period or a parenthesis. Let numbered lists update automatically as you add or remove paragraphs. Customize bullets and numbering by changing the style, separator, character styles, and indent spacing.
Understand how list markers behave. Automatically generated bullets and numbers aren’t inserted as text and can’t be selected with the Type tool unless you convert them to text. These markers also don’t appear in the Story Editor window, except in the paragraph style column.
Create a list
Select Window > Styles > Paragraph Styles.
Apply a paragraph style with built-in bullet or numbering settings to format the list.
Continue the list by pressing Enter (Windows) or Return (macOS) at the end of each list item.
To end the list, apply a paragraph style without bullet or numbering settings.
Format a list
Select the bulleted or numbered paragraphs you want to change using the Type tool.
Select Window > Styles > Paragraph Styles.
Select the panel menu icon, then select Bullets and Numbering.
Customize bullets or numbering by changing the character, list options, or applied character style.
Adjust Alignment, Left Indent, and First Line Indent to control spacing and position.
Select OK.
Position settings
- Use Alignment to position bullets or numbers within the reserved horizontal space.
- Use Left Indent to set how far lines after the first line are indented.
- Use First Line Indent to position the bullet or number relative to the text. Create a hanging indent by using a positive Left Indent value and an equal negative First Line Indent value.
- Use a positive Left Indent value and an equal negative First Line Indent value to create a hanging indent.
- Use Tab Position to create space between the bullet or number and the start of the text.
Changes to Left Indent, First Line Indent, and Tab Position in the Paragraph panel also update the formatting of bulleted and numbered lists.
Ensure consistent bullet and numbering formatting
Use the Type tool and select the bulleted or numbered paragraphs that you want to review.
Select Window > Type & Tables > Paragraph.
Select the panel menu icon, then select Bullets and Numbering.
Review the formatting of the bullets or numbers. By default, list markers inherit formatting from the first character in each paragraph, which can cause inconsistent appearance across list items.
To apply consistent formatting, create and apply a character style to bullets or numbers.
Adjust or apply the required bullet or numbering settings.
Select OK.
Create nested lists
Use the Type tool and select consecutive list items.
Select Window > Type & Tables > Paragraph.
Increase the Left Indent value in the panel to create a nested level.
Adjust the bullet or numbering style as needed. Nested lists remain intact when you export the InDesign document to ePUB format.
Convert list bullets, numbers, or both to text
Use the Type tool to select paragraphs that contain bullets, numbering, or both.
Select Window > Type & Tables > Paragraph.
Select the panel menu icon, then select Convert Numbering to Text, Convert Bullets to Text, or Convert Bullets and Numbering to Text based on your selection.
Select Convert Bullets and Numbering to Text if the paragraph contains both bullets and numbers.
Tip
Select the Numbered List icon or Bulleted List icon to turn off list formatting for the selected text.
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