Select the frame
Find answers to common questions when importing Photoshop assets in InDesign.
Try the following workflows that suit your design objectives:
Workflow | How To Achieve |
---|---|
Adjust layer visibility | Adjust the visibility of top-level layers while placing a file or using the Object Layer Options dialog box. View the desired comp if your Photoshop file contains layer comps. Click Layer comps in Photoshop to learn more. |
Remove background or wrap text |
Use paths, masks, and alpha channels in a Photoshop file to remove backgrounds or wrap text around graphics when importing in InDesign. Click Masks and alpha channels in Photoshop and Alpha channels in InDesign to learn more. |
Assign a color profile |
Import a Photoshop file with an embedded ICC color management profile for InDesign to detect if color management is active. To override the profile in InDesign, use the Import Options dialog box or assign a different color profile. Click Work with color profiles in Photoshop and Manage colors in InDesign to learn more. |
See spot colors | See spot-color channels in Photoshop files as spot colors in the InDesign Swatches panel. Click Spot color channels in Photoshop to learn more. |
Preview your files | See the screen resolution version of your Photoshop files in the layout, even though the actual graphic file may be linked or embedded. See Image size and resolution in Photoshop and Link or embed graphic files in InDesign to learn more. |
The Place command is most frequently used to import Photoshop files to InDesign. Click Place graphics in InDesign to learn more about adding files to your InDesign document.
From InDesign, select the frame if you are importing into or replacing an existing frame.
If you are importing a graphic without a frame, ensure that nothing in the document is selected. Click Frames and objects in InDesign to learn more about importing graphics without a frame.
You can also drag and drop Photoshop files to InDesign and maintain their attributes and editing capabilities.
Layer comps (or compositions) are a neat way to create, manage, and view multiple versions of your layouts or content in one Photoshop file. They reduce the need for redundant layers when importing a Photoshop file to InDesign.
You can save more than one design idea using layer comps.
Layer comps are the snapshot of a state of the Layers panel and record layer visibility, layer position, layer appearance, and layer comp selection.
With layer comps, you can experiment with layer styles, visibility, opacity, colors, effects, and placement using attributes and states while toggling between layers in the same Photoshop file. Click Layer comps to learn more about using them in Photoshop.
When you import this file to InDesign, you can choose from different states in the Layer Comp dropdown menu, instead of having to adjust the visibility of layers. This way you can import only one file and use layer comps as part of the file.
To avoid your Photoshop file from getting pixelated in InDesign, go to File > Place to select the file, instead of simply copying and pasting it.
Also, make sure you choose the right display settings to view files at full resolution in InDesign. (Click Graphics display to learn more about controlling graphics display performance.)
High Quality Display is checked by default in the View > Display Performance menu.
To prevent your Photoshop image from looking oversaturated in Indesign, ensure your color profiles match between both the applications (tagged images). Go to Edit > Color Settings to adjust settings for both.
Use your CMYK image in an InDesign document created with the default North American General Purpose Color Settings. The color settings set US Web Coated SWOP as the assigned CMYK profile and the policy is set to ignore linked profiles.
Use Assign Profile to tag your images with specific profiles or untag them by removing the profiles.
Select a different profile and assign it without converting colors to the profile space. This can change the appearance of the colors as displayed on your monitor.
Click Work with color profiles to learn more about assigning or removing a color profile in Photoshop and InDesign.
If you have a question to ask or an idea to share, come and participate in the Adobe Photoshop community and Adobe InDesign community. We'd love to hear from you!
Sign in to your account