Adobe InDesign Review

What Is Adobe InDesign?

Adobe InDesign is a publishing and typesetting software perfect for creating digital content like flyers, brochures, posters, newspapers, presentations, and ebooks.

InDesign is the successor of Adobe PageMaker, which Adobe acquired when it bought the software company Aldus in 1994. By 1998, PageMaker had lost most of its users due to fierce competition. Adobe was forced to step up their game and launched InDesign 1.0 in 1999.

Since then, updates including newer formats, improved layouts, and extra features have made the Adobe InDesign subscription a must for graphic designers and production artists. However, there’s a steep learning curve for those who haven’t seen similar software before.

InDesign Features

Adobe InDesign gives you all the tools needed to create beautiful layouts. Let’s dive into the most critical features of this graphic design software.

Text

One of the most prominent parts of InDesign projects is the text. Along with images, it tells the story of a brand or convinces people to purchase a product. With Adobe InDesign, you can:

Manipulate text: You can align text or wrap it around an object. Adobe Sensei wraps text around the borders of any object/image.

Fonts: Many fonts are readily available within the software, but users are free to add their own. InDesign even supports OpenType SVG fonts.

Alternative scripts: You have access to Japanese, Arabic, and Hindy scripts. But you can also use the Glyph panel for glyphs and special characters.

Columns and paragraphs : Add columns, frames, page breaks, and paragraph returns.

Drop caps: You can use drop caps to improve the design of the paragraph. You can set borders with customized corners.

Tables: Tables can be created from scratch or imported from other applications.

Pages & Spreads

What does Adobe InDesign do? It helps designers create beautiful pages and spreads for promotional materials and books. The software gives you an easy overview of the pages designed.

Master page: This feature lets you put particular objects or texts on multiple pages within a document.

Add objects: Adding objects on pages such as page numbers, chapters, headers, footers, and sections is quickly done within InDesign.

Scale objects: The Liquid Layout InDesign feature can scale items on the page. Once everything is in place, they can be locked in.

Create sections: Create sections on your pages for a clear and easy-to-edit layout.

When creating digital documents like online magazines or ebooks, it’s sometimes necessary to add links to your texts. You can prompt people to visit a website or download a document. Using InDesign for PC or macOS makes it easy for you to add these options.

Add links: Add links for users to open different websites.

Create buttons: InDesign also allows for buttons to perform specific actions once the document is exported as EPUB, PDF, or SWF. They can act as hyperlinks and help the users navigate through pages or visit external websites in Adobe InDesign online artwork.

Bookmarks: This link helps people navigate the document exported as Adobe PDF. Each bookmark can jump to a specified text anchor or page.

Import links from Microsoft Word: When you import a hyperlink from Microsoft Word, it will automatically inherit the border and the standard blue color.

Sync Settings with Adobe Creative Cloud

You can sync your work with Adobe Creative Cloud across multiple devices. It even works if InDesign gets reinstalled on a new device: all the settings and edits will remain in place.

QR Codes

The ability to create QR codes is one of our favorite InDesign features. Once placed inside the document, the QR code is treated as a traditional ESP object. When hovering the item, it reveals the content details.

Detect and Recover Damaged Documents

Document corruption is sometimes unavoidable. Luckily, the auto-repair mechanisms help you recover corrupted documents with InDesign.

Workspace

The InDesign workspace is where users can streamline their workflow. There are preset workspaces, but users can also create their own. You can turn on dark mode to improve your working experience.

While testing the software, we noticed that presets from the library sometimes don’t download. To solve this issue, you can use private browsing mode to log in the Creative Cloud or search for downloadable templates in Google.

Toolbox

The toolbox gives you a simple way to edit documents, images, and text by using:

Selection: Select and activate objects, points, and lines

Transformation: Resize and reorient objects

Drawing and type : Create simple objects

Modification and navigation : Used as rulers and measurement units

Dynamic PDF Documents

You can include interactive art, buttons, movies, bookmarks, page transitions, and sounds. Because many people use InDesign for web design, this feature helps design objects that make the document come alive.

Animation

Exported documents created in the InDesign app can play videos and include animations. These tools include:

Animation panel : Apply motion preset

Direct selection tool and Pen tool : Edit the path in which the object moves

Timing panel : Change the animation order

Review panel : View the finished animation

You need motion presets to animate, and you can manage these in the Presets menu in the Animation section of the software.

While the Pen and Pencil tools work similarly to other Adobe software, the difference between Illustrator and InDesign lies in the fact that InDesign is better for multi-page document creation.

This Creative Cloud InDesign feature is the most useful for fast sketching and creating a hand-drawn appearance. These are the pencil tool options:

Fidelity

Smoothness

Fill new pencil strokes

Keep selected

Edit paths

Within:_pixels

Align and Distribute Object

This feature allows you to move objects in your documents however you like. Adobe Creative Cloud InDesign gives you the option to:

Copy/paste objects

Drag objects

Move objects with your arrow keys

Move objects by entering values

Move objects by using XY coordinates

The Align panel is used to distribute and set up the object on the axis and anchor point.

Image Editing

Although the image editing features aren’t as powerful as those on Photoshop, they are still worth mentioning in our Adobe InDesign review. Images are a huge part of this software’s documents, and using the right tools is crucial for a successful result.

You can crop the image to fit the frame. You can add textures and other effects to it with the FX panel.

The transparency effect makes overlapping images stand out. Any edit in the Adobe InDesign Creative Cloud has 100% opacity by default but can be changed to fit your needs.

Remember that regardless of these color blending features, if you need to edit images, your best choice is Photoshop. Adobe InDesign doesn’t have that many options for image editing; it’s more of a layout software.

Apply Color

Color is an essential part of any Creative Cloud InDesign project. You can add color to your designs with the Toolbox, Swatches Panel, Color Panel, Color Picker, and the Control Panel. If you need to sample colors, you can do so from imported graphics, the eyedropper tool, or Photoshop.

InDesign has various options to blend colors in your projects, including darkening, softening, multiplying, overlay, soft/hard light, color dodge, and color burn. You can even locate and replace any color with a few clicks.

Publish Online

This feature lets you instantly publish a digital version of your document without additional software and plug-ins. Published documents can be updated with multimedia and republished at any time. You can share the URL and mobile device users will enjoy a smooth experience while reading.

Export to EPUB and HTML

Adobe Creative Cloud InDesign software can now replace Amazon Kindle Create. When exported to EPUB, it will allow the EPUB reader to optimize the documents to fit them to the display size.

Exporting to HTML will allow you to create web-ready content and control how text and images are exported. It shows all stories, SWF movie files, tables, lists, and other objects. It doesn’t include hyperlinks, XML tags, bookmarks, page transitions, and master page items.

HiDPI Support

The latest InDesign version also includes native support for high-resolution displays. The edges are sharper, and the colors more vibrant. This will give you increased clarity for text and detailed artwork for a better user experience.

Adobe Exchange Panel

With the Exchange Panel, you can find plug-ins and scripts used in any Adobe product. Another great thing is that you can share products privately.

Adobe InDesign Ease of Use

As soon as we opened InDesign, it became clear that it’s not a program for novice users. Having any prior knowledge of other Adobe programs will benefit you.

Upon opening the software, you’ll be greeted by a blank interface with the option to create a new document. While it’s not very confusing, inexperienced designers might have to spend more time finding the tools they want to use for their desired effect.

We liked the ability to use templates provided by Adobe. For that, you have to purchase Adobe InDesign and be logged in to the Creative Cloud. The templates are vivid, and you’ll have the option to select the presets for print, web, and mobile.

All the necessary tools will be on the panel’s left side. Hovering a mouse over the device will show its name, but there’s no explanation of how it should be used. By reading the features covered in this Adobe InDesign review, you can see why it may take some time to get used to all it has to offer.

Adobe InDesign System Requirements

Adobe InDesign for Windows:

Processor: Intel Pentium 5 or AMD Athlon 64 processor

Operating system: Windows 10, 64 bit

Minimum 4 GB RAM

3.6 GB HDD for installation + additional free space

Monitor: 1024 x 768 resolution

Video card: 32-bit

Internet connection necessary for software activation

Adobe InDesign for Mac:

Processor: Multi-Core Intel

macOS: 11, 10.15, or 10.14

Minimum 4 GB RAM

3.5 GB HDD for installation + additional free space

Monitor: 1024 x 768 resolution

Video card: 32-bit

GPU: minimum 1024 MB VRAM, must support OpenGL version 4.0 or above

Internet connection necessary for software activation

Adobe InDesign Price

InDesign offers a 7-days free trial, but you’ll have to provide your email and credit card information. After the seven days, you’ll be charged depending on the package you’ve selected.

Annual plan, paid monthly : $20.99/month

Annual plan, prepaid : $239.88/year ($19.99/month)

Monthly plan : $31.49/month

All packages give access to the latest updates, 100GB of cloud storage, Adobe Portfolio, Adobe Fonts, and Adobe Spark. There is a 14-day money-back guarantee.

Adobe InDesign vs. Illustrator

Both InDesign and Illustrator have unique features for certain types of projects. These can be used together to enhance the final product. But what are the differences?

Adobe Illustrator is an industry-leading vector graphics software. You can use this to create artwork that can be scaled to fit any size, including logos, typography, hand lettering, icons, infographics, banners, and charts.

With Adobe InDesign you can create promotional materials, such as flyers, brochures, posters, and pamphlets. It’s not focused on making images like Illustrator is, and the textual sections are essential parts of the designs.

The most significant difference between InDesign and Illustrator is that the artwork created in InDesign can be printed or published online. It’s not made to be scaled and used on various mediums, like artwork from Illustrator.

These two programs may have some overlapping features, but they’re used differently and with a different purpose. Both can create multi-page documents, but InDesign is better for it. If you need an illustration, you can make it in Illustrator first to add it to your InDesign project later.

Adobe InDesign Review - Verdict

Being one of the best multi-page design software, Adobe InDesign is the tool of choice for graphic designers and marketers. Its unique features separate it from other Adobe products, yet it has some overlapping features with Photoshop and Illustrator.

InDesign is not an image editing tool. All photos, logos, and vectors should be designed or edited with Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator first before being placed in the InDesign document. But with this software, you can create stunning pages and spreads for books and promotional materials.

Its features may take a while to get used to. Users have also complained that it slows down when more pages are added, which is annoying since it’s supposed to support multi-page formats.

While the Adobe InDesign price may seem expensive to some, we find that it is justified if you’re an experienced user. If you’re a beginner, you can always test the waters using the Adobe InDesign free trial.

Best Ways To Get Adobe InDesign for Free

Best Ways To Get Adobe InDesign for Free

Knowing the best ways to download Adobe InDesign for free is very useful for creatives and publishers.

‍Adobe InDesign is the best application for creating and designing print materials such as flyers, brochures, magazines, etc.

It is also a must-have piece of software for marketing professionals since they can create and design amazing marketing materials.

How to install Adobe InDesign for free?

Just like with Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator, you can also get InDesign for free for 7 days.

But since a lot of you are asking about the differences of Adobe InDesign, Illustrator, and Photoshop, here’s a short comparison for you.

Individually, Adobe Apps — Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign — have unique features that make each best suited for certain types of tasks and projects.

You can also use them together to create all the different elements in your design and prepare it for any type of digital or print output.

‍Adobe Photoshop is your go-to application for working with pixel-based images designed for print, web, and mobile apps.

‍Illustrator, on the other hand, allows you to create artwork including custom typography, infographics, and one-page design layouts like a form or a flyer.‍

While InDesign is the best choice to design and publish multipage documents containing text, vector artwork, and images.

If you want a tutorial on how to download InDesign, then you’re at the right place since this article will cover everything that you must know about the app.

This article aims to answer all of the FAQs about InDesign including where can you buy the software and how much does it costs.

I also include the best Adobe discounts which is perfect for graphic designers and digital artists on a budget.

So if you want to know everything about Adobe InDesign, then here’s the important things to know about the software.

How to Download Adobe InDesign for Free

What is Adobe InDesign? Why do you need InDesign? Download InDesign for Free How To Buy Adobe InDesign? Get Adobe InDesign Discount InDesign for Android & iOS Adobe InDesign Alternatives

If you’re curious about other popular applications from Creative Cloud, you can check out my other article where I feature the Adobe Software List.

1. What is Adobe InDesign?

InDesign is a page layout application that is primarily used for printing but may also be used for digital publication.

InDesign is the best Adobe software for page layout and design.

It is the industry’s standard tool for creating different kinds of print materials, including flyers, brochures, etc.

When used in conjunction with the Adobe Digital Publishing Suite, InDesign can also publish material suited for tablet devices. ‍

The primary users of this app are graphic designers and production artists, who create and layout magazines, posters, and print media.

It can also be used to make e-books and digital publications, such as digital magazines, as well as information that can be consumed on tablet computers.

When it comes to exporting information for usage in other digital or online formats, InDesign supports XML, style sheets, and other types of code markup.

Additionally, Adobe InDesign is also known as the best application for digital publications and design.

If you want to know all the details about InDesign, you can visit the official website of Adobe.

2. Why do you need InDesign?

Aside from Photoshop and Illustrator, Adobe InDesign is also one of the best Adobe software for creatives.

Adobe InDesign is the go-to app for millions of digital designers.

With InDesign, creating and delivering immersive experiences in any format can be done easily.‍

Professional designers can create audio, video, slideshows, and animations to attract readers to read digital periodicals, eBooks, and interactive online publications.

You may also use typography from the world’s leading foundries and pictures from Adobe Stock to create stunning graphic projects.

‍Adobe InDesign is ideal for designers but also for marketing professionals who want to create attractive marketing materials.‍

This software from Adobe offers various uses, features, and templates that you can use for your graphic design and business needs.

Where to use Adobe InDesign?

Flyers Posters Postcards eBooks Page Layouts Brochures Resume Presentation Menu

These are some of the print materials that you can create and design using Adobe InDesign, so if you want to know how to get InDesign for free, you’re at the right place.

3. Download InDesign for Free

Since you already know what are the uses of Adobe InDesign, you will probably be curious about:

How to get Adobe InDesign full version for free?

Well, if you want a tutorial on how to download InDesign for free, this article is perfect for you since I will be featuring the steps on how to get InDesign.

Just like other Adobe software such as Photoshop and Illustrator, the Adobe Creative Cloud is also offering new users of InDesign the chance to try its free trial.

But the question is, “Where to download Adobe InDesign for free?”‍

If you want to try the features of InDesign for free, the first thing that you must do is visit the Adobe website and go to the Adobe InDesign page.

Just click the “FREE TRIAL” button and you will be given options of plans that you can choose from — Adobe InDesign Single App or Creative Cloud Package.

After that, you will be directed to a page where you can choose your subscription type.

Don’t worry about the prices that are stated since you can cancel your subscription before the trial ends and you won’t be charged.

And lastly, after you create an Adobe account, you can now enjoy the full version of Adobe InDesign for free for 7 days only.

You can explore all its features and uses, and if you wish to continue using the app after 7 days, just don’t cancel your subscription, and you will be automatically charged.

So what are you waiting for? Try the free version of Adobe InDesign now!

‍Adobe InDesign Free Download

4. How To Buy Adobe InDesign?

I’m sure that after you try the InDesign free trial, you will be interested in buying the full version of Adobe InDesign.

How much does Adobe InDesign cost?

So if you’re going to ask me on how and how much can you buy the Adobe InDesign, then here’s how.

The best way to get InDesign and have full access to its features is by having a Creative Cloud subscription.

You have the option to buy the single app subscription that includes 100GB of cloud storage, Adobe Portfolio and Adobe Fonts.

You will also have an access to the latest features and updates of InDesign as soon as they’re released.

The single app InDesign subscription will cost you US$20.99/mo.‍

But if you want your subscription to include Adobe Stock in which you can have access to ton of royalty-free images, vectors, and videos, you can get it for $29.99/mo.

However, if you also need other Adobe application such as Photoshop and Illustrator, it is wiser to buy the Creative Cloud All Apps.

It will give you unlimited access to all of the Adobe software and it will save you a lot of money for buying every software individually.

So whether you’re a designer or a business owner that needs the best software for digital prints and publication, buying Adobe InDesign is a great choice.

5. Get Adobe InDesign Discount

Aside from the fact that Adobe Creative Cloud is a great source of amazing applications, they also make sure that their subscription is budget-friendly.

How to get an Adobe discount on InDesign?

If you decide to buy the whole Creative Cloud All Apps package, you will have the chance to get a discount from Adobe.

It is applicable for students and teachers because Adobe provides full access to 20+ creative software for the lowest possible price.

The regular price for buying the Adobe CC All Apps is $52.99/mo, but if you qualify for the student discount, you’ll be able to save up to 60% off.

Imagine being able to use all the best software from Adobe for only $19.99/month!

Although there are other ways that you can get Adobe InDesign for a lower price than what the Creative Cloud is offering, never settle for a pirated version.

Downloading the pirated version of Adobe InDesign can be very harmful to you and can put your system at risk of malware and viruses that can steal personal information.

So, as a graphic designer myself, I recommend just buying InDesign from the most reliable and safest source, which is Adobe Creative Cloud.

‍Get Adobe InDesign Student Discount now!

6. InDesign for Android & iOS

If you’re an on-the-go creative, then you are most likely to look for the mobile version of Adobe InDesign.

How to install Adobe InDesign for smartphones and iPads?

But unfortunately, Adobe InDesign is currently available only for Mac and PC desktop computers.

Adobe Creative Cloud only allows its users to access InDesign through computers since it is the best and most effective way of creating print material designs.

However, there is a free app from Adobe in which you can use to create layouts on your iPads and mobile devices which is the Adobe Comp.

Adobe Comp allows you to send your design to InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, or Muse for further refinement and design of your piece.

Additionally, it also allows you to send your designs to Behance or save them as an image or PDF.

If you want to know more about how Adobe Comp works, including its uses and features, just visit Adobe’s official website.

7. Adobe InDesign Alternatives

As a graphic designer, I can say that Adobe InDesign is the best software for creating page layouts and designs.

What are the best Adobe InDesign alternatives?

However, there are also InDesign alternatives that you can use for the same purposes.

Some of the best alternatives to Adobe InDesign are Canva and Scribus, which you can get for free.

They are perfect for beginner graphic designers and publishers since you don’t have to pay anything to create and design your print materials.

However, there are also affordable InDesign alternatives, which are Affinity Designer, Viva Designer, QuarkXPress, and Swift Publisher.

But although these apps are great choices, they are just alternatives, and Adobe InDesign is still the best application for creating publication designs.

So if you’re a graphic designer, publisher, or marketing professional, InDesign is a must-have application for you.

‍Download Adobe InDesign now

Conclusions

Although Adobe InDesign is not as popular as Photoshop and Illustrator, it is still the best software for creating digital publications and print materials.

It can provide you with every feature that you need for making attractive designs for your flyers, brochures, presentations, eBooks, etc.

Is Adobe InDesign free to use?

For 7 days, Adobe CC allows its users to have access to the full version of InDesign for free.

However, when the free trial ends, you must buy a subscription in order to continue using the application.

The good news is that Creative Cloud is offering an amazing discount in which you can buy the Adobe CC All Apps package for just $19.00/mo.

You can enjoy this 60% off discount if you are qualified for the Adobe Student Discount.

You can also check out my other article where I feature the best Adobe CC discounts.

I hope this article answers all of your questions, especially about how to get the Adobe InDesign full version for free.

As a designer, publisher, digital artist, and marketing professional, what do you think are the best InDesign features? — Leave a comment below.

Why Adobe InDesign is the Top Preference of Graphic Designers & Editors

InDesign is a software developed and published by Adobe for print and digital projects that are visual in nature. In addition to online and digital media, it’s also commonly used by graphic designers to prepare the layouts and images for newsletters, brochures, books, and newspapers.

Adobe InDesign has been regarded as one of the (if not the) best tools in designing multi-page documents that contain text, images, and artwork. Aside from graphic designers, many marketers also rely on this tool to create promotional materials.

Although InDesign isn’t the only graphic design software currently available on the market, it is certainly one of the best ones out there. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at how InDesign and it’s advantages over other similar software.

Easier Collaboration and Sharing

Since InDesign is made by Adobe, it can be used with the company’s other services, such as its Creative Cloud (CC) Libraries. This means that you’ll be able to save your projects on the Cloud. This feature is very helpful, especially for those who are working on a single project with teammates or other external collaborators.

Through InDesign and the CC Libraries, you’ll be able to create and share various design elements such as logos, videos, images, photos, and even character and colour styles with your colaborators. Aside from saving your progress and keeping your work secured, using InDesign with CC Libraries helps you save time, and therefore project cost.

Handles Multi-Page Projects

Like other design programs such as Illustrator, InDesign is more than capable of handling multi-page projects. However, what sets InDesign apart from other software are its various helpful functions. One of these is the Master Page, which was specifically designed by Adobe to handle projects that involve documents with multiple pages.

This feature serves as a master template that you can use to create and edit which then cascades to the formatting of the other pages of your document. Since the text and graphic elements that you include on the Master Page will also appear on the other pages, this function is very helpful for those working on books, newsletters, or catalogues. It also helps you save time by allowing you to create and edit multiple pages without going through them individually.

Broad Compatibility

Another reason why many graphic designers, artists, and marketers prefer to use InDesign over other programs is its compatibility with other apps. InDesign can be directly integrated with other programs made by Adobe, such as Bridge, Photoshop, and Illustrator. Its cross-compatibility allows for easy back and forth switching between programs while creating and editing images linked within InDesign.

In addition to Adobe’s other design programs, InDesign is also integrated with Typekit, which is the company’s font library. This built-in feature allows you to access Adobe’s complete collection of font styles that have been cleared for both personal and commercial use.

Time-Saving Features

As discussed above, InDesign’s Master Page option helps you take on multi-page projects easily. But, aside from this function, this program also has other helpful features that are designed to streamline your work. One of these is Layers, which was made to organize each of the elements you used in your project. This feature allows you to easily and quickly go through the creative elements you need for your work.

Another helpful feature is Style Group. It provides you with an option to save the character, text, object, and paragraph styles so you can reuse them throughout your project or for other future projects. You can learn more about these features, as well as InDesign’s other functions, through dedicated InDesign courses online.

InDesign can also automatically detect the details of your images to allow you to wrap your text around them much faster. In addition, the program offers various flexible text frame options that accurately resize the text frame of your projects.

Greater Editing Capabilities

Probably one of InDesign’s best features is its vast editing capabilities. This program comes equipped with various design aspects that you can take advantage of in order to fully customize your projects. For instance, this software allows you to quickly search and replace the colours of any type of object to keep the overall appearance of your work consistent. This feature also helps ensure the accuracy of the colour quality during printing.

InDesign also has a feature known as Liquid Content. Through this feature, designers and editors can create different versions of their designs to ensure that their layout will still appear perfectly when viewed using different devices, such as smartphones and tablets.