How to Import InDesign Files into Studio

Summary

With Studio's InDesign import feature, designers can bypass the time-consuming and error-prone task of manually recreating complex layouts from scratch. By importing native InDesign files directly into Studio, teams can quickly convert their source material into editable, on-brand templates, significantly accelerating time-to-value and expanding self-serve capabilities for marketing and sales.

Who?

Users with the following permissions can import design files into Studio:

  • Admin

  • Content Designer

Why?

Importing InDesign files provides several key benefits:

  • Efficiency: Eliminates the manual effort required to reconstruct brand layouts layout-by-layout within Studio.

  • Brand Governance: Automatically converts design assets into exact, on-brand templates where critical structures can be locked down safely.

  • Scalability: Accelerates template generation, allowing content creators and sales/marketing teams to self-serve with approved layouts instantly.

How?

Before You Import

To ensure a successful file transition, prepare your InDesign package according to the following prerequisites:

  • Note: CMYK colors are converted to RGB on import to Studio. This may result in color discrepancies. To achieve maximal accuracy, use inDesign projects in RGB color space.
  • Prep your layers: Identify elements that should remain static and those that users should edit. The importer will automatically map locked elements from your InDesign file to the equivalent locking controls in Studio.
  • Save as .IDML: Ensure your InDesign project is saved explicitly in the .idml format. Native .indd files are not currently supported.
  • Package your assets: Package the InDesign .idml file and all linked images into a single .zip archive file. The importer supports IDML in ZIP formats to ensure linked image assets are properly handled and uploaded directly to the Studio DAM.
  • Upload Fonts: Ensure all fonts used in your InDesign file have been uploaded to Studio prior to import to prevent mismatched text sizing or positioning.

Import InDesign Designs into Studio

  1. Navigate to Studio and click the + New design button in the top right corner.
  2. Navigate to Import design in the left-hand menu.
  3. Click Get started.
  4. Click Select design file.

  5. Choose your target file destination:

    • If choosing a file already uploaded to your portal, locate your packaged .zip file.

    • Alternatively, use the Studio Uploads section to upload a .zip file directly from your local device.

  6. Select the file, and click Add asset.

  7. Wait for the upload and processing progress bar to finish.

  8. Choose your DPI based on whether you plan to print or digitally display the PDF, which automatically adjusts your page dimensions to keep your images perfectly sharp.

  9. For designs containing multiple pages, select how you want to structure your templates:

    • Create multiple designs: Generates a separate design file for each individual InDesign page.

    • Create a single Studio design: Generates a single multi-page Studio template.

       

  10. Click Create design(s). You will be redirected to the Studio Designs overview page while your workspace is being generated.

  11. Once successfully generated, click the new design card to open it directly inside the Studio editor.

  12. Review the import in Studio:

    • Your text frames, image placeholders, shapes, and color swatches will automatically map to editable Studio components.

    • Readjust elements, set design restrictions, and establish end-user rules if required.

Limitations

General Setup
  • Only .idml files are supported, stand alone, or packaged in a .zip.
  • Direct integration with Adobe Creative Cloud accounts or libraries is not supported.
  • Layers should be named in inDesign (ie. no <> marks) to be imported properly into Studio
  • Fonts not available in Studio will have to be manually mapped in the Studio design
  • Gradients are currently not supported. You can apply gradients in Studio, after import
  • CMYK colors are converted to RGB on import to Studio. This may result in minor color discrepancies.
  • Unsupported Typography: Advanced typography features such as nested styles or GREP styles will not map during import.
  • Unsupported Features: 
    • Complex interactive InDesign features, such as hyperlinks and animations, are not supported. 
    • Spread view and pasteboard: the Studio canvas is limited to a single page view. Elements off the page will remain invisible in Studio
  • Unsupported Elements: If the system encounters an unsupported InDesign feature during processing, it will gracefully ignore it or provide feedback if the element cannot be imported correctly.
  • Studio Basic restriction: Studio Basic does not include multipage designs. Upgrade to Studio Advanced for creation of multi-page designs and PDFs directly from Studio.

Related Articles

Import Figma Files into Studio

How To Create A Photoshop Document (PSD) File For Import In Studio

Understanding Bynder's Studio Package Offerings

 

Updated