InDesign

Create type on a path

You can format text to flow along the edge of an open or closed path of any shape. Apply options and effects to type on a path: Slide it along the path, flip it over to the other side of the path, or use the shape of the path to distort the characters. Type on a path has an in port and an out port just like other text frames, so you can thread text to and from it.

You can include only one line of type on a path, so any type that won’t fit on the path will be overset (hidden), unless you’ve threaded it to another path or text frame. You can add inline or above line anchored objects to type on a path. You can’t create type on a path using compound paths, such as those that result from using the Create Outlines command.

Type on a path

A.
Start bracket

B.
In port

C.
Center bracket

D.
End bracket

E.
Out port indicating threaded text

  1. Select the Type On A Path tool . (Click and hold the Type tool to display a menu containing the Type On A Path tool.)
  2. Position the pointer on the path until a small plus sign appears next to the pointer , and then follow these steps:

    • To type using default settings, click the path. An insertion point appears at the start of the path by default. If the current default paragraph settings specify an indent, or any alignment other than left, the insertion point may appear somewhere other than at the start of the path.

    • To confine the text to a specific portion of the path, click the path where you would like the text to start, and drag along the path to where you want the text to end, then release the mouse. (For information about changing the start and end position of text, see Adjust the type on a path position.)

      Changing location of type on path

      Note: If neither clicking nor dragging seems to work, make sure that the small plus sign appears next to the Type On A Path tool.
  3. Type the text you want. If you clicked to place the insertion point on the path, type will appear along the entire length of the path. If you dragged, type will appear only along the length you dragged.
Note: If the path was originally visible, it remains visible after you add type to it. To hide the path, select it with the Selection or Direct Selection tool, and then apply a fill and stroke of None.