InDesign

Wrap text around objects

You can wrap text around any object, including text frames, imported images, and objects you draw in InDesign. When you apply a text wrap to an object, InDesign creates a boundary around the object that repels text. The object that text wraps around is called the wrap object. Keep in mind that text wrap options apply to the object being wrapped, not the text itself. Any change to the wrap boundary will remain if you move the wrap object near a different text frame.

For a video on using text wrap, see www.adobe.com/go/vid0079.

Wrap text around simple objects

  1. To display the Text Wrap panel, choose Window > Text Wrap.
  2. Using the Selection tool  or Direct Selection tool , select the object you want to wrap text around.
  3. In the Text Wrap panel, click the desired wrap shape:
    Wrap Around Bounding Box 
    Creates a rectangular wrap whose width and height are determined by the bounding box of the selected object.

    Wrap Around Object Shape 
    Also known as contour wrapping, creates a text wrap boundary that is the same shape as the frame you’ve selected (plus or minus any offset distances you specify).
    Wrap Around Bounding Box setting (left) compared to Wrap Around Object Shape setting (right)

    Jump Object 
    Keeps text from appearing in any available space to the right or left of the frame.

    Jump To Next Column  
    Forces the surrounding paragraph to the top of the next column or text frame.

  4. From the Wrap To menu, specify whether the wrap is applied to a specific side (such as the right side or largest area) or towards or away from the spine. (If you don’t see the Wrap To menu, choose Show Options from the Text Wrap panel menu.)

    This option is available only if you selected Wrap Around Bounding Box or Wrap Around Object Shape.

    Wrap To options

    A.
    Both right and left sides

    B.
    Towards spine

    C.
    Away from spine

  5. Specify offset values. Positive values move the wrap away from the frame; negative values move the wrap within the frame.

If you can’t get the text to wrap around an image, make sure that Ignore Text Wrap isn’t selected for the text frame that doesn’t wrap. Also, if Text Wrap Only Affects Text Beneath is selected in Composition preferences, make sure that the text frame is beneath the wrap object.

Text frames inside a group aren’t affected by a text wrap you apply to the group.

To set default text wrap options for all new objects, deselect all objects and then specify text wrap settings.

Wrap text around imported images

To wrap text around an imported image, save the clipping path in the application where you created the image, if possible. When you place the image in InDesign, select the Apply Photoshop Clipping Path option in the Image Import Options dialog box.

  1. To display the Text Wrap panel, choose Window > Text Wrap.
  2. Select an imported image, and in the Text Wrap panel, click Wrap Around Object Shape .
  3. Specify offset values. Positive values move the wrap away from the frame; negative values move the wrap within the frame.
  4. Choose Show Options from the Text Wrap panel menu to display additional options.
  5. From the Type menu, choose a contour option:
    Bounding Box
    Wraps text to the rectangle formed by the image’s height and width.

    Detect Edges
    Generates the boundary using automatic edge detection. (To adjust edge detection, select the object and choose Object > Clipping Path > Options.)

    Alpha Channel
    Generates the boundary from an alpha channel saved with the image. If this option isn’t available, no alpha channels were saved with the image. InDesign recognizes the default transparency in Adobe Photoshop (the checkerboard pattern) as an alpha channel; you must otherwise use Photoshop to delete the background or create and save one or more alpha channels with the image.

    Photoshop Path
    Generates the boundary from a path saved with the image. Choose Photoshop Path, and then choose a path from the Path menu. If the Photoshop Path option isn’t available, no named paths were saved with the image.

    Graphic Frame
    Generates the boundary from the container frame.

    Same as Clipping
    Generates the boundary from the imported image’s clipping path.

  6. To let text appear inside “holes” of an image, such as the inside of a tire image, select Include Inside Edges.
Include Inside Edges off (left) and on (right)

Create an inverted text wrap

  1. Using the Selection tool  or Direct Selection tool , select an object, such as a compound path, that will allow text to wrap inside it.
  2. To display the Text Wrap panel, choose Window > Text Wrap.
  3. Apply a text wrap to an object, and select the Invert option. Invert is commonly used with the Object Shape text wrap.
Object Shape text wrap (left) and with Invert option selected (right)