InDesign

Save documents

Saving a document saves the current layout, references to source files, which page is currently displayed, and the zoom level. Protect your work by saving often. You can save a file as any of the following:

  • A regular document.

  • A copy of the document, which creates a duplicate of the document under a different name, leaving the original document active.

  • A template, which normally opens as an untitled document. A template can contain settings, text, and graphics that you preset as a starting point for other documents.

    Saving a document also updates the metadata (or file information) that is part of the InDesign document. This metadata includes a thumbnail preview, fonts used in the document, color swatches, and all metadata in the File Info dialog box, all of which enable efficient searching. For example, you might want to search for all documents that use a particular color.

    You can view this metadata in Bridge and in the Advanced area of the File Info dialog box. You can control whether to update the preview when you save by using a preference setting. The other metadata (fonts, colors, and links) are updated whenever you save a document.

    The Save, Save As, and Save a Copy commands store documents in the InDesign file format. For information about storing documents in other file formats, see the Index.

    If you’re saving a document in order to bring it to a prepress service provider for final output, InDesign can automatically collect all necessary files, such as linked graphics and fonts, in one folder. (See Package files.)
 Do one of the following:

  • To save a document under a new name, choose File > Save As, specify a location and filename, and click Save. The newly named file becomes the active document. Using the Save As command might reduce the file size.

  • To save an existing document under the same name, choose File > Save.

  • To save all open documents to their existing locations and filenames, press Ctrl+Alt+Shift+S (Windows) or Command+Option+Shift+S (Mac OS).

  • To save a copy of a document under a new name, choose File > Save a Copy, specify a location and filename, and click Save. The saved copy does not become the active document.

Important: To avoid problems, avoid reserved characters that have special meanings in some operating systems. For example, avoid filenames with spaces, tabs, or initial periods, or filenames that use these characters: / \ : ; * ? < > , $ %. Similarly, avoid using characters with accents (such as ü, ñ, or é), even when using a non-English version of InDesign. Problems may occur if the file is opened in a different platform.