InDesign

Set the opacity of an object

You can apply transparency to a single object or selected objects (including graphics and text frames), but not to individual text characters or layers. However, imported graphics with those types of transparency effects will appear and print correctly.

For videos on adding opacity, see www.adobe.com/go/vid0087 and www.adobe.com/go/vid0088.

  1. Select the object or objects.

    The word mixed appears in the Effects panel if you select multiple objects and their opacity settings conflict. For example, if the Fill opacity setting is different in objects you selected, the Transparency palette reads, “Fill: Opacity (mixed).”

  2. Choose Object, Stroke, Fill, or Text with any of these techniques:

    • Click the Apply Effects button  on the Control panel and choose an option.

    • Click an option on the Effects panel (click the triangle next to the word Object, if necessary, to see the options).

  3. On the Control panel or Effects panel, type a value for Opacity or click the arrow next to the Opacity setting and drag the slider. As the opacity value of objects is reduced, the transparency increases.
Note: If you direct-select and cut or copy an object from a transparent group in InDesign, and then paste the object somewhere else in the document, the pasted object won’t be transparent unless it was previously selected individually and had transparency applied.