How to Add Pictures in InDesign

Written by Nicole Levine, MFA

Last Updated: December 12, 2024 Tested

Pictures in print materials enhance the information provided, add visual interest and evoke emotion. Adobe InDesign is a desktop publishing software program that allows users to create a variety of print products. Knowing how to add pictures in InDesign will allow you to create compelling print documents that are also visually appealing.

Things You Should Know

To add pictures in InDesign, click "File" → "Place" and select the picture.
Drag to picture to the desired position.
To change the picture's size, use the "Select" tool. Click and drag one corner to resize it.

Steps

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Do this by selecting File>Open from the Control panel at the top of your workspace. If you do not have an existing InDesign document to work from, create a new document by selecting File>New>Document and specifying the settings for your new document.

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Navigate to the picture file you would like to import and double click the file name.
Adjust the size of your picture, if necessary, by selecting the picture using your Select tool and clicking one of the handles (small squares) located on the frame. Drag the handle while simultaneously holding the Control and Shift keys (Or for a mac, Command+Shift). Holding the Shift key will adjust the pictures size proportionally. If you want to crop out a particular portion of your picture, hold only the Control key as you drag the handle. You may also enter precise values for the pictures height and width in the Height and Width fields located in the Control panel.

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What are linked images?

Community Answer

Linked images are pictures that redirect you to another page when you click on them.

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How do I bring text to the front?

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If you are using Word, highlight the text, right-click, and click bring to the front in the text wrapping.

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How do I make sure my pictures are JPEGs in InDesign?

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You'll want to avoid using JPEG's in InDesign. Try using TIFFS. JPEGs won't print when you're using InDesign.

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You may wish to specify import options when placing certain types of picture files, such as EPS, PNG or BMP. Specifying import options allows you to control transparency information and the image's color profile.

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Pictures for print use should have a resolution of 300 ppi. Resolution refers to the amount of detail an image contains and is expressed as pixels per inch. You can adjust your picture's resolution using a photo editing software program.

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Adobe InDesign is capable of importing a wide range of image file formats, including EPS, TIFF, JPEG and BMP.

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