Looking for the best way to translate an InDesign file (.IDML) online and haven’t had much luck? As seasoned veterans of the translation industry, we’re not surprised your organization hasn’t yet found a good Adobe InDesign translation method.

There are multiple roadblocks people commonly encounter when attempting to translate InDesign files into another language. Fortunately for you, we’re going to help. Continue reading to learn the best way to translate an InDesign document so that you don’t need to deal with these common issues.

Or, watch our InDesign File Translation series below. We’ll also recommend the best InDesign file translator tool for enterprises (better than an InDesign translation plugin!).

How to translate an InDesign file efficiently

1. Convert Your INDD File to IDML Using InDesign

2. Translate your InDesign file using Pairaphrase

How to translate an InDesign file, step-by-step

1. Select a Pairaphrase plan.
2. Select the target language(s).
3. Select the InDesign file(s) from your computer or Google Drive.
4. Click Translate.
5. Edit translations with your team (optional).
6. Save & download the translated InDesign file (or export to Google Drive).

3. Open & save your Pairaphrase-formatted InDesign file

Facing challenges translating InDesign files?

Let’s talk about the hurdles. Translating an InDesign file isn’t always smooth sailing. Here are some of the most common challenges people face:

• Broken layouts: Even the best software can struggle with complex designs.
• Missing fonts: If your target language requires special characters, your current fonts might not support them.
• Text embedded in images: Most machine translation tools can’t handle this but those with OCR (Optical Character Recognition) capabilities can extract and translate text– —though results may vary with stylized or low-quality text.

The good news? Most of these issues can be fixed. For example, switching to universal fonts, like Arial or Noto Sans, ensures compatibility across languages. And if your file includes a lot of images with embedded text, consider extracting the text beforehand.

Best way to translate an InDesign file for all-around success

Here are some tips for the best way to translate an InDesign File: 

1. Find professional InDesign file translator software

First off, the best way to translate an InDesign file is to stick to professional translation software.

This is because these software platforms are more likely to have compatibility with InDesign documents than free translation tools such as Google Translate. While there aren’t many translation software programs that will translate an InDesign file for you, they do exist.

2. Use AI-powered InDesign translation

What’s more, depending upon the professional translation software you choose, it might include Translation Memory and Dynamic Machine Learning technology.

Translation Memory enables you to edit first-draft machine translations and simultaneously train your software so that it learns your company’s words and phrases. This eliminates the need to ever translate the same or similar phrases twice.

Not only that, but Dynamic Machine Learning automatically replaces repetitive instances of a phrase within a file, the moment you edit a segment within the Translation Editor. Translation Memory and Dynamic Machine Learning will save you a lot of time and will help you continuously improve your translation quality, the more you use the software.

But don’t worry about spending hours comparison shopping–we’ll recommend a top InDesign translator tool at the end of this post that will save you so much time and headache.

3. Make sure the software preserves InDesign document layout & format

Aside from finding software with InDesign (IDML) compatibility, a common complaint regarding InDesign file translation involves retaining the layout and format.

Because InDesign files by nature are more heavy on design than a typical plain-old Word document, formatting retention is important. This includes retaining image placement, text wrapping, font properties, spacing, line breaks, paragraph breaks and more, within the translated file.

When the translation software doesn’t preserve InDesign layout nor format

Can you imagine if your software ruined the layout or formatting of your file once you ran the translation? This would cause you to need to go back and redesign the file. So much for productivity, right?

The solution to this is to make sure the professional translation software you use contains automatic translation file formatting.

Again, we’ll point you in the right direction at the end of this post.

4. Hire a translator to check for accuracy & cross-cultural mistakes

It’s important to note that no matter what translation software you use, you should hire a translator (or ask a bilingual colleague) to do a quality check on your translations. This comes after translating an InDesign file with any CAT tools.

While translation software is quite powerful, it still runs on machine translation. And machine translation isn’t perfect–sometimes even for certain phrases you’d think would easily translate.

Idioms, slang and certain cultural references won’t always be relevant or appropriate for the audience reading your translated material. With all that being said, you should always choose professional translation software that allows for collaboration and post-editing of the first-draft machine translated file.

Soon, you’ll know exactly where to look for that perfect platform.

5. Keep a designer on hand

We wrote this post assuming most people reading this have an InDesign file in hand and ready to be translated.

However, if the file has not been developed yet, please read our post on How to Get the Best File Formatting with Translation Software. This will help you understand how to build and design a source file so that the translated file format and layout will look as similar as possible.

For instance, you’ll get tips such as, “leave enough white space” because certain languages (e.g. German) tend to cause text expansion issues in translation. And this is just one of multiple matters that could potentially throw off your beautiful design.

6. Use real-time collaboration for InDesign translation projects

What comes naturally after these suggestions is collaboration.  Ever been stuck in endless email chains trying to finalize a translated file? That’s where real-time translation collaboration tools come in.

Look for translation software that lets your team edit, review, and comment on the file together. Features like cloud-based sharing, instant messaging and edit history can save time and prevent miscommunication.

Because at the end of the day, translating InDesign files isn’t just about words. It’s about working together to create something that resonates with your audience contextually and visually.

7. Leverage an AI-powered translation assistant

Struggling with layout issues? One of the most effective ways to ensure high-quality translations while maintaining the integrity of your InDesign file’s layout is to use an AI-powered translation assistant. 

For example, with Pairaphrase’s integration of OpenAI, prompt the latest premium version of ChatGPT from within Pairaphrase to provide a translation that uses less characters. You can also use it to perform other research.

Using software with an AI-powered translation assistant means less manual adjustment during post-translation, and easier preservation of the original design layout. By streamlining the translation process and reducing the risk of layout issues, you can ensure that your InDesign files remain visually appealing.

8. Translating InDesign with Translation Management Systems (TMS)

What if you could automate large chunks of the translation process while ensuring nothing falls through the cracks? That’s exactly what a Translation Management System (TMS) can do for your InDesign projects.

A TMS like Pairaphrase can:

• streamline file uploads and downloads.
• automate repetitive tasks like replacing recurring phrases.
• enable team collaboration in real time.

Think of it as your translation project’s control center—keeping everything running smoothly, from start to finish.

Do you know if your team uses InDesign?

Are you struggling with translation hiccups in your marketing files but aren’t sure if it’s because of InDesign or something else? If your projects involve translating beautifully designed brochures, policy manuals, or posters, there’s a good chance your team is working with Adobe InDesign—or a similar tool.

InDesign is a go-to for creating beautifully designed, professional documents, and it’s used across industries for a wide range of projects. Here are some common file types produced in InDesign that require translation:

• Marketing Materials: Brochures, flyers, mailers, and catalogs.
• Event Collateral: Posters, banners, and invitations.
• Corporate Documents: Policy manuals, annual reports, and employee handbooks.
• Educational Content: Training materials, presentations, and eBooks.
• Tourism & Hospitality Assets: Travel guides, menus, and tourist brochures.
• Technical Documents: Product manuals, spec sheets, and installation guides.

Not sure if your files are InDesign? Look for file extensions like INDD (InDesign Document) or IDML (InDesign Markup Language). 

If your file turns out to be a PDF, read our guide to translating PDF files. 

Pro tips for preparing InDesign files for translation

Export your file as IDML

As we showed you in the beginning, the IDML (InDesign Markup Language) format is your best friend. It’s smaller, easier to work with, and widely supported by professional translation software. Always export your file in this format before starting the translation process.

Prep your InDesign file with translation in mind

A little prep work goes a long way. Here’s what to do:

• Avoid hard returns in the middle of sentences.
• Use soft returns where necessary to maintain flow.
• Leave extra space in text boxes for up to 30% text expansion in certain languages.
• Stick to consistent character and paragraph styles, and avoid inline styles.

Handle graphics and non-text elements

InDesign files are more than just text—they’re a visual experience. When you’re working with graphics, charts, and images, keep in mind:

• Consider localization: Replace icons or images with ones that resonate with the target culture.
• Keep image layers editable: This ensures you can update captions or labels during translation.
• Watch for text overlap: Ensure translated text doesn’t cover key design elements.

Provide context to translators

Help your translators succeed by giving them all the details they need:

• A comprehensive project brief
• Clear context about the document’s purpose and target audience
• Specific instructions for any design-related concerns

Establish a workflow

Define a clear workflow that includes:

• A realistic timeline for translation and post-editing
• Open communication between translators and designers to resolve layout or cultural issues

Finalize your file before translation

This could feel like a no-brainer, but still good to note. Avoid costly revisions by ensuring your InDesign file is polished and finalized before translation begins. This reduces the chance of having to redo work across multiple languages.

Best Adobe InDesign file translation software

The best way to translate an InDesign file with translation software is by saving it as an IDML file and then using Pairaphrase to translate it.

Saves time

Pairaphrase is easy-to-use online translation software for enterprises. It helps you manage your translations and collaborate with colleagues across the world. It even learns your words and phrases so that you never need to translate the same word or phrase twice.

This will save you a significant amount of money and time in the long run.

Preserves InDesign layout & formatting

One of the reasons Pairaphrase is the best way to translate an InDesign file is that our translation software will encode your file when you upload it for translation. The purpose of this is to keep as much of the layout and formatting as possible.

With Pairaphrase, you reduce the likelihood that you’ll need to rearrange images or spend time reapplying font properties or editing the spacing. Most translation software will completely lose your formatting. Pairaphrase works hard to preserve as much of your formatting as possible.

Protects your data

Another reason Pairaphrase is the best way to translate an InDesign file is that it secures your data. With our software, you never again need to worry about sending your information through a tool that could expose your data. With Pairaphrase, your files and data are encrypted.

Not only that, but we never share, index or publish your data. It remains 100% confidential.

Offers easy InDesign translation collaboration tools

By using a collaborative translation software like Pairaphrase, you’re not only minimizing the waste in time, you can also: 

• Minimize the need for printing and shipping documents for review.
• Reduce your waste by eliminating back-and-forth file handling.

Small changes can make a big difference.

Provides an AI translator assistant for InDesign files

Pairaphrase’s OpenAI-powered capabilities are designed to tackle some of the most common challenges that arise during the translation process, offering smarter, faster, and more efficient solutions. 

It can help you generate context-aware translations that fit tight layouts, avoiding text expansion issues during translation. OpenAI helps preserve formatting by suggesting concise alternatives so you can avoid potential layout problems before they occur. 

By accessing the latest ChatGPT directly within the Pairaphrase platform, it also helps translators ensure culturally relevant phrasing and localized terminology as they work. 

Try our recommended InDesign file translator

Want to get started with the best translator for InDesign files? Try Pairaphrase. It’s the AI-powered translation management system for teams that value smarter, faster and safer translation. 

Pairaphrase supports over 140 languages and 20,000+ language pairs. Translate an InDesign file into Spanish, English, French, German, Arabic, Hindi, Chinese, Japanese and more. Not to mention, Pairaphrase performs file translation for 24 file types.

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