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!).
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:
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.
Here are some tips for the best way to translate an InDesign File:
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.
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.
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 heavier 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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:
Think of it as your translation project’s control center—keeping everything running smoothly, from start to finish.
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:
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.
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.
A little prep work goes a long way. Here’s what to do:
InDesign files are more than just text—they’re a visual experience. When you’re working with graphics, charts, and images, keep in mind:
Help your translators succeed by giving them all the details they need:
Define a clear workflow that includes:
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
By using a collaborative translation software like Pairaphrase, you’re not only minimizing the waste in time, you can also:
Small changes can make a big difference.
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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