Top reasons to switch to InDesign

1. InDesign works the way you do.

   Designers who have made the switch say they’re excited about Adobe InDesign CS3. It looks and works like Adobe Photoshop® and Illustrator® software, so they were able to get right to work. The new interface in all of these Adobe applications is more intuitive than ever, with self-adjusting panels that dock out of the way when not in use to free up your workspace.

2. InDesign is at the creative edge.

   InDesign was the first page layout application to introduce editable drop shadows, feathering, and transparent effects; the first to import styled Microsoft Word and Excel tables; and the first to fully support OpenType® fonts or to automate hanging punctuation, kerning, and paragraph-level composition for truly professional typography. Now InDesign CS3 sets the bar even higher with its new creative effects, including inner glow or bevel and emboss, which let you specify options using an interface that's consistent with Photoshop. And new, finer transparency controls let you adjust transparency and blending modes on entire objects or on individual strokes, fills, and content.

3. It's a production workhorse.

   Producing pages with speed and precision is what it's all about. That's why InDesign CS3 is focused on improving productivity — both by fine-tuning older features to be more efficient and by introducing new ones, such as Multi-file Place, Quick Apply, and faster frame fitting, that streamline your workflow. And get the most out of InDesign on Intel® based Mac and Microsoft® Windows Vista™ systems. (Work smoothly on legacy PowerPC® based Macs and Windows® XP systems as well.) With InDesign CS3, you can work faster — and better — than ever.

4. Powerful collaboration results in efficient design processes.

   InDesign is ideal for fast-paced publishing environments where multiple team members work on design and layout simultaneously. Powerful features that allow you to design pages more effectively and speed up the editorial workflow include new placed InDesign files, InDesign snippets, and support for a parallel workflow using InDesign CS3 and Adobe InCopy® CS3. Snippets let you reuse formatted objects in other documents, while placed InDesign files let you reuse entire layouts by placing INDD files in other InDesign documents.

5. InDesign plays well with other Adobe products.

   InDesign has better integration with Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, Dreamweaver®, InCopy, and Acrobat® software than any other page layout program. You'll learn InDesign quickly because it already feels familiar. Easily import and export your Adobe PDF files. Effortlessly work with Photoshop and Illustrator files in your layouts. Export content as XHTML for use in websites that you create in Dreamweaver. And quickly repurpose print layouts by exporting your content as XHMTL or XML to create digital magazines, newspapers, or eBooks that can be viewed with the new Adobe Digital Editions eBook viewer. And set up better editorial workflows through InCopy integration.

6. InDesign offers support for open standards.

   Because we think InDesign should adapt to your workflow and not the other way around, InDesign has been built since its first release on open and de facto standards such as XML, XHTML, XMP, Unicode, PostScript®, PDF/X, and JDF, making it easier to extract content for reuse, integrate with other systems, and support extensibility. This all leads to more flexibility, more options, and more robust solutions for InDesign users.

7. Interactive pages are a snap to create.

   If you think page layouts are static, think again. With InDesign CS3, you can author rich, interactive Adobe PDF files that include SWF, movie, and sound files, as well as interactive buttons to play movies or turn pages.

8. InDesign enables you to automate your publishing workflow.

   Automate workflows by minimizing repetitive tasks so that you can focus on what you love to do — design pages. Use text variables to dynamically create running headers and footers and automatically generate advanced bullets and numbering as well as tables of contents. InDesign also provides flexible XML support to enable a wide variety of XML-based publishing workflows, including a new XML rules engine that uses scripts to automatically build formatted page layouts from XML content. Comprehensive scripting support for JavaScript, AppleScript, and VBScript enables you to not only automate tedious tasks, but also build complex automated workflows.

9. You can depend on reliable prepress and printing.

   Have confidence in the pages you print from InDesign. Use sophisticated previews to minimize mistakes on press and ensure the best results when printing transparent effects. Enjoy shared color settings and consistent onscreen graphics display across InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, and Acrobat 8 Professional software for more accurate soft proofing. And export reliable Adobe PDF files for your print service provider using built-in or custom presets that can be shared across other Adobe applications for consistent results.

10. Switching is easier than you may think.

    You can start working right away — because you already know how to use other Adobe products, and because a wealth of resources are available to help you with the transition. InDesign is supported by a robust network that includes trainers who offer classes and seminars; experts who publish how-to books, newsletters, and websites full of useful tips and tricks; InDesign Magazine, dedicated to InDesign professionals; and active user groups — all of which can help you learn the program and optimize InDesign for your workflow. What are you waiting for?

Adobe InDesign CS3 Conversion Guide and video tutorials

Make the switch from QuarkXPress to InDesign CS3 as smoothly as possible with these free resources. Used together or on their own, the InDesign CS3 conversion guide and companion tutorials teach a previous QuarkXPress user what they need to know to quickly and easily create a productive and streamlined InDesign workflow.

View or download Conversion Guide PDF file (PDF, 25.8M)

This booklet explains the key differences between QuarkXPress and InDesign and introduces you to powerful features only available in InDesign CS3.

QuarkXPress to InDesign Conversion Videos

These fun and informative video tutorials provide a great starting point for learning how to do common design and production tasks in InDesign CS3.

What's new in InDesign CS3

Read about the new features in InDesign CS3.

View or download a PDF file (PDF, 2.6M)

InDesign CS3 family comparison chart

See what's new in Adobe InDesign CS3, InCopy® CS3, and InDesign CS3 Server.

View or download a PDF file (PDF, 59k)

InDesign version comparison chart

Learn what's different between InDesign CS2 and InDesign CS3 in this easy-to-use feature comparison chart.

View or download a PDF file (PDF, 285k)

InDesign customer stories

Be inspired by peers and colleagues who have made the switch to InDesign.

Training resources

Boost your productivity by setting aside time for focused exploration with a trainer, training video, or self-paced tutorial.

InDesign tutorials

Learn how to create interactive Adobe PDF documents, quickly apply complex text formatting with nested styles, flow text around objects, and more.

InDesign User Group

Find a user group near you and share your experience with others who have made the switch.

InDesign Magazine

Sign up for a quick InDesign tip of the week or receive a free trial issue of InDesign Magazine, a PDF publication devoted to the community of InDesign professionals.

InDesign Secrets podcast

Hear from page-layout gurus Anne-Marie Concepcion and David Blatner on how to get the most out of Adobe InDesign CS3 and InCopy® CS3.

Adobe InDesign Online Forum

Discuss your design and workflow experiences with other InDesign users in the Adobe InDesign Online Forum.

Adobe Creative Suite 3 eSeminars

Attend a free Adobe Creative Suite® 3 eSeminar to learn how to get the most out of InDesign CS3. Sessions are presented by industry experts and customers.