How to Make a PDF in Adobe InDesign

Updated on:

April 6, 2026

By:

Madhav Bhandari

Use this interactive demo to learn how to create a PDF document in Adobe InDesign.

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Here’s a simple and quick guide on how to make a PDF in Adobe InDesign:

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To create a PDF in Adobe InDesign, go to the top menu and click 'File.'
Select 'Export' to open the Export window where you can save your file in PDF format.
Once the window opens, rename your file and choose 'Adobe PDF' as the format.
After completing the settings, click 'Save' to process and generate the file in PDF format.

📌 Why this matters

Creating PDFs from your InDesign projects lets you share professional layouts that anyone can open and view exactly as you designed them, regardless of whether they have InDesign installed.

The real power lies in how PDF export preserves your typography, color profiles, and print specifications while giving you control over file compression and security settings. This means you can generate web-optimized versions for digital sharing and high-resolution files for professional printing from the same source document.

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