Translating InDesign Files
Did you know that Pairaphrase and InDesign make a great team? They work together to dramatically reduce the time it takes to both translate and format InDesign files. Pairaphrase eliminates the "cut & paste" process that most companies use to produce translated InDesign files. Pairaphrase can return a translated and formatted InDesign file in seconds and minutes versus hours and weeks using the "cut & paste" workflow.
First, you'll need to ppen your InDesign file in InDesign and save your file as an .idml file. You'll be using the .idml file to translate. Now you're ready to upload, translate and edit your .idml file.
Some important tips
When preparing IDML files for translation in a TMS, the cleaner and more structured the source file is, the better the translation quality and workflow efficiency will be. Here’s a solid checklist you can follow:
1. Clean Up the Source InDesign File
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Remove unused styles, swatches, and master pages to avoid unnecessary clutter in the export.
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Fix overset text—content hidden in text boxes often doesn’t get exported properly.
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Flatten unnecessary layers so that only relevant layers remain.
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Check text threading to ensure text flows logically from frame to frame.
2. Use Styles Consistently
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Apply Paragraph and Character Styles instead of manual formatting.
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Avoid inline formatting (bold, italic, font size changes done manually), since these can appear as separate segments in the TMS.
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Give styles clear names—this can help when applying translation memory or formatting after import.
3. Handle Special Characters and Variables
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Replace soft returns (Shift+Enter) with proper paragraph breaks when possible.
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Avoid unnecessary multiple spaces, tabs, or invisible characters—these can fragment translation segments.
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Check for non-breaking spaces and special punctuation that may cause segmentation issues.
4. Manage Linked Assets
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Keep linked images and graphics in an organized folder and ensure links are not broken.
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Use descriptive file names for images and graphics—some TMS tools can display them to translators for context.
5. Prepare for Text Expansion
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Leave extra white space in text frames to accommodate languages that expand (e.g., German, Russian).
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Avoid fixed-height frames when possible—use auto-sizing text frames.
6. Control What Gets Exported
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Lock or hide non-translatable layers (guidelines, reference text, placeholder text) before exporting.
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For repeated boilerplate text, consider using InDesign variables—these can be translated once and applied consistently.
7. Export IDML Properly
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Use File → Export → InDesign Markup (IDML) to create a clean, compatible file.
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Ensure the IDML opens without errors in InDesign before sending it to the TMS.
8. Test Before Full Production
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Run a test translation of a small section to check how the TMS handles segmentation, inline tags, and formatting.
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Adjust styles or text flow based on any segmentation problems.
Pairaphrase will attempt to preserve your InDesign file's formatting and to visually match your original file as closely as possible and dramatically reduce the amount of time and effort you spend formatting translated InDesign files.
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