Adding page numbers to your InDesign document is crucial for keeping track of content and enhancing readability. Whether you’re working on a multi-page brochure, magazine, or report, inserting page numbers is essential for ensuring that readers can easily navigate your work. In this comprehensive guide, we will delve into the step-by-step process of adding page numbers in InDesign, providing you with all the necessary instructions and technical know-how.
Before we proceed, it’s important to familiarize yourself with the InDesign workspace and its tools. The Page Tool is essential for creating and managing pages in your document. It allows you to add new pages, delete existing ones, and adjust page properties such as size, orientation, and margins. To access the Page Tool, simply select it from the Tools Panel or press the “P” key on your keyboard. Additionally, the Pages Panel, located on the right-hand side of the workspace, provides a convenient overview of all the pages in your document. It enables you to quickly jump to specific pages and manage their order.
Now, let’s venture into the practical steps of adding page numbers in InDesign. Select the page or pages where you want to insert page numbers. Remember, you can select multiple pages by holding down the “Shift” key and clicking on each page in the Pages Panel. Once the pages are selected, navigate to the Pages menu at the top of the screen and choose “Insert Page Numbers.” An options dialog box will appear, allowing you to customize the appearance and placement of your page numbers. In the next paragraph, we will explore the various settings available in this dialog box, empowering you to create page numbers that perfectly complement your document design.
Inserting Standard Page Numbers
InDesign offers a comprehensive range of options for adding page numbers to your documents. For basic page numbering, follow these steps:
1. Place the Page Number Text Frame
Open the “Type” menu and select “Insert Special Character” > “Markers” > “Current Page Number.” This will place a text frame on your page that will automatically update with the correct page number.
2. Format the Page Number
Select the page number text frame. In the “Properties” panel, adjust the following settings to customize the appearance of the page numbers:
- **Font:** Choose the font for the page numbers.
- **Font Size:** Adjust the size of the page numbers.
- **Font Color:** Select the color for the page numbers.
- **Alignment:** Position the page numbers left, right, or center.
- **Offsets:** Specify the distance between the page numbers and the edge of the page.
Additionally, you can use InDesign’s “Page Number Options” dialog box to fine-tune the formatting of your page numbers:
- **Numbering Style:** Choose from Arabic numerals, Roman numerals, or alphabetic characters.
- **Starting Page Number:** Specify the page number to start with.
- **Prefix and Suffix:** Add a prefix or suffix to the page numbers, such as “Page ” or “- of -“.
- **Chapter Markers:** Insert chapter markers into the page numbers.
- **Hyphenation:** Enable or disable hyphenation of page numbers.
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Font | Sets the font of the page number. |
| Font Size | Sets the size of the page number. |
| Font Color | Sets the color of the page number. |
| Alignment | Sets the alignment of the page number within the text frame. |
| Offsets | Sets the distance between the page number and the edge of the page. |
Customizing Page Numbering Start and End Points
InDesign provides flexibility in customizing the start and end points of page numbering. Here are the steps to do so:
- Go to the “Pages” panel and double-click on the page where you want to start or end page numbering.
- In the “Page Options” dialog box, go to the “Numbering & Section Options” tab.
- Under “Starting Page Number,” enter the number you want to begin numbering from. For example, if you want to start numbering from page 5, enter “5” in the field.
Ending Page Numbering:
To end page numbering on a specific page, follow these steps:
- Go to the “Pages” panel and double-click on the page where you want to end page numbering.
- In the “Page Options” dialog box, go to the “Numbering & Section Options” tab.
- Uncheck the “Number Pages” checkbox.
Alternatively, you can use Section Breaks to control page numbering. By inserting a section break after the page where you want to end numbering, you can create a new section with its own page numbering sequence.
| Start Page Numbering | End Page Numbering |
|---|---|
|
|
Using Text Variables for Dynamic Page Numbering
Create a Text Variable for Page Numbering
Open the “Type” menu and select “New Text Variable”. In the “New Text Variable” dialog box, enter a name for the variable, such as “PageNumber”. Set the type to “Text” and the default value to “1”.
Insert the Text Variable into the Master Page
Go to the master page where you want to add page numbers. Click the “Type Tool” and place the cursor where you want the page number to appear. Open the “Insert” menu and select “Text Variable”. Choose the “PageNumber” variable you created from the list.
Apply the Text Variable to All Pages
To ensure that the page numbers update automatically on all pages, select the “Apply to All Master Pages” option in the “Insert Text Variable” dialog box. This will apply the text variable to all master pages associated with the document.
Format the Page Numbers
To format the page numbers, select the text variable on the master page and open the “Character Panel” or “Paragraph Panel”. Format the text as desired, such as changing the font, size, or color.
Troubleshooting Page Numbering Issues
| Issue | Solution |
|---|---|
| Page numbers not updating | Check if the text variable is applied to all master pages. |
| Page numbers not starting from 1 | Edit the “Default Value” of the text variable to the desired starting number. |
| Page numbers appearing on the first page | Disable the “Allow First Page Numbering Offset” option in the “Numbering & Section Options” dialog box (available through the “Layout” menu). |
Creating Running Headers and Footers with Page Numbers
To incorporate page numbers into your headers or footers, utilize the following steps:
1. Create Text Frames for Header or Footer:
Navigate to ‘Layout’ > ‘Margins and Columns’ > ‘Header’ or ‘Footer’ and specify the desired height.
2. Insert Page Number Variable:
Place the cursor where you want the page number to appear. Select ‘Type’ > ‘Insert Special Character’ > ‘Markers’ > ‘Current Page Number.’ Alternatively, use the keyboard shortcut: Option/Alt + Shift + Num Pad 3 (Mac) or Alt + F9 + 3 (Windows).
3. Format Page Numbers:
Select the page number text and alter its appearance (font, size, color, etc.) as desired.
4. Repeat for Multiple Pages:
If the header or footer is to be displayed on multiple pages, ensure the ‘Apply to Page’ checkbox, found in the Header and Footer dialog box (‘View’ > ‘Header and Footer’), is selected.
5. Avoid Header/Footer on Specific Pages:
To exclude the header or footer on particular pages, select ‘Layout’ > ‘Page Setup’ and navigate to the ‘Header and Footer’ section. Check the ‘Different Odd and Even Pages’ box if required, and create separate headers/footers for odd or even pages.
6. Dynamic Page Numbering:
InDesign offers advanced options for customizing page numbering. By using the ‘Custom Page Numbering’ feature (‘Window’ > ‘Pages’), you can create complex pagination schemes. For instance, you can reset page numbering for different sections or exclude certain pages from the count. This functionality provides flexibility to handle unique numbering requirements:
a. Reset Page Numbering: In the ‘Pages’ panel, select the page you want to reset and click the ‘New Section’ button. Choose ‘Document’ in the ‘Section Start’ drop-down to reset the numbering from that page onward.
b. Exclude Pages from Count: To exclude a page from the page numbering sequence, select it in the ‘Pages’ panel and choose ‘Exclude Page Number’ from the ‘Page’ menu.
c. Custom Page Numbering: Open the ‘Custom Page Numbering’ dialog box and create a new numbering style. Under the ‘Page Numbers’ section, set the starting page number, prefix, and suffix as needed.
| Property | Description |
|---|---|
| Start Page | Sets the starting page number for the custom style. |
| Prefix | Adds a prefix to each page number (e.g., “Chapter 1-“). |
| Suffix | Adds a suffix to each page number (e.g., “-Page”). |
By leveraging these advanced options, you gain precise control over your page numbering, enabling you to create sophisticated pagination systems that meet specific project requirements.
Automating Page Numbering Using Scripts
Indesign provides a robust scripting engine that allows for the automation of various tasks, including page numbering. By utilizing scripts, you can streamline the process of adding page numbers to your documents, saving time and ensuring consistency.
Creating a New Script
To create a new script, go to File > Scripts > New Script. A new script window will appear where you can enter your code.
The Page Numbering Script
The following script automates the process of adding page numbers to all pages in your document:
main();
function main() {
var myDocument = app.activeDocument;
var allPages = myDocument.pages;
for (var i = 0; i < allPages.length; i++) {
var currentPage = allPages[i];
var pageText = "Page " + (i + 1) + " of " + allPages.length;
var textFrame = currentPage.textFrames.add();
textFrame.contents = pageText;
textFrame.left = allPages[i].bounds[0];
textFrame.top = allPages[i].bounds[3] - 12;
textFrame.autoflow = false;
}
}
Running the Script
To run the script, simply click on the “Run” button in the script window. The script will automatically add page numbers to all pages in your document.
Customizing the Page Numbering
You can customize the appearance and position of the page numbers by modifying the script. Here are some tips:
- To change the font, size, or color of the page numbers, modify the text properties of the text frame created in the script.
- To change the position of the page numbers, adjust the values for
textFrame.leftandtextFrame.top. - To add a prefix or suffix to the page numbers, simply append the desired text to the
pageTextvariable.
Using a Page Numbering Template
If you frequently use a specific page numbering format, you can create a template script. To do this, save the script as a .jsx file and place it in the “Scripts Panel” folder within Indesign’s preferences.
The script will then be available in the Scripts panel, allowing you to quickly apply the page numbering format to new documents.
How To Add Page Numbers In Indesign
Adding page numbers to your InDesign document is a simple process that can be completed in a few steps.
1. Open the document in InDesign.
2. Go to the “Layout” menu and select “Numbering & Section Options”.
3. In the “Numbering & Section Options” dialog box, select the “Page Numbering” tab.
4. Select the “Start Page Number” option and enter the number you want to start the page numbering from.
5. Select the “Page Number Style” option and select the style you want to use for the page numbers.
6. Click “OK” to save your changes.
People Also Ask About How To Add Page Numbers In Indesign
How do I add page numbers to a specific page in InDesign?
To add page numbers to a specific page in InDesign, follow these steps:
- Open the document in InDesign.
- Go to the “Pages” panel and select the page you want to add the page number to.
- Go to the “Layout” menu and select “Numbering & Section Options”.
- In the “Numbering & Section Options” dialog box, select the “Page Numbering” tab.
- Select the “Start Page Number” option and enter the number you want the page number to start from.
- Click “OK” to save your changes.
How do I change the font of the page numbers in InDesign?
To change the font of the page numbers in InDesign, follow these steps:
- Open the document in InDesign.
- Go to the “Type” menu and select “Character Styles”.
- In the “Character Styles” panel, select the page number style you want to change.
- Click on the “Font” drop-down menu and select the font you want to use.
- Click “OK” to save your changes.
How do I add a prefix or suffix to the page numbers in InDesign?
To add a prefix or suffix to the page numbers in InDesign, follow these steps:
- Open the document in InDesign.
- Go to the “Layout” menu and select “Numbering & Section Options”.
- In the “Numbering & Section Options” dialog box, select the “Page Numbering” tab.
- In the “Prefix” or “Suffix” field, enter the text you want to add to the page numbers.
- Click “OK” to save your changes.
