The basic way to add an image to your InDesign document

To add an image in InDesign, go to File at the top left, then click Place. A window opens showing your computer's folders. Navigate to the image file you want — it can be a JPG, PNG, TIFF, or PDF — select it, and click Open. Your cursor will change to a small crosshair. Click and drag on your page to draw a box where the image should go, and InDesign will place the image inside that box.

The image lands on the page at whatever size you drew it. If the proportions look wrong — the image appears stretched or squashed — you can fix that by holding Shift while dragging a corner handle to resize it. The Shift key locks the original width-to-height ratio so the image stays proportional.

If you want to move the image after placing it, click the Selection Tool (the black arrow at the top left of the toolbar) and then click the image to select it. You can now drag it to a new spot on the page.

Key Takeaways

  • Use File > Place to open the image browser, then draw a box on your page to set the image size.
  • Hold Shift while resizing to keep the image proportional and prevent stretching.
  • The Selection Tool (black arrow) lets you move or resize an image after it is placed.
  • InDesign accepts JPG, PNG, TIFF, and PDF files, and links to the original file rather than embedding it.
  • If an image looks low-quality or pixelated, the resolution of the original file is too low for print.

Understanding linked images versus embedded images

When you place an image in InDesign, the program creates a link to the original file on your computer rather than copying the image into the document itself. This means InDesign always displays the most current version of that image file. If you edit the image in Photoshop and save it, InDesign will update automatically the next time you open the document.

The downside is that if you move or delete the original image file on your computer, InDesign will show a broken link warning when you open the document. The image will appear with a red X through it. To avoid this, keep all your images in a folder you do not plan to move, or use File > Package before sending your document to someone else — this copies all linked images into a folder alongside your InDesign file.

You cannot truly embed an image in InDesign the way you can in Word. If you need the image permanently attached to the document, your best option is to package the file, which keeps everything together in one folder.

Resizing and cropping images on the page

Once an image is placed, you have two ways to change how it appears. Resizing makes the image larger or smaller. Cropping hides part of the image without deleting it from the file.

To resize, click the image with the Selection Tool and drag any corner handle. Hold Shift to keep it proportional. To crop, press C on your keyboard to switch to the Crop Tool, then drag the corner handles inward to hide the edges you do not want. When you are done cropping, press Escape or click the Selection Tool again to exit crop mode.

If you crop an image and later change your mind, you can undo the crop by pressing Ctrl+Z (Windows) or Command+Z (Mac). The cropped-away parts are still there in the original file — cropping in InDesign does not permanently delete anything.

Fixing images that look blurry or pixelated

If your image looks blurry or made of large pixels when you place it, the problem is almost always the resolution of the original file, not InDesign. Resolution is measured in dots per inch (DPI). For print, you need at least 300 DPI. For screen display (websites, presentations, PDFs you will only view on a monitor), 72 DPI is fine.

You cannot fix low resolution in InDesign by resizing the image smaller. Making a low-resolution image smaller might make it look slightly sharper, but it will still be low-resolution. The real fix is to use a higher-resolution version of the image. If you took the photo yourself, try opening the original file from your camera or phone — it may have higher resolution than the version you edited. If you downloaded the image, search for a larger version or a different source.

To check the resolution of an image already in your document, right-click it and select Edit Original. This opens the image in the program you used to create it (usually Photoshop or your photo viewer). Look in the image properties or Image menu to find the DPI. If it is below 300, you will need a different source file.

Placing images in frames and text boxes

You can place an image inside a frame — a container that controls how the image displays. To create a frame first, use the Rectangle Frame Tool from the toolbar (it looks like a small rectangle with an X through it). Draw a rectangle on your page, then go to File > Place and select your image. InDesign will put the image inside the frame you drew.

Frames are useful when you want to control exactly how much space an image takes up or when you want to wrap text around it. You can also place an image directly into a text box by clicking inside the text box and then using File > Place. The image will sit inline with the text, moving up or down as you add or delete words.

If you place an image in a frame and it does not fill the frame the way you want, you can move or resize the image inside the frame by holding Ctrl (Windows) or Command (Mac) while dragging the image. This lets you pan around inside the frame without changing the frame size itself.

Wrapping text around images

To make text flow around an image instead of stopping at its edge, select the image with the Selection Tool, then go to Object > Text Wrap > Wrap Around Bounding Box. The text will now move to the side of the image and continue below it. You can adjust how much space sits between the text and the image by going to Object > Text Wrap Options and changing the offset values.

If the image has a transparent background (like a PNG with no background), you can use Wrap Around Object Shape instead. This makes the text follow the actual outline of the image rather than a rectangle around it, which looks more polished when the image is not a straightforward rectangle.

To remove text wrapping, select the image and go to Object > Text Wrap > No Wrap. The text will return to its original position.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I drag and drop an image directly onto the InDesign page?

Yes. You can open a file browser window on your computer, find the image, and drag it directly onto your InDesign page. InDesign will place it at the size you drag it to. This is faster than using File > Place if you already know where the image is, but File > Place gives you more control over the final size.

What happens if I move the original image file to a different folder?

InDesign will show a warning that the link is broken. You can fix this by going to Window > Links, right-clicking the broken link, and selecting Relink. Then navigate to the new location of the image file. To avoid this problem, keep all images in one folder that you do not plan to move.

Why does my image look different in InDesign than it did in Photoshop?

This usually happens because of color profile differences. InDesign and Photoshop may be using different color spaces (RGB versus CMYK, for example). For print, save your images in CMYK mode in Photoshop before placing them in InDesign. For screen, RGB is fine. You can also go to Edit > Color Settings in InDesign to match the color profile you are using in Photoshop.

Can I place a PDF with multiple pages in InDesign?

Yes. When you use File > Place on a multi-page PDF, a dialog will ask which page you want to place. Select the page number and click OK. If you want multiple pages from the same PDF, you will need to place each one separately.