Adobe InDesign Tips

Editing Text

Customizing the template is easy — simply type over any existing text. If you're copying a recipe from another document or website, select the placeholder text in the template and paste your content over it.

To maintain consistent formatting, use one of these methods:

• Paste Without Formatting:
  Go to Edit > Paste Without Formatting to ensure the pasted text adopts the template’s styles.

• Use Paragraph and Character Styles:
  This template includes predefined Paragraph and Character Styles for titles, subtitles, and body text. After pasting, apply the appropriate styles to maintain a uniform look.
  Access them via Window > Styles > Paragraph Styles / Character Styles.

Using these styles not only keeps the layout consistent but also ensures the Table of Contents updates automatically when new pages or sections are added.

Replacing Photos

Select the Image Frame
Click on the image you want to replace. Make sure the frame is selected — not just the image inside it.

Place a New Image

• Go to File > Place (or use the shortcut Cmd/Ctrl + D).

• In the dialog box, locate and select your new image file.

• Click Open — the new image will automatically replace the old one within the selected frame.
  
  

Adjust Image Size (If Needed)
To make sure your new image fits well within the frame

• Go to Object > Fitting > Fill Frame Proportionally.
  This ensures the image fills the frame without distortion while maintaining its aspect ratio.

• You can also try Fit Content Proportionally if you want the whole image visible without cropping.

Changing Color

1. Open the Swatches Panel
   Go to Window > Color > Swatches to access all the colors used in the document.

2. Select the Color to Edit
   Find the pink swatch used in the template and double-click the swatch to open the Swatch Options dialog box.

3. Edit the Color
   Adjust the CMYK sliders to create your preferred color.

4. Apply the Change Globally
   Once you click OK, every element using that swatch — text, shapes, or accents — will automatically update to the new color throughout the entire document.

Tip: If you want to test a few colors first, consider duplicating the original swatch before editing it.

Adding/Duplicating Pages

1. Open the Pages Panel
   Go to Window > Pages to view and manage all pages in your document.

2. Duplicate an Existing Page

   • In the Pages panel, right-click on the page you want to duplicate.

   • Select Duplicate Spread (or Duplicate Page, depending on your layout).

   • The duplicated page will appear at the end of the document.
     
     

3. Reorder the Page (Optional)

   • To move the new page to a specific spot, hold Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac) and drag the page thumbnail to your desired location.

   • Release when you see a black line appear, indicating where the page will drop.
     
     

4. Page Numbers Update Automatically
   If your template uses automatic page numbering, the new page will adopt the correct number when you reposition it.
   
   

Tip: Duplicating a page is a great way to reuse layouts or maintain consistent formatting when adding new content.

Updating TOC

1. Select the TOC Frame
   Click directly on the text box that contains the Table of Contents in your document.

2. Update the TOC

   • Go to Layout > Update Table of Contents.

   • InDesign will scan the document for any new headings or page changes based on the styles defined in the TOC setup.

3. Automatic Refresh
   Any edits to headings (like renaming sections or adding new pages with styled titles) will be reflected automatically in the TOC after you update it.
   
   

Important:
Make sure your headings use the correct Paragraph Styles linked to the TOC setup. Otherwise, new entries won't appear in the table.

Exporting Your File

Save your file as a High Quality PDF if you would like to have it printed at your local print shop.

If you’d like to keep the file as a digital cookbook, export it to an Interactive PDF (File - Export - Pdf Interactive). This way the TOC and any links you add will be clickable when opened in Adobe Acrobat.