IDML translation that keeps your layout intact

Learn about DeepL's quality scores, including 50% lower translation workload for linguists and content teams.

IDML's design-first structure means it’s wise to understand a few behaviors before you upload a file. That way, your review in InDesign catches what automation can’t. 

• Only text frames are translated: Headlines, captions, table cells, and text in master pages and layers are translated. Alt text, metadata, and layer object names aren't touched.
• INDD files aren't supported: export as IDML before uploading
• Fonts may not cover your target language's characters: InDesign embeds font references, not the fonts themselves. Translating into a script the original font doesn't support (say, Korean into a Latin-only font) can produce white boxes or garbled characters. Swap in a font that supports it.
• Translated text often runs longer than the source: This can overset fixed-size frames (as shown by a red "+"). Resize as needed.
• Styles may shift after translation: Overrides can move if translated text differs notably in length from the source. Complex character-style runs occasionally surface internal markers (like "content-1") as visible text.

DeepL translates the text in your IDML file while retaining its InDesign layout. Use the web translator, desktop apps ((Windows or Mac), or the API, and follow these steps:

• Log in to your DeepL Pro or DeepL API account
• Select the "Translate files" tab
• Upload or drag-and-drop your IDML file
• Set your source language, or let DeepL automatically detect it
• Select your target language
• Click Translate, and wait for the translation to finish
• Download your translated IDML file

A finished layout is often the easiest part to get right in 1 language and the hardest to get right in 10. DeepL translates the words inside your team’s design without touching the frames, styles, or spacing your team spent hours getting right.

• Marketing and design teams: Translate brochures, packaging, and campaign collateral built in InDesign, with layout and styling prepped for review
• Publishing and editorial teams: Translate long-form publications, catalogs, or layouts with heavy typesetting, ready for a design review pass
• Localization teams managing design-heavy content: Translate IDML exports as part of a larger localization pipeline, alongside XLIFF, HTML, and other in-workflow formats

Design and publishing work seldom ends in one file or one market. We built DeepL Pro to cover the complete set.

• Translate PDF, PPT, Word, Excel, HTML, SRT, TXT, XLIFF, JSON, XML, DITA, MIF and IDML files.
• Translate multiple files into multiple target languages at once
• Enable a glossary to keep terminology consistent across designs
• Apply formal or informal tones, fine-tuning your text to different audiences
• Enjoy premium data security

Need to translate PDFs, images, and other file types? DeepL’s Language AI adapts visual content to match, so your translations stay consistent and correctly formatted no matter which file you're working with.