Update: we recently developed a free plugin that lets you find and add stock photos to your InDesign documents in a very convenient way. Learn more in this blog post.
Scripts for InDesign
Scripts, like InDesign Templates, Plugins, and the proper use of shortcuts, are one of the most powerful (if not the most powerful) tools we have as InDesign users.
Scripts are, in fact, like magic added to InDesign. Each time you have a repetitive task to carry out in InDesign, there is probably a script ready to do just that. We’ve collected a list of the best 210 scripts there are around. If you can't find what you need – or you think we missed some great ones, feel free to drop a comment below.
Consider a donation to the developer
Almost all of the scripts in the list are free. For each of them, you’ll find a link to the page of the developer who wrote the script. Some of them accept donations in their websites. So, think about how much time their scripts have saved you, visit their website, and make a donation.
Save before launching the script (important)
Before running a script in InDesign, save your documents. It might happen that the result of the script is not what you wanted, or that the script fails in some way. The changes made by the scripts are usually reversible using the Undo function (Cmd/Ctrl + Z). However, some scripts perform a lot of changes under the hood, so you might find yourself having to “undo” hundreds of times. It is way better to save first, just in case.
The ultimate InDesign scripts list
This is the list of the scripts we collected. We divided them into sections for easy consultation. Click on one of the entries of the list to go directly to that section.
You'll find the link to the instructions of each script in its description at the link. Please read them before launching each script.
Categories:
- Scripts for scripts
- Layout (aligning, drawing, guides)
- Text Frames
- Text
- Numbers, Prices, and Fractions
- Tables & Charts
- Images
- Color
- Styles
- End notes, Foot notes, etc.
- Variables, References, and Hyperlinks
- Sort
- Index
- Find & Replace
- Import/Export/File Conversion
- Grep
- Fonts
- Book
- Others
- Must Have
- Language
Scripts for scripts
1. Script Installer (by in-tools.com)
It helps you install other scripts. So meta. You should download it if you plan to install a lot of scripts.
Link to the script (Look for the Download button under Script Installer)
2. Script Launcher (by Peter Kahrel)
It creates a panel from which you can run your scripts.
Advantages to the default panel:
- it lists your scripts in a historical order, so that the last-run script is on top of the list
- you can assign to it a keyboard shortcut (see the Adobe guide).
- you can search for a specific script
3. Batch Process Scripts (by Kasyan Servetsky)
It allows you to run a single script or a set of scripts on a single document or on a list of documents.
4. Script Shortcut
With this script you can make the process of running any script instantaneous by assigning a keyboard shortcut to it.
5. Add Script to Menu
Add scripts from a folder to the InDesign menu. Unfortunately the page containing the link is in German, but try and check it out with the browser's translation!
6. Add Undo to Your Script
This page shows you how to collapse the entire script into one single Undo. Remember to always save a copy of the original, in case anything goes wrong.
Layout (aligning, drawing, guides)
7. Calculate Margins (by Laurent Doucet)
This script allows you to get the top, outer, bottom and inner margins for the five most common canons of page construction. The five canons are the “fine” print, the “regular” print and 3 based of a geometrical division on the page: by 6, 9 and 12.
8. Add Guides Around Objects (AddGuides - shipped with InDesign)
It adds guides around a selected object or objects.
9. Select All Guides (by in-tools.com)
It selects all the guides in the current spread, only the horizontal, or only the vertical.
To select all the guides you can also use the keyboard shortcut Command/Control Option G, without installing the script.
10. AdjustLayout (shipped with InDesign)
It moves objects by specified distances on right/left pages.
11. Align Objects to a Specified Position (shipped with InDesign)
AlignToPage is a script that aligns objects to specified positions on a page.
12. Add, Remove Columns (by Luis Felipe Corullón and Kai Rübsamen - paid)
The script adds or removes columns from a text-frame (or the page if nothing is selected). It could be very useful if you assign it a shortcut.
See here how to create your own InDesign shortcuts.
13. Creates Line Between Columns (by Marc Autret)
InGutter creates lines between your columns. The lines resize automatically when you resize the text frame. Very helpful with newsletters and magazines!
14. Size Labels (by Rorohiko)
It places a label on each frame showing its dimensions. The labels are placed in a specific layer, so that it's easy to delete them. Unfortunately, the dimensions are only in inches, and if you need a different measurement system you have to change the code.
15. Create Guides (by Luis Felipe Corullón - paid)
With this script you can either create indentation guides, or create faux double columns. In the first case you can choose between three measurements: gutter measurement, half-gutter measurement, and custom measurement. In the second case you can duplicate the number of columns in each page of your spread. The gutter will be respected. Using this, you can avoid any alterations on your original column guides.
16. Resize Items Without Moving Them
This script allows you to resize a number of selected page items while keeping them ‘in-place’. With this script you can resize a bunch of page items, while keeping their centers fixed. The items will grow or shrink, but they will ‘stay put’ and not slide around.
17. Unlock Frames (by Hans Haesler)
This "AllesEntsperren" script allows you to unlock frames. It also allows you to preserve the locked state of anchored objects. You will find it in the alphabetical list of scripts linked.
18. Lock Frames (by Hans Haesler)
With this "AllesSperren" script you can lock all frames. More versatile than manual actions. You will find it in the alphabetical list of scripts linked.
19. Copy Guides (by Hans Haesler)
With this "HilfslinienKopieren" script the selected guides are copied to the selected page. With the option "gespiegelt" (= "mirrored"), vertical guides are copied in a such way that the target page is a mirrored copy of the source page. You will find it in the alphabetical list of scripts linked.
20. Convert Selected Page Guides to Spread Guides (by Hans Haesler)
With this "HilfslinienUmwandeln" script you can convert selected page guides to spread guides (and vice versa). When no guides are selected, a dialogue is shown to confirm that all guides of the active spread are converted. You will find it in the alphabetical list of scripts linked.
21. Equalize Border and Shading
This script helps with the paragraph border feature, it lets you to set up both paragraph shading and borders on the same paragraph.
22. Set up Baseline Grid and Type Area
This script makes it easy to set up the baseline grid and type area in Adobe InDesign.
Text Frames
23. Convert Multicolumn Text Frames to Individual Frames (by Steve Wareham)
It creates threaded text frames starting from a multicolumn text frame. It's helpful when you need to make some columns wider than the others.
24. Break Frame (shipped with InDesign)
BreakFrame removes a selected text frame and its entire contents from a threaded text-frame.
25. Split Story (shipped with InDesign)
SplitStory splits the text frames of the selected threaded text-frame into separate, unlinked text frames.
26. Split Story (by Luis Felipe Corullón - paid)
Like the one above, this script allows you to split your story from the selected text frame to the end.
27. Thread Text Frames (by Rorohiko)
This script helps you to introduce a non threaded text frame to a threaded text frame.
28. Remove Empty Text Frames (by Luis Felipe Corullón - paid)
This script allows you to remove all empty text frames on document or current spread. Also offers the option to remove empty pages when the document is selected as script scope.
29. Thread Story (by Luis Felipe Corullón - paid)
With this script you can thread selected text frames to make one single story.
30. AutoStick - Edit Stickers in InDesign
This script is for editing stickers in InDesign. By sticker I mean very simple blocks, one-line text frames having some border and containing a title or just a few words. It can be used for simple diagrams, mind-maps, and family trees.
31. Copy Attributes of a Frame to Another (by Hans Haesler)
With this "RahmenAttributeKopieren" script you can copy the attributes of a frame to another one. You will find it in the alphabetical list of scripts linked.
32. Move Frames by a Defined Value (by Hans Haesler)
This "RahmenVerschieben" script allows you to move frames by a defined value. On even and/or odd pages, in the entire document or in a range of pages. You will find it in the alphabetical list of scripts linked.
Text
33. List Mistyped Words (by Theunis DeJong)
This script lists all the words in your text that are not present in the InDesign dictionary.
34. Manage Missing Glyphs (by Peter Kahrel)
The script lists all the missing glyphs in your document and allows you to apply a font to them.
35. Line Numbering
These scripts number the lines of your text by creating an anchored text frame at the start of each row. I am talking plural because I actually found two alternatives. A free script created by in-tools.com, and another solution by id-extras.com which costs $49 but adds a few more powerful features to the same function.
Link to the free script by in-tools.com
Link to the script by id-extras.com
36. Enlarge Text to Fit the Frame (by in-tools.com)
FitTextPrefs enlarges the text to fit a text frame based on the preference you choose.
37. Shrink Text to Fit the Frame (by in-tools.com)
FitTextToFrame will attempt to bring any overset text back into the text frame.
38. All Caps to Small Caps (by in-tools.com)
It replaces strings of full caps with small caps, and adds a Character Style to adapt the text to fine-tune the results.
39. Fit Overset or Underset Text (by Sterling Computing) - $18.24
The script fits overset or underset text in an story into the text frames of that story, while minimising visible changes to the text design. It doesn’t change the point size or leading in the default settings, since that can create mismatched baselines with adjacent columns of text from two different stories.
40. Split Text (by Ajar Productions)
The script breaks apart text by many options (by paragraphs, columns, words, etc.). You can use it in order to quickly separate blocks of text that can be individually positioned. It also comes with an undo feature.
You have to subscribe to Ajar Productions' newsletter to download the script.
41. Find Hyphenations (by in-tools.com)
This script searches for hyphenated words inside a specific story.
42. Remove Hyphenations (by Loic Aigon)
The script removes any hyphenation in the document and updates the paragraph styles (except the Basic Paragraph Style).
43. Text counter (by Kasyan Servetsky)
The script counts the number of text frames, paragraphs, words, characters and shows them in a panel.
44. Widow Fixer (by Dan Rodney) - $9.99
The script automatically prevents single words from being on their own line (It adds GREPs to your paragraph styles - check this other post if you want to learn how).
45. Add Paragraph Style to Text
Do you need to add a certain paragraph style to selected text, but don't work with an extended keyboard? In this topic discussion you can find the script for you!
46. Find/Change the Next Paragraph Style (by Thomas Silkjær)
This script will allow you to find and change paragraph style for "this paragraph and the one following it".
47. Highlight No Break (by Peter Kahrel)
You can easily apply the No Break feature to any span of text to fix all kinds of typographic problems. But sometimes, it might be very helpful to show where No Break had been applied. With this script you can do just that!
48. Swimmer - Replace Words with Images (by Kris Coppieters)
With this script you can replace placeholder text with images or icons (and vice versa). The idea behind Swimmer is that a document might contain keywords that sometimes need to be replaced by graphic icons, and sometimes need to be reverted back to plain words.
49. UnicodeInjector - Insert any Unicode Character into Text
Easily insert any Unicode character code into text in InDesign. The script allows you to assign a keyboard shortcut to a sequence of one or more Unicode character codes.
50. Create Dotted Text (by Hans Haesler)
This "RasterSchrift" script allows you to create "dotted" text. The characters are composed of circles, squares or stars. With or without a background and with or without highlights. For both options one can choose circles, squares or stars. You will find it in the alphabetical list of scripts linked.
51. Compose - Add Diacritics Shortcuts for Unfamiliar Languages (by Peter Kahrel)
This script allows you to create shortcuts for diacritics, letters, and symbols that might not exist in the font you're using.
Numbers, Prices, and Fractions
52. Price adjuster (by Peter Kahrel)
The script helps with adjusting prices. You can multiply them, change the currency, the format, the separator, add a character style, etc.
If you often work with tables and pricing in tables, you might want to read this post about linking InDesign tables to Excel spreadsheets.
53. Exchange thousand separators and decimal indicators (by Peter Kahrel)
The script helps you in exchanging thousand separators and decimal separators (dots/commas in numbers) from English to non-English style and vice versa.
54. Format Fractions (by Dan Rodney) - $69.99
The script properly adapts fractions to the text appearance. Adobe in the 2017 version added the support to fractions for OpenType fonts, but still not for TrueType or PostScript Fonts. Also, not all the OpenType Fonts support fractions, and applying the formatting is still a laborious work. This script does the job in an advanced, no-brain way.
55. Convert Numbering to Normal Text (by Hans Haesler)
With this "NumKonvertieren" script you can convert Numbering (and Enumerations) to normal Text. Useful when the text must be copied or exported. You will find it in the alphabetical list of scripts linked.
Tables & Charts
56. Tables using data merge (by Loic Aigon)
InlineMerge flows all your datamerge records in one unique frame.
If you need some help with data merge, check this tutorial.
57. Pie Chart Builder (by Marc Autret)
The updated script, Claquos 2020 helps you with creating pie charts directly in InDesign.
58. Deb-o-Matic Cell Style Automator (by Chuck Weger and Deb Haines)
Sometime table style editing can only get you so far. If you're dealing with a lot of tables, you don't want to edit every single cell in order to get it just right. With this script, you can automate this, applying all the cell styles in one go! Here’s how it works: you need to add a column on the left side of the table that tells InDesign which cell style should be applied to that row.
59. Apply Cell Styles Based on Content
It's a script you can use to apply cell styles based on the content within those cells. You’ll need to open it in a script/text editor and make a couple changes to match your needs, but it’s pretty simple.
60. Resize Chart Bars (by Luis Felipe Corullón - paid)
One click to resize all selected rectangles based on values entered in the dialog for each of them. Each field refers to one bar/column in your chart.
61. Resize Table Columns (by Luis Felipe Corullón - paid)
This script allows you to resize the column’s width of specific tables in an InDesign document.
62. Apply Paragraph Style to Text in Tables
In this topic discussion you can find the script that will help you find specific phrases that are in various tables within a document and change their paragraph style.
63. Figure and Table Numbering for InDesign
On this page you can find many scripts, including this one. It allows you to automatically number figures and tables.
64. Distribute Distance Between Table Columns (by Hans Haesler)
This "TabStopVerteiler" script allows you to distribute the distance between table columns regularly. You will find it in the alphabetical list of scripts linked.
65. Distribute Distance Between Table Columns Using Dialog (by Hans Haesler)
Like the one above, this "TabStopVerteiler_D" script allows you to distribute the distance between table columns regularly. ("_D" stands for "Dialog"; modify the settings using a dialog). You will find it in the alphabetical list of scripts linked.
Images
66. Unembed Embedded Images (by Peter Kahrel)
The script extracts both embedded and pasted images, saves them into a given folder, and replaces them with linked images.
67. Place Inline Images [updated]
Two scripts for the same function also here. One is by Kasyan Servetsky, it finds text between two @ characters – e.g. @Pencil.tif@ – and replaces it with the image that has the same name. The other is by Rorohiko and simply replaces words with images (This last one is also reversible).
Link to the script by Kasyan
Link to the script by Rorohiko
68. Open All RGB Images (by Kasyan Servetsky)
The script searches TIFFs and PSDs which are in RGB or Grayscale color mode and opens them in Photoshop.
Link to the script (Search in the page for "Open All RGB Files")
69. Show Options for Placed Images (by John Hawkinson)
Once you've placed an image you can't get access to Show Options. This script allows you to get around that! It assumes a frame (rectangle) is currently selected, and re-places the file associated with it, while showing the options dialog box.
70. Create LowRes Images Plus (by Luis Felipe Corullón - paid)
This script allows you to create LowRes versions of each image linked to your InDesign document to keep your document lighter. It is especially useful if you're using Ajar Production’s in5™ plugin, if you're working in a network based company, or even if your computer is not as fast as you want.
71. Relinking Images (by Jeremy Howard)
It's a script to relink images! This script allows you to: relink all links in the current document or across all open documents; relink specific file types by specifying which file types you would like to relink; choose to relink missing links, modified links, or all links in the document, whether they are missing or not.
72. FillBleed - Fix Bleed Issues
This script allows you to fix bleed issues in InDesign.
73. Split Images that Span Across Two Pages (by Chris Bennett and Martinho da Gloria)
With this script you can split an image that is spread across two pages, without having to do it manually.
74. Exchange or Swap Two Images
There is a way to manually swap or exchange images. With this script, however, you can do it much faster.
75. Apply Alt Text from Image Captions (by Peter Kahler)
This script allows you to quickly go through your document and create custom alternative text for images with the push of a button.
76. Apply an Alpha Channel to a Placed Image (by Hans Haesler)
This "AlphaKanalWahl" script allows you to apply an Alpha channel to an already placed image. The image must contain the Alpha channel, of course. You will find it in the alphabetical list of scripts linked.
77. Create a Contact Sheet with Image Files (by Hans Haesler)
With this "BilderKatalog" script you can create a "Contact Sheet" with the image files of the selected folder. You will find it in the alphabetical list of scripts linked.
78. Create a Caption Below Multiple Picture Frames (by Hans Haesler)
Thanks to this "Bildunterschriften" script you can create a caption below all picture frames or below the selected ones. You will find it in the alphabetical list of scripts linked.
79. Rename Images
This script allows you to rename images once they're already in InDesign.
Color
80. Convert Color Photos to Grayscale
This Color2Gray tool allows you to convert placed color photos to grayscale without modifying the original color image.
81. Convert Black and White
This script allows you to convert white to [Paper] and blacks to [Black]. You can find the link on this page under the category "Colour".
82. Convert Faux Blacks to User Input Values
This script allows you to convert faux blacks to any value you wish to input. You can find the link on this page under the category "Colour".
83. Convert LAB Greys to Shades of Black
This script allows you to convert LAB greys to shades of black. You can find the link on this page under the category "Colour".
84. Convert RGB Greys to Shades of Black
This script allows you to convert RGB greys to shades of black. You can find the link on this page under the category "Colour".
Styles
85. Show Text Overrides (by in-tools.com)
The script enables a hidden feature that shows which parts of the text have been overridden.
86. Highlight paragraph and character styles (by Marc Autret)
StyLighter highlights each paragraph and character style with different colors, and shows which parts of the text have been overridden.
87. Local Formatting to Character Styles (by Peter Kahrel)
These three scripts work together to create and associate Character Styles to inline formatting.
88. Create Paragraph and Character Styles (by Thomas Silkjaer)
The script automatically creates paragraph and character styles and assigns them to the text.
Link to the script (Search in the page for "Auto create paragraph and character styles")
89. Convert Nested Styles into Character Styles (by in-tools.com)
The script converts nested styles into locally-formatted character styles (overriding any manually applied character style that conflicts with the nested style). It works on nested, GREP, and inline styles.
90. Delete Empty Paragraph Style Groups (by Kasyan Servetsky)
The script deletes empty paragraph style groups.
91. Batch Import Paragraph and Character Styles (by Thomas B. Nielsen)
This script lets you batch import paragraph and character styles from a source document in documents stored in a folder.
Link to the script (Search in the page for "Batch import paragraph and character styles")
92. Reset to Basic Styles (by Luis Felipe Corullón - paid)
This script allows you to reset the character, paragraph and objects styles to its Basic default. Avoid applying wrong style when creating a new object or typing/pasting a text.
93. Apply Object Style by Search (by Luis Felipe Corullón - paid)
Thanks to this script you can apply object style into text frames just by using the script’s search field.
The script searches the entire document for a specific text, and all the text frames containing that text will receive the selected object style as applied object style.
94. Move to Layer Based on Style (by Luis Felipe Corullón - paid)
This script moves objects from current layer to new one, based on the applied style. This is a time saver when you want to organize all your document objects in layers based on what they are (texts, images, etc).
If instead, what you want to move is a picture, you can find a free script by Jeremy Howard in this topic discussion.
95. Rename Styles (by Luis Felipe Corullón - paid)
With this script you can quickly rename styles in your InDesign document.
96. BorderCollie - Style Management
This free script for InDesign helps you with style management. It allows you to define, edit and synchronize styles and swatches across collections of disparate InDesign document collections.
97. Clear Style Overrides
After running this script any overridden attributes will be reset. For fine tuning, you can limit the process to objects or text formatted with a particular style.
End notes, Foot notes, etc.
98. Dynamic Endnotes (by Peter Kahrel)
The script converts static endnotes to dynamic ones.
99. Footnotes to Endnotes (by Peter Kahrel)
The script converts static footnotes to dynamic endnotes.
Update 7 March: added a return linker function.
100. Endnotes for InDesign
Inspired by the one above, this script also converts InDesign footnotes into endnotes. So you need footnotes first. Endnotes are only possible within stories (single or linked textframes), you'll find your endnotes at the end of the story.
101. Footnotes in Columns (by Peter Kahrel)
More than a script, it's a series of scripts and a quick tutorial that help you place and organize footnotes into columns.
102. Dynamic Sidenotes (by Peter Kahrel)
This one is also a series of scripts and a quick tutorial that help with creating sidenotes (also numbered).
Variables, References, and Hyperlinks
103. Show/Set Text Variables (by Peter Kahrel)
The script creates a menu that lists all the variables used in a document, and allows you to change their value (all in one place).
104. Insert a Variable (by in-tools.com)
The script creates a dialog that makes placing text variables easier.
105. Quick Reference (by in-tools.com)
The script simplifies the creation of quick references both with and without anchors.
106. Make Hyperlinks from URL (by Kasyan Servetsky)
The script creates hyperlinks from the URLs in the text. It also adds temporary colors to indicate if the hyperlink creation failed or was successful.
107. Hyperlink List Viewer (by Kerntiff Publishing Systems)
This script gives you a panel that lists all the hyperlinks present in the document.
108. Create Text Anchors (by Kasyan Servetsky)
The script creates text anchors from the text. You use a Character Style to indicate where each anchor should be, and the script does all the rest.
109. Remove all the Hyperlinks (by Harbs)
The script removes all the hyperlinks present in a document.
Link to the script - Search in the page for "Remove all hyperlinks from the active InDesign document"
110. Add Bookmarks from a Paragraph Style
This script helps you to apply bookmarks to a particular paragraph style from an interface.
111. Add Bookmarks from a Character Style
This script helps you to apply bookmarks to a particular characters style from an interface.
112. Create Hyperlink Changing Text (by Luis Felipe Corullón - paid)
This script allows you to create hyperlinks in an InDesign document changing the URL in the text to a customized text.
113. Import Text Variables (by Luis Felipe Corullón - paid)
With this script you can import text variables from another document. And you have the option to import/override existing text variables.
114. Gryperlink - Assign Hyperlinks to SKUs and Other Text (by Kris Coppieters)
This weird name is a combination of the words hyperlink and GREP, because thanks to GREP, this script helps you automate the assignment of hyperlinks to SKUs and other text.
115. Create Hyperlink from URLs and Email
This InDesign Script converts Text into real Hyperlinks.
116. Hyperlinker - Find and Convert to Hyperlink
Hyperlinker finds web addresses, email addresses, domain names and phone numbers, and converts them to hyperlinks. It also lets you to do a GREP search for any kind of text (like product numbers for example) and turn them into hyperlinks.
Sort
117. Sort Paragraphs Alphabetically (shipped with InDesign)
The script SortParagraphs sorts the paragraphs in the selection in alphabetical order.
118. Sort Paragraphs Alphabetically – Light Version Language-Aware (by Peter Kahrel)
This script sorts the paragraphs in the selection in alphabetical order. Unlike the SortParagraph above, this one takes account of the text language. It can't deal with formatted lists (unless the formatting was applied by nested GREP styles).
119. Sort Paragraphs Alphabetically – Full Version Language-Aware (by Peter Kahrel)
An evolution of the script above. It's configurable and can deal with every kind of sorting (except for text in tables).
120. Table Sort (by Peter Kahrel)
This script lets you sort text inside tables.
Index
121. Index from Word List (by Peter Kahrel)
From a word list, the script runs on all the opened documents and creates an index. It's great for author, language, citation indexes and similar indexes.
122. Topics and Page References from Character Styles (by Peter Kahrel)
The script creates topics for and page references to all text formatted with certain character styles.
123. Page References from Imported Topics (by Peter Kahrel)
The script imports topics and references from another document (InDesign by default imports only the topics, not the references).
124. Building an Index Using Character Styles or External Word List (by Marc Autret)
The script builds an Index using character styles or an external word list. Use it to automatically build subject, language, or author indexes.
125. Clean Up Index Topics (by Kasyan Servetsky)
This script cleans up topic names in the Index panel so that you don’t have to clean up text in the generated story every time you regenerate the index.
126. Index with Links (by Luis Felipe Corullón - paid)
With this script you can make an index based on a list of links.
Find & Replace
127. FindChangeByList (shipped with InDesign)
The script performs a series of common text find/change operations by reading a tab-delimited text file. Check the script below to see how to create the txt file automatically.
128. FindChangeList French Version
This script works like the one just above it, but it is applicable to documents in French.
129. Find/Change within InDesign Paragraph Styles (by id-extras.com) - $49
The script allows you to do Find/Change properties on paragraph styles.
130. Record Find Change (by Martin Fischer)
The script helps you with creating the FindChangeList.txt file you need to use the script FindChangeByList.jsx shipped with InDesign.
131. Find Change by Queries (by Kasyan Servetsky)
The script lets you save and run a series of find-change operations.
132. Multi-Find/Change (by Martinho da Gloria)
This is actually an extension – not a script – but it should be mentioned here anyway. It gives you a very useful interface from which you can create and run a series of find-change operations.
133. Identifies Word Stacks (by Rorohiko)
The script applies a character style to any word stack. The Character Style has a thick red underline to help you spot the word stacks.
134. Find and Replace to Assign Hyperlinks to Text
With this script you can automatically assign a hyperlink to InDesign text based on find-and-replace pattern matching.
Import/Export/File Conversion
135. Copy Layer (by Redokun)
The script copies an entire layer from a document to another.
136. Batch Convert/Export Documents (by Peter Kahrel)
The script batch converts from indd, indt, inx, idml, pmd, QuarkExpress file format to indd, indt, PDF, PDF (Interactive), eps, rtf, html, xml, jpg, png, swf, and package. It can also be used to export InDesign documents to PDF as separate pages, and change the InDesign version of many files. Last but not least, you can use it to run a specified script against all documents in a folder.
Update 7 March 2017: now the script batch converts also InDesign books to PDF.
137. Page Exporter Utility (by Scott Zanelli)
The script offers a number of options for exporting your files to PDF, eps or jpg. There is also an option that lets you create a number of different PDFs from different layer combinations (helpful with documents with many language layers).
138. Export Book Documents Individually (by Peter Kahrel)
The script exports all documents in a book to separate PDFs (also page by page, or section by section).
139. Merge indd Files into One (by Simon Wiscombe)
The script creates a single InDesign document from several indd files.
140. Place a PDF Pages into InDesign (by Scott Zanelli)
The script automatically imports pages from a PDF (or another indd file) into an InDesign document. It comes with several options like positioning, scaling, rotating etc.
141. Export Sections as PDF (by Luis Felipe Corullón - paid)
This script allows you to export all document sections as separate PDF files.
142. Export Two Different PDFs (by Luis Felipe Corullón - paid)
Do you need a low resolution and high resolution PDF? With this script you can export two different PDF presets directly from one document.
143. Export InDesign to Word
Do you want to export your entire InDesign document to Word? with Export to Word you can do just that!
144. Save as INDD and IDML
This script allows you to save your document as both an INDD file and an IDML file, automatically.
Grep
145. Migrate GREP Styles (by Rick Gordon)
The script allows you to migrate a GREP style from a paragraph style in one document to another paragraph style in a different document.
146. GREP Query Manager (by Peter Kahrel)
This script creates a panel that displays an overview of all the GREPs used in the current user's folder, shows each query's name, finds expression, and changes expression.
147. GREP Editor (by Peter Kahrel)
This script creates a GREP editor. If you ever tried to type a GREP into the InDesign Find/Change box, you’ll know why this script has to exist.
148. ChainGREP - Run Several Queries One After the Other (by Gregor Fellenz)
Like it says in the tagline, this script will give you GREP superpowers. It's essentially a script that allows you to create and execute chains of GREP queries on your InDesign documents. To top it all off, it's easy to use even if you don't know how to script!
149. Change GREP Style (by Luis Felipe Corullón - paid)
This script allows you to change “GREP style” expression. You choose the expression you want to change and the expression you want to use. The script will change all paragraph styles that have the GREP expression entered in the dialog field. The character style applied to that GREP style will be kept.
150. Make Bar Graphs with GREP (By Colin Flashman)
Thanks to this script, you can create bar graphs with grep styles. It only needs to be run once to create the styles. Once run, the object or paragraph styles can then be used to apply the GREP styles to numbers throughout a document.
Fonts
151. Build OpenType Fonts from Within InDesign (by Theunis de Jong)
The script allows you to create your Fonts directly within InDesign. Add your logo and any pictogram and use them into your documents.
152. Font Reporter (by Marijan Tompa - tomaxxi)
This script creates a report of the Fonts used in a single document or many documents. The report can also be divided by each document.
153. List Font Properties (by Roland Dreger)
Based on what you choose, the script creates a box that lists all the properties of the text next to each style range, paragraph, story, or insertion point (Here the original post in German).
154. Replace Fonts (by Hans Haesler)
This "SchriftenTausch" script allows you to replace fonts. Useful when several similar documents have to be processed. Because the pairs Search/Replace are stored in two files. You will find it in the alphabetical list of scripts linked.
155. Replace Fonts with Search/Replace (by Hans Haesler)
Like the script above, this "SchriftenTausch_Datei" script allows you to replace fonts. The add-on "Datei" signifies that a text file is used which contains the Search/Replace pairs. When no document is open, a folder can be selected which contains the InDesign files to be processed as well as text file containing the pairs of the font names. You will find it in the alphabetical list of scripts linked.
156. Determine the X-Height of a Font
With this script it is possible in Adobe InDesign to easily determine the x-height of a font.
Book
157. Relink Documents in Book (by Kasyan Servetsky)
Given a folder, with a book open, the script re-links only missing files in the book.
158. Book from a Folder (by Kasyan Servetsky)
The script creates a book from InDesign documents in a selected folder. The book will have the same name as the folder.
Link to the script (Search in the page for "Create a book from InDesign documents in selected folder")
Others
159. InDesign Repair for Windows (by Mikhail Kondakov)
This is actually a Win application – not a script – but it's so helpful that I must mention it here. You can use this Win app to repair corrupt InDesign files in some scenarios (Here the original post in Russian).
160. InDesign Repair for Mac (by Stellar Phoenix) - 89€
You can use this script to repair corrupt InDesign files (for Mac only).
161. Create Hard Covers [updated]
These are two scripts that allow you to create a precise book jacket starting from the dimensions of your document. One is a free script by Marc Autret, the other is by Dan Rodney and it costs $19.99. Check yourself which one you prefer.
Link to the script by Marc Autrer
Link to the script by Dan Rodney
162. EAN13/ISBN barcode directly within InDesign (by Marc Autret) - €39
The script creates a vector image of your barcode directly into the document. You can then export the images using one of the scripts described in the images section of this post.
163. Import a HTML Page (by id-extras.com) [update]
This script is intended to provide the main text and images on any given web page, and import those into InDesign. The text comes in with same paragraph and character styles ready for use in your publication.
164. Delete Empty Text Frames (by Colin Flashman)
This simple script deletes all the text-frames which are empty.
To Redokun's users: sometimes when translating an InDesign file with Redokun, you skip some of the paragraphs which are not necessary in the target language. By doing so, the translated file can contain empty text-frames that might no longer be necessary. This script will come to the rescue.
165. Setting InDesign Preferences (by Keith Gilbert)
Modify and use this script to set your preferences in InDesign. The script comes of help when you update InDesign, or use another computer. It should be run with a document open.
166. Zoom to Width (by in-tools.com)
The script zooms to the width of the currently selected text-frame or object. Very helpful with a keyboard shortcut assigned to the script.
167. Speech balloons (by Indiscripts)
This script automatically creates speech balloons. Great for those who work with comics.
168. Invert Selection (by Luis Felipe Corullón - paid)
This script allows you to invert selection on active page in InDesign.
Essentially you will be able to deselect selected objects and select all other in an active page.
169. Save and Close all InDesign Documents (by Luis Felipe Corullón - paid)
The title says it all! This script allows you to close, save or save and close all opened InDesign documents.
170. Swatch Usage (by Luis Felipe Corullón - paid)
This script runs a report on swatch usage. If you’re having a hard time removing a swatch, this script could be useful. Since swatches used as style properties (paragraph shadow, rule, etc), even if the property is turned off, InDesign won’t let you to delete the swatch. Knowing where it’s being used, you can remove it without doubts.
171. Apply MasterPages(by Luis Felipe Corullón - paid)
One click to apply the master you want to the pages you want. Select the Master Page you want to apply, then a paragraph style (to make apply the master just to pages containing that style) or even pages, or odd pages. You can use a combination of these filters or just one. But you need to choose at least one (or paragraph style, or even pages, or odd pages).
172. Clean Up Your Pasteboard
The basic purpose of this script is to clear out the temporary components left out of the document bounds. The area to clean up can be extended or restricted via the user interface.
173. Remove Objects Outside the Pages (by Hans Haesler)
This "ObjekteEntfernen" script, much like the one just above, removes all objects positioned outside of the pages. You will find it in the alphabetical list of scripts linked.
174. Remove File Extensions from Captions
A simple way to help you remove file extensions from caption, if you are using static captions.
175. Batch Convert InDesign Page Size (by Jeremy Howard)
In this topic discussion you can find a step by step script on how to convert multiple InDesign document page sizes.
176. Move Items to the Pasteboard and Back (by Frédéric Robin)
Ever wish you could quickly slide some selected items (or everything) on a page out to the Pasteboard? This script does just that. And it also slides the items back onto the page at their original locations when you run the script again.
177. ComboMambo Updated (by Chuck Weger)
This script allows you to import a list of items directly into a form field to save all that error-prone typing (and your sanity). The script was originally written for CS6, and now it has been updated to work with the 2014 release of InDesign CC.
178. LayerLifter - Move Objects Between Layers
This simple script offers an alternative method to using the layers palette for moving objects between layers. It also has an optional feature to nudge all items on the layer throughout the whole document or across the current spread.
179. Copy/Paste Coordinates
This script allows you to copy/paste the position of InDesign page items for accurate position matching between items.
180. InDesign/InCopy Notes Notification
This scripts alerts you when an InDesign/InCopy document that you open contains notes.
181. SwatchWatch - a Portable Grid of Swatch Samples
SwatchWatch is a free script for Adobe InDesign CS5 and higher. It will append a printable grid of swatch samples to any document.
182. Press2ID - Connect InDesign to a Wordpress Blog
Connect Adobe InDesign to a Wordpress Blog via REST. The script places Worpress posts in the active Document.
183. SmartRevision
This script allows you to auto-save under different revision names.
184. Create Mazes in InDesign (by Theunis de Jong)
Not all scripts are technical ways to improve your work. Some are whimsical and amazing, like this one. With this script you will be able to create mazes in InDesign. It just goes to show you the infinite potential of scripts.
185. Split a Document in Several Sections (by Hans Haesler)
With this "DokumentAufsplitten" script you can split a document in several sections. Make your choice: Start pages, the number of split documents, the number of spreads, single pages. You will find it in the alphabetical list of scripts linked.
186. Join Multiple Documents into a Single One (by Hans Haesler)
With this "DokumenteVereinen" script you can join some documents into a single one. You will find it in the alphabetical list of scripts linked.
187. Replace Applied Swatch (by Hans Haesler)
This "FarbeErsetzen" script allows you to replace an applied swatch on a page (or in a range of pages). No swatch is removed, no definitions are modified. You will find it in the alphabetical list of scripts linked.
188. Convert all Swatches into Grayscale - No Name Change (by Hans Haesler)
With this "FarbeZuGrau_Name" script you can convert all swatches of a document into greyscale mode. The name of a swatch is not modified. You will find it in the alphabetical list of scripts linked.
189. Convert all Swatches into Grayscale -With Name Change (by Hans Haesler)
With this "FarbeZuGrau_Werte" script you can convert all swatches of a document into greyscale mode. The name of a swatch is modified to the new CMYK values. You will find it in the alphabetical list of scripts linked.
190. Remove Swatch Duplicates (by Hans Haesler)
With this "MehrfachFarbfelderEntf" script, inspired by another created by Dave Sauders, you can remove duplicates of a swatch whose names are completed with numbers or "copy". Replace the application with the original swatches. You will find it in the alphabetical list of scripts linked.
191. Release Anchored Objects (by Hans Haesler)
This "VerankertesLoesen" script releases anchored objects in the entire document (or in the selection). The object's position on the page doesn’t move. You will find it in the alphabetical list of scripts linked.
192. Restore Locked State of Anchored Objects (by Hans Haesler)
This "VerankertesSperren" script restores the locked state of anchored objects. Useful, because "Unlock everything on the current spread" releases also anchored frames for whom "Prevent Manual Positioning" is activated.You will find it in the alphabetical list of scripts linked.
193. Add/Remove Items from InDesign Menus
This script allows you to add or remove items from InDesign menus. You can find it going through the blog post linked.
194. Offset Path
Have you ever wanted to create a new path in InDesign that follows an existing path, but is offset--inside or outside the original path--by a specified distance? With this script, you can! You can find it going through the blog post linked.
195. Draw Ukulele and Guitar Chords
With this script you can draw ukulele and guitar chords in InDesign.
Must have
196. Import Almost Anything from Another Document (by Luis Felipe Corullón - paid)
- $19.99
It imports all the styles (text, table, stroke, object, TOC styles), colors and master pages from an existing InDesign file (name: byLFC_import).
197. Speed Up InDesign (by Gregor Fellenz)
Based on Erica Gamet article, this script helps you to speed up InDesign when a large document comes out. Best feature: you can restore your favorite setting by launching it a second time.
198. History Scripts (by in-tools.com)
The script gives you an interface from which you see the undo or redo stack. From the dialog, you can select which point you’d like to go to by name and apply the change avoiding mistakes.
199. Quickmark (by Peter Kahrel)
The script leaves a bookmark at the current cursor position. You can go somewhere else in your document, and then come back to your bookmark later.
200. Work With Others on the Same File (by Automatication)
The script LayoutZone lets you select several InDesign page elements or frames and convert them to a Placed InDesign file (.indd). You can edit this exported file and then, when the edit is done, convert it back into a native object.
201. Batch Update Links to Many Documents (by Kasyan Servetsky)
The script updates in batch all modified links inside all the InDesign documents located in a selected folder.
202. Link Finder (by Gert Laursen) - $40
Given a folder or even an entire hard-drive the script will attempt to find any missing graphics based on name, metadata and size of graphics.
203. Compare Two Documents (by Kasyan Servetsky
The script compares two documents and finds the differences between them.
204. Package for Archive (by Kasyan Servetsky)
This script packages all InDesign documents in a selected folder.
205. QuickResize - $59
With this script you can resize an entire InDesign document to any dimension! We include a review of this script.
206. InBackup
InBackup creates backup copies of the document in the folder specified by the user. But, to use it, we must re-assign a document save hotkey to this script. I tried to find a solution which saves automatically the document. For example, it saves the document every 5 minutes without pressing the 'save command' or Ctrl+s.
207. Create Backup Copies of Active Document
Similar to the one above, this "SicherungsKopie" script allows you to create backup copies of an active document, all saved in a backup folder with different version numbers. You will find it in the alphabetical list of scripts linked.
Language
208. Apply Language (by Luis Felipe Corullón - paid)
This script allows you to apply a selected language (provided by InDesign) to all text frames in your current document and all styles, in just one click!
209. Modify Language
This "SpracheGruppenKopie" script allows you to copy the selected group of paragraph or character styles, modify the language of the styles and apply them to the texts of the selected layer. The selected language is also applied to texts formatted with "[Basic Paragraph]" or "(No Style)". You will find it in the alphabetical list of scripts linked.
210. Change Applied Language
This "SpracheWechseln" script changes the applied language. The selected language is applied to the paragraph and character styles as well as to texts formatted with "[Basic Paragraph]" or "(No Style)"You will find it in the alphabetical list of scripts linked.
Language Translation
This is actually not a script, but our own Redokun.
Redokun is a translation software that provides a hassle-free solution for translating InDesign, Word, Excel, Powerpoint and HTML files and it’s flexible enough that it can be adapted to pretty much every workflow.It can work well for freelance designers, and it can be adopted to scale by companies of all sizes with in-house translators around the globe.
Read our translation software comparison and see how see how Redokun compares to other solutions.
Conclusion
These are all great scripts, and they already saved me a lifetime on working with our beloved InDesign. Unfortunately, some of them are not updated to the CC2017 and they might have stopped working. Let me know what you think about this list, if you find any error in the scripts, or if you can't find the script you need.
What’s your favorite one?
