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- Redokun: InDesign Translator & Plugin
- Why use Redokun?
- Why standalone InDesign translation plugins don’t work?
Redokun: InDesign Translator & Plugin
Redokun is a cloud-based InDesign translator that anyone can use on their browser, regardless of their InDesign proficiency.
It is particularly a favorite translation tool for manufacturing marketers, because with Redokun, you can translate a whole InDesign document — including multi-page product catalogs and design-heavy brochures — in just 5steps:
- Export your INDD file as an IDML document. Here is how to do it.
- Create an account on Redokun and upload the document.
- Set your target language(s) and invite your translators.
- Translate the text in context using the Web Editor (integrated with Google Translate and DeepL).
- Download the completed translation in IDML format for each target language.
Here's a video on how to translate your IDML document quickly with Redokun.
For a step-by-step tutorial with screenshots, check out our written guide on how to translate InDesign files.
Download Redokun translation plugin for InDesign (Optional)
You can use Redokun’s InDesign plugin to add enhanced metadata to your IDML file when saving it. This helps Redokun improve your translation experience by using the data to generate:
- Page previews for in-context translating, even if you’re working outside of InDesign.
- Properly parsed text that is arranged in the correct order for your translators.
Note that only the person saving the IDML file needs the plugin installed (for example, your graphic designer). Once your IDML file is uploaded to Redokun, anyone viewing the file (Redokun users with Manager or Translator access) can access page previews without the plugin or InDesign on their computer.
Click here to download Redokun’s free plugin for Adobe InDesign.
Once you’ve installed the plugin through Adobe Creative Cloud, relaunch InDesign and you’ll be able to see Redokun on your menu bar.
Why use Redokun?
Redokun is first and foremost a translation management system (TMS) — one that happens to offer powerful InDesign translation features becausethat's what it was originally built for.
Working entirely inside InDesign sounds ideal, but it breaks down the moment a second person is involved. With a TMS, you get connectivity and automation across your whole workflow. Here are the key benefits:
- Automatic text extraction from all InDesign layers. Upload your IDML file and start translating in the Web Editor immediately — no manual copying.
- Translation Memory (TM) built in. Save confirmed translations for reuse across projects. For manufacturers updating their product catalog annually, this means large portions of unchanged text are translated instantly on the next run.
- Pre-translation. One click pre-fills your document with two sources at once: confirmed translations from your Translation Memory, and AI-generated drafts from ChatGPT, DeepL, or Google Translate. If you've set up a Glossary, the AI follows it automatically to keep terminology consistent.
- Real-time collaboration. If your InDesign translation project involves more than one person —translators, reviewers, a project manager — they can all work in the same document simultaneously. Tag team mates at specific segments, leave comments, and track who's working on what. This is especially useful for InDesign catalog translation projects where different translators may handle different product categories or chapters.
- Painless updates. Made changes to the original InDesign file? Upload the updated version and Redokun handles the rest — adding new segments, flagging what's changed, and leaving unchanged translations in place.
- Progress dashboard. See completion status for every target language from one view. Download auto-generated IDML files for each language when ready.
Is Redokun right for your project?
Best for:
- Marketing teams at manufacturing companies translating product catalogs, technical brochures, or trade show materials
- Teams with recurring InDesign translation needs (annual catalogs, multi-market campaigns)
- Projects involving multiple translators or languages simultaneously
- Anyone who needs layout-perfect output without manual reformatting
Not the best fit if:
- You need to translate a single, short document once, and speed of setup matters more than workflow
- Your files are entirely in Illustrator .ai format (export to IDML or PDF first)
- You have no translators and need only machine translation output with no review
Supported file types
Redokun supports a wide range of file formats to streamline your translation workflow. This guide outlines the supported formats, special considerations, and tips to ensure a smooth translation process.
- Adobe InDesign:
.idml - Adobe Illustrator:
.ai,.eps,.svg(via Illustrator script) – Read more in this blog post - Microsoft Word:
.docx - Microsoft PowerPoint:
.pptx - Microsoft Excel:
.xlsx - HTML5:
.html(UTF-8) - Subtitles:
.srt(UTF-8) - Plain Text:
.txt(UTF-8) - XLIFF 1.2:
.xliff,.xlf(UTF-8) – (Articulate Rise 360, Articulate Storyline 360, Generic XLIFF) - XML:
.xml(e.g., Adobe Captivate) - JSON:
.json(UTF-8)
Why standalone InDesign translation plugins don’t work?
A translation plugin can support one person who uses InDesign to do everything. But large-scale, long-term InDesign catalog translation projects are almost always executed by teams — and teams need more than a plugin.
- Plugins lack important features that ramp up translation speed. Translation Memories and basic collaboration tools are notably missing.
- Not all translators are trained in InDesign. In these cases, what they need in order for them to succeed at their task is the quick extraction of the InDesign text that needs translating. And what you need is a tool to quickly put together their translations into the original InDesign form. A plugin doesn’t support both needs, but a translation management system does.
- Plugins are not always well maintained. It’s entirely up to the third party developers whether or not they want to update the plugin for bug fixes and Adobe updates. It also means minimal or no support if any issues arise.
Therefore, using a dedicated InDesign translation management system is better than using a plugin alone. That way, you can easily manage your projects, your people, and the InDesign output you create along the way.
For further learning, check out these InDesign tips that have transformed the workflow of more than 10k InDesign users.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some questions I hear often from my clients. Maybe they’re on your mind too.
How do I install Redokun InDesign Translator?
You don’t have to install anything to start using Redokun, which is a cloud-based solution. Simply create an account here and you’re ready to upload your first document. The InDesign plugin is optional and adds enhancedmetadata for better previews.
Does Redokun InDesign translation plugin work on Windows?
Yes, the plugin will work on Windows and macOS systems.
What if I want to translate documents other than InDesign?
Redokun supports other file formats like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, SRT subtitles, HTML, XLIFF, and more. The process of uploading and translating the documents is the same. See the full list of supported file formats here.
Can multiple translators work on the same InDesign file at once?
Yes. Redokun's Web Editor supports real-time simultaneous collaboration.If two translators are working on the same segment, the second sees the field locked with the first translator's avatar — so there's no risk of overwriting each other's work.
How does Redokun handle updates to the original InDesign file?
Upload the updated IDML and Redokun automatically identifies new orchanged segments and flags them for translation. Unchanged segments keep theirexisting translations.
Summary
A translation plugin seems like the obvious solution because it addsfunctionality to a tool you already use. But it falls short the moment yourproject is ongoing, involves a team, or is part of a broader content strategy.
For translating product catalogs, trade show brochures, and industrial marketing materials — where layout integrity and translation consistency aren't optional — a TMS gives you the infrastructure a plugin simply can't.
When you’re ready, feel free to start a free trial of Redokun today (no strings attached ever).
Till next time,
Stefano
