PDF (adobe.com)

Create masters



By default, any document you create has a master page. You can create additional masters from scratch or from an existing master page or spread. After you apply master pages to other pages, any changes made to the source master carry forward to the masters and document pages that are based on it. With careful planning, this provides an easy way to make layout changes to multiple pages across your document.

For a video on working with master pages, see www.adobe.com/go/vid0069.

Create a master from scratch

  1. Choose New Master in the Pages panel menu.
  2. Specify the following options, and click OK:

    • For Prefix, type a prefix that identifies the applied master for each page in the Pages panel. You can type as many as four characters.

    • For Name, type a name for the master spread.

    • For Based On Master, choose an existing master spread on which you’ll base this master spread, or choose None.

    • For Number Of Pages, type a value for the number of pages you want in the master spread (as many as ten).

Create a master from an existing page or spread

  • Drag an entire spread from the Pages section of the Pages panel to the Masters section.
  • Select a spread in the Pages panel and choose Save As Master from the Pages panel menu.

Any objects on the original page or spread become part of the new master. If the original page used a master, the new master is based on the original page’s master.

Creating a new master spread based on another page or spread

Base one master on another

You can create a master variation that is based on and updates with another master (called the parent master) within the same document. The master spreads based on the parent master are called child masters. For example, if your document has ten chapters that use master spreads that vary only slightly, base all of them on a master spread that contains the layout and objects common to all ten. This way, a change to the basic design requires editing just the parent master instead of editing all ten separately. Vary the formatting on your child masters. You can override parent master items on a child master to create variations on a master, just as you can override master items on document pages. This is a powerful way to keep a consistent yet varied design up to date.

Original parent and child masters (left); when the parent master is modified, the child masters are automatically updated (right)

 To base one master on another, in the Masters section of the Pages panel, do either of the following:

  • Select a master spread, and choose Master Options for [master spread name] in the Pages panel menu. For Based On Master, choose a different master, and click OK.

  • Select the name of the master spread you want to use as the base and drag it onto the name of another master to apply it.

    B-Master based on A-Master

Edit the layout of a master

You can edit the layout of master pages at any time; changes you make are automatically reflected on all pages with that master applied. For example, any text or graphic you add to a master will appear on document pages to which the master is applied.

Note: When you override or detach a master page object on a particular page, that object may not update to reflect changes made on the master page.
  1. In the Pages panel, double-click the icon for the master you want to edit, or select the master page from the text box list at the bottom of the document window. The master spread appears in the document window.
  2. Make changes to the master.

InDesign automatically updates any pages using that master.

Use multiple views to see the results of master edits. Choose Window > Arrange > New Window, and then choose Window > Arrange > Tile Horizontally or Tile Vertically. Set one view to a page and the other view to the master applied to that page. Then edit the master and watch the page update.

Change master page options

You can edit master page options to change the name or prefix of the master, base the master on another master, or change the number of pages in the master spread.

  1. In the Pages panel, click the name of a master spread to select the master spread.
  2. Choose Master Options For [master name] in the Pages panel menu.
  3. Change any option, and then click OK.