The purpose of this report is to provide a clear, step-by-step guide for users who need to convert a modern Adobe InDesign document (e.g., CC 2024/2025) into a format compatible with an older version of InDesign (e.g., CS6, CC 2018, or CC 2020).
Open the resulting .idml file in your older version of InDesign . It will open as an "Untitled" document that you should then save as a standard .indd file . Specific Scenarios how to convert indesign file to older version link
Click Save. The resulting file can now be opened in older versions (CS4 and later). Alternative: The "Package" Method Report: Converting Adobe InDesign Files to an Older
A more professional way to ensure the recipient can open the file with all its assets is to "Package" the document: Go to File > Package. It will open as an "Untitled" document that
The central question designers ask Google daily is: How to convert an InDesign file to an older version link?
In the "Save as type" (Windows) or "Format" (Mac) dropdown, select InDesign Markup (IDML). Save the file.
| Step | Action in Newer InDesign (e.g., CC 2024) | Explanation |
|------|------------------------------------------|--------------|
| 1 | Open the .indd file you wish to convert. | Ensure all links and fonts are resolved. |
| 2 | Go to File > Export. | Do not use "Save As". |
| 3 | In the "Format" dropdown, select InDesign Markup Language (IDML). | This is an open, exchangeable XML-based format. |
| 4 | Name the file and click Save. | An .idml file will be created. |
| 5 | Open the older version of InDesign (e.g., CS6 or CC 2018). | |
| 6 | Go to File > Open and select the .idml file. | The older version will open it and automatically convert it to its native .indd format. |
| 7 | Go to File > Save As and save as a standard .indd file. | This locks the file to the older version's format. |