InDesign Templates

Adobe InDesign is the industry-leading layout and page design software for print and digital media. You can use it to create publications, books, and all manner of print and layout projects.

Our series will give you some helpful tips and ideas for getting started with Adobe InDesign, and highlight some of the pros and cons between InDesign and other competing apps.

We’ll also be featuring beautiful InDesign templates for books, brochures, flyers, magazines, business reports, and so much more. These templates are a crucial piece in getting a project started quickly and making something that looks stunning—in no time at all.

What Is an Adobe InDesign Template?

keynote template

An Adobe InDesign template is a tool to help you jumpstart creative projects. A template is a starter file that includes the basic design elements for a book, brochure, flyer, magazine, or almost any other design project that’s likely to be printed. Templates can be as simple as a one-page design or include hundreds of pages and layouts for complex projects.

InDesign templates may come as one of two file types – an InDesign file (.indd) or InDesign template file (.indt). The difference is that a template file creates a copy when you open it and you don’t work directly with the file itself. This file type is useful for templates you will use and reuse, wanting the same design each time.

For more one-off uses, most InDesign templates use the standard InDesign file (.indd).

5 Reasons to Use an InDesign Template

keynote template

InDesign templates are valuable tools that you can create yourself with a custom design or download from another source. If you are looking for a great InDesign template, Envato Elements has a library of more than 17,000 to choose from.

Here are five reasons to use an Adobe InDesign template to push your projects forward.

  • Templates can help you design with speed. You can pick a template that’s based on the type of design project you are working on, with a design that matches your style, and then customize it to meet your needs.
  • If there are multiple people working on files for your team, InDesign templates can ensure consistency in design. When everyone starts from the same starting point with styles and formats attached, the end result can have a much more consistent final result.
  • Templates help you create a professional look and feel for projects every time.
  • Details matter, especially in large projects, and an InDesign template can ensure that elements such as page numbers, headers, or footers are the same on every single page. Master pages and templates work great together!
  • Styles are included with templates so that making text adjustments is easy. Character and paragraph styles can be adjusted for universal text formatting and even includes keyboard shortcuts to help you work faster.

Free vs. Premium InDesign Templates: Pros and Cons

keynote template

There are both free and premium (paid) InDesign templates available from a number of marketplaces online. The primary differences between free and paid templates are the robustness of the template design and sometimes the professionalism of the design itself.

Those who have Adobe subscriptions that include Adobe Stock can get “free” premium templates as part of their paid plan.

Premium templates are the standard for larger InDesign files that may include multiple layouts. You may find free templates for single-page designs that are well designed.

The primary reason to use a premium template is the ease of use and speed of design. A premium template should include everything you need to complete your project quickly. You’ll just need to make content replacements for images, graphics, and text.