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We often need to add repeated elements to our proposal pages, like headers or footers. We might also want to make sure our formatting of common pages, like resumes or project sheets, is consistent too. Using parent pages in InDesign can help with this.
Applying Master Pages
In the pages menu, you’ll notice you have two sections. The top pages are ‘parents’ and the bottom pages are those of your working document. Let’s say you want to apply a basic footer to all of the pages in your working document. If you create the footer on a parent page and then apply that parent page to your working document, it will automatically show up on every page the parent is applied to. Any time you make changes to the parent page, those changes will automatically be applied to every page using that parent as well.
There are two easy ways to apply your parent page. First, you drag and drop a parent page onto any page in your working document to apply it, or drag and drop it between pages to add a blank page with the parent content. Second, you can highlight all of the pages in your document you want to apply the parent to, right-click, and select ‘apply parent to pages…’
Unlocking Parent Pages
When you create a parent page and apply it to a working page, you’ll notice that the content appears to be ‘locked’. You can quickly unlock and access your parent content by holding ctrl+shift and clicking the element you want to edit. You can also hold ctrl+shift and drag your mouse over the whole page to unlock multiple elements at once.
Note: ‘Unlocked’ elements on a working page will not be updated if the parent page is updated. So if you unlock a footer or page number on a working page, and then update the formatting in the parent page, it won’t apply to the working page and you will need to reapply the parent to the page.
FAQs
Do one of the following:
- In the Pages panel, select the pages to which you want to apply a new parent. ...
- Choose Apply Parent To Pages from the Pages panel menu, select a parent for Apply Parent, make sure that the page ranges in the To Pages option are the ones you want, and click OK.
A parent page (previously known as a master page) is a nonprinting page that you can use as the template for the rest of the pages in your document. Parent pages can contain text and graphic elements that will appear on all pages of a publication.
What does override all parent pages mean in InDesign? ›
So if you make changes on your parent page to that specific item, it will not longer update on your document page where it's been overrided. You can also override all parent page items on a single page by using either the drop down menu or right clicking the thumbnail, and selecting Override All Parent Page Items.
How do I add page numbers to parent page in InDesign? ›
Add a page number marker to a parent page
- In the Pages panel, double-click the parent page where you want to add your page number.
- Create a text frame large enough to hold the longest page number and any text you want to appear next to it. ...
- Select Type > Insert Special Character > Markers > Current Page Number.
If you want to make changes just to the parent page item on that page, you'll have to do what's called overriding a parent page item. To do this, you can hold down CMD + SHIFT if you're on a Mac (Control + Shift if you're on a PC) as you click the item you want to override. This will now unlock it and make it editable.
Why did InDesign change master page to parent page? ›
In the latest version Adobe decided that their job was to educate us to speak proper language, which is why the word "master pages" was replaced with "parent pages". We do not find any problem with the phrase "master pages" and believe that it is not Adobe's role to dictate policy according to progressive agendas.
What is the benefit of using master pages in InDesign? ›
Using master pages can help streamline workflow and improve design quality. This is achieved by allowing you to create and edit common elements once, and then apply them to multiple pages. Additionally, master pages ensure consistency and accuracy by preventing mistakes or omissions on each page.
What is a parent page What are the benefits of having parent pages InDesign? ›
As mentioned previously, parent pages are templates that we can apply to multiple pages in a document. Parent pages can be used to create structure for a document, and can also hold elements we want to repeat on multiple pages to ensure our document has a consistent appearance.
How many master pages can you have? ›
You can create as many masters as you want or need – for example, you want a colored box down the left margin of just some pages; you could create a master that has this look, and then apply it to only the pages that need it. 1.
How do you create a master page in InDesign? ›
Open your document in InDesign. Go to the Pages panel, located on the right side of the workspace. Click on the "New Master" button at the bottom of the panel. In the New Master dialog box, choose a page size, column structure, and other options as desired, then click OK.
Use InDesign to add columns to an existing document.
Select the text area where you want to add columns. Go to the "Layout" menu. Find "Margins and Columns" from the "Layout" drop-down menu. In the "Columns" window, enter the number of columns you want.
How do you apply master pages in InDesign? ›
To apply a master page to a page or a range of pages, you need to drag the master page thumbnail from the Pages panel to the page thumbnail or the page numbers in the panel. You can also right-click on the page thumbnail or the page numbers and choose Apply Master to Pages from the menu.
How do I set a page as a parent page? ›
With another published page in place on your website, go to the page you wish to make a child page or create a new page. Once there, expand the Page Attributes option in the editor settings. Click on the Parent Page drop-down box and select the page you want to make as the parent.
