January 29 2007 • 12:23 AM

Free InDesign Templates

Where can you find over twenty folders full of professionally-designed publication templates created in InDesign?

On your hard drive, if you have InDesign CS2 (the only version that comes with templates).

The easiest way to find them and preview them is from within InDesign. You’ll need to re-open the InDesign Welcome screen (which you stopped from automatically appearing long ago) by choosing Welcome Screen from the Help menu, and when the splash screen appears click the New from Template button.

new from template
new from template

What happens next is a bit of surprise; Adobe Bridge starts up and shows you the contents of your InDesign Templates folder. Didn’t know you had a templates folder, did you? It was installed automatically with InDesign.

The InDesign Templates folder contains a bunch of Collections (saved Bridge searches) and further down, 21 subfolders with names like Menus, Presentations, Newsletters, and Forms. Double-click one of the folders or one of the Collections, and Bridge shows you thumbnails of the templates it contains.

InDesign Template in Bridge
InDesign Template in Bridge

If you change the view to Filmstrip (from the View menu in Bridge) you can investigate each template page by page without having to actually open them. In the screen shot above I’m looking at page 1 of a 2-page newsletter template in Bridge. The “Business Sets” folder I’m browsing contains six sets of branded business collateral for a total of 48 templates! Double-clicking a template opens an untitled copy of it in InDesign.

Even if you’re not the type to use a template, they’re great for investigating how a savvy InDesign user might put together a piece. The files contain interesting uses of custom colors and blends, and all make intelligent use of layers, guides, paragraph and character styles. Linked images are embedded, but you can use the Unembed command in the Links palette menu if you want to open them up in Photoshop or Illustrator.

43 Responses discussing this post. Add yours below.

  1. Linus
    January 29th, 2007 • 4:28 am • Link

    Yes, the templates are really helpful.
    I found them a few months ago since they are not installed in the program folder.

  2. January 29th, 2007 • 12:49 pm • Link

    Great suggestion to look at the templates for examples of how InDesign can be used - I hadn’t thought of that before, and will definitely suggest that in an InDesign seminar I’m teaching in Feb. Thanks!

  3. January 29th, 2007 • 2:41 pm • Link

    Yup, Roanoke, and don’t forget you can use the custom settings in the templates as source material for actual projects.

    In your working project, choose Load Swatches from the Swatches palette menu, or Load All Styles from the Paragraph Styles palette menu, and in the resulting dialog box double-click the template that has the assets you want to import.

    If you didn’t save template as a new InDesign doc it’s a little hard to find the template folder on your hard drive. So, while in Bridge it’s a good idea to save the templates folder as a Favorite. That way you can click the Adobe Dialog button in the Open/Save dialog box and the Templates folder should be one of the favorites on the left.

    If you need to find the folder manually, on the Mac it’s at [hard drive] > Library > Application Support > Adobe > Templates > InDesign. I know there’s an equivalent path in Windows.

  4. February 1st, 2007 • 12:13 am • Link

    Windows path is:
    C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Templates\InDesign

  5. Peter
    February 2nd, 2007 • 11:28 pm • Link

    How does one change Bridge’s background color to Black??

  6. February 3rd, 2007 • 1:41 am • Link

    You can change Bridge’s background color via a black/white slider in Preferences > General, right at the top. The black background looks sharp, doesn’t it.

  7. Theresa
    February 24th, 2007 • 12:51 am • Link

    Couldn’t find them. Could not open “Welcome Menu” through Help. Was not a choice. I searched my entire computer for indt files and can’t find a one. Help?

  8. February 24th, 2007 • 3:14 am • Link

    Theresa, what version of InDesign are you running (2.0? CS1? CS2?) and what platform are you on?

    I used CS2 for my post but didn’t check if the same feature was available for earlier versions. It’s the only reason I can think of why you wouldn’t see the Welcome screen not appearing under the Help menu.

  9. February 24th, 2007 • 6:10 pm • Link

    Can’t find it in CS 3.0.1
    The welcome screen is not an option in the HELP menu

  10. February 24th, 2007 • 6:50 pm • Link

    Oscar and Theresa, I found a computer over here with CS1 installed, and you’re right, templates aren’t available with that version (neither is the Welcome Screen). Sorry about that … I’ll edit my post to add that it’s a CS2-only feature. Thanks for calling it to my attention!

  11. Milton
    March 2nd, 2007 • 10:22 pm • Link

    At the opening screen of CS2, when I try to open “new from template,” the template folders appear. For example, I can see the “Brochures” folder. I click on it and an “untitled” folder appears. Then when I try to click on something, the message “no items to display with current filter” comes up. In preferances I set the indt to associate with Indesign 4 or my CS2 version. What am I doing wrong? Thanks for your advice and help. MCS

  12. March 22nd, 2007 • 3:22 pm • Link

    Milton, that alert (”no items to display with current filter”) leads me to believe that you’ve set Bridge to only show you certain thumbnails (”3 or more stars” e.g.) and hide others. If this is the case, you should be seeing the word “Filtered” appear at the top of the Bridge window, to the right, next to the New Folder button.

    To fix it, click on the little triangle to the right of the word Filtered and choose Show All Items from the dropdown menu. Now you should be able to see all the templates thumbnails, and the word Filtered changes to Unfiltered.

  13. March 25th, 2007 • 6:00 am • Link

    is the template included in the trail version too for CS2?

  14. gatherer
    June 13th, 2007 • 8:21 am • Link

    Thanks it’s gonna be a great timesaver!

  15. ashley
    July 16th, 2007 • 8:19 pm • Link

    i’m looking to create a menu and selected one from the template folder. how do i change the standard colors to swatches of my choice?

  16. Theresa
    July 25th, 2007 • 6:27 pm • Link

    So the templates DON’T come with the latest (CS3)?

  17. David Blatner
    July 26th, 2007 • 12:26 pm • Link

    Yes, InDesign CS3 comes with templates, too. (Though perhaps not with the trial version.)

    Ashley: You should be able to change the colors in your template in the Swatches panel. Just double-click on a color to change it.

  18. David Blatner
    July 26th, 2007 • 12:38 pm • Link

    There are also other free templates on the Web. For example, check out these: http://www.stocklayouts.com/

  19. Chris Houlahan
    August 7th, 2007 • 12:30 pm • Link

    Templates were first included with CS Pagemaker Edition. The welcome screen is more comprehensive in CS3, but yes the templates are there (it’s the folder button at the bottom of the Create New list) and launches into Bridge just as in CS2.

  20. Joe
    October 10th, 2007 • 2:26 am • Link

    Hi guys,
    I’m having a bit of trouble opening the templates in CS2. When I click on the “new from template” button on the welcome screen nothing happens. Furthermore, when I try to access the templates directly from C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Templates\InDesign the files appear to be empty. Can someone tell me what I’m doing wrong? Many thanks.

  21. October 10th, 2007 • 3:10 am • Link

    Joe, did you purchase only InDesign or the entire Suite (IL and PS too)?

    Maybe they only come with the Suite; I’m not sure.

  22. Art
    November 29th, 2007 • 7:49 am • Link

    i don’t found these template in indesign CS2 !!
    can you send to me the Folder contain all Templates to Add to my program

    with best regards

  23. David Blatner
    November 29th, 2007 • 3:43 pm • Link

    Art, can you choose File > Browse? That should also open Bridge, and you should be able to find them there.

  24. November 29th, 2007 • 8:09 pm • Link

    Unfortunately the Browse command or icon doesn’t get you there … They drop you somewhere in your Home/MyDocs folder, and the templates are “further up” where all users can access them.

    In Windows XP the ID CS3 template folder is in My Computer > Local Disk (C:) > Program Files > Common Files > Adobe > Templates > InDesign.

    On Mac OS X (10.4) they’re in Mac HD > Library > App Support > Adobe > Templates > InDesign.

    I don’t recall if we ever got it settled whether or not the free ID templates come with the standalone product or only with the Suite.

  25. March 18th, 2008 • 2:01 am • Link

    Thanks! Very useful.

  26. debi
    March 31st, 2008 • 4:42 am • Link

    Hi, I have InDesign CS3 and cant find the newsletter templates everyone has been talking about earlier. Can someone give me the window path? Thanks so much!

  27. Derek of Chiswick
    April 26th, 2008 • 2:53 pm • Link

    I found it difficult to locate these templates until I was told that installation puts them exactly where no-ones going to look for them. Try this for the template folder: My Computer > Local Disk (C:) > Program Files > Common Files > Adobe > Templates > InDesign.
    Why don’t Adobe make sure they install in the Adobe directory rather than the Common Files folder!!

  28. Ranjith
    April 29th, 2008 • 10:01 am • Link

    i want indesign templates and designs

  29. May 28th, 2008 • 6:28 am • Link

    Hi last week i made one product launching catalouge. Then i made pdf file with Hig res outline flatnerpresetts (Acrobat 4). I placed photoshop file in indesign including shadow, transperency.. Finally printed catalouge. Shadows and transperencies are broken. Anyway to making pdf file with high res outline flatner presets with acrobat 6 or later? Please give an idea.

  30. David Blatner
    May 28th, 2008 • 4:39 pm • Link

    Rajesh, no, Acrobat 6 file format does not flatten files. Transparency is saved, and you then control the flattening at print time from Acrobat. Perhaps something was wrong in Acrobat’s print dialog box? Your comment has nothing to do with templates, though. Perhaps do a search on our site for other flattener or transparency posts?

  31. Evy
    July 4th, 2008 • 11:49 am • Link

    I created a template using InDesign, I am wondering if anyone here know if you can edit a template and automatically update all the files that uses that template in the future. Thanks.

  32. Jenny
    September 27th, 2008 • 10:13 am • Link

    I’m wanting to create a template in InDesign and then save it to be used by someone who doesn’t have the Creative Suite package. I had been thinking Word but I’m not having any luck figuring it out. Any ideas? Thanks.

  33. David Blatner
    September 29th, 2008 • 8:55 am • Link

    Jenny, here’s a good article Anne-Marie wrote at creativepro.com about making templates from ID for MS Word users.

  34. Kitty
    October 1st, 2008 • 7:21 am • Link

    Does anyone know of any other free templates for InDesign? I tried the one mentioned above - stocklayouts.com but they now charge $99 per template.

  35. Crystal
    October 2nd, 2008 • 11:15 am • Link

    Thanks for the guidance! I was able to find them on my CS2.

    To the poster who can’t find Bridge - double check the bottom of your screen in the programs field by the Start line - my Bridge was hiding down there.

  36. Yolanda
    October 19th, 2008 • 2:20 pm • Link

    I’m using an InDesign CS2 template. I need to edit the template for my use. The lines highlight but when I try to change them a padlock shows. I’ve gone to info and it’s not locked. Short of creating a new template from scratch is there any way to unlock an existing template?

  37. December 5th, 2008 • 7:13 am • Link

    This is very helpful - thank you. I am working on a new newsletter/brochure today, and this info is so timely!

  38. junxiu
    December 13th, 2008 • 7:52 pm • Link

    please send me one pokect of templates.Thanks?

  39. Deborah
    December 15th, 2008 • 2:50 pm • Link

    Regarding using CS2 InDesign templates, when I click on the graphic elements, they won’t highlight and I can’t change them. The layers are not locked. How do I change the template? I can’t even change the color! Thanks so much!

  40. jfvandale
    December 29th, 2008 • 6:46 am • Link

    Not sure if someone said templates are only in CS2 and are not in CS3. They are:

    Open a predesigned template

    Choose File > New > Document From Template.
    In Adobe Bridge, double-click the folder (such as Flyers or Catalogs) that contains the type of template you want to open.
    Double-click the template file.

  41. Aldairi
    February 3rd, 2009 • 5:35 am • Link

    Thank you very much

  42. March 4th, 2009 • 11:31 pm • Link

    Creo que este tipo de ayuda siempre beneficia a abrir nuevas visiones cuando te encuentras tan saturado

  43. SDF
    April 25th, 2009 • 6:20 am • Link

    THANK YOU VERY MUCH

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