How to Preview in InDesign

Wondering how to preview a document in InDesign? Sometimes you want to see all the page markings in an InDesign document, such as margins, frame edges, and guides. Other times, you only want to see the page items that will print, without any distractions.

You can toggle between these two view modes—Normal and Preview—using a button or a shortcut.

If you prefer videos, you’ll love this new quick tutorial by Ashlee Harrell from the Envato Tuts+ YouTube channel. Learn everything about InDesign print preview, the InDesign preview shortcut, and more:

What You’ll Learn in This InDesign Preview Mode Tutorial

  • How to see the normal view in InDesign
  • How to see a preview in InDesign
  • How to see the InDesign bleed preview

What You’ll Need

You won’t need any specific assets to follow this InDesign preview mode tutorial, but here are the resources I used in case you want to create something similar:

1. How to See Normal View in InDesign

Click on Normal mode to reveal any “invisible” items in a document. In this mode, any guides that you’ve placed, margins you’ve set up, item frame edges, and other structural elements will be visible. This won’t affect how anything prints; it just changes what you see onscreen so you can work with page elements more easily.

InDesign Tools panel with Normal view mode highlightedInDesign Tools panel with Normal view mode highlightedInDesign Tools panel with Normal view mode highlighted

2. How to See a Preview in InDesign

Click the Preview mode button at the bottom of the Tools panel to hide all the “framework” on the page and any non-printing elements. This is the InDesign print preview mode.

InDesign preview shortcut: Toggle between these two view modes with the keyboard shortcut W—but only if your cursor isn’t currently in a text frame. That’s how to view InDesign preview mode.
how to view preview in InDesign: InDesign Tools panel with Preview mode highlightedhow to view preview in InDesign: InDesign Tools panel with Preview mode highlightedhow to view preview in InDesign: InDesign Tools panel with Preview mode highlighted

3. How to See the InDesign Bleed Preview

Select the Bleed preview mode to see all visible/printing items plus any bleed (the portion of a design that runs past the edge of a page to be trimmed back).

You can find that button by pressing and holding the Preview button to reveal a pop-out tool menu with extra view options.

InDesign Tools panel with Bleed view mode highlightedInDesign Tools panel with Bleed view mode highlightedInDesign Tools panel with Bleed view mode highlighted

Have an item that mysteriously disappears in InDesign Preview mode or isn’t printing for some reason? Select the item, go to the Window menu, and choose Output > Attributes. Uncheck the Nonprinting option.
InDesign document with non-printing item and Attributes panelInDesign document with non-printing item and Attributes panelInDesign document with non-printing item and Attributes panel

Learning How to Preview in InDesign Is That Easy‭!‬

Being able to see your work without all the distractions on the InDesign page is as easy as toggling the preview mode on and off. Now that you know how to view InDesign preview mode, you’ll find yourself jumping back and forth between the modes frequently as you work.

For more InDesign tips and tricks, check out these tutorials and videos from the Envato Tuts+ YouTube channel:


This content originally appeared on Envato Tuts+ Tutorials and was authored by Erica Gamet

Wondering how to preview a document in InDesign? Sometimes you want to see all the page markings in an InDesign document, such as margins, frame edges, and guides. Other times, you only want to see the page items that will print, without any distractions.

You can toggle between these two view modes—Normal and Preview—using a button or a shortcut.

If you prefer videos, you'll love this new quick tutorial by Ashlee Harrell from the Envato Tuts+ YouTube channel. Learn everything about InDesign print preview, the InDesign preview shortcut, and more:

What You'll Learn in This InDesign Preview Mode Tutorial

  • How to see the normal view in InDesign
  • How to see a preview in InDesign
  • How to see the InDesign bleed preview

What You'll Need

You won't need any specific assets to follow this InDesign preview mode tutorial, but here are the resources I used in case you want to create something similar:

1. How to See Normal View in InDesign

Click on Normal mode to reveal any “invisible” items in a document. In this mode, any guides that you’ve placed, margins you’ve set up, item frame edges, and other structural elements will be visible. This won’t affect how anything prints; it just changes what you see onscreen so you can work with page elements more easily.

InDesign Tools panel with Normal view mode highlightedInDesign Tools panel with Normal view mode highlightedInDesign Tools panel with Normal view mode highlighted

2. How to See a Preview in InDesign

Click the Preview mode button at the bottom of the Tools panel to hide all the “framework” on the page and any non-printing elements. This is the InDesign print preview mode.

InDesign preview shortcut: Toggle between these two view modes with the keyboard shortcut W—but only if your cursor isn’t currently in a text frame. That's how to view InDesign preview mode.
how to view preview in InDesign: InDesign Tools panel with Preview mode highlightedhow to view preview in InDesign: InDesign Tools panel with Preview mode highlightedhow to view preview in InDesign: InDesign Tools panel with Preview mode highlighted

3. How to See the InDesign Bleed Preview

Select the Bleed preview mode to see all visible/printing items plus any bleed (the portion of a design that runs past the edge of a page to be trimmed back).

You can find that button by pressing and holding the Preview button to reveal a pop-out tool menu with extra view options.

InDesign Tools panel with Bleed view mode highlightedInDesign Tools panel with Bleed view mode highlightedInDesign Tools panel with Bleed view mode highlighted
Have an item that mysteriously disappears in InDesign Preview mode or isn’t printing for some reason? Select the item, go to the Window menu, and choose Output > Attributes. Uncheck the Nonprinting option.
InDesign document with non-printing item and Attributes panelInDesign document with non-printing item and Attributes panelInDesign document with non-printing item and Attributes panel

Learning How to Preview in InDesign Is That Easy‭!‬

Being able to see your work without all the distractions on the InDesign page is as easy as toggling the preview mode on and off. Now that you know how to view InDesign preview mode, you’ll find yourself jumping back and forth between the modes frequently as you work.

For more InDesign tips and tricks, check out these tutorials and videos from the Envato Tuts+ YouTube channel:


This content originally appeared on Envato Tuts+ Tutorials and was authored by Erica Gamet


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