Need to create multiple versions of the same document — for different regions, languages, or customer types — without duplicating your entire layout? Conditional Text in Adobe InDesign is your solution. This powerful feature allows you to include, exclude, or swap out specific parts of your content depending on the target audience.
Whether you’re publishing manuals, catalogs, or personalized brochures, conditional text helps you maintain one source file and reduce versioning chaos.
What Is Conditional Text?
Conditional Text lets you define pieces of content (words, phrases, sentences, even whole paragraphs) that are only visible when a condition is active. It’s like turning layers on and off — but for text.
This means you can:
- Create one layout
- Assign different parts of the content to different audiences
- Toggle what’s visible when exporting or printing
Use Cases
- Regional or country-specific variations (e.g., US vs UK content)
- Language variations (without full translation workflows)
- Versions for different customer segments (e.g., beginner vs expert)
- Print vs digital content toggles
- Optional marketing or legal disclaimers
How to Use Conditional Text in InDesign
Step 1: Show the Conditional Text Panel
Go to:
Window > Type & Tables > Conditional Text
Step 2: Define Conditions
Click the New Condition button and give each condition a clear name:
- “English”
- “Spanish”
- “Retail”
- “Wholesale”
- “Print”
- “Digital”
Assign each a unique color for easy identification.
Step 3: Apply Conditions to Text
- Select the text you want to conditionally show/hide
- In the Conditional Text panel, click the desired condition name
- InDesign highlights the text in that color (it won’t print)
You can apply multiple conditions to overlapping content if needed.
Step 4: Toggle Conditions
In the same panel, check/uncheck the condition visibility:
- Visible = text appears in layout/export
- Hidden = text is removed from the document output
Step 5: Export Versions
When exporting to PDF or printing:
- Set the condition visibility to the correct audience
- Export one version, then toggle and repeat for others
This way, you maintain one master file instead of creating multiple versions.
Pro Tips
- Combine with layers for layout-specific changes
- Use styles consistently across all conditional text blocks
- Keep a clear naming system for conditions if using many
- Include a legend page for internal review purposes
- Combine with Data Merge for powerful multi-version publishing
Advanced Use: Scripts + Conditions
You can write scripts to automate switching conditions, generating exports, or validating which conditions are active. This is especially useful for high-volume publishing or editorial workflows.
Summary
Conditional Text in InDesign is a powerful tool for version control, personalization, and multi-audience publishing. It keeps your documents flexible, your file count low, and your workflow efficient. Once you master it, you’ll wonder how you ever managed without it.
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