Create production-ready layouts with precision and clarity
Whether you’re designing packaging, brochures, mailers, or any project that will be physically cut and folded, cut and fold lines are essential. They communicate crucial information to printers about where to trim and where to crease or fold the document. While Adobe InDesign doesn’t offer a one-click option for these lines, they can be easily created manually and included during export.
In this guide, you’ll learn how to add cut and fold lines in InDesign the right way, using proper design practices for professional printing.
🧾 What Are Cut and Fold Lines?
- Cut Lines (also called die lines) indicate where a printed piece should be trimmed or cut out. These are especially common in packaging, labels, or custom-shaped flyers.
- Fold Lines show where the document should be creased or folded, often used in brochures, greeting cards, or mailers.
Both types of lines are non-printing guides for the printer, often placed in the bleed or slug area.
🔧 Tools You’ll Use in InDesign
- Line Tool () – to draw the cut and fold marks
- Stroke panel – to set color, weight, and style of lines
- Layers panel – to isolate production marks from content
- Slug area – for placing external instructions
✅ Step-by-Step: How to Add Cut and Fold Lines in InDesign
🎯 Step 1: Set Up Bleed and Slug
Before adding any marks:
- Go to
File > Document Setup - Set Bleed (usually 0.125 in / 3 mm)
- Optionally set Slug (extra space for printer notes)
Tip: The Slug is ideal for fold/cut marks that shouldn’t interfere with the design itself.
✏️ Step 2: Add Guides for Reference
Use rulers to drag guides where your folds and cuts should appear. This helps with accurate placement of lines.
✂️ Step 3: Draw the Cut Lines
- Select the Line Tool
- Hold Shift to draw perfectly horizontal or vertical lines
- Place the lines along your cut areas (e.g., edge of die-cut shapes or panel edges)
- Set Stroke to:
- 0.25 pt
- Color: [Spot Color or Magenta]
- Optional: Use a dashed stroke to visually distinguish from fold lines
📐 Step 4: Draw the Fold Lines
Repeat the same process, but distinguish fold lines:
- Use a different stroke color (commonly Cyan)
- Consider using a dotted or dashed line
- Keep line weight thin (0.25 pt)
- Place these lines just outside the trim or in the slug area
🗂️ Step 5: Use Layers for Organization
- Open the Layers panel
- Create a new layer called “Print Marks”
- Move all fold and cut lines to this layer
- Lock it to avoid accidental editing
🖨️ Step 6: Add Notes (Optional)
You can use the Text Tool to label the lines (“Cut,” “Fold,” etc.) in the slug area. Set text to small, black, non-printing instructions.
🔄 Step 7: Exporting Your Print-Ready PDF
When exporting:
- Go to
File > Export > Adobe PDF (Print) - Under Marks and Bleeds, check:
- [✓] Crop Marks
- [✓] Include Slug Area (if you placed marks there)
- [✓] Use Document Bleed Settings
- Click Export
Ensure your print vendor knows what your line colors indicate (e.g., Magenta = Cut, Cyan = Fold). You may need to supply a key or legend.
✅ Best Practices for Cut and Fold Lines
- Don’t place marks inside live area—keep them outside the trim or in the slug
- Use spot colors or clearly labeled swatches to differentiate marks
- Always communicate with your print vendor to confirm standards
- Label lines or use a legend if you have complex folds (e.g., gatefolds, accordion folds)
🧠 Pro Tip: Save as a Template
If you frequently design brochures or packaging, save a version of your layout as an InDesign template with guides and cut/fold layers pre-built. This saves time and ensures consistency across projects.
🏁 Conclusion
Adding cut and fold lines in Adobe InDesign gives you full control over how your design is translated into a physical product. While not automatic, they’re easy to add manually using the right tools and layers. With a little setup, you can ensure that your final piece prints and folds exactly as intended—without surprises.
