Purchasing Adobe InDesign is a big step—especially if it’s your first time using professional design software. Whether you’ve bought it as a standalone app or as part of the Adobe Creative Cloud, the question is: What’s next?
This guide walks you through exactly what happens after purchase, what to expect during setup, and how to get productive quickly—even if you’re a beginner.
✅ Step 1: You’ll Get Access to the Creative Cloud
After your purchase, Adobe will immediately associate the plan with your Adobe ID (the email you used to sign up). You’ll receive a confirmation email and a prompt to download the Creative Cloud Desktop App—this is your control panel for managing and installing Adobe apps, including InDesign.
👉 Tip: If you’re using a team or school license, your IT admin might pre-configure your setup.
✅ Step 2: Download & Install Adobe InDesign
Through the Creative Cloud app:
- Locate InDesign in the app list.
- Click Install.
- The download and install process usually takes a few minutes depending on your internet speed.
Once installed, you’ll be able to launch InDesign directly from the Creative Cloud app or your desktop.
✅ Step 3: First Launch – Welcome Tour & Defaults
The first time you open InDesign, Adobe may prompt you to take a quick guided tour of the workspace. This includes:
- Panels (Pages, Layers, Links)
- The Control Bar
- The Toolbar
- Workspace presets (Essentials, Typography, etc.)
Don’t worry—if you skip this, you can always access help tutorials directly from the Home screen later.
✅ Step 4: Start a New Project
When you’re ready to create something, go to File > New > Document. You can either:
- Choose a preset (like Letter, A4, or Web)
- Define your own dimensions
- Use templates available through Adobe Stock
👉 Popular Projects to Start With:
- Business Cards
- Resumes
- Flyers
- Ebooks
- Social media graphics (with pixel dimensions)
✅ Step 5: Customize Your Workspace
One of the first things professionals do is tailor the workspace:
- Drag and pin panels you use most
- Save custom workspaces via Window > Workspace > New Workspace
- Set your default units (e.g., millimeters or inches) via Preferences > Units & Increments
This ensures that every time you open InDesign, it feels built for your workflow.
✅ Step 6: Sync Fonts & Libraries
Thanks to Creative Cloud, you get:
- Access to Adobe Fonts (formerly Typekit) from within InDesign
- The ability to create CC Libraries with frequently used assets like logos, colors, and type styles
These sync across all your devices, which is ideal if you work across Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign.
✅ Step 7: Explore Learning Resources
To get better faster, explore:
- Built-in tutorials via the Home screen
- The Learn tab in Creative Cloud
- YouTube channels like Adobe Creative Cloud or tutorials on InDesignPerfect.com
- LinkedIn Learning (if included in your plan)
Adobe also offers official user guides and a growing collection of community forums where you can ask questions or browse real-world solutions.
✅ Step 8: Save and Share Smart
Start saving your files in InDesign’s .indd format, but also get familiar with:
- .idml (for backwards compatibility)
- .pdf (for proofing or printing)
- Publish Online (for interactive, web-based documents)
You can export in just a few clicks using File > Export.
🎯 Final Thoughts
Buying Adobe InDesign is just the beginning—but thankfully, Adobe makes the onboarding process smoother than you might expect. Within minutes, you can start creating your own professional layouts, whether it’s for print, digital, or social content.
And with the right workspace setup and a few smart tutorials, you’ll go from newbie to confident designer in no time.
