If you think Adobe InDesign is only for print, think again. While it’s famous for magazines, brochures, and books, InDesign is also a powerful tool for creating interactive PDFs — digital documents that come alive with buttons, hyperlinks, animations, forms, and embedded media.
Whether you’re designing a presentation, an eBook, or a digital form, InDesign gives you everything you need to make your PDF not just readable — but interactive and engaging.
Let’s explore exactly what makes InDesign the best choice for building interactive PDFs that look professional and perform flawlessly.
🧠1. What Is an Interactive PDF?
An interactive PDF is a portable document that goes beyond static pages. It allows users to click, navigate, and engage with the content directly.
Here are a few common examples:
- Brochures with clickable navigation and embedded videos
- Interactive pitch decks or digital reports
- Fillable forms for clients or employees
- eBooks with internal links and chapter jumps
- Learning materials with quizzes or feedback sections
And yes — all of these can be built right inside Adobe InDesign.
🖱️ 2. Buttons and Navigation: Bring Your Layouts to Life
One of the easiest and most powerful ways to add interactivity is with buttons.
InDesign lets you convert any text frame, shape, or image into a button with actions such as:
- Go to next/previous page
- Jump to a specific destination or section
- Open a web page or email link
- Show or hide content layers
Using the Buttons and Forms panel, you can create custom navigation menus, clickable icons, or even “Start Here” landing buttons — no coding needed.
đź’ˇ Pro Tip: Combine buttons with layers to create dynamic effects, like pop-ups or tooltips, directly in your PDF.
đź”— 3. Hyperlinks, Anchors, and Internal Navigation
Interactive PDFs thrive on seamless navigation. InDesign’s Hyperlinks panel makes this effortless. You can:
- Add clickable links to websites or email addresses.
- Create anchors that jump to specific parts of the same document.
- Build cross-references for manuals, reports, or long publications.
This allows readers to explore your document intuitively — perfect for guides, catalogs, or interactive handbooks.
đź“ť 4. Fillable Forms Built Right in InDesign
If you’ve ever had to design a form in Word or Acrobat, you’ll appreciate how much cleaner it is in InDesign.
Using the Buttons and Forms panel, you can add:
- Text fields for user input
- Checkboxes and radio buttons
- Dropdown menus
- Submit buttons (linked to an email or web form)
Once you export to an Interactive PDF, all these elements remain functional.
Clients, employees, or readers can fill them out digitally — no printing required.
💡 Pro Tip: For advanced validation or automation, finish your form in Adobe Acrobat, where you can assign calculations or script actions to InDesign’s form fields.
🎬 5. Add Multimedia: Video, Audio, and Animations
Want to take your PDF a step further? InDesign supports embedded media directly in your layouts.
You can place:
- Video files (MP4, MOV) that play inside the PDF
- Audio files (MP3) for background sound or narration
- Animated objects created with InDesign’s Animation panel
Simply drag your media into the layout, adjust playback settings (auto-play, loop, poster image), and export as an interactive PDF.
It’s perfect for digital presentations, product showcases, or interactive learning content.
đź“„ 6. Page Transitions and Slideshow Effects
InDesign even lets you define page transitions — visual effects applied when moving between pages.
Common options include:
- Fade, Wipe, and Push transitions
- Directional movement (left, right, up, down)
- Timing and duration controls
These subtle animations make your document feel more like a presentation, ideal for pitch decks or company profiles.
đź’ˇ Note: Page transitions display when viewed in Adobe Acrobat or Reader, not all browsers.
📤 7. How to Export Interactive PDFs from InDesign
Once your design is ready, exporting is easy:
- Go to File > Export.
- Choose Adobe PDF (Interactive).
- In the dialog box, review your settings:
- Enable “Include All Buttons and Media.”
- Check “Use Document Bleed Settings” if needed.
- Embed fonts and optimize images for screen.
- Click Export — and your interactive PDF is ready to share.
InDesign automatically packages all your interactivity for a smooth viewing experience.
🧰 8. When to Use Publish Online Instead
If you want to reach readers who might not open PDFs in Acrobat, InDesign’s Publish Online feature is a great alternative.
It converts your interactive document into a web-hosted version viewable in any browser — with all buttons, animations, and links intact.
You’ll even get a shareable URL and built-in analytics to track engagement.
Publish Online is ideal for marketing materials, presentations, and digital reports.
⚡ 9. Why Professionals Prefer InDesign for Interactive PDFs
InDesign’s interactivity tools are far more advanced than typical office software. Unlike PowerPoint or Word, InDesign gives you designer-level control with:
- Precise positioning and layering of interactive elements
- Consistent typography and styles
- Seamless integration with Photoshop, Illustrator, and Acrobat
- Easy export for both print and screen
You can create one file that works beautifully online, in print, and on mobile devices — all while maintaining your brand’s polished look.
✅ Conclusion: InDesign Isn’t Just for Print — It’s for Experience
So, can you really use InDesign for interactive PDFs? Absolutely.
From clickable reports to fillable forms, from multimedia presentations to interactive brochures, InDesign turns ordinary documents into immersive digital experiences — with no coding or extra software required.
If you’re ready to elevate your PDFs from static to stunning, it’s time to bring InDesign into your workflow.
đź’¬ Ready to Create Interactive PDFs That Impress?
Take your digital documents beyond static pages with Adobe InDesign.
👉 Start your free 7-day trial of InDesign and see how easy it is to build interactive PDFs that truly engage your readers. ✨
