Glossaries and indexes are among the most useful navigation tools in long documents.

In a textbook, a glossary helps readers understand unfamiliar terminology. In a technical manual, it provides quick definitions of specialist concepts. An index allows readers to locate subjects, people, products, procedures, and concepts without searching through hundreds of pages manually.

But simply adding a glossary or index doesn’t automatically make it accessible.

For readers using screen readers, keyboard navigation, magnification, or other assistive technologies, the structure and implementation of these reference tools can make the difference between useful navigation and a frustrating document.

Adobe InDesign provides many of the tools needed to build well-structured glossaries and indexes, including paragraph styles, bookmarks, hyperlinks, cross-references, indexing tools, tagged content, EPUB export, and accessible PDF workflows.

This practical guide explains how to use those capabilities to create glossaries and indexes that are easier for everyone to navigate

Adobe InDesign provides professional long-document, indexing, navigation, and accessibility tools that make it particularly well suited to books, manuals, reports, and other structured publications.

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Why Accessible Glossaries and Indexes Matter

Accessibility is sometimes treated primarily as an issue involving images and alt text.

That’s only one part of accessible publishing.

A publication also needs to be understandable and navigable.

Consider a 400-page technical manual.

A reader encounters the term:

Variable Data Publishing

They don’t know what it means.

A sighted reader might flip to the glossary, find the term alphabetically, read the definition, and return to the original page.

A well-designed digital document can make that process even easier.

The reader could activate the term and move directly to its definition.

But that only works effectively if:

• The glossary is structured logically.
• Terms are identifiable.
• Links are meaningful.
• Navigation works correctly.
• Reading order is sensible.
• Assistive technology can understand the content.

Accessibility therefore extends beyond individual page elements.

It includes the information architecture of the publication.

What Makes a Glossary Accessible?

An accessible glossary should allow readers to:

• Identify that they have reached the glossary.
• Navigate between glossary entries.
• Understand which text is the term and which is the definition.
• Follow links from the main document where appropriate.
• Return to relevant content.
• Read entries in a logical order.
• Use the glossary with assistive technology.

Visual formatting alone isn’t enough.

For example, you might format glossary terms in bold and definitions in regular text.

A sighted reader immediately recognizes the distinction.

But accessible structure should not depend exclusively on visual differences such as:

• Bold
• Color
• Indentation
• Font size
• Position

Where possible, the document structure should reinforce the visual structure.

What Makes an Index Accessible?

An index presents a slightly different challenge.

Traditional indexes typically contain:

Term → page number

For example:

Accessibility, 14, 27, 68–72

Alt text, 43, 51, 88

EPUB, 102–118

In a printed book, the reader turns to the specified page.

In a digital document, those references can potentially become interactive navigation.

A well-designed digital index should therefore consider:

• Logical alphabetical structure
• Clear index entries
• Meaningful subentries
• Accurate references
• Interactive navigation where supported
• Consistent formatting
• Screen-reader usability

The objective is to preserve the familiar usefulness of a traditional index while taking advantage of digital navigation.

Accessibility Starts with Document Structure

Before building either a glossary or an index, establish a good document structure.

InDesign users working on long publications should already be using tools such as:

• Paragraph styles
• Character styles
• Parent pages
• Sections
• Automatic page numbering
• Cross-references
• Hyperlinks
• Book files where appropriate

Accessibility works much better when the publication is structured systematically.

If every heading and glossary term has been manually formatted, maintaining accessibility becomes considerably harder.

Styles aren’t just a productivity tool.

They are part of the document’s structural foundation.

Step 1: Create a Dedicated Glossary Section

Give the glossary a clearly identifiable section of the publication.

For example:

Glossary

The heading should use the same appropriate heading structure used elsewhere in the publication.

Don’t merely make the word “Glossary” large and bold manually.

Use a defined heading paragraph style.

For example:

Heading 1

or a dedicated style mapped appropriately for your output.

This makes the glossary easier to:

• Navigate
• Maintain
• Include in bookmarks
• Include in navigation
• Export structurally

Consistency matters.

Step 2: Create a Glossary Term Style

Next, create a dedicated paragraph style for glossary terms.

For example:

Glossary Term

You might visually format it using:

• Bold typography
• Additional spacing before
• A distinctive typeface or weight

But the real benefit is consistency.

Every glossary term now follows the same structural formatting rule.

For example:

Accessibility

The practice of designing products, services, environments, and information so they can be used by people with a wide range of abilities.

Alternative Text

A textual alternative that communicates the meaning or purpose of non-text content such as images.

ARIA

Accessible Rich Internet Applications, a collection of attributes used to improve accessibility information for digital interfaces.

Because all terms share a style, you can modify the entire glossary easily later.

Step 3: Create a Glossary Definition Style

Create another paragraph style:

Glossary Definition

This lets you control:

• Indentation
• Spacing
• Typeface
• Line spacing
• Keep options

without manually formatting every definition.

The structure becomes:

Glossary Term

Glossary Definition

Glossary Term

Glossary Definition

This makes large glossaries much easier to maintain.

Step 4: Keep Terms and Definitions Together

One common layout problem occurs when a glossary term appears at the bottom of one page while its definition begins on the next.

That’s visually awkward and can make the content harder to follow.

InDesign’s paragraph Keep Options can help.

Configure the glossary-term style so that the term stays with at least the first line or lines of its definition.

This is a small detail, but good accessibility often comes from many small usability improvements working together.

Step 5: Arrange Glossary Entries Logically

Most glossaries are alphabetical.

Keep the structure predictable.

For example:

A

Accessibility

Alternative Text

ARIA

B

Bookmark

Bleed

C

Caption

Character Style

Color Contrast

Alphabetical navigation reduces cognitive effort because readers already understand how the information is organized.

For very large glossaries, alphabetic section headings can make navigation even easier.

Add Alphabetical Navigation to Large Glossaries

Imagine a glossary containing 500 terms.

Scrolling through the entire section is inefficient.

Consider adding an alphabet navigation bar:

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

In an interactive document, each letter can link to the corresponding glossary section.

A reader selecting:

M

could jump directly to terms beginning with M.

This can be particularly useful in:

• Technical manuals
• Educational publications
• Medical publications
• Legal documents
• Reference books
• Product documentation

Make sure the link text remains meaningful and the navigation works with assistive technology.

Step 6: Use Hyperlinks for Glossary Navigation

One of the biggest advantages of a digital glossary is the ability to link terms directly to definitions.

Suppose your document says:

The publication should include appropriate alternative text for informative images.

The words:

alternative text

could link directly to the glossary definition.

InDesign’s Hyperlinks panel can be used to create internal navigation.

A simplified workflow is:

1. Create a destination at the glossary entry.
2. Select the term in the main document.
3. Create a hyperlink to the destination.
4. Test the link after export.

This turns the glossary from a passive reference section into an active navigation system.

Don’t Use “Click Here” for Glossary Links

Meaningful link text is an important accessibility principle.

Avoid:

To learn what alternative text means, click here.

Prefer:

Read the definition of alternative text in the glossary.

The link itself now communicates its destination.

This helps users navigating links with assistive technology and makes the document easier for everyone to understand.

Step 7: Consider Return Navigation

Sending a reader from page 27 to a glossary entry on page 300 is useful.

But what happens next?

Can they easily return?

Depending on the publication format and reader software, users may have built-in navigation history.

However, for heavily interactive documents, you may also consider deliberate return-navigation mechanisms where appropriate.

The objective is to avoid creating a one-way journey that leaves readers disoriented.

Avoid Over-Linking Every Glossary Term

Just because a term exists in the glossary doesn’t mean every occurrence needs to become a hyperlink.

Imagine a 200-page book in which the term “accessibility” appears 300 times.

Turning all 300 occurrences into glossary links would create visual and navigational clutter.

Instead, consider linking:

• First occurrence
• First occurrence per chapter
• Important contextual occurrences
• Terms readers are likely to need explained

Accessibility includes avoiding unnecessary complexity.

Step 8: Create Bookmarks for Major Reference Sections

Bookmarks can provide another useful navigation layer in accessible digital documents.

Consider bookmarks for:

• Table of contents
• Glossary
• Index
• Appendices
• References

This allows readers to jump directly to major sections without navigating page by page.

InDesign’s Bookmarks panel can help build this navigation structure.

Creating an Index in Adobe InDesign

Unlike a manually typed index, InDesign includes dedicated indexing functionality.

You can mark references throughout the document and then generate the index.

This is a major advantage for long-document publishing.

The general process involves:

1. Marking index topics.
2. Creating topic levels and subentries.
3. Adding page references.
4. Generating the index.
5. Formatting the generated index with styles.
6. Updating it as the publication changes.

A generated index is much easier to maintain than manually typing hundreds of references.

Step 9: Open the Index Panel

In InDesign, use the Index panel to manage index topics and references.

The panel allows you to create an organized hierarchy of terms.

For example:

Accessibility

• alt text
• EPUB
• PDF
• reading order
• screen readers

This hierarchy can produce much more useful indexes than a flat list of keywords.

Step 10: Choose Index Terms Carefully

An index isn’t merely a list of every word appearing in the publication.

A good index reflects how readers search for information.

For example, a book about InDesign accessibility might include:

Accessibility

Alternative text

ARIA labels

EPUB

PDF/UA

Reading order

Screen readers

Tagged PDF

The indexer needs to think like the reader.

Ask:

What term would someone look for if they wanted this information?

That question produces much better indexes than mechanically indexing repeated vocabulary.

Step 11: Use Subentries

Subentries make complex indexes considerably easier to navigate.

Instead of:

InDesign, 3, 7, 15, 24, 38, 49, 71, 83, 102, 130

you might create:

InDesign
— accessibility, 71
— AI features, 102
— EPUB export, 83
— indexing, 130
— paragraph styles, 38

The second version provides context.

Readers don’t merely see where InDesign is mentioned.

They understand why each reference matters.

This benefits all readers, including people using assistive technology.

Step 12: Use Cross-References Where Appropriate

Indexes sometimes contain alternative terms.

For example:

Image descriptions. See Alternative text

or:

Assistive technology. See also Screen readers

These relationships help readers navigate terminology.

They are particularly useful when:

• Multiple terms mean similar things.
• Readers may search for different terminology.
• One concept is a subset of another.
• Related concepts deserve cross-reference.

Good information architecture is an accessibility feature in itself.

Step 13: Generate the Index

After marking index references, generate the index through InDesign.

InDesign creates the index content based on your marked topics and references.

Place the generated index in the appropriate section of your document.

Usually this appears near the end of a book or long publication.

Once generated, apply and verify the appropriate styles.

Step 14: Style the Index Consistently

A typical index might use styles such as:

Index Heading

Index Letter

Index Level 1

Index Level 2

Index Cross-Reference

For example:

Index

A

Accessibility, 18–24, 117
 alt text, 21
 EPUB, 119
 reading order, 23

Adobe InDesign, 3–15
 accessibility tools, 18
 EPUB export, 120

The visual hierarchy should reinforce the logical hierarchy.

Avoid relying solely on indentation if other structural techniques are available for your target format.

Step 15: Update the Index Before Publishing

This step is critical.

Page numbers change.

Sections move.

Content is deleted.

New material is added.

An index generated halfway through production may become inaccurate by publication time.

Therefore, update the index after the document is substantially finalized.

Then verify it again before final export.

An inaccessible index is frustrating.

An inaccurate index is useless.

Indexes in Reflowable EPUB

Indexes require additional consideration when producing reflowable EPUBs.

Printed indexes depend heavily on fixed page numbers.

Reflowable EPUB doesn’t necessarily have stable pages in the traditional sense because the reader can change:

• Font size
• Typeface
• Screen dimensions
• Orientation
• Line spacing

That means an EPUB index should ideally rely on navigation targets rather than traditional printed page numbers where the publishing workflow supports them.

Think in terms of:

Term → destination

rather than:

Term → printed page number

This is one reason digital publishing requires us to reconsider some traditional print conventions.

Glossaries in Reflowable EPUB

Glossaries adapt more naturally to reflowable EPUB.

The term-definition structure can remain intact regardless of screen size.

However, ensure that:

• Terms remain clearly identifiable.
• Heading structure is logical.
• Internal links work.
• Reading order is correct.
• Navigation remains usable.
• Definitions aren’t dependent on visual positioning.

A glossary that works only because the term appears in the left column and the definition in the right column may not survive reflow gracefully.

Structure should carry the meaning.

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How to Create More Accessible EPUBs with Adobe InDesign

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Accessible Glossaries in PDF

PDF presents different considerations because pages remain fixed.

Traditional page-based indexes therefore remain useful.

However, accessible PDFs should also contain appropriate structural information and navigational aids.

Depending on the document, consider:

• Tagged content
• Bookmarks
• Internal hyperlinks
• Logical reading order
• Meaningful headings
• Descriptive links
• Appropriate document metadata

The visual index remains useful, but digital navigation can make it significantly more powerful.

Don’t Forget Reading Order

Complex glossary layouts can create reading-order problems.

For example, imagine a two-column glossary.

Visually, the reader sees:

Term → Definition

But if the underlying reading order is incorrect, a screen reader might read:

Term 1 → Term 2 → Term 3 → Definition 1 → Definition 2…

That destroys the intended relationship.

Always evaluate the exported document’s actual reading order.

Don’t assume that visual position automatically equals accessible reading order.

How to Set the Reading Order in Adobe InDesign

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Use Color Carefully

Color can help readers navigate large reference sections.

For example, alphabetical headings could use a distinctive brand color.

That’s fine.

The problem occurs when color becomes the only indicator of meaning.

Don’t create a system where:

Blue = glossary term

and nothing else distinguishes glossary terms.

Use typography, structure, spacing, and appropriate semantic information alongside color.

This helps users with color-vision deficiencies and people using non-visual assistive technology.

Typography Matters for Accessibility

Glossaries and indexes often use smaller typography to fit large amounts of information into limited space.

Be careful.

An index isn’t useful if it’s physically difficult to read.

Consider:

• Font size
• Line spacing
• Character spacing
• Contrast
• Column width
• Indentation
• White space

Don’t compress the index simply because it appears at the back of the publication.

Reference material deserves the same usability standards as the main content.

Avoid Excessively Dense Index Layouts

Traditional publishing sometimes favors three- or even four-column indexes.

That can work in certain print formats, but density needs careful evaluation.

Ask:

• Are the columns wide enough?
• Are lines easy to track?
• Are subentries distinguishable?
• Is the type large enough?
• Does magnification create problems?
• Does reading order remain logical in digital output?

Accessibility isn’t necessarily about eliminating multi-column layouts.

It’s about making sure the layout remains usable.

Glossaries and Plain Language

Accessibility isn’t only technical.

Language itself can create barriers.

A glossary should clarify difficult concepts, not replace one complicated term with five more.

For example:

Weak definition:

Semantic tagging is the ontological attribution of machine-interpretable structural metadata.

Better:

Semantic tagging identifies the meaning or role of document content so software and assistive technologies can understand its structure.

The second may still be technical, but it explains the concept more directly.

Plain language can improve accessibility for:

• Non-native speakers
• Readers with cognitive disabilities
• Beginners
• Students
• Readers unfamiliar with specialist terminology

Accessible Link Text in Indexes and Glossaries

When adding interactive navigation, ensure link text remains meaningful.

Good:

Alternative text

Good:

Return to glossary

Good:

See also: Accessible EPUB

Less useful:

Click here

More

Go

Meaningful links allow users to understand destinations without depending entirely on surrounding text.

ARIA Labels and Interactive Glossaries

If your EPUB includes custom icon-based navigation controls around the glossary, ARIA labeling may also be relevant.

For example, an icon might visually represent:

Return to glossary

If the control doesn’t already have an appropriate accessible name, a meaningful ARIA label can communicate its purpose to assistive technology.

For example:

Return to glossary

rather than:

Left arrow

Describe the function, not merely the visual appearance.

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INTERNAL LINK OPPORTUNITY

Link ARIA label to:

ARIA Labels in Adobe InDesign: A Practical Accessibility Guide

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Alt Text Still Matters

Glossaries and indexes may contain images, icons, diagrams, or other graphical content.

Those elements still need to be evaluated for appropriate alternative-text treatment.

Informative images may require alt text.

Decorative images generally should not create unnecessary screen-reader noise.

Adobe InDesign can also assist with AI-generated alt text in supported workflows, but generated descriptions should always be reviewed.

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INTERNAL LINK OPPORTUNITY

Link AI-generated alt text to:

How to Generate Alt Text with AI in Adobe InDesign

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Test the Exported Document

Never judge accessibility solely from the InDesign file.

The user receives the exported publication.

That’s what needs testing.

For PDF:

• Test keyboard navigation.
• Inspect tags.
• Check reading order.
• Test bookmarks.
• Test internal links.
• Use a screen reader.
• Run appropriate accessibility checks.

For EPUB:

• Validate the EPUB.
• Test navigation.
• Test hyperlinks.
• Test reading order.
• Test with appropriate reading systems.
• Test with assistive technology.

A feature that works perfectly in InDesign but fails after export isn’t accessible to the reader.

Test the Glossary as a User

Try performing realistic tasks.

For example:

Test 1

Find the definition of “ARIA.”

Can you reach it quickly?

Test 2

Follow a glossary link from the main text.

Does it go to the correct definition?

Test 3

Navigate through several glossary entries with a screen reader.

Is the sequence understandable?

Test 4

Navigate alphabetically.

Can you move efficiently from A to M?

Test 5

Return to the main content.

Is the navigation understandable?

Testing tasks rather than individual technical properties often reveals usability problems.

Test the Index as a User

Do the same for the index.

Test 1

Search for a common topic.

Can you identify the correct entry?

Test 2

Navigate to a subentry.

Is the hierarchy understandable?

Test 3

Follow a reference.

Does it reach the correct content?

Test 4

Try a synonymous term.

Does a “See” or “See also” reference help?

Test 5

Navigate with assistive technology.

Does the index remain comprehensible without relying on its visual layout?

These are the questions that determine whether the index actually works.

Accessible Glossary Checklist

Before publishing, check:

Structure

• Does the glossary have a clear heading?
• Are entries organized logically?
• Are term and definition styles consistent?
• Are alphabetical sections useful where appropriate?

Navigation

• Can users reach the glossary easily?
• Do internal glossary links work?
• Is link text meaningful?
• Is return navigation reasonable?

Content

• Are definitions concise and understandable?
• Is terminology consistent?
• Are unnecessary duplicates removed?

Accessibility

• Is reading order logical?
• Does the structure survive export?
• Are interactive controls appropriately labeled?
• Are images handled accessibly?

Testing

• Has the exported publication been validated?
• Have links been tested?
• Has the document been tested with assistive technology?

Accessible Index Checklist

For the index, check:

Content

• Are important concepts indexed?
• Are entries written from the reader’s perspective?
• Are subentries used appropriately?
• Are “See” and “See also” references useful?

Accuracy

• Are references current?
• Was the index updated after final pagination?
• Do links lead to the correct destinations?

Presentation

• Is typography readable?
• Is indentation understandable?
• Is contrast sufficient?
• Is the layout excessively dense?

Digital navigation

• Are destinations interactive where appropriate?
• Are links meaningful?
• Does the index work in the intended output format?

Accessibility

• Is reading order correct?
• Can the index be navigated without relying exclusively on visual formatting?
• Has it been tested with assistive technology?

Common Accessibility Mistakes

1. Manually formatting everything

Use styles rather than formatting hundreds of entries individually.

2. Relying only on color

Color shouldn’t be the only way terms or hierarchy are distinguished.

3. Creating vague hyperlinks

Avoid “click here.”

4. Linking every occurrence

Too many links can create unnecessary navigation clutter.

5. Ignoring reading order

Visual correctness doesn’t guarantee accessible reading order.

6. Using tiny index typography

Saving pages shouldn’t come at the cost of readability.

7. Forgetting to update the index

Always regenerate or update references before publication.

8. Assuming print conventions automatically work in EPUB

Reflowable digital publishing requires different navigation thinking.

9. Treating accessibility as an export setting

Accessibility should be built into the document structure from the beginning.

10. Not testing the finished publication

The exported PDF or EPUB is the product your audience actually uses.

Building Accessibility Into Long-Document Templates

If you regularly create:

• Books
• Manuals
• Reports
• Textbooks
• Catalogs
• Documentation

consider building accessible reference structures directly into your InDesign templates.

Create predefined styles such as:

• Glossary Heading
• Glossary Letter
• Glossary Term
• Glossary Definition
• Index Heading
• Index Letter
• Index Level 1
• Index Level 2
• Index Cross-Reference

Also establish conventions for:

• Hyperlinks
• Bookmarks
• Reading order
• Alt text
• ARIA labels
• Export settings
• Accessibility testing

The result is a reusable accessible publishing system, rather than accessibility being reinvented for every project.

InDesign Automation Can Help

Large glossaries and indexes can contain hundreds or thousands of entries.

Automation can reduce repetitive work.

InDesign provides several technologies that can help, including:

• Paragraph styles
• GREP
• Find/Change
• Index generation
• Cross-references
• Scripts

For highly structured publications, scripting can potentially automate tasks such as:

• Creating destinations
• Applying styles
• Checking glossary entries
• Identifying missing definitions
• Creating navigation links
• Validating naming conventions

AI may eventually add another layer by helping identify terms that deserve glossary definitions or suggesting reader-friendly definitions.

But deterministic publishing automation remains extremely valuable.

AI and Accessible Reference Content

AI can potentially assist glossary creation in several ways.

For example:

Identify specialist terms in this chapter that a beginner might not understand.

Or:

Rewrite this glossary definition in plain language.

Or:

Suggest related index terms for this topic.

Or:

Identify terms that should cross-reference each other.

These capabilities can accelerate editorial work.

However, AI shouldn’t make the final decision about technical definitions.

Human subject-matter review remains essential.

A confidently written but incorrect glossary definition can be worse than having no definition at all.

Why InDesign Is Well Suited to Accessible Long Documents

InDesign’s strength is not simply page layout.

Its real advantage becomes apparent when documents grow.

Professional long-document production requires:

• Structured typography
• Consistent styles
• Navigation
• Page management
• Cross-references
• Indexing
• Tables of contents
• Bookmarks
• Export controls
• Accessibility metadata

These capabilities make InDesign particularly valuable for publications where structure and navigation matter as much as appearance

If you’re creating books, manuals, reports, or other structured publications, you can get Adobe InDesign directly from Adobe and use its professional long-document, indexing, navigation, and accessibility tools.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can Adobe InDesign create a glossary?

Yes. A glossary can be created using structured paragraph styles, headings, hyperlinks, bookmarks, and other long-document features. For large publications, establishing reusable glossary styles makes maintenance considerably easier.

Does InDesign have an automatic glossary generator?

InDesign doesn’t treat glossaries exactly like automatically generated indexes. Glossary content is generally created editorially, although styles, Find/Change, scripts, and other automation techniques can streamline production.

Can Adobe InDesign automatically create an index?

Yes. InDesign includes dedicated indexing tools that allow you to mark topics and references and generate an index from them.

Can an InDesign index contain subentries?

Yes. Index topics can be organized hierarchically, allowing more meaningful entries and subentries.

Should an accessible glossary use hyperlinks?

Internal hyperlinks can significantly improve navigation in digital publications, particularly when specialist terms in the main text link directly to their glossary definitions.

Are page numbers useful in EPUB indexes?

Traditional page numbers are less reliable in reflowable EPUB because pagination can change according to device and reader settings. Destination-based navigation is generally more appropriate where supported.

Do glossary images need alt text?

Meaningful images should be evaluated for appropriate alternative text. Decorative images should generally be handled so they don’t create unnecessary noise for assistive technologies.

Do glossary buttons need ARIA labels?

Interactive controls need meaningful accessible names. If that information isn’t already available through appropriate semantics or visible text, an ARIA label may be useful.

Should I test the glossary with a screen reader?

Yes. Screen-reader testing can reveal structural, reading-order, navigation, and labeling problems that aren’t obvious from visual inspection.

Final Thoughts

A glossary or index shouldn’t simply exist.

It should help people find and understand information.

That makes accessibility central to its purpose.

The strongest accessible reference sections combine:

Clear structure

with:

Readable typography

and:

Meaningful navigation.

In Adobe InDesign, that means using the application’s long-document capabilities deliberately.

Use paragraph styles instead of manual formatting.

Use meaningful headings.

Use hyperlinks and bookmarks where they improve navigation.

Use InDesign’s indexing tools rather than manually maintaining hundreds of references.

Think carefully about reading order.

Use accessible names for interactive controls.

Test the final exported publication with the technologies your readers will actually use.

And above all, remember that accessibility isn’t something added after the design is finished.

It is part of the design.

A well-designed glossary helps readers understand your content.

A well-designed index helps them find it.

An accessible glossary and index make those benefits available to more people.

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Create Accessible Long Documents with Adobe InDesign

Adobe InDesign provides professional tools for creating structured books, manuals, reports, educational publications, EPUBs, PDFs, glossaries, indexes, cross-references, and other complex documents.

Explore Adobe InDesign and start creating professional long documents with powerful typography, navigation, indexing, automation, and accessibility tools.

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Continue Learning About InDesign Accessibility

This article should link into the wider Adobe InDesign Accessibility cluster on InDesignPerfect.

Recommended related guides:

• ARIA Labels in Adobe InDesign: A Practical Accessibility Guide
• How to Create More Accessible EPUBs with Adobe InDesign
• How to Generate Alt Text with AI in Adobe InDesign
• How to Set the Reading Order in Adobe InDesign
• How to Create Accessible PDFs in Adobe InDesign
• InDesign and PDF/UA: A Practical Guide
• Accessible Tables in Adobe InDesign
• WCAG and Adobe InDesign: What Designers Need to Know
• Adobe InDesign Accessibility Checklist

It should also cross-link into the long-document publishing cluster, particularly future articles about:

• Creating an Index in Adobe InDesign
• Creating a Glossary in Adobe InDesign
• InDesign Cross-References
• InDesign Book Files
• Automatic Tables of Contents
• Paragraph Styles for Long Documents
• InDesign GREP for Long Documents