[Latest] How to Create Interactive PDF with InDesign?

Interactive PDFs are documents that include links, buttons, checkboxes, and more to let readers engage with the content. Since Adobe InDesign is a popular tool for designing appealing flyers, brochures, posters, and other files, users are also seen to search for how to create interactive PDF with InDesign. So, if you are also in search of this method, then this guide is your one-stop place. Here, we will discuss in detail how to create interactive PDFs with buttons, text boxes, and other elements with InDesign and its even better alternative, the UPDF. So, let's get started!

Part 1. Can You Create An Interactive PDF in InDesign? How?

Yes, you can add interactivity to PDF in InDesign. InDesign incorporates all the essential features you need to add interactive elements to your PDF.

There are various situations when you want to create an interactive PDF. For instance, you may be a consultant and want to create an interactive business proposal PDF to effectively present your analysis, recommendations, and action plans. You can add hyperlinks to external sources, annotations to highlight key points, buttons to show/hide details, etc. This way, your readers can get more engaged with your PDF, increasing your chance of securing the project.

Although you can use InDesign to create an interactive PDF, the process is a bit complex and time-consuming. You have to follow a series of complicated steps, which requires a bit of a learning curve. Alternatively, if you want an easier and FREE way, try UPDF. UPDF is a dedicated PDF creator/editor tool that provides AI-driven, click-based features to easily add interactive elements without any learning curve. So, download UPDF if you want an effortless way to create interactive PDFs.

If you still want to create dynamic PDF in InDesign, follow the below steps:

Step 1. Add Hyperlinks

To add hyperlinks to external websites or pages within the current document in InDesign, select the text/image to hyperlink. Click Window > Interactive > Hyperlinks.

Enter the URL and click the "Create new hyperlink" icon from the bottom. Specify what you want to link and the link's appearance. Once done, click "OK".

Step 2. Create Interactive Buttons

To add interactive buttons, select the content you want to turn into a button. Click Window > Interactive > Buttons and Forms.

From the panel, choose "Button" under the "Type" menu. Afterward, specify the action by tapping the "+" option. This way, create as many interactive buttons as you want.

Step 3. Export as PDF

Once you have added the interactive elements, the last step is to export the file as PDF. So, click File > Export and pick "Adobe PDF (Interactive) as the export format.

Under the "Export to interactive PDF" dialog box, customize the options the way you want, such as fitting the page in the viewer, page transitions, etc. Once done, click "Export".

This way, you can create interactive PDF with InDesign. So, follow the above steps to add interactivity to PDF the way you want.

Part 2. What If Your InDesign Trial Expires? How to Add Interactivity to a PDF?

Adobe InDesign provides a limited 7-day free trial. Afterward, you have to subscribe to one of its premium plans, starting from US$22.99/month. So, if you are not willing to subscribe to InDesign, then how do you add interactivity to a PDF after the trial expires? This is where UPDF comes into action.

UPDF is a more powerful and alternative way to add interactive elements to PDFs. It provides a click-based, intuitive interface to add links and different styles of buttons to PDFs. The best thing is that it offers a free trial with unlimited time. This means that you get a more dedicated PDF tool that allows you to freely add interactive links/buttons without any limitations. Simply download UPDF and create interactive PDFs right away.

Follow the below steps to create an interactive PDF with UPDF:

Step 1. Download and launch UPDF on Windows/Mac. Tap the "Open File" button to open the PDF file you intend to make interactive.

Step 2. Tap the "Edit PDF" option from the left sidebar and click "Link" from the top menu bar.

Step 3. Tap the place where you want to insert the link and select "Link to Page" or "Link to Web". Afterward, specify the page number or webpage link.

Step 4. Double-click the link to customize its type, style, thickness, and color. Once done, save the PDF.

Step 5. You can also insert a button, text field, check box, and radio button using the "Prepare Form" option of UPDF. Tap the "Prepare Form" option from the left sidebar and choose the relevant option from the top menu bar.

This way, you can instantly create a link/button with UPDF without any complicated steps. UPDF also allows you to annotate the PDF or even add stamps/stickers to make it look more appealing. Therefore, download UPDF and create an interactive PDF effortlessly.

Conclusion

Interactive PDFs are a great way to craft engaging documents for readers. Being a powerful design tool, InDesign provides a feature-rich way to bring interactivity to PDFs. However, its limited trial period, complicated steps, and costly premium plans hinder the experience of creating an interactive PDF in InDesign.

In contrast, UPDF is a better alternative to InDesign, as it offers click-based features and an unlimited free trial period to add interactivity to PDF without any limitations. Therefore, it is recommended to download and use UPDF for the best experience to create interactive PDFs.