How to Export a Book for Print in InDesign

How to Export a Book for Print in InDesign 🔔 Thank you for supporting iZoRun! Subscribe to the channel and turn on the bell to never miss inspiring content: https://bit.ly/3tMqwES Welcome to iZoRun, your channel for creative design and professional publishing tips! 📚✨ In this video, you’ll learn how to export a book for print in InDesign, whether you need a print-ready PDF or a digital EPUB for eBook distribution. Adobe InDesign’s Book panel allows you to manage and export multiple documents as one seamless file—perfect for novels, textbooks, catalogs, or reports. If you've been wondering how to export an InDesign book as a print-ready PDF or convert your book into EPUB format, this step-by-step guide will help you get it done correctly and efficiently. 📘 What Is an InDesign Book File? In Adobe InDesign, a Book file (.indb) lets you combine multiple .indd documents into one structured project. Each document typically represents a chapter or section, and the Book panel controls: • Automatic page numbering • Consistent styles and TOC • Exporting as a single file This system is perfect for large-format publishing. 🛠 Step-by-Step: How to Export a Book for Print in InDesign (PDF) If you’re printing your book or sending it to a professional printer, follow these steps to export a print-ready PDF from your InDesign book: ✅ 1. Open Your Book Launch Adobe InDesign and open the .indb (Book) file that contains all your chapters or sections. ✅ 2. Go to 'File' From the main menu, click File. ✅ 3. Select 'Export' Choose Export from the dropdown menu. This initiates the file-saving process. ✅ 4. Choose 'Adobe PDF (Print)' as the Format In the Format or Save As Type dropdown, choose Adobe PDF (Print). This is ideal for high-resolution, press-ready output. ✅ 5. Click 'Save' Pick your export location, name your file, and click Save to move to the export settings panel. ✅ 6. Adjust the Export Settings In the Export Adobe PDF window, configure the settings based on your printer’s requirements: Key Settings: • Pages: Choose “All” or specify a range. • Export As: Choose Pages (for printing) or Spreads (for digital layouts). • Marks and Bleeds: • Check Crop Marks • Enable Use Document Bleed Settings • Compression: Use 300 dpi for images (for print quality). • Output: Set Color Conversion to No Conversion or Convert to Destination (Preserve Numbers) if using CMYK. These settings will create a print-ready PDF book from InDesign. ✅ 7. Click 'Export' Once your settings are ready, click Export. InDesign will generate a single PDF that includes all documents in your Book file, properly sequenced and styled. 📖 How to Export Book to EPUB in InDesign If you’re creating an eBook, follow these steps to export a book to EPUB in InDesign: ✅ 1. Open the Book Panel Make sure your .indb file is open and contains all chapters. ✅ 2. Select All Documents In the Book panel, click the top document, then Shift-click the last one to select all chapters. ✅ 3. Go to 'File' 'Export' Choose File Export and pick a location. ✅ 4. Choose EPUB (Reflowable or Fixed Layout) • Use EPUB (Reflowable) for novels and text-heavy books. • Use EPUB (Fixed Layout) for image-rich, highly designed books. ✅ 5. Click 'Save' Name your EPUB file and hit Save. ✅ 6. Customize EPUB Export Settings In the export panel, adjust: • Metadata (title, author, publisher) • Cover Image • Navigation TOC • CSS settings • Choose whether to Embed Fonts ✅ 7. Click 'OK' InDesign will generate your EPUB file and package all content for digital distribution. Now you've exported your book for e-readers, Kindle apps, and digital bookstores! 🧩 Extra Tips: Other Export Options • To export as Word doc: No direct export available, but you can copy text into Word or export to RTF via InCopy. • To export just the cover: Open the cover file individually and export it as a separate PDF or image. • To export only selected chapters: Uncheck unwanted documents in the Book panel before exporting. 📦 What You’ll Learn in This Video By watching this tutorial, you’ll understand: • How to export a book in InDesign for print and digital • The difference between Adobe PDF (Print) and EPUB formats • How to prepare print-ready PDF books from InDesign • How to build EPUB eBooks from Book panel files • Best practices for file structure, bleed settings, and metadata Whether you're self-publishing, creating marketing material, or preparing a client’s manuscript, mastering how to export book for print in InDesign gives you complete control over your publishing pipeline. Thanks for publishing with iZoRun! Let us know in the comments if you’d like an advanced tutorial on creating a table of contents, index automation, or eBook interactivity. 🔔 Subscribe to iZoRun for more publishing workflows, InDesign tips, and print layout mastery: https://bit.ly/3tMqwES #InDesignBookExport #EPUBExport #PrintReadyPDF #AdobeInDesign #SelfPublishing