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I would like to create a header for a webpage with

  • a logo (with transparency from a psd/ tiff)
  • some typography and
  • an overall transparent background

In InDesign, typography options are ideal for my purpose and I can place everything I like as accurately as I wish, but I struggle when it comes to

  • saving my result with transparency and
  • in a format that will be accepted by my content management system (wp), such as png.

InDesign seems to lack an option (for WEB/ Interactive intent), that will keep the transparency instead of filling my work's background with WHITE.

Am I doing something wrong here? Or would I have to go back, rasterize my result in photoshop again, re-select everything and use Photoshop's save-as-png option?!

That seems stupid and a lot of effort to me, there must be another way. Can you help me?

Thanks!

4 Answers 4

1

Simply ensure you are checking the Transparent Background box when exporting.

enter image description here

If you're doing this and not getting transparency, then the lack of transparency is due to your file set up, not the export.

4
  • Thanks a lot, Scott - but are you screenshooting InDesign here? And if so, which version are you using? InDesign CS5 (which I am using) does not support PNG export as far as I can see and I know, that png will support any level of transparency of my originals (a logo, etc.). I am really looking for a way to get "the best out of two worlds: a powerful text engine from InDesign and transparency support. My feeling is, that there must be a way, because my use-case seems so common. What's the workflow here? Thanks a lot.
    – jodevelops
    Nov 15, 2014 at 13:45
  • My screenshot is of InDesign CC. If you are using CS5, there are no web options and you should either upgrade InDesign, or copy/paste things to Photoshop.
    – Scott
    Nov 15, 2014 at 15:31
  • What about the "file set up" mentioned above in the first response? How do you change that and what did that mean, exactly?
    – Meagan
    Nov 9, 2018 at 18:23
  • And by "file setup" in my answer I was referring to things like the image not having transparency in InDesign for some reason, or using an older INDD version where transparency in exports may not be supported, etc. Realize this question was posted in 2014.
    – Scott
    Nov 9, 2018 at 18:38
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InDesign is not meant for saving images. InDesign is used to create works such as posters, flyers, brochures, magazines, newspapers and books. Not for saving images.

If you have access to photoshop or Illustrator, I would recommend that you use one fo those two products to save your PNG files.

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  • 2
    While this has been true on the past. Recent versions of InDesign are focusing more and more on digital delivery and have several features dedicated to web content now. One can easily export PNGs from Indesign any more.
    – Scott
    Nov 14, 2014 at 17:00
  • 1
    What would be the advantage of using InDesign rather than Photoshop or Illustrator for web based content? I've always found it best to use PS or AI.
    – Nico Bach
    Nov 14, 2014 at 17:05
  • 1
    It's a matter of preference, but InDesign has a much better text engine than either Photoshop or Illustrator. And Photoshop has no glyph access.
    – Scott
    Nov 14, 2014 at 17:06
  • Thanks everybody: I am really looking for a way to get "the best out of two worlds": a powerful text engine from InDesign and transparency support. I have no problem exporting transparency from InDesign into WHATEVER format and then transforming this file again somewhere else (Illustrator, PS...). My feeling here is, that there must be a way, because my use-case seems so common. So it all comes down to the question: What's the ideal workflow here? THANKS heaps!!
    – jodevelops
    Nov 15, 2014 at 13:49
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From CS 5.5, export your layout as an EPS, then run it through Illustrator or Photoshop. That will preserve the transparent background.

-2

I don't know why people say you cannot- the last guy to comment is saying to save it as an eps and when you do open it in Ps (photoshop) it has no background, so it is like a PNG. If you save it in Ps as a PNG you are good to go- so there is a way. (just have to use Ps to do it and these days you can probably find Ps on a library computer, heck ours even has a 3D printing station). His comment helped me as I needed to do this also. Thank you to who posted answer last.

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  • 1
    this is a question from 2 years ago. One of the answers already mention Photoshop and also that the latest Indesign versions can be used to export PNGs.
    – Luciano
    Feb 15, 2017 at 9:28

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