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InDesign SDK Documentation

This SDK contains everything you need to develop native plug-ins for InDesign, InCopy and InDesign Server.

If you are new to InDesign development, the best place to get started is the guide Getting Started with InDesign Development.

The Porting Guide contains in-depth information on the latest changes and will help you update your plug-ins where necessary.

Please also check the API Changes and deprecated list pages for the latest and upcoming API changes to be aware of.

Stay Connected

For development problems it's worth checking the public forums at https://community.adobe.com/t5/indesign/ct-p/ct-indesign?page=1&sort=latest_replies&filter=all&lang=all&tabid=discussions&topics=label-sdk and also signing up for the InDesign CC Developers Prerelease and Creative Cloud Developers Prerelease programs accessible from https://www.adobeprerelease.com/.

Also note that the SDK for InDesign CC 2015 and higher is available at the URL https://www.adobe.io/apis/creativecloud/indesign.html.

Previous Releases

Each SDK release contains a porting-guide containing indepth information for making plug-ins compatible with the corresponding version of InDesign, InCopy and InDesign Server.

A summarised release history of the SDK is included below for convenience. You should consult the porting-guide of each release if you need further information on a change.

InDesign 2025 (20.0)

The compilers for InDesign 20.0 have been upgraded to newer version, i.e.:

  • Xcode updated to Xcode 15.2.
  • Visual Studio 2022 (v17.9.6)

The following set of SDK-related changes were shipped in InDesign 20.0:

  • Xcode updated to Xcode 15.2.
  • Visual Studio 2022 (v17.9.6) and Windows SDK 10.0.22621.0

InDesign 2024 (19.0)

The Mac compiler for InDesign 19.0 have been upgraded to newer version, i.e.:

  • Xcode updated to Xcode 14.2.

The following set of SDK-related changes were shipped in InDesign 19.0:

  • Xcode updated to Xcode 14.2.
  • Boost version updated to 1.74.

InDesign 2023 (18.0)

The compilers for InDesign 18.0 have been upgraded to newer version, i.e.:

  • Xcode updated to Xcode 13.3.
  • Visual Studio version updated Visual Studio 2022 (v17.1.6).

The following set of SDK-related changes were shipped in InDesign 18.0:

  • Xcode updated to Xcode 13.3.
  • Visual Studio updated to Visual Studio 2022 (v17.1.6).

InDesign 2022 (17.0)

The compilers for InDesign 17.0 remain the same as the previous version, i.e.:

  • Xcode version remains Xcode 12.3.
  • Visual Studio version remains Visual Studio 2019 (v16.7.0 - 16.9.6).

InDesign 2021 (16.3)

The following set of SDK-related changes were shipped in InDesign 16.3:

  • Xcode updated to Xcode 12.3.

InDesign 2021 (16.0)

The following set of SDK-related changes were shipped in InDesign 16.0:

  • Xcode updated to Xcode 11.3.1.
  • Visual Studio updated to Visual Studio 2019 (v16.7.0 - 16.9.6).

InDesign 2020 (15.0)

The compilers for InDesign 15.0 remain the same as the previous version, i.e.:

  • Xcode version remains Xcode 9.2.
  • Visual Studio version remains Visual Studio 2017 (15.7.4 or higher).

The following set of SDK-related changes were shipped in InDesign 15.0:

  • From InDesign 2020 release, we'll only support Win 64 bit and Mac 64 bit. We'll no longer support Win 32 bit.

InDesign CC 2019 (14.0)

The following set of SDK-related changes were shipped in InDesign 14.0:

  • Xcode updated to Xcode 9.2.
  • Visual Studio updated to Visual Studio 2017 (15.7.4 or higher).

InDesign CC 2018 (13.0)

The following set of SDK-related changes were shipped in InDesign 13.0:

  • Xcode updated to Xcode 8.2.1.

InDesign CC 2017 (12.0)

The following set of SDK-related changes were shipped in InDesign 12.0:

  • Xcode updated to Xcode 7.2.1.
  • Visual Studio updated to Visual Studio 2015 SP3.

InDesign CC 2015 (11.0)

The following set of SDK-related changes were shipped in InDesign 11.0:

  • Visual Studio updated to Visual Studio 2013 SP4.

InDesign CC 2014.1 (10.1)

An InDesign 10.1 SDK was shipped only because InDesign 10.1 contained new APIs which may have been of use to developers. There was no requirements to port or recompile plug-ins built for InDesign 10.0 to be compatible with 10.1.

Of particular note might be the new API called ICSXSPlugPlugExtensions, which enabled loading and unloading of CEP extensions from native.

InDesign CC 2014 (10.0)

The following set of SDK-related changes were shipped in InDesign 10.0:

  • Xcode updated to Xcode 5.0.2.
  • Visual Studio updated to Visual Studio 2012 SP4.
  • PMString::GrabCString removed.
  • Windows HiDPI support added.
  • Boost version updated to 1.54.
  • IPMStream updated to support files larger than 4GB.
  • CSXS events with global scope are replaced with VulcanMessage.

All developers were required to update their plug-in project files in order to compile with the new versions of Visual Studio and Xcode.

InDesign CC (9.2)

An InDesign 9.2 SDK was shipped only because InDesign 9.2 contained API changes which may have been of interest to developers. It was not a requirement to re-compile plug-ins previously built for InDesign 9.0.

Plug-ins compiled with the InDesign 9.0 (x244) SDK were compatible with InDesign 9.0, 9.1 and 9.2.

InDesign CC (9.0)

The following broad set of SDK-related changes were shipped in InDesign 9.0:

  • New QR Code APIs.
  • New Themed UI APIs (InDesign CC was 'droverized' providing light/dark UI theming).
  • A new BridgeTalk plug-in sample.
  • New CSXS plug-in APIs which are demonstrated in new 'csxsdemo' sample.
  • HiDPI support for plug-ins.
  • PNG icons and cursors are now required on Mac and Win for plug-ins.
  • EVE for dialogs (this existed in CS6, however most InDesign dialogs use EVE now).
  • InDesign was made 64-bit only on Mac (InDesign was decarbonised for CC).