The only way to use InDesign for free is through the InDesign free trial, which allows you to get a first-hand feel for the software’s tools and features before deciding to purchase it. Many current subscribers of Adobe’s Creative Cloud services began their journey with the free trial, and it can easily be downloaded from Adobe’s official website safely and legitimately.
After the 7-day trial period is over, you have the option of either subscribing to a payment plan or canceling the free trial without incurring any charges. Keep in mind that Adobe has officially reduced its trial period from 30 days to 7, and any external sources offering longer free trials or extensions are trying to scam you.
How to get Adobe InDesign for free?
- Go to the Adobe website
- Click the Free Trial button
- Sign in or set up your Adobe ID
- Download your free trial
These are four simple and easy steps to download your InDesign free trial directly from the Adobe website. After that, it’s only a matter of minutes before you get to use one of the best publishing tools out there. If you want more detailed instructions on how to get InDesign for free, here’s a step-by-step guide along with an explanation of Adobe’s payment plans to help you pick the best option.
1. Go to the Adobe website
Open the Adobe Indesign free trial webpage on any web browser. You should see the ‘Free Trial’ button easily and then click on it to proceed to the next step. Don’t be concerned if your page looks different from our screenshots, as Adobe updates its website and services frequently.
2. Select a payment plan
The next step is to select a payment plan. Whatever plan you choose, if you cancel within the 7-day trial period, even if it’s at the very last minute, your account won’t be charged. Should you decide to keep the software after the trial period (and my guess is you will), your selected payment plan will start automatically. Although any option will allow you to download the free trial, it might be useful at this stage to look into your long-term options for keeping the software.
You can either subscribe to the Creative Cloud All Apps package, or opt for the single-app InDesign option. Here’s a breakdown of both to give you a better idea of what they offer:
- Adobe InDesign, single app: If you know that you won’t need any other Creative Cloud software such as Photoshop, Lightroom, or Illustrator, then you should select this option. For a price as low as $20.99 per month, you not only get Adobe InDesign but also 100GB of cloud storage along with a variety of fonts and templates and access to exciting new features, such as Adobe Firefly with its revolutionary Generative AI (if you haven’t heard of it, you should definitely check it out).
- Creative Cloud All Apps: A majority of Adobe users subscribe to this option and would agree that it’s the best option price-wise. It gives you complete access to all of Adobe’s Creative Cloud apps (20+ apps including InDesign, Illustrator, Lightroom, Premiere Pro, Adobe Express, and Acrobat Pro), along with 100GB of cloud storage and extra resources, all for an unbelievably low cost of $54.99 per month.
After you’ve chosen your InDesign trial plan, pick the commitment duration: annual is cheaper than monthly (InDesign free trial is available with both of them). Select the “Continue” button at the bottom right of the screen to continue to the next step.
You’ll also notice an option to add a 7-day free trial of Adobe Stock to get up to royalty-free 10 images, vectors, HD videos, or audio tracks. This option nicely complements the InDesign trial for designers and is a great opportunity to test out more of Adobe products.
3. Checkout
In case you’re confused about why Adobe is asking for your credit card, don’t worry! It’s because you are signing up for a free trial, which will automatically transition to a paid monthly or annual subscription once the trial period ends. When you check out, you will see a “Due now” note on your receipt that shows a value of $0.00.
However, if you fail to cancel your subscription within 14 days (or 7 days after your full trial), you will be charged for the selected plan and won’t be eligible for a full refund. If you’re unsure how long you want to use the software, you can choose the ‘Monthly’ subscription plan, allowing you to cancel without being charged for a whole year.
4. Download and install
After completing your checkout process, a download process for your trial package, which includes Adobe Creative Cloud, should start automatically. Firstly, you will need to download the Adobe Creative Cloud app, which will allow you to manage all your apps, including InDesign.
Once you have downloaded and installed the app, you will be prompted to sign in to your account through the Adobe Creative Cloud app. After signing in, you can download and install InDesign through it, and the free trial will be automatically applied. This will give you complete access to InDesign right away. Once the installation is complete, you can open InDesign and begin your designing journey.
System requirements
During your InDesign free trial, you have complete software access to test performance on your system. If you buy it, it will run identically. Here are the specs provided by Adobe:
InDesign system requirements: Windows
| Spec | System requirement |
|---|---|
| Processor | Multicore Intel processor (with 64-bit support) or AMD Athlon® 64 processor. |
| Operating system | Windows 10 (64-bit)Windows 11 (64-bit)Supported on Windows 10 versions 20H2, 21H1, 21H2, and Windows 11 version 21H2. |
| RAM | Minimum 8 GB of RAM (16 GB recommended) |
| Hard disk | 3.6 GB of available hard disk space for installation Additional free space required during installation (cannot install on removable flash storage devices) SSD recommended |
| Monitor resolution | 1024 x 768 display (1920 X 1080 recommended), HiDPI display support Note: To use the new InDesign Touch workspace, you must have a touch-screen-enabled tablet/monitor running Windows 10 or above (such as Microsoft Surface Pro 3) with the screen resolution set to 2160 x 1440 or more Scalable UI: Minimum monitor resolution required is 1920 x 1080. |
| Internet connection | Internet connection and registration are necessary for required software activation, validation of subscriptions, and access to online services. |
InDesign system requirements: macOS
| Processor | Multicore Intel processor or Apple silicon/M1.SSE4.2 or higher SIMD engine. |
| Operating System | macOS version 13 (Ventura)macOS version 12 (Monterey)macOS version 11 (Big Sur)macOS version 10.15 (Catalina) |
| RAM | Minimum 8 GB of RAM (16 GB recommended) |
| Hard disk | 4.5 GB of available hard disk space for installation. Additional free space is required during installation (cannot install on a volume that uses a case-sensitive file system or on removable flash storage devices). |
| Monitor resolution | 1024 x 768 display (1920 x 1080 recommended), Retina display support. Scalable UI: Minimum monitor resolution required is 1920 x 1080. |
| GPU | For optimum GPU Performance, your Intel-based Mac should have a minimum of 1024 MB of VRAM (2 GB recommended), and your computer must support Metal. Metal GPU feature is supported on:iMac 4KiMac 5KMacBook Pro RetinaMac Pro connected to a HiDPI monitor Mac mini connected to a HiDPI monitor To check for VRAM value, choose Mac> About This Mac (Graphics information) |
| Internet connection | Internet connection and registration are necessary for required software activation, validation of subscriptions, and access to online services. |
How to cancel InDesign’s free trial?
If you don’t like Adobe InDesign for your designing and publishing workflow, you can cancel the free trial anytime within 7 days, and you won’t be charged a single penny.
- Sign in to your Adobe account.
- Select Manage plan or View plan for the plan you want to cancel.
- Select Cancel plan (sometimes also Cancel your plan).
- Pick the reason for canceling the trial.
- Select Continue.
What to pay attention to
1. Fake credit card scams
Some guides and websites claim that you do not need to provide your credit card information to get the Adobe InDesign trial or that you can use a fake credit card. First, Adobe requires that you provide your credit card information to prevent people from creating multiple email accounts to get infinite free trials.
Secondly, using fake credit cards is considered fraud because, before you start the free trial, you agree to the terms and conditions, which state that you are not allowed to provide false information.
2. 30-day free trial
More than a year ago, Adobe shortened the free trial period for InDesign from 30 to 7 days. Although this change was made some time ago, many tutorials have not yet been updated. Also, several clickbait websites advertise the 30-day trial in hopes of scamming you.
3. Pirated versions
The pirated version of InDesign and other Adobe software is one of the most searched topics on the Internet. But people who use pirated versions of InDesign risk their security and compromise the security of their systems because of malicious viruses and spyware. A pirated version of InDesign is not only risky, but it also limits your creative potential and can even lead to some really frustrating problems when using the program.
FAQs
What is InDesign?
Adobe InDesign is a powerful software made for desktop publishing and layout design. It offers a plethora of tools for creating, editing, and formatting print and digital publications such as magazines, brochures, and books. Over time, InDesign has become the industry standard software for publishers and designers, and Adobe frequently updates the software with exciting new features such as interactive and AI designing elements.
How long is the InDesign free trial?
The free trial for InDesign lasts for 7 days. Some websites falsely advertise a 30-day free trial that no longer exists.
What are the benefits of using InDesign?
InDesign offers precise and updated tools for publishing tasks such as typography, graphics, and layout, all embedded in a user-friendly interface that is fully customizable. It allows you to develop your own workflow and is ideal for handling multi-page documents, with tools that automatically add book chapters, table of contents, page numbers, and paragraph/character styling. Moreover, InDesign can significantly enhance your work with its support for dynamic texts, interactive elements, and animation.
Who can get an InDesign free trial?
Adobe InDesign’s free trial version is available for users 13 and up. It can only be used once per user and may not be available in all countries and languages. An internet connection is required to access the trial version.
How do I get the InDesign free trial?
To get an InDesign free trial, you can go to the Adobe website and create an account. Once you have created an account, you can download the InDesign trial software.
What features are included in the InDesign free trial?
The InDesign free trial includes all of the features of the full version of InDesign. You can use the free trial to edit multi-page documents, design books and publications (flyers, magazines, brochures), and export for print or sharing.
What happens after the InDesign free trial ends?
After the InDesign free trial ends, you will no longer be able to use the software. You will need to purchase a subscription to continue using InDesign.
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