What is an IDML file? Simply explained

The abbreviation IDML stands for InDesign Markup Language. If you now suspect that the file is located in the graphic area, you are absolutely right.

IDML file – what’s behind it

The long version of the abbreviation IDML for InDesign Markup Language already gives it away: the IDML file belongs to Adobe. Adobe is a well-known software company that owns the well-known DTP program InDesign as well as Photoshop and Acrobat.

• Desktop publishing programs, such as InDesign from Adobe, are used to design print templates. InDesign is one of the most frequently used programs in this area. Accordingly, the files are generally quite large and are usually in the two or three-digit megabyte range. The usual abbreviation for InDesign files is INDD.

• In 2008, Adobe introduced the IDML format to facilitate data exchange with other InDesign versions and other applications. However, there is much more to an IDML file than “just” a so-called exchange file.

• IDML files are considerably smaller than the original, the INDD files, as the layout of the file is virtually converted into text form and also compressed. For this reason, an INDD file actually consists of several files that you have to unpack.

• The often very memory-intensive and numerous images and graphics are omitted in an IDML file, as these only contain links to the images. IDML files can be opened with Affinity Publisher, Adobe InDesign, QuarkXPress and Adobe IDML Tools, for example.