Topics Covered in This InDesign Tutorial:
Setting Preferences, the Control Panel, Text Frames, Basic Text Attributes, Basic Keyboard Shortcuts
Exercise Preview
Exercise Overview
We'll start with the fundamentals—creating a basic letter document. While this may seem elementary, mastering these core skills forms the foundation for more sophisticated design work. This exercise introduces essential InDesign concepts: document creation, text frame construction, and typography basics that you'll use in every project moving forward.
This basic letter exercise introduces fundamental InDesign concepts that form the building blocks for more complex layouts and designs.
Setting InDesign's Default Measurements
Before diving into document creation, let's establish consistent measurement units. This step ensures precision and consistency across all your future projects.
- Download the class files. Refer to the Downloading the Class Files page at the beginning of the workbook on how to download and install the class files.
Launch InDesign.
NOTE: This book has been tested with InDesign 2020, though these techniques remain consistent through InDesign 2026. If you're using an older or newer version, most functions should work identically or with minor interface differences.
If you have any documents open, close them all.
NOTE: Setting preferences with no documents open establishes defaults for all future documents—a time-saving practice that ensures consistency. With a document open, you'd only modify that specific file's settings rather than creating system-wide defaults.
- Go into the InDesign menu (Mac) or Edit menu (Windows) and choose Preferences > Units & Increments.
On the right, set both Horizontal and Vertical Ruler Units to Inches.
NOTE: While professional designers often prefer picas for their typographic precision, we'll use inches initially for easier visualization. As your expertise grows, consider transitioning to picas for more refined measurements.
Click OK.
Setting Up Default Preferences
Close All Documents
Ensure no documents are open to set global defaults rather than document-specific preferences
Access Preferences
Navigate to InDesign menu (Mac) or Edit menu (Windows) and select Preferences > Units & Increments
Configure Measurements
Set both Horizontal and Vertical Ruler Units to Inches for this tutorial
Setting preferences with no documents open establishes defaults for all future documents. With documents open, changes only affect the current document.
Creating the Letter
Now that our workspace is configured, let's create our document with professional specifications and margins suitable for business correspondence.
- From the File menu, select New then Document.
- Configure your document with these professional specifications:
- At the top of the dialog that opens, click on the Print tab.
- Click once on the Letter (8.5 X 11 in) preset.
- On the right, uncheck Facing Pages since we're creating a single-page document.
- Expand the Margins section if needed.
- Under Margins, ensure the link button
is activated, enter 1 in for any margin field, then press Tab to apply uniform margins to all sides.
- Click Create.
- InDesign's default workspace is intentionally minimal, but professionals need more robust panel access. Navigate to Window > Workspace > [Advanced] to activate a more comprehensive interface.
- To ensure a clean starting point, reset any previous customizations by going to Window > Workspace > Reset Advanced.
Select the Type tool
—your primary text creation instrument.The cursor's appearance provides valuable feedback about your next action. The pointer arrow shown below indicates where your text frame will be positioned. Notice how it changes from black to white when hovering near margins or page edges—this visual cue helps with precise placement.
- On the page, drag to create a text frame that spans the entire area within the margin guides. These guides serve as your layout foundation, ensuring professional spacing and readability.
- A blinking cursor should appear in your text frame, indicating it's ready for content. If the cursor isn't visible, click within the frame to activate text input mode.
- From the File menu, select Place to import pre-written content—a workflow technique that separates content creation from design execution.
- Navigate to the Desktop, then go into the Class Files folder, then into the InDesign Class folder. Double–click the text file named Letter Text.txt.
- From the View menu, select Zoom In to better examine your work at a comfortable viewing scale.
Scroll to view the top right-hand corner of the page where we'll place our address block.
TIP: The Hand tool
offers superior navigation control compared to scrollbars. Access it instantly by holding Option–Spacebar (Mac) or ALT–Spacebar (Windows). Always press Option/ALT first to avoid unintended actions.- Choose the Rectangle Frame tool
for precise frame creation in areas where text already exists. - Create a compact frame in the upper right-hand corner (approximately 3 in wide × 2 in high) for the sender's address—following traditional business letter formatting conventions.
- With the frame selected, go to the File menu and select Place.
- Double–click Letter Address.txt to import the address content.
- With the frame still selected, choose the Selection tool
to enable multi-object selection. - Hold Shift and click on the large main text frame. Both frames should now display selection handles, allowing simultaneous formatting.
- Return to the Type tool to access typography controls.
The Control panel—InDesign's command center for text formatting—should display along the top of your screen.
NOTE: If this panel isn't visible, activate it through Window > Control. This panel is essential for efficient typography work.
The panel features two primary modes: Character
and Paragraph 
Formatting Controls. The toggle buttons on the left switch between modes, while wider screens display both simultaneously for enhanced workflow efficiency.
Apply professional typography settings in the Control panel:
Font: Myriad Pro Regular (or Myriad Variable Concept Regular) Font Size 
:14 pt 
Document Setup Checklist
Ensures correct page dimensions for standard correspondence
Single page layout appropriate for letter format
Professional standard margin for business correspondence
Provides access to essential panels and tools
Navigating the Document: Zooming & Scrolling
Efficient navigation is crucial for professional design work. Master these techniques to work fluidly at any zoom level and maintain design precision.
Select the Zoom tool
to practice dynamic document viewing.Click several times on the text—each click increases magnification for detailed editing work.
To zoom out and see more context, hold Option (Mac) or ALT (Windows) while clicking.
Release the modifier keys and try the drag-zoom technique: drag right to zoom in, drag left to zoom out. This gesture-based approach offers intuitive scaling control.
Return to the Type tool
for text editing mode.Click within a text frame to activate the text cursor.
Practice the professional navigation technique: hold Option–Spacebar (Mac) or ALT–Spacebar (Windows) and drag to pan across your document. Remember the key sequence—Option/ALT first, then Spacebar—to avoid unintended tool activation.
Release both mouse and keys when finished panning.
Navigation Methods Comparison
Feature Tool-Based Keyboard Shortcuts Zoom In Zoom tool + click Cmd/Ctrl + Plus Zoom Out Option/Alt + click Cmd/Ctrl + Minus Fit Page View menu option Cmd/Ctrl + 0 Pan/Scroll Hand tool Option/Alt + Spacebar + drag Recommended: Keyboard shortcuts are faster for frequent navigation tasks
Scrolling Best Practices
While some tools allow scrolling with just Spacebar or Option/ALT alone, using the full Option/ALT–Spacebar combination prevents accidental object duplication and unwanted text characters—common pitfalls that can disrupt your workflow and document integrity.
To view the complete page layout, use View > Fit Page in Window or the keyboard shortcut Command–0 (Mac) or Control–0 (Windows). This "fit-to-window" command is essential for overall composition assessment.
Master these essential zoom shortcuts for efficient workflow:
| Mac: | Command–Plus(+) to zoom in and Command–Minus(−) to zoom out |
| Windows: | Control–Plus(+) to zoom in and Control–Minus(−) to zoom out |
From the File menu, select Save As to preserve your work with a descriptive filename.
Name your file yourname-letter.indd using this file organization strategy:
| Mac: | If you're already in the InDesign Class folder, click Save. Otherwise, navigate to Desktop > Class Files > InDesign Class before saving. |
| Windows: | If the file path shows InDesign Class, click Save. If not, select Desktop from the location menu, then navigate to Class Files > InDesign Class before saving. |
NOTE: The .indd extension identifies this as an InDesign Document—InDesign's native format that preserves all layout elements, fonts, and formatting for future editing.
Always use Option/Alt + Spacebar for scrolling regardless of active tool. Using Spacebar alone can create unwanted duplicates or add space characters to text.
Creating Text Frames (Which Tool to Use)
Tool selection depends on your document context. We used the Rectangle Frame tool for the address frame because existing text already occupied that area. Using the Type tool would have activated the underlying text frame instead of creating a new one.
TIP: Your cursor provides clear visual feedback about available actions. The boxed cursor 
indicates you can create a new text frame in empty space. The I-beam cursor 
means you're positioned to edit existing text. When you see the I-beam but need a new frame, switch to the Rectangle Frame tool for precise frame creation.
Type Tool vs Rectangle Frame Tool
Use Type tool when cursor shows a box around it (creates new frame). Use Rectangle Frame tool when cursor shows I-beam (would edit existing text).
More Practice (Optional)
Reinforce your new skills by creating a second letter using Reply Letter Text.txt and Reply Letter Address.txt. Challenge yourself to complete this exercise without referencing the step-by-step instructions—this self-directed practice builds confidence and muscle memory. Experiment with different fonts and sizes to explore InDesign's typographic capabilities and develop your design sensibilities.
Skills Reinforcement
Independent Practice
Create a second letter using Reply Letter Text.txt and Reply Letter Address.txt. Apply learned techniques without step-by-step guidance.
Creative Freedom
Experiment with different fonts and sizes while maintaining professional appearance. Build confidence in design decisions.