How to Translate an InDesign IDML File Using Transl8ly

Translating Your InDesign IDML: The Simple Workflow

Transl8ly makes translating your InDesign documents incredibly simple and fast. Once you have prepared your InDesign document and exported it as an .idml file (see How to Export an IDML File from InDesign), translating it with Transl8ly is straightforward. Follow these steps:

1. Go to Transl8ly:

   • Open your web browser and navigate to the Transl8ly application URL.
   • Log in if you have an account, or proceed with the trial/upload options available.

2. Upload Your InDesign IDML File:

   • Locate the upload area on the Transl8ly interface.
   • You can usually either:
     • Drag and Drop: Drag your .idml file directly onto the upload area.
     • Browse: Click the upload button/link to open your system's file browser and choose your .idml file.

3. Select Languages:

   • The application needs to know the original language and the target language(s).
   • Source Language: Select the original language of your InDesign IDML document.
   • Target Language(s): Choose one or more languages you want to translate the document into.

4. Start Translation:

   • Click the "Translate" button (or similar).
   • Transl8ly will now process your InDesign IDML file.
   • It extracts the text content.
   • Sends the text to the integrated translation engine (e.g., DeepL).
   • Receives the translated text.
   • Re-inserts the translated text back into the correct structure of the InDesign IDML file, preserving layout and formatting.

5. Download Translated File:

   • The translation process is usually very fast (seconds to minutes depending on file size).
   • Once complete, a download link or button for the translated InDesign IDML file will appear.
   • The filename will typically indicate the target language and a timestamp (e.g., yourfile_translated_es_YYYYMMDD_HHMMSS.idml).
   • Click this link to save the translated InDesign IDML file to your computer.

Next Steps

You now have a translated InDesign IDML file! The next step is to:

1. Open the downloaded InDesign IDML file in Adobe InDesign.
2. Perform a quick visual check:
   • Review text flow and check for any overset text (often due to text expansion in the target language).
   • Verify that styles and formatting are maintained.
   • Make any minor typographical or layout adjustments as needed.
3. Save the reviewed file as a standard .indd InDesign document.

That's it! You've successfully translated your InDesign document using Transl8ly while preserving its layout.