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ClaudeInDesign plugin

Built and used daily at Social Roots, tested with InDesign 2023 and newer. The panel rebuilds your design package with editable text, checked fonts, swatches, vectors and linked images.

Already installed? Go to step B.

Requirements

  • Adobe InDesign 2023 (18.0) or newer, macOS or Windows
  • Creative Cloud desktop app
  • An unzipped design-package from claudeindesign.com

AOnce: install the plugin (2 minutes)

A .ccx is the installation file for an Adobe plugin, just like a .dmg or .exe.

  1. Download the .ccx file below.
  2. Double-click the downloaded file.
  3. Confirm installation in Creative Cloud. The ‘not from the Marketplace’ warning is normal: this is our own plugin.
  4. Quit InDesign completely and restart it.
  5. Open Plugins > ClaudeInDesign.
Download plugin · v1.0.4 (.ccx)

Previous version 1.0.2

You only need to do this once. The plugin stays in InDesign. Reinstall only for a new version or on another computer; each designer installs it once on their own machine.

Alternative if double-clicking does not work

Adobe UXP Developer Tool

  1. Install Adobe UXP Developer Tool from Creative Cloud and enable Developer Mode.
  2. Start InDesign.
  3. Add Plugin, choose manifest.json from the unzipped .ccx (rename it to .zip to unzip).
  4. Click Load.

BEvery export: open the package (1 minute)

  1. Download the package ZIP using Export to InDesign.
  2. Unzip it. Keep the folder name design-package and leave assets/ and fonts/ inside it.
  3. In InDesign, open Plugins > ClaudeInDesign. Choose Select Design Package > the design-package folder.
  4. Click Analyze Fonts. Install missing fonts or explicitly choose a replacement.
  5. Click Build Document.
  6. Choose Save INDD, Export IDML or Export PDF.

Troubleshooting

  • Creative Cloud does not open on double-click: install or open the Creative Cloud desktop app, then double-click the .ccx again.
  • Plugin not visible under Plugins: quit InDesign completely and restart it. Check that the version is 18.0 or higher.
  • No design.json found: you picked the ZIP. Unzip it first.
  • Package older or newer than the plugin: export again or download the latest plugin here.
  • Signature invalid: the package was changed or did not come from claudeindesign.com.
  • Font shows as missing although installed: the style name differs (for example SemiBold vs Semibold). Choose it under Resolve Missing Fonts.