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becn52610731
Participant
November 2, 2020
Answered

Does Indesign have a Gradient Annotator like Illustrator does?

  • November 2, 2020
  • 3 replies
  • 701 views

When using Illustrator and applying gradients, it's easy to adjust the gradient using the 'Gradient Annotator' that pops up over the graphic - like in this image:

Is is possible to show a Gradient Annotator in Indesign as well, or is this feature only available in Illustrator?

Correct answer Mike Witherell

Only in Illustrator. Nice suggestion, though!

3 replies

Mike Witherell
Community Expert
Mike WitherellCommunity Expert
Community Expert
May 19, 2025

Agreed. It would also be cool if a gradient angle could be captured in a style.

Mike Witherell
Mike Witherell
Community Expert
Mike WitherellCommunity Expert
Community Expert
May 16, 2025

Hi Schroef,

I agree with you generally. Of course, these softwares did start out as different companies or groups of programmers.

It should be noted in this thread that InDesign does have a Gradient Swatch tool to go from color to color. It does have a Gradient Feather tool to go from color to transparency. These two tools behave the same way as Illustrator's gradient tool. It just doesn't look the same as in Illustrator. where you have the gradient panel built into the "dragged line" of the Annotator tool. In both softwares, you do have the Gradient panel, where both are very similar to each other.

 

Mike Witherell
schroef
schroef
Inspiring
May 16, 2025

In my opinion they don't behave the same. Because the most important aspect is, there is NO visual feedback on how the gradiënt flows in an object in InDesign. Even photoshop has it now, though a bit clunky because it shows just for small while.

 

The issue is, that without such annotator tool, it's impossible to do prices work, adjust a gradients position and rotation and scale.

 

Truly hope they work on this

Mike Witherell
Community Expert
Mike WitherellCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
Community Expert
November 3, 2020

Only in Illustrator. Nice suggestion, though!

Mike Witherell
    schroef
    schroef
    Inspiring
    May 15, 2025

    Why does it always feel like each adobe app is like a different company. I know they complete different development and design teams, but why dont they do gatherings. So many features have been brought over from one to the other. But only when users asked for it. Its just crazy, sometimes either one of the apps gets a new feature, the other already had a decade ago. why is that?!

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