Export first page, when pages are named

You don't need to type the page name.

In the JPEG Export dialog, select Range and enter +1 instead of the page name.

The + tells InDesign to use the page's absolute position in the document rather than its assigned name.

For example:

•  +1 exports the first page.

•  +2 exports the second page.

• +1-+3 exports the first three pages.

• +1,+4,+6 should export 1 4 and 6

This works regardless of whether your pages are named MainAd1, Mobile2, Display3, etc.

----
You could do it better via scripting

Something like this

 

/*
  Export Selected Named Pages to JPEG
  ExtendScript / Adobe InDesign 2025–2026
  Lists page names using section prefixes/names (and alternate layouts),
  then exports individually selected pages by absolute document position.
*/
(function () {
    if (app.documents.length === 0) {
        alert("Open an InDesign document before running this script.");
        return;
    }

    var doc = app.activeDocument;
    var prefs = app.jpegExportPreferences;
    var old = {
        jpegExportRange: prefs.jpegExportRange,
        pageString: prefs.pageString,
        exportingSpread: prefs.exportingSpread,
        jpegQuality: prefs.jpegQuality,
        jpegRenderingStyle: prefs.jpegRenderingStyle,
        exportResolution: prefs.exportResolution,
        jpegColorSpace: prefs.jpegColorSpace,
        embedColorProfile: prefs.embedColorProfile,
        antiAlias: prefs.antiAlias,
        useDocumentBleeds: prefs.useDocumentBleeds,
        simulateOverprint: prefs.simulateOverprint
    };

    function safeFileName(s) {
        s = String(s).replace(/[\\\/:*?"<>|\x00-\x1F]/g, "_");
        s = s.replace(/^\s+|\s+$/g, "").replace(/[. ]+$/g, "");
        return s.length ? s : "Unnamed_Page";
    }

    function uniqueFile(folder, base) {
        var candidate = new File(folder.fsName + "/" + base + ".jpg");
        var num = 2;
        while (candidate.exists) {
            candidate = new File(folder.fsName + "/" + base + "_" + num + ".jpg");
            num++;
        }
        return candidate;
    }

    // Page.name is sometimes only the number, even when the Pages panel
    // shows a prefix or an alternate layout name. Read the Section instead.
    function trimString(value) {
        return String(value === undefined || value === null ? "" : value)
            .replace(/^\s+|\s+$/g, "");
    }

    function pageDisplayName(page) {
        var pageName = trimString(page.name);
        var prefix = "";
        var alternateLayout = "";
        var sectionName = "";
        var marker = "";
        try {
            if (page.appliedSection && page.appliedSection.isValid) {
                prefix = trimString(page.appliedSection.sectionPrefix);
                sectionName = trimString(page.appliedSection.name);
                marker = trimString(page.appliedSection.marker);
                alternateLayout = trimString(page.appliedSection.alternateLayout);
            }
        } catch (e1) {}

        // Some multi-size/ad documents use Alternate Layouts for these labels.
        if (!alternateLayout) {
            try {
                if (page.appliedAlternateLayout && page.appliedAlternateLayout.isValid) {
                    alternateLayout = trimString(page.appliedAlternateLayout.alternateLayout);
                }
            } catch (e2) {}
        }

        // Prefer the visible numbering prefix, then named alternate layout,
        // then a custom section name or section marker.
        var label = prefix || alternateLayout;
        if (!label && sectionName && !/^Section[ \t]+[0-9]+$/i.test(sectionName)) {
            label = sectionName;
        }
        if (!label) label = marker;

        if (label) {
            if (pageName.indexOf(label) === 0) return pageName;
            if (!pageName || /^[0-9]+$/.test(pageName) || /^[ivxlcdm]+$/i.test(pageName)) {
                return label + pageName;
            }
            return label + " - " + pageName;
        }
        return pageName || "Page " + (page.documentOffset + 1);
    }

    var pageLabels = [];
    for (var p = 0; p < doc.pages.length; p++) {
        pageLabels.push(pageDisplayName(doc.pages[p]));
    }

    var win = new Window("dialog", "Export Named Pages to JPEG");
    win.orientation = "column";
    win.alignChildren = ["fill", "top"];
    win.margins = 18;

    win.add("statictext", undefined, "Select pages by the names shown in the Pages panel:");
    var list = win.add("listbox", undefined, [], {multiselect: true});
    list.preferredSize = [460, 250];

    for (var i = 0; i < doc.pages.length; i++) {
        list.add("item", pageLabels[i] + "   (document page " + (i + 1) + ")");
    }
    if (list.items.length) list.items[0].selected = true;

    var chooseRow = win.add("group");
    chooseRow.orientation = "row";
    var allBtn = chooseRow.add("button", undefined, "Select All");
    var noneBtn = chooseRow.add("button", undefined, "Clear Selection");
    allBtn.onClick = function () {
        for (var i = 0; i < list.items.length; i++) list.items[i].selected = true;
    };
    noneBtn.onClick = function () {
        for (var i = 0; i < list.items.length; i++) list.items[i].selected = false;
    };

    var options = win.add("panel", undefined, "JPEG settings");
    options.orientation = "column";
    options.alignChildren = ["left", "top"];
    options.margins = 12;

    var dpiRow = options.add("group");
    dpiRow.add("statictext", undefined, "Resolution (ppi):");
    var dpiInput = dpiRow.add("edittext", undefined, String(Math.round(old.exportResolution)));
    dpiInput.characters = 6;

    var colorRow = options.add("group");
    colorRow.add("statictext", undefined, "Colour space:");
    var colorList = colorRow.add("dropdownlist", undefined, ["RGB", "CMYK"]);
    colorList.selection = (old.jpegColorSpace === JpegColorSpaceEnum.CMYK) ? 1 : 0;

    var bleedBox = options.add("checkbox", undefined, "Use document bleed settings");
    bleedBox.value = old.useDocumentBleeds;
    var overprintBox = options.add("checkbox", undefined, "Simulate overprint");
    overprintBox.value = old.simulateOverprint;

    var buttons = win.add("group");
    buttons.alignment = "right";
    var cancelBtn = buttons.add("button", undefined, "Cancel", {name: "cancel"});
    var exportBtn = buttons.add("button", undefined, "Export JPEGs", {name: "ok"});
    var selectedIndices = [];
    var resolution = 300;

    exportBtn.onClick = function () {
        selectedIndices = [];
        for (var i = 0; i < list.items.length; i++) {
            if (list.items[i].selected) selectedIndices.push(i);
        }
        if (!selectedIndices.length) {
            alert("Select at least one page.");
            return;
        }
        resolution = Number(dpiInput.text);
        if (!isFinite(resolution) || resolution < 1 || resolution > 2400) {
            alert("Resolution must be a number between 1 and 2400 ppi.");
            return;
        }
        win.close(1);
    };
    cancelBtn.onClick = function () { win.close(0); };
    if (win.show() !== 1) return;

    var folder = Folder.selectDialog("Choose the folder for the exported JPEGs");
    if (!folder) return;

    var completed = 0;
    var errors = [];

    try {
        prefs.exportingSpread = false;
        prefs.jpegExportRange = ExportRangeOrAllPages.EXPORT_RANGE;
        prefs.jpegQuality = JPEGOptionsQuality.MAXIMUM;
        prefs.jpegRenderingStyle = JPEGOptionsFormat.BASELINE_ENCODING;
        prefs.exportResolution = resolution;
        prefs.jpegColorSpace = (colorList.selection.index === 1) ?
            JpegColorSpaceEnum.CMYK : JpegColorSpaceEnum.RGB;
        prefs.antiAlias = true;
        prefs.embedColorProfile = true;
        prefs.useDocumentBleeds = bleedBox.value;
        prefs.simulateOverprint = overprintBox.value;

        for (var n = 0; n < selectedIndices.length; n++) {
            var index = selectedIndices[n];
            var page = doc.pages[index];
            try {
                // +N refers to the Nth page's absolute document position,
                // even when the visible page name uses section numbering.
                prefs.pageString = "+" + (index + 1);
                var target = uniqueFile(folder, safeFileName(pageLabels[index]));
                doc.exportFile(ExportFormat.JPG, target, false);
                completed++;
            } catch (pageError) {
                errors.push(pageLabels[index] + ": " + pageError.message);
            }
        }
    } catch (exportError) {
        errors.push("Export settings: " + exportError.message);
    } finally {
        try {
            prefs.jpegExportRange = ExportRangeOrAllPages.EXPORT_RANGE;
            prefs.pageString = old.pageString;
            prefs.exportingSpread = old.exportingSpread;
            prefs.jpegQuality = old.jpegQuality;
            prefs.jpegRenderingStyle = old.jpegRenderingStyle;
            prefs.exportResolution = old.exportResolution;
            prefs.jpegColorSpace = old.jpegColorSpace;
            prefs.embedColorProfile = old.embedColorProfile;
            prefs.antiAlias = old.antiAlias;
            prefs.useDocumentBleeds = old.useDocumentBleeds;
            prefs.simulateOverprint = old.simulateOverprint;
            prefs.jpegExportRange = old.jpegExportRange;
        } catch (restoreError) {
            errors.push("Could not fully restore JPEG preferences: " + restoreError.message);
        }
    }

    var report = "Exported " + completed + " of " + selectedIndices.length + " selected pages to:\n" + folder.fsName;
    if (errors.length) report += "\n\nIssues:\n" + errors.join("\n");
    alert(report);
})();