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Emma_Hed08
Participant
February 6, 2026
Question

How to separately edit 2 text columns?

  • February 6, 2026
  • 3 replies
  • 57 views

Hello, I’ve set my text frame to have 2 columns in the text frame options, but I’m unsure how to adjust only one column. I’d like one column to be shorter than the other, but I can’t select them individually since they’re treated as a single object due to the text frame settings. Do I need to create a new text frame with a single column, or is there a way to adjust the columns separately after the fact? Thanks!

    3 replies

    Dave Creamer of IDEAS
    Community Expert
    Dave Creamer of IDEASCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    February 6, 2026

    If it’s only two columns, cut the text you want in the second column, change the 2-column frame to 1-column, create a new text frame, and paste. (You can also Alt- or Opt-drag the first column to make a copy, then select all, and paste.)

    A next-column break, either a invisible character or a paragraph style setting, can work, but if the first column gets too long, it will still flow into the second column.

    David Creamer: Community Expert (ACI and ACE 1995-2023)
    rob day
    Community Expert
    rob dayCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    February 6, 2026

    Hi ​@Emma_Hed08 , You can also look at the Column Break invisble (Type>Insert Break Character>Column Break):

     

     

      BobLevine
      Community Expert
      BobLevineCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      February 6, 2026

      If you want that level of control you’re better off with two text frames of one column each.

      E
      Emma_Hed08Author
      Participant
      February 7, 2026

      The thing is that I’ve got 40 spreads of 2 column text frames with text that continues over all text blocks. If I were to re-do it all, I’d still have to manually make the text continue over every text block, which would now be twice as much work as it was first time with twice as many text blocks. Is there a way to automate text continuation? 

      FRIdNGE
      FRIdNGE
      Inspiring
      February 7, 2026

      Very quickly: add a keyboard shortcut to this one-line script, e.g. “ctrl+<”.

      app.selection[0].startParagraph = StartParagraph.NEXT_COLUMN;

      Now, place the cursor in a para ==> it will jump to the next column!  ;-)

       

      (^/)  The Jedi

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