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refrida
refrida
Participant
January 15, 2019
Answered

Open Indesign CC 2019 file (created in the test version) in an earlier Indesign version?

  • January 15, 2019
  • 6 replies
  • 1490 views

Hi!

I downloaded the test version of Adobe Indesign CC 2019 & Adobe Illustrator CC 2019 for mac. It's usable for a short time. I've created some posters in Indesign, but now that my test version is finished, I need to open them in an earlier Indesign version (for Windows). When I try to "save as", there isn't any option to save as an earlier Indesign file. Any suggestions how to fix this?

//beginner

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer Barb Binder

Hi refrida:

What version of InDesign do you have installed now? If it is a CC version, you can open the 2019 file and InDesign will convert it for you.

If you are on a perpetual CS6 license (or earlier), ask a friend with a CC subscription. to open the files for you and then choose File > Save as > IDML. Or download the trial on a different computer and do the same thing. Or, license CC 2019 for a month and do it yourself.

Illustrator won't care what version the file was created in, only InDesign does.

~Barb

6 replies

Barb Binder
Community Expert
Barb BinderCommunity Expert
Community Expert
January 16, 2019

We are always happy to help, refrida.

~Barb

~Barb at Rocky Mountain Training
refrida
refridaAuthor
Participant
January 15, 2019

Thank you all, Derek Cross​, Bill Silbert​,​BarbBinder​ and DaveJCummings​ for your help. Why I downloaded this trial version was because I haven't bought a subscription yet and I needed doing some schoolwork from home. At school they run an earlier version of the program. Now I've exported the file into IDML, and tomorrow I'll try opening it at the computer at school.

Bill Silbert
Community Expert
Bill SilbertCommunity Expert
Community Expert
January 15, 2019

Happy to help.

    D
    Community Expert
    DaveJCummingsCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    January 15, 2019

    i Use InDesign on both my home and work computer, my home computer runa 2019, and work runs the 2017 version. What I do to get what I work on at home to work on at work is to save it out as an IDML file as was mentioned before

      Barb Binder
      Community Expert
      Barb BinderCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
      Community Expert
      January 15, 2019

      Hi refrida:

      What version of InDesign do you have installed now? If it is a CC version, you can open the 2019 file and InDesign will convert it for you.

      If you are on a perpetual CS6 license (or earlier), ask a friend with a CC subscription. to open the files for you and then choose File > Save as > IDML. Or download the trial on a different computer and do the same thing. Or, license CC 2019 for a month and do it yourself.

      Illustrator won't care what version the file was created in, only InDesign does.

      ~Barb

      ~Barb at Rocky Mountain Training
        Bill Silbert
        Community Expert
        Bill SilbertCommunity Expert
        Community Expert
        January 15, 2019

        Actually, the mechanism that InDesign has for backsaving a file is to export the file as an IDML file and then open that file in any version of InDesign from CS4 onward. You make this file through File>Export and selecting InDesign Markup (IDML) as your Format in the Export dialog window. Most recent versions of InDesign will actually create an IDML file of the file created in a later version and open it when you try and open in the earlier version of InDesign. I believe that this will work from CC 2015 onwards. At any rate be aware that features specific to the later version of InDesign will be lost in the conversion.

          Derek Cross
          Community Expert
          Derek CrossCommunity Expert
          Community Expert
          January 15, 2019

          Indeed, but it wouldn’t be available if the OP can’t open the file anymore because his trial version has expired.

          Bill Silbert
          Community Expert
          Bill SilbertCommunity Expert
          Community Expert
          January 15, 2019

          My reading of the question, Derek, is that the OP actually already had an earlier version (possibly pre CC) and was doing the test of CC 2019 to see if he wanted to subscribe.

          Derek Cross
          Community Expert
          Derek CrossCommunity Expert
          Community Expert
          January 15, 2019

          If you have a subscription to CC, download the latest versions (they are not backward compatable) and Save As the documents as the earlier versions. If not not take out a subscription to the latest versions, and then cancel before 30 days.

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