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OsakaWebbie
Inspiring
Dec 17, 2025 1:47 AM UTC
Answered

Prevent anchored graphics from exporting in EPUB?

I have a book document intended to design both the print and ebook editions. For the most part I use layers to control what shows in the ebook and print versions. For print, I have some anchored objects in certain places: QR codes next to the text they support, and stylish section headings that I couldn't figure out how to do as simply inline so they are anchored text frames. I anchor them so that they stay in the right place (including the right page) while I experiment with font sizes, line spacing, margins, etc. But the problem is that because they are anchored to the main text flow (which is in the layer that is used for both print and ebook), the graphics are showing up the EPUB export - I don't want that. Is there a way to exclude all graphic content (or all anchored content) from EPUB export? Or a setting for the object itself to say it should not be exported? Google AI Overview says no (it suggests a hidden layer or moving them to the pasteboard, both of which defeat the purpose), but perhaps there is something in the newest version of InDesign, or a trick you guys know but Google doesn't.

Peter Kahrel
Peter KahrelCorrect answer
Community Expert
Dec 17, 2025 9:08 AM UTC

You can create an object style and set its Nonprinting attribute. That way you can toggle the visibility of objects in print (and PDF, Epub).

870186iEB0BE049181BBC27.png

 

3 replies

Peter Kahrel
Community Expert
Peter KahrelCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
Community Expert
Dec 17, 2025 9:08 AM UTC

You can create an object style and set its Nonprinting attribute. That way you can toggle the visibility of objects in print (and PDF, Epub).

870186iEB0BE049181BBC27.png

 

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OsakaWebbie
Inspiring
Dec 17, 2025 9:43 AM UTC
quote

You can create an object style and set its Nonprinting attribute. That way you can toggle the visibility of objects in print (and PDF, Epub).

By @Peter Kahrel


If I check that checkbox, won't they be hidden in PDFs also?

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OsakaWebbie
Inspiring
Dec 17, 2025 9:56 AM UTC

Never mind - I just realized that I can choose to print non-printing objects in the PDF settings (and presumably save that in the PDF preset I use for this purpose). Thanks!

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