Quick way to create a master page and apply it across an entire document?

Forum|Forum|6 months ago
September 5, 2025
2 replies
242 views

Hi everyone, I’m working on a multi-page document in InDesign and I’d like to streamline my workflow. Is there a quick way to create a master page with consistent elements like headers, footers, and page numbers and apply it across the entire document at once, instead of manually adjusting each page?

How to

Correct answer Barb Binder

Hi Johnny:

Welcome to the InDesign forums.

This is actually the default in InDesign. When you create a new document and designate the specifications in the New Document dialog box, the page information (i.e., paper size, margins, columns) is added to the A-Parent page at the top of the Pages panel. The A-Parent is automatically assigned to all of the body pages within that document. When you navigiate to the A-Parent to add the running heads (aka headers and footers), they will be automatically assigned to all of the body pages.

If you decide to reserve the A-Parent for some other use, then as per @RvdT you can create a new Parent page, add the running heads, then right click the new parent page name > Apply Parent and apply the new Parent to To Pages: All Pages.

~Barb

Barb Binder

Correct answer

Community Expert

Hi Johnny:

Welcome to the InDesign forums.

This is actually the default in InDesign. When you create a new document and designate the specifications in the New Document dialog box, the page information (i.e., paper size, margins, columns) is added to the A-Parent page at the top of the Pages panel. The A-Parent is automatically assigned to all of the body pages within that document. When you navigiate to the A-Parent to add the running heads (aka headers and footers), they will be automatically assigned to all of the body pages.

If you decide to reserve the A-Parent for some other use, then as per @RvdT you can create a new Parent page, add the running heads, then right click the new parent page name > Apply Parent and apply the new Parent to To Pages: All Pages.

~Barb

~Barb at Rocky Mountain Training

J

johnny212Author

Participant

Thanks mate, for your help.

Willi Adelberger

Community Expert

A method is, select all page thumbs in the page panel (or those to which you want to apply a specific master/parent), hold the alt/option key and click on the master.

A strong recommendation: Rename your master/parent to a significant and unique name to avoid multiple of them with the same name and letter if you move pages between documents.