Applying universal paragraph styles on previously existing documents

[nathanir]

I have defined a new paragraph style for all documents InDesign. How do I ensure it is available for documents that have already been created in the past. I can see that the style is available for any new documents that I create, but I cannot see it in previously created documents. If I try to load paragraph styles, it shows only existing documents. It would be a shame to open each and every old document and then load the style from a newly created document.

[Mike Witherell · Accepted solution]

Styles are per the document; not per the application; so the matter cannot be retroactive to past documents.

From the older document, you can click the Paragraph Styles panel menu button and then choose Load Styles. Navigate to a new document that has the updated style and import it in.

You might also consider loading the style to CC Libraries, too, if you like using CC Libraries.

[Michael Bullo]

Have you considered loading your documents into a Book? You could set your new document with the new paragraph styles as the source and then synchronise which would update the styles in all of the other documents. This is of course assuming that you have consistently used the same names for your paragraph styles.

[Srishti Bali]

Hi there,

In addition to Mike's suggestion, you can also refer to this help article for more details on Apply paragraph and character text styles in Adobe InDesign.

Regards,

Srishti

[Migintosh]

One way that works very quickly is to make a small text frame, add a few keystrokes and apply your paragraph style. If you copy the text frame to the pasteboard, you can open several of your older InDesign files at a time, paste, hit the delete key while the frame is still selected, then save. The new paragraph style will be added once it is pasted into the document, and will add as many paragraph or character styles as you have in the text frame. Just be sure to not base the paragraph styles on [Basic Paragraph]. It will only take a few seconds-per-document, depending on how long it takes to open and save.

[nathanir]

Loved this solution. Least time-consuming.