How to open Quark file in InDesign

[rotten apples]

Other than using the Marxware product, is there a way to open a .qxp file with InDesign, or convert it to .indd?

[Steve Werner · Accepted solution]

Apart from third party paid products like Markzware, you can only open QuarkXPress 3.3 and 4.0 files and only if you're opening from InDesign CS6 or earlier. You can download InDesign CS6 from a Creative Cloud account.

Convert QuarkXPress and PageMaker documents to InDesign

[kat$miller]

How can one download InDesign CS6 from a Creative Cloud account. I can only seem to access the current version. Thanks!

[SJRiegel]

They are in a pop-up menu under Open next to InDesign CC in the Creative Cloud app. Choose Manage, and then Other Versions to get a list of the older versions that are available to install.

[BobLevine]

You don’t need CS6 for this. It was PM that was cut at that point.

Even the latest releases of InDesign CC can open Quark 3.x or 4.x files but those are going to be the better part of 20 years old.

[kat$miller]

Thank you for both replies! – though this is after I dug out my old version 5.5 CD and installed with the Superdrive plugged in. The problem was I wasn't (was anybody?) using .xxx suffixes back in the 90s for layout files. This problem comes up every few years so watch how I forget how to do it again in a few – if it's still doable then.

[dan_metz]

when i try with either CC or CS6, i get the same error:

[BobLevine]

As I pointed out already, InDesign can only open very old Quark 3.x and 4.x files. The only way to open anything later is with Q2ID from Markzware.

[dan_metz]

oh ah sorry. i am flagellating myself for missing that detail in your earlier post and taking precious time to ask a redundant question. i hate when i do that and my boss often chastizes me over it. i hate Quark and the people who use it.

[BobLevine]

There are plenty of very good people using Quark these days.

[Jumpenjax]

Here is the link to Q2ID.

https://markzware.com/products/q2id/

[njfrese25]

I am trying to open an old Quark document with a .qxd extension, and InDesign just ignores my attempts. The file is from about 2005. The weirdest thing. No error message, no nothing. Nothing at all happens. Ever seen anything like that??

[BobLevine]

Depends on what version of Quark created it. Anything later than 4 will not work.

[LBVDesigner]

andguess whast? If you keep your OS up to date (because why wouldn't we when it gives me headaches if we don't), you cannot use CS6! It is NOT COMPATIBLE with macOSMonterrey!!!

[BobLevine]

What does this have to do with the topic at hand?

[lauriePM2552]

You can export as an IDML file in QuarkXpress then open in InDesign.