PDF conversion to Indesign

[Paul_EH]

It seems like I read a post that Indesign Beta version could convert a PDF file back into Indesign. Any progress on that one? I had my entire 2024 archive of files wiped out by my IT department. I'm trying to fast track a project for updates and I only have the PDF.

[kglad]

in the future, to find the best place to post your message, use the list here, https://community.adobe.com/

p.s. i don't think the adobe website, and forums in particular, are easy to navigate, so don't spend a lot of time searching that forum list. do your best and we'll move the post (like this one has already been moved) if it helps you get responses.

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[James Gifford—NitroPress]

You can only install the Beta version and try. It works best on PDFs that were created with InDesign, and I believe a bit better with those from very recent versions. I wouldn't put a lot of faith in it being anything more that a starting point for a reconstruction; unless it represents a LOT of work, you might just buckle down and start on the rebuild, pulling components from the PDF as needed.

And then set up a better backup system. 😛

[BobLevine]

Unless something's changed it only works with PDFs created with InDesign and even then, not very well.

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

@Paul_EH 

There are some tools to convert PDF's to INDD: 

https://markzware.com/products/pdf2dtp/

https://www.recosoft.com/products/pdf2id/

[Eugene Tyson]

Acrobat has some pretty robust editing abilities these days.

In the Acrobat Pro tools go to Edit PDF - you can then edit text, you can replace images, open Vector images/text in illustrator and make edits, save and they update in the PDF.

If the changes are very little - then editing the PDF maybe a starting point to getting a small project over the line. 

If you need more info let us know.

[BobLevine]

Honestly, someone needs to get fired for this. Are there no backups at all?

[Joel Cherney]

I think that feature is still in beta.

My personal favorite for conversions from PDF to InDesign is at leguptools.com.  I have always hated the idea of spending Real Money for a conversion tool, as the output of such tools can be unusable at times. This service offered by leguptools only costs $0.25 per page, so it's costing me rather less than one of the other tools suggested in this thread, and when the output is garbage, I don't think about the annual license fee, I think "well, that's two bucks down the drain. No big."

[Paul_EH]

The leguptools worked perfectly for what I needed. Thanks Joel!