InDesign

Apply an unnamed gradient using the Gradient panel

Although the Swatches panel is the recommended panel for creating and storing gradients, you can also work with gradients by using the Gradient panel (Window > Gradient), with which you may be familiar if you also use Adobe Illustrator. You can add the current gradient to the Swatches panel at any time. The Gradient panel is useful for creating an unnamed gradient that won’t be used often.

Gradient panel

A.
Gradient fill

B.
Gradient type menu

C.
Reverse button

D.
Starting color stop

E.
Midpoint

F.
Ending color stop

Note: If you select an object that currently uses a named gradient, editing the gradient by using the Gradient panel will change the color of that object only. To edit every instance of a named gradient, double-click its swatch in the Swatches panel.
  1. Select the object or objects you want to change.
  2. Click the Fill or Stroke box in the Swatches panel or the Toolbox. (If the Gradient Fill box is not visible, choose Show Options in the Gradient panel menu.)
  3. To open the Gradient panel, choose Window > Gradient, or double-click the Gradient tool  in the Toolbox.
  4. To define the starting color of a gradient, click the leftmost color stop below the gradient bar, and then do one of the following:

    • Drag a swatch from the Swatches panel and drop it on the color stop.

    • Alt‑click (Windows) or Option-click (Mac OS) a color swatch in the Swatches panel.

    • In the Color panel, create a color using the sliders or the color bar.

  5. To define the ending color of the gradient, click the rightmost color stop below the gradient bar. Then choose the color you like, as described in the previous step.
  6. Select either Linear or Radial in the Type menu, and adjust color and midpoint positions as explained in Create a gradient swatch.
    Note: When you change the gradient type, it will reset the gradient’s starting and ending points to its original default for the currently selected object.
  7. To adjust the gradient angle, type a value for Angle.