InDesign

Control spread pagination

Most documents use two-page spreads exclusively. When you add or remove pages before a spread, the pages shuffle by default. However, you may want to keep certain pages in a spread together. For example, you can create gatefold or accordion foldouts by creating a multiple-page spread (also called an island spread) and adding pages to it. By not allowing pages to shuffle, you can ensure that pages are kept in the same spread.

Pages panel

A.
One-page spread

B.
Four-page spread, identified by brackets around page numbers

C.
Entire two-page spread selected

Create a multiple-page spread

  1. Do one of the following:

    • To keep a single spread together, select a spread in the Pages panel, and then deselect Allow Selected Spread To Shuffle in the Pages panel menu. You can identify an island spread in the Pages panel by the brackets around its page numbers.

    • To allow the creation of spreads of more than two pages in the entire document and to preserve those spreads when you add, remove, or arrange preceding pages, deselect Allow Document Pages To Shuffle on the Pages panel menu. InDesign will preserve spreads of more than two pages while letting two-page spreads repaginate normally.

  2. Add pages to the selected spread either by using Insert Pages to insert a new page in the middle of a spread or by dragging an existing page to the spread in the Pages panel. To drag an entire spread, drag its page numbers.
Adding a page to a spread using the Pages panel

Note: You can include up to ten pages in a spread. When you have reached the limit, the black vertical bar will not appear.

Redistribute pages

You can redistribute a spread’s pages to match the Facing Pages setting in the File > Document Setup dialog box.

 Do either of the following:

  • If an individual spread has been allowed to shuffle, select the spread, and choose Allow Selected Spread To Shuffle in the Pages panel menu to select it.

  • If document pages have been allowed to shuffle and you added pages to a spread, choose Allow Document Pages To Shuffle from the Pages panel menu to select it. Click No to redistribute pages. If you click Yes to maintain the multiple-page spreads, brackets surround the numbers on those spreads in the Pages panel, indicating that those spreads are not allowed to shuffle.