Creating columns in indesign text is one of the best ways to add visual interest to your document. It is also a way to make sure that your text flows smoothly across a page, minimizing eye strain.

The first step is to create a column frame on the page where you want to insert the new column. InDesign automatically adds frames based on the column settings in your document, but you can use text frame options to control the number of columns and vertical alignment within the text frame.

How to Create a Single Text Frame as a Column

The easiest way to add columns in InDesign is to add them to a single text frame. You can either fill the frame with placeholder text, or you can input actual text into it.

You can then flow this text between the frames or pages. You can even link the text to another frame if it is already in place, and you can change the size and shape of the frame at any time.

How to Easily Flow Text from One Frame into Another

There are several ways to flow text in InDesign, including using the Selection tool, the Type tool, and the Out Port of a text frame. Generally, the In Port is used for linking text to frames, and the Out Port is used to thread the text to other frames or to create new frames.

How to Use Overset Text to Create a New Column

You can create columns in InDesign with overset text by clicking a frame that already has text in it, and then selecting the text you wish to overset. This will display a red + symbol in the out port of that frame, and it will indicate where you can flow the text into the frame.

To create a frame that is overset with text, select the frame where the overset text will go, and then click the Out Port in the frame that contains the overset text. The cursor will now hold the overset text, and you can position the cursor anywhere in the frame to flow the text into it.

How to Add Vertical Guides in a Column Grid

To make a column grid that is based on vertical guides, you need to add vertical guides to each of the columns in your layout, and then to the gutter between the columns. Typically, you need to make guides on each side of the gutter, but on some layouts, you might only need them on the top and bottom of the column.

How to Set a Primary Text Frame for Smart Reflowing

InDesign can flow text into a multi-column text frame automatically if you enable the Primary Text Frame option. This option is found under the Text Frame Options panel, which is visible in Object > Text Frame Options. It allows you to set the text frame as the primary text frame, and then enable smart text reflowing, which adds or removes pages in your document as needed to ensure that all of the added text is visible.