3 ways to make arrows in Adobe InDesign (with steps) (2023)

Many design purists believe that it's possible to draw the viewer's attention through your design using subtle visual cues that seem to flow - but there are definitely times when all you need is a giant red arrow, showing you the way.

InDesignIt doesn't come with any predefined vector arrow shapes, but you can still create accurate arrows quickly and easily.

There are three ways to create different types of arrows in InDesign. Follow us and see how it works!

Method 1: Creating Arrows Using the Line Tool in InDesign

To create a perfectly straight arrow in InDesign, create a stroke path and adjust the start/end squiggles in the Stroke panel.There are several ways to do this, but the easiest method is to uselineTool.

switch tolinetool with theToolcontrol panel or keyboard shortcut\(That's a backslash in case that's not clear!)

Click and drag your mouse anywhere on the page to create your line. You can adjust the placement later if you don't get it exactly where you want it on the first try, so don't worry too much about it.

Next, open theLeakBlackboard. This oneLeakThe panel includes a wide range of options for customizing the appearance and structure of strokes, including the ability to add arrowheads.

This panel should be visible in most InDesign default workspaces, but if it is lost, you can restore it by opening thiswindowmenu and clickLeak🇧🇷 You can also use the keyboard shortcutcommand+F10(just useF10if you are on a PC).

Locate the section titledstart end, as highlighted above. This onestartdropdown is the one on the left and thisFimThe dropdown menu is on the right.

The start of your line is the first point you clicked withlineand the end of your line is the point where you released the mouse button to complete the line.

Depending on which direction you want your arrow to point, open the appropriate drop-down menu and select one of the arrowheads from the list.

There are six different preset arrowheads and six preset endpoints to choose from (although you can always draw your own with the pen tool if none of the presets suit you).

Select an arrowhead style and it will instantly be applied to the appropriate end of your line. You can edit them at any time, so don't worry if you accidentally place the arrowhead on the wrong side of your line!

The arrowheads can be a little small if you use the default line width, though it depends on how you want to use them. There are two ways to increase the size of the arrowhead: increase the stroke weight or increase the size of the arrowhead itself.

To increase Stroke Weight, find theweightconfiguration on top ofLeakpanel and lift it. This will make the arrowhead bigger, but it will also make your line much thicker.

To enlarge just the arrowhead, use theScaleconfiguration belowstart endSuspended menus.

You can also use therelay a messageOption to customize whether your line's anchor point coincides with the tip of the arrowhead or the base of the arrowhead.

Congratulations, you've just created an arrow in InDesign! While this covers the basics, you can mix and match your arrows with additional colors, line styles, and more to create the perfect arrow for your layout.

Method 2: Create curved arrows with the pen tool

If you want to give your arrow a freer look, you don't need to use the line tool to create the stroke.InDesign lets you apply a stroke to any vector path, including curved paths created with the Pen tool, and this opens up many new creative possibilities for your arrows.

switch toHardtool with theToolcontrol panel or keyboard shortcutP🇧🇷 Click once anywhere in the document to define the first point of the path, then click and drag to define the second point and curve of the line.

Before releasing the mouse button, you will see a preview of your curve as shown above. As soon as you release the button, your curve will be drawn using your current trace settings.

If you want to adjust the curve later, you can use a combination oftool penit's atDirect Selection Toolto adjust curve control handles and anchor point positions.

Once you're satisfied with your curved line, you can use the same method for adding arrowheads that I described in the first section: open the Stroke panel and use the Start/End section to add an arrowhead at the appropriate point, add line to your curve.

You can also use multiple curves or any other shape you like! It's almost as easy as creating a perfectly straight arrow, but you have complete control over the end result.

If you're serious about taking custom arrows to the next level, you can even draw the outline of the arrow shape entirely with the pen tool and skip the preset flourishes altogether. It depends on you!

Method 3: Using the Glyphs panel to add arrows

There is another way to add arrows to an InDesign layout, although it won't work in all situations. Many professional fonts have a wide range of symbol characters that are almost never used in regular typing, but are still there, waiting to be used - as long as you know how to find them.

switch toTypetool and create a new text frame, or use the Text tool to place the cursor in an existing text frame.

Next, open theTypemenu and clickglifento open theglifenBlackboard. You can also use the keyboard shortcutchange+possibility+F11(to usechange+Alt+F11on a PC).

On themTo search forType "arrow" in the "Arrow" field and you'll see if the currently selected font has matching arrow characters.

Double-click the selected glyph in the search results and it will automatically paste into your text frame.

You can use it entirely within a text frame or convert it to a vector shape to use as a layout element outside of text frames. To convert, select the arrow in your text frame with the text tool, open the Text menu and clickcreate contours🇧🇷 The arrow is converted to a vector path.

The vector path is anchored to the text frame so you cannot move it. Select it withselectiontool and then presscommand+xforCutout of the frame, and then presscommand+vforNecklaceback to the page, outside the frame container.

a final word

This covers the most common ways to create arrows in InDesign! It's nice to dream of being so talented that you can guide your viewers without arrows, but sometimes you just need a big red arrow to show people exactly where to look. This can save a lot of time and often makes for a better user experience - and that's what really matters.

Have fun driving!