↔️ Translating IDML files from left-to-right to right-to-left languages

When converting Adobe InDesign documents (IDML format) from left-to-right (LTR) to right-to-left (RTL) languages like Arabic or Hebrew, Redokun automatically applies the following changes:

✅ What Redokun adjusts for RTL languages

Text direction is changed for every InDesign story (a “story” is a block of text in InDesign).
Page binding is switched so that the document reads right to left.
Text justification is updated — numbers, bullets, and paragraphs are right-aligned.
Text composer is switched to one that supports RTL scripts (e.g., Adobe World-Ready Composer for Arabic).

These changes ensure your RTL layout is ready for translation and output — no extra manual adjustments should be needed after exporting the translated file.

🔄 Can I mix LTR and RTL in the same document?

InDesign does not support having both LTR and RTL page directions in the same file. Page direction (binding) is a document-level setting, not a per-page setting.

⚠️ If you attempt to include both LTR and RTL content in one document, only the global direction will apply. For mixed layouts, we recommend creating separate documents for each direction or managing layout variations manually in InDesign post-export.

💡 Common questions

Q: Do I need to edit anything after translation?

A: In most cases, no. Redokun handles all necessary layout transformations during export. You only need to open the translated IDML in InDesign.

❗ Notes:

You may need to change the font if the original one doesn’t support the characters or glyphs of the target language (e.g., Arabic or Hebrew).
Tables might require manual adjustment, especially if they were designed for LTR languages. Check alignment, padding, and overall layout after export.

Q: What if my design includes mirrored graphics or page numbers?

A: For RTL languages, remember that InDesign treats the last page as the cover. You may need to manually reorder elements like page numbers or mirrored images.

Q: Can I automate both LTR and RTL workflows in the same template?

A: Not within a single InDesign document. Use separate IDMLs or scripting if needed.