Will my fonts and styles survive the conversion?

Yes. idmly binds the correct fonts by name and creates real named paragraph and character styles. The cleaner the exported HTML, the cleaner the resulting InDesign document.

Guide

How to convert a Figma design into InDesign

Q: Can you convert a Figma design to InDesign?

Not directly. Figma cannot export an InDesign (.idml) file, and the PDF it exports imports into InDesign as a flat, locked picture. The route that works is to export your Figma design as HTML, then convert that HTML into a native, editable .idml with idmly.

Q: How do I get a Figma design into InDesign without rebuilding it by hand?

Export the design as HTML (Figma Dev Mode or a plugin like Anima), then drop that HTML into idmly. You get back a native .idml with real text frames, named styles and editable charts, instead of rebuilding the layout manually.

Q: Can I also convert a Claude or ChatGPT design this way?

Yes. idmly converts the HTML output of any AI design tool the same way it converts an exported Figma frame: Claude, ChatGPT, v0, Lovable, Bolt, Gemini, Figma Make, and plain hand-written HTML all work. idmly reads the rendered browser layout, so the tool and CSS framework do not matter.

Q: Is this the same as a Figma plugin or an InDesign MCP connector?

No. A Figma plugin runs inside Figma, and MCP connectors such as Sidekick, Duet or Adobe's Claude connector let an AI control InDesign live from inside the app. idmly works outside both: it takes the finished design you exported as HTML and converts that file into an editable .idml. They are complementary.

Q: Does "AI design" mean an Adobe Illustrator (.ai) file?

No. Here AI design means an AI-generated layout, the HTML that tools like Claude, ChatGPT, v0 or Lovable produce. For an Adobe Illustrator .ai file, use File > Place in InDesign instead; idmly converts the HTML, not .ai artwork.

Last updated June 2026 · by Kelly Fraser, maker of idmly

Figma can't export an editable InDesign file directly, and the PDF it exports lands in InDesign as a flat, locked picture. The route that works: export your Figma design as HTML (Figma's Dev Mode, or an export plugin like Anima), then convert that HTML into a native .idml with idmly. You get real text frames, named paragraph styles, and charts as editable vectors.

The cleaner the exported HTML, the cleaner the InDesign file. The first two pages convert free, no signup; a one-time $49 license unlocks the rest.

Figma and InDesign don't speak the same language. One is a screen-design tool, the other a print-layout tool, and there's no "Export to InDesign" button bridging them. So designers end up rebuilding Figma layouts in InDesign by hand. There's a faster way, and it runs through HTML.

Why Figma won't just export to InDesign

Figma exports PNG, JPG, SVG, PDF, and code. None of those is a native InDesign document. Place the PDF and you get a single flattened graphic: a picture of your design, not editable text and styles. To get something you can keep working in, you need to rebuild the design as an InDesign file, and that's exactly the step worth automating.

The route that works: Figma → HTML → InDesign

Export your Figma design as HTMLFigma's Dev Mode gives you the CSS, and export plugins such as Anima or similar tools produce a full HTML file. Aim for a single self-contained .html that opens in a browser and looks like your design.
Drop the HTML into idmlyUpload it at idmly.com. The first two pages convert free, no card. idmly renders the file in a real browser and builds native InDesign markup: fonts bound, paragraph styles named, charts redrawn as editable vectors.
Open the .idml in InDesignDownload the .idml (designs with images arrive as a zip, keep the Links folder beside it) and open it in Adobe InDesign or Affinity Publisher. Everything is editable.

Not just Figma: any design that exports to HTML

The HTML step is the only thing idmly needs, so the same route works far beyond Figma. Drop in the HTML from an AI design tool and it converts the same way: Claude, ChatGPT, v0, Lovable, Bolt, Gemini, Figma Make, or plain hand-written HTML. idmly reads the rendered browser layout, not the tool that made it, so the framework doesn't matter either.

One quick clarification: "AI design" here means an AI-generated layout, not Adobe Illustrator. For an Illustrator .ai file you'd use File > Place in InDesign; idmly converts the HTML that tools like Claude and ChatGPT hand you, not .ai artwork.

Your options, compared

Figma → InDesign: every method
Method	What you get	Editable?	Effort
Place the Figma PDF	One flat, locked graphic	No	Minutes
Rebuild by hand	A faithful InDesign file, eventually	Yes	Hours per design
Figma → HTML → idmly	A native `.idml`, built from the layout	Fully editable	Export + ~30s convert

What lands in the InDesign file

→Correct fonts, bound by name. No silent Minion substitution.
→Real named paragraph and character styles.
→Charts and tables as native, editable vector objects.
→Editable text frames you can reflow and restyle.
→Exact page geometry, opened clean at the right size.

Frequently asked questions

Can you convert a Figma design to InDesign?

Not directly. Figma can't export an InDesign (.idml) file, and its PDF imports as a flat picture. Export the design as HTML, then convert that HTML into a native, editable .idml with idmly.

Does Figma export IDML?

No. Figma exports PNG, JPG, SVG, PDF and code, but not InDesign's .idml. You get an editable InDesign file by converting the design's HTML with a tool like idmly.

How do I get a Figma design into InDesign without rebuilding it?

Export it as HTML (Dev Mode or a plugin like Anima), then drop that HTML into idmly. You get a native .idml with real text frames, named styles and editable charts instead of redoing the layout.

Will my fonts and styles survive?

Yes. idmly binds the right fonts by name and builds real named styles. The cleaner the exported HTML, the cleaner the InDesign document.

Can I also convert a Claude or ChatGPT design this way?

Yes. idmly converts the HTML from any AI design tool the same way it converts an exported Figma frame — Claude, ChatGPT, v0, Lovable, Bolt, Gemini, Figma Make, and plain HTML all work. It reads the rendered browser layout, so the tool and framework don't matter.

Is this the same as a Figma plugin or an InDesign MCP connector?

No. A Figma plugin runs inside Figma, and MCP connectors (Sidekick, Duet, Adobe's Claude connector) let an AI control InDesign live from inside the app. idmly works outside both: it takes the finished design you exported as HTML and converts that file into an editable .idml. They're complementary.

Does "AI design" mean an Adobe Illustrator (.ai) file?

No. Here "AI design" means an AI-generated layout — the HTML that tools like Claude, ChatGPT, v0 or Lovable hand you. For an Adobe Illustrator .ai file, use File > Place in InDesign instead; idmly converts the HTML, not .ai artwork.

Got the HTML? See it in InDesign in 30 seconds.

Drop your exported design in and watch the first two pages come back as a real, editable InDesign file, free.

Try it on your file — free → $49 lifetime license