How to get an HTML or AI design into Affinity Publisher
Last updated June 2026 · by Kelly Fraser, maker of idmly
Affinity Publisher has no HTML import, and a PDF placed into Affinity is a flat, locked picture, not an editable layout. But Affinity Publisher version 2 and up opens IDML, the InDesign markup format. So if your design exists as a self-contained HTML file, idmly converts it into a native .idml that Affinity opens with real text frames, named styles and editable charts. No Adobe InDesign anywhere in the chain.
Honest caveat: Affinity's IDML import handles standard layouts well, and idmly's output is deliberately standard, so most designs come through cleanly. Very InDesign-specific effects can need a small touch-up after import.
Affinity Publisher is the popular one-time-purchase alternative to InDesign, so people who use it have usually left the Adobe subscription behind on purpose. The catch is that getting a finished AI or HTML design into Affinity, editable, is the same rebuild-by-hand problem InDesign users face. The good news: there is a clean path that skips the rebuild, and it never touches Adobe.
Does Affinity Publisher open IDML?
Yes. From version 2, Affinity Publisher imports IDML, the same interchange format InDesign reads and writes. That is the bridge: anything that can produce a clean .idml can land in Affinity as an editable document. idmly produces that .idml from your HTML, so you never need InDesign to make the file Affinity opens.
The path: HTML or AI design → idmly → Affinity Publisher
Three steps, no rebuild:
- Save your design as a self-contained
.htmlfile. AI design tools and code editors hand you this directly. If it opens in a browser and looks like your design, it is ready. - Drop it into idmly. The first two pages convert free, no signup, into a native
.idmlwith real fonts, named paragraph styles and editable charts. - Open the
.idmlin Affinity Publisher. Text frames, styles, charts and images arrive as editable objects, not a flattened picture.
What your options actually are
| Option | What you get | Editable in Affinity? |
|---|---|---|
| Place the design PDF in Affinity | One flat, locked graphic | No |
| Rebuild it by hand in Affinity | A faithful layout, the slow way | Yes |
HTML → idmly → .idml → Affinity | A native layout Affinity opens | Fully editable |
Why this matters if you have left Adobe
There is no InDesign subscription anywhere in this. Affinity Publisher is a one-time purchase, and idmly is a one-time $49 license. An AI or HTML design becomes an editable, on-brand Affinity layout without a single Adobe product and without a monthly fee. The same .idml still opens in InDesign too, so you are not locked to either app.
Frequently asked questions
Can Affinity Publisher open IDML?
.idml, which Affinity opens as an editable document with real text frames and styles.Can I convert an HTML or AI design to Affinity Publisher?
.idml, and Affinity Publisher (v2 and up) opens that file with editable text, named styles and charts. No Adobe InDesign is required.Is the imported file actually editable in Affinity?
Do I need Adobe InDesign at all?
.idml directly and Affinity Publisher opens it, so InDesign is never in the chain. The same file also opens in InDesign if you have it.Got your design as HTML? See it editable in Affinity Publisher.
Drop the HTML in and the first two pages come back as a real .idml that Affinity opens, free. No card.