Why do my charts come into InDesign as flat images?

Because most routes (screenshots, placed PDFs) flatten charts into pixels or single graphics. To keep them editable, the chart has to be rebuilt as vector objects during conversion, which is what idmly does from the HTML.

Do I need the fonts installed to open the converted file?

Yes, just like any InDesign document. idmly lists the fonts to activate after every conversion, and most live on Google Fonts or Adobe Fonts. Once they're active, the layout snaps into place.

Explainer

How to keep fonts and charts editable in InDesign

Q: Why does InDesign substitute my fonts with Minion?

InDesign shows Minion (its default) when a document references a font that isn't active on your machine. If the layout arrives as a placed PDF or with fonts named loosely, InDesign can't bind the real font. Converting from HTML lets idmly name the exact fonts so you just activate them.

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

When a design moves into InDesign through a PDF or a screenshot, two things break: fonts get substituted (hello, Minion) and charts flatten into images you can't touch. The fix is to bring the design in as structured InDesign content, not a flattened file.

idmly does exactly that: it binds the correct fonts by name and redraws charts as native, editable vector objects, so both stay fully editable in the .idml.

These are the two complaints I hear most from designers moving work into InDesign. Both come from the same root cause, and both are avoidable.

Why your fonts get substituted

InDesign falls back to Minion Pro when a document calls for a font that isn't active on your machine, or when the layout arrived in a way that lost the real font name. A placed PDF can't tell InDesign "this is Geist Medium" in a way it can bind; it just shows pixels. So you get a missing-font warning and the dreaded substitution.

The fix is to convert from a source that knows the font names. idmly reads your rendered HTML, where fonts are named precisely, and writes those names into the .idml. You activate them (most are on Google Fonts or Adobe Fonts) and the type snaps back exactly.

Why your charts flatten into images

Charts are the first casualty of most conversion routes. Screenshot a dashboard and it's pixels. Place a PDF and the chart is a single locked graphic. Either way you can't change a colour, edit a label, or resize a bar without it going fuzzy.

To stay editable, a chart has to be rebuilt as vector objects during conversion. idmly redraws charts from the rendered layout as native, editable vectors in InDesign, so you can recolour and adjust them like anything else you'd draw in the app.

The difference, side by side

What survives the trip into InDesign
	Via placed PDF / screenshot	Via idmly (from HTML)
Fonts	Substituted / outlined	Bound by name, editable
Charts	Flat image	Editable vector objects
Text	Locked	Reflowable in named styles

Frequently asked questions

Why does InDesign substitute my fonts with Minion?

InDesign shows Minion when a document references a font that isn't active, or when the layout arrived without real font names (like a placed PDF). Converting from HTML lets idmly name the exact fonts so you just activate them.

How do I keep charts editable when moving into InDesign?

Don't bring charts in as images or via a flattened PDF. idmly redraws charts as native, editable vector objects in the .idml, so you can recolour, resize and adjust them in InDesign.

Why do my charts come in as flat images?

Screenshots and placed PDFs flatten charts into pixels or single graphics. To stay editable, the chart must be rebuilt as vector objects during conversion, which is what idmly does from the HTML.

Do I need the fonts installed to open the file?

Yes, like any InDesign document. idmly lists the fonts to activate after every conversion, and most are on Google Fonts or Adobe Fonts. Once active, the layout snaps into place.

Keep your fonts and charts. Skip the flattening.

Drop your design in and the first two pages come back as a real InDesign file, fonts named, charts editable. Free.

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