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Language versions in the same document

each language on a layer of its own, each person switches to their version themselves. Running heads, indexes and hyphenation follow the language; changed source text marks a version “outdated”, only the changed paragraphs go out as XLIFF to the translation agency and come back with all character formatting

Dialog box “Language versions in the same document” in the program, filled in with example values

Where to find itFile › More formats › Language versions …

You keep language versions on separate layers in the same document. Each person chooses their visible version independently of others. For a trilingual publisher’s brochure, target frames follow source frame positions and sizes while language and hyphenation match the version. Source text changes mark the affected version as outdated. XLIFF 2.1 lets you send only changed paragraphs with character formatting to a translation agency and import the translation again. For output, you can create one PDF per version or one PDF with switchable language layers.

How to do it

  1. Open File › More formats › Language versions …
  2. Create a version for the required target language.
  3. Choose File › More formats › Export texts as XLIFF …
  4. Import the translated file through Import translation from XLIFF …
  5. Switch to the required version under View › Language version.

Limits

The titles “Index” and “Contents” remain in the source language, and endnotes transfer only through XLIFF.

Compared

Language versions in one document, XLIFF

  • Medusa availableeach language on its own layer, text frames follow the source; changed source text flags a version as out of date; only the changed paragraphs go out as XLIFF and come back with character formatting; one PDF per version or all languages as layers
  • Adobe InDesign no reliable statement
  • QuarkXPress no reliable statement
  • Affinity Studio no reliable statement

Vendor sources, as of 25.9.2026 · Full comparison with all sources