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AFBOOK IDML
File conversion

Convert AFBOOK to IDML

Verified by Adam B.· reviewed by FE Editorial ·updated Jun 30, 2026
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Is it possible to convert AFBOOK to IDML?
Yes - AFBOOK converts to IDML.

There is no .afbook to .idml export in Affinity Publisher; its IDML support is import-only. To reach .idml you either recreate the book in Adobe InDesign and export IDML from there, or route the pages through a converter, which loses editability. Expect a fair amount of manual rework.

Also to IDML: QXP · QXD · IND

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Tested on macOS, Windows & Linux
Last verified Oct 2026

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Why convert AFBOOK to IDML?

Studios that need to hand an Affinity book to an InDesign-based workflow look for the .IDML interchange format that InDesign can open. The catch is that Affinity Publisher only reads IDML and never writes it, so getting to .idml means rebuilding the layout in InDesign rather than a direct conversion.

How to convert AFBOOK to IDML

Rebuild in InDesign, then export IDML PAID

Recreate the pages in Adobe InDesign (using Publisher as a visual reference), then choose File > Export and pick InDesign Markup (IDML) to save the .idml.

Export PDF, convert with Recosoft PDF2ID PAID

Export a .pdf from Affinity Publisher, open it in InDesign via Recosoft PDF2ID, then export IDML from InDesign; layout is rebuilt approximately, not perfectly.

Export PDF and place it in InDesign PAID

For a non-editable handoff, export a .pdf and File > Place it into an InDesign document, then export .idml - the artwork stays flattened rather than editable text.

About these formats

.AFBOOK Affinity Publisher Book

An .afbook file is a book project made in Affinity Publisher 2. It ties several separate .afpub chapter documents into one publication and stores the chapter order along with shared master…

Open .AFBOOK details →
.IDML Adobe InDesign Markup Language

An IDML file is an Adobe InDesign page layout saved in InDesign Markup Language, an open XML-based interchange format introduced in 2008. Open it in Adobe InDesign (File → Open, then save…

Open .IDML details →

Quality & what to watch

  • Affinity Publisher has no IDML export at all; every route depends on InDesign or a paid converter.
  • PDF-based conversions rebuild text and styles only approximately, so fonts, threading, and paragraph styles usually need fixing.
  • Placing a PDF into InDesign keeps the look but leaves the content as flattened, non-editable artwork.

Frequently asked questions

Can Affinity Publisher save or export IDML?
No. Publisher can import IDML from InDesign but cannot export to it, so there is no native .afbook to .idml path.
What is the most faithful way to get IDML?
Rebuild the book in Adobe InDesign and export IDML from there; it is the only route that yields clean, editable IDML.
Will a PDF-to-InDesign converter preserve my styles?
Only partially. Tools like Recosoft PDF2ID reconstruct text and layout approximately, so paragraph styles and text threading need manual repair.
Can I avoid InDesign entirely?
Not really - IDML is InDesign's format, so producing usable .idml almost always requires InDesign somewhere in the chain.