What is the PMD file format?
The .pmd file format is native to Adobe PageMaker, a desktop-publishing application first developed by Aldus Corporation and later acquired by Adobe Systems. A .pmd file stores a complete page layout, including such elements as images, drawings, and formatted text. Graphics created with other Adobe tools can be imported into .pmd files.
Usage of .pmd files
.pmd files are associated with PageMaker versions 6 and 7 - the last iterations that used this format before PageMaker was discontinued and replaced by Adobe InDesign. PageMaker allowed users to create advanced, professional publications such as business documents, leaflets, and newsletters. The .pmd format is a proprietary binary container; while PageMaker relies on Adobe PostScript for print rendering, the .pmd document file itself is not a PostScript stream.
Additional information
- Data in
.pmdfiles can be exported as PDF by using PageMaker 6.5+/7.0 or older versions of InDesign equipped with the PageMaker plug-in filter. - Earlier PageMaker documents use related extensions:
.pm6(version 6.0),.p65(version 6.5), and.pm5(version 5). Template files carry the.pt6extension. - PageMaker was officially discontinued in 2004. The
.pmdformat is now largely obsolete, though archived publications may still be encountered in legacy production workflows.
Security & safety
RISK: LOWA PageMaker .pmd is a passive document with no scripting/macro layer, so the file itself is low-risk. The real danger is obsolescence and data loss: with PageMaker discontinued in 2004 and modern InDesign unable to import .pmd, an important legacy layout can become unreadable. Convert/export valuable .pmd files to PDF (for the look) and RTF (for the text) while a working PageMaker/older InDesign is still available. Beware download sites advertising free '.pmd viewers/converters' - many are adware; prefer LibreOffice or legacy Adobe software.
Format details
in a nutshellFULL NAMEAdobe PageMaker document
DEVELOPERAdobe Systems (originally Aldus Corporation)since PageMaker 1.0 by Aldus in 1985 (Mac); .pmd is the PageMaker 6.x/7.x document extension
CATEGORYLayout Files
MIME TYPEapplication/vnd.pagemaker
TYPEProprietary desktop-publishing layout document (binary)
This extension is also used by…
- MikuMikuDance model (PMD) - A 3D humanoid character model for the MikuMikuDance (MMD) animation app - a completely different binary format opened in MMD or PMD Editor / Blender (with a plugin).
- PowerDirector / Cyberlink project, and various app data files - Several programs reuse .pmd for their own project or data files; identify by the app that created it.
Programs that open PMD files
Windows3 apps
Adobe PageMaker 7.0 (legacy)
Paid If you still have a licensed copy, open the .pmd directly. Runs on older Windows or in a VM; no longer sold by Adobe.
Adobe InDesign (CS2-CS6, with PageMaker filter)
Paid Older InDesign releases can open/convert a .pmd via the PageMaker import filter; re-save as .indd or PDF. Current InDesign CC cannot import .pmd.
LibreOffice Draw (limited)
Open-source May open some PageMaker documents via the libpagemaker import library; layout fidelity is partial - useful to recover text/graphics when PageMaker isn't available. 
macOS2 apps
Adobe PageMaker 7.0 (legacy)
Paid Open the .pmd in a surviving PageMaker install (classic Mac OS or a VM). Discontinued by Adobe.
Adobe InDesign (older CS, with PageMaker filter)
Paid Use a CS-era InDesign with the PageMaker conversion filter to import the .pmd, then export PDF/INDD. Technical details
deep spec| Developer | Adobe Systems (originally Aldus Corporation) |
| Format type | Proprietary binary desktop-publishing document container |
| MIME type | application/vnd.pagemaker |
| Supported PageMaker versions | 6.0 and 7.0 (final releases of PageMaker) |
| Platform support | Windows and macOS; Mac-only until PageMaker 4, Windows support added in 1993 with version 5 |
| Stored content | Page layout, styled text frames, master pages, linked and embedded graphics, and vector drawings |
| Image referencing | External images are linked by file path by default; packing requires copying image files alongside the publication |
| File identification method | No publicly documented magic bytes; identified by .pmd extension and internal binary record structure |
| Earlier version document extensions | .pm5 (PageMaker 5), .pm6 (version 6.0), .p65 (version 6.5) |
| Template file extension | .pt6 (PageMaker 6/7 publication template) |
| Print rendering technology | Layout is rendered to output via Adobe PostScript; the .pmd binary is not itself a PostScript stream |
| PDF export | PageMaker 6.5+ and 7.0 can distill the layout to PDF via the built-in Acrobat Distiller workflow |
| InDesign compatibility | Adobe InDesign CS2 through CS6 can open .pmd files using the optional PageMaker plug-in filter |
| Successor format | .indd (Adobe InDesign document) is the direct successor for professional desktop-publishing work |
| Current status | Obsolete since PageMaker's discontinuation in 2004; legacy files may remain in archival and print-archive workflows |
| Released | PageMaker 1.0 by Aldus in 1985 (Mac); .pmd is the PageMaker 6.x/7.x document extension |
| Specification | en.wikipedia.org |
PMD conversions
Possible
.PMD .PDFGUIDE
Yes, PMD can be converted to PDF -- the fastest way is to open the file in Adobe PageMaker 7.0 and print or…
How to convert
.PMD .PNGGUIDE
Yes -- open the PMD in Adobe PageMaker 7.0 (or an older CS-era InDesign that still has the PageMaker import…
How to convert
.PMD .RTFGUIDE
Yes, you can export the text content of a PageMaker .pmd file to RTF, but you need PageMaker 7.0 or…
How to convert
.PMD .INDDGUIDE
Yes, but only through an older Adobe InDesign (CS2-CS6) that still includes the PageMaker import filter -…
How to convert
Not possible
Community Q&A
asked by usersNo questions yet - be the first to ask about PMD files.
Frequently asked questions
What is a .pmd file?
Most often an Adobe PageMaker document - a page-layout file (newsletter, brochure, book) from Adobe's discontinued desktop-publishing program. The same extension is also used by MikuMikuDance for unrelated 3D models, so confirm which one you have.
How do I open a PageMaker .pmd file today?
Best with a surviving copy of PageMaker 6.5/7.0 (in a VM if needed). Otherwise an older Adobe InDesign (CS2-CS6) can import it via the PageMaker filter; current InDesign CC cannot. LibreOffice Draw can sometimes open it with reduced fidelity.
Why won't InDesign open my .pmd file?
Modern InDesign (CC) removed the PageMaker import filter, so it can't read .pmd at all. You need an older CS-era InDesign that still had the filter, or open it in PageMaker first and export to a current format.
How do I convert a .pmd to PDF?
Open it in PageMaker 7.0 (or an older InDesign that imports it) and Print/Export to PDF. That gives you a shareable, archival copy of the layout even though it's no longer editable in current software.
Is .pmd a 3D model file?
It can be - MikuMikuDance (MMD) uses .pmd for 3D character models, which is a completely different format opened in MMD or PMD Editor. If your file came from an animation/MMD context, it's a model, not a PageMaker document.
Can I recover just the text from an old PageMaker file?
Yes - open it in PageMaker (or LibreOffice's PageMaker import) and export the stories to RTF/TXT. You lose the page design but keep the editable text, which is often what matters for an old document.
References
1Wikipedia - Adobe PageMakeren.wikipedia.org
2Adobe - InDesign (PageMaker successor)www.adobe.com
