Pro Tip: Smart Photoshop AI Workflow for InDesign Users

Angelo Montilla
2 hours ago
2 min read

When you’re working on a magazine or editorial layout in Adobe InDesign, the design may look perfect, but sometimes the image doesn’t quite match the quality of the layout. Instead of replacing the image or redesigning your page, you can use Adobe Photoshop’s AI tools to enhance the photo and update it instantly inside InDesign.

In this tutorial, you’ll learn how to use Photoshop Generative Fill and InDesign Object Layer Options to improve an image while keeping your layout intact.

Click the link below to download the tutorial exercise files and follow along step by step.

In this example, we're working on a magazine layout in InDesign and the first step is opening the noodles image in Photoshop. Because the PSD is already placed on the page, simply right-click it, choose Edit With and then click Adobe Photoshop. This will launch the image in Photoshop where we can enhance it using Generative Fill.

Generative Fill

With the PSD file open, in the Contextual Task Bar, click Select Subject. Photoshop will automatically detect and select the main elements – in this case, the noodles and chopsticks.
Click Generative Fill in the Contextual Task Bar.
In the prompt field, type: “Add sauce to the noodles”.
Choose a partner model (for example, FLUX 2.0).
Click Generate.

Photoshop will create several AI-generated variations with added sauce and enhanced texture.

Review the results and select the version that looks most realistic and visually appealing.

Now, you could simply save the PSD at this point, jump back to InDesign and update the link. but in this case, I also want to go over how to manipulate the layers in InDesign using Object Layer Options.

So for now, hide the AI-generated layer in Photoshop, save the PSD and let's jump back to InDesign.

Object Layer Options

To choose which Photoshop layer appears in your layout:

Select the image frame in InDesign.
Right-click and choose Object Layer Options.
In the dialog box, you’ll see all available PSD layers.
Locate the AI-generated layer (for example, “Add sauce to noodles”).
Click the eye icon to make it visible.
Hide any layers you don’t want to display.
Click OK.

That's it! Because the file remains linked, you can always return to Photoshop to create new versions and switch between them in InDesign. And if you create more layers, you can use Object Layer Options to show and hide them as you please.