Anchored objects are objects that are placed inside a textbox, and behave as text elements.
•InDesign nested anchored boxes are supported.
•InDesign textboxes in groups that are themselves anchored are also supported.
Usually, as is the case in the example below, the anchored object is a textbox that you wish to move (or flow) along as the text to the left changes.
Depending on the value of the large [d] token, the anchored textbox moves, always keeping a fixed distance from the number that has replaced the [d] token, as shown in the example below.
1.Create the object outside of the destination textbox.
2.Switch to selection mode.
3.Cut or copy the object to the clipboard (CTRL+X).
4.Switch to text edit mode.
5.Paste the object as text at the text position where you wish it to appear.
You can also insert lines, picture boxes and even grouped boxes.
Group deletion in Anchored Boxes
Note that group deleting objects that are anchored does not delete the anchoring box (nor any objects grouped to that anchoring box).
See also: linked textboxes, grouped objects, and differences between QuarkXPress and InDesign.
Topic 158700, last updated on 24-Aug-2026
