Prepare your files for Arabic typesetting and desktop publishing

1. Identify the publication and the approved text

Tell us what you are producing, who will read it and where it will appear. A printed brochure, downloadable report and presentation can require different page dimensions, navigation and export settings. Specify Arabic-only or bilingual delivery and the countries or audience the wording is intended for.

Identify the approved source version and the Arabic text to be placed. If translation or editing is still needed, include it in the brief rather than treating layout work as a language review. Separate material that must be translated from text supplied only as reference. Later wording changes can affect line breaks, page flow and the review schedule.

2. Send a usable file package

Provide the editable source and a reference PDF showing the expected appearance. Include linked images, charts, logos and any separately edited artwork. Keep file names clear and tell us which items are current. A PDF alone may require text extraction or layout reconstruction; the work and return format need assessment from the actual file.

Name the authoring software and version, and the format your team needs back. If you have an InDesign package, include the native document and an interchange file such as IDML where available. This information helps assess compatibility; it does not establish support for every application, file version or feature. Share a representative file before confirming a larger production run.

• Provide the document, links and an approved reference export.
• Identify text inside flattened artwork or screenshots and supply editable originals when available.
• Include the brand guide, page specifications and approved Arabic terminology.
• Flag missing assets, restricted content and files that cannot be shared.

3. Resolve fonts and permissions before production

Tell us the required typefaces and whether an Arabic brand font has been approved. Share font files only when the license allows that transfer; otherwise identify the font and how the working team can obtain permitted access. Font use, embedding and later editing may have different permissions. Confirm them with the rights holder or font provider.

An alternative font may change character shapes, spacing and line length. If substitution is necessary, agree it before setting the full document. Assess Arabic joining, line height and mixed Arabic–Latin text in a representative page, rather than assuming a Latin brand typeface provides a suitable Arabic result.

4. Agree reading order and mixed-language details

Arabic paragraphs need an appropriate reading direction, while Latin names, identifiers and numerical sequences can have their own direction within the line. Right alignment alone does not resolve every mixed-text issue. Review punctuation, brackets, links and codes in the actual layout; W3C's bidirectional-text guidance explains the underlying issue, although its implementation examples are for HTML.

Specify the required digit style, date format, currency notation and units. Keep identifiers and values faithful to the approved text. Discuss tables, captions, contents pages, lists, page numbers and cross-references. A chart, logo or established table sequence should not be mirrored automatically just because the surrounding language is Arabic.

5. Check a representative spread before the full file

Original hypothetical example: a bilingual product sheet contains Arabic descriptions, a Latin model code AB-204 and a measurement of 12 mm. Its Arabic panel needs readable paragraph direction, but the code must remain unchanged and the measurement must stay attached to the correct product. A layout check should examine the whole panel, including its image and labels.

Choose a sample that includes the hardest features: long paragraphs, mixed text, a table or chart and a heading. Agree the hierarchy, line spacing and bilingual arrangement there. Arabic wording can change how text occupies the page; allow reflow or adjusted spacing before reducing text size. Exact source pagination should be agreed when essential, rather than assumed for every project.

6. Assign language review, layout approval and final checks

Confirm who checks the Arabic wording, who compares it with the source and who approves the finished layout. These are distinct responsibilities. If the Arabic was approved before typesetting, a final check in the composed file can still catch omitted passages, misplaced labels, clipped lines and errors introduced during placement. Agree whether bilingual comparison is included or separately commissioned.

Use one consolidated set of comments tied to page numbers or text locations, and identify the approval owner. Tell us whether later changes replace approved copy or correct a production issue. The review rounds, revision boundaries and effect on timing are agreed for the project.

• Check page and text completeness against the approved content.
• Inspect Arabic joining, clipping, overflow and mixed-direction punctuation.
• Check tables, captions, repeated headings and cross-references in context.
• Resolve missing fonts, image links and the agreed export settings before final handover.

7. Define the final files and the next owner

Specify whether you need an editable source package, a screen PDF, a print PDF or a combination. For print, provide the printer's specifications and identify who approves the proof. For a digital publication, describe the intended reading environment and any required links, bookmarks or accessibility work. These requirements must be scoped; a visually finished PDF does not establish that every technical or accessibility requirement has been met.

Agree who will make later updates and how the approved content, fonts and linked assets will be retained. Send the source package, page count, languages, intended use, required outputs and deadline through our graphic design service page. We assess the actual files before confirming feasibility, deliverables, price and timing.

Ready to define the scope?

Share the materials and the decisions you have made. We confirm availability, deliverables, price and timing for your actual project.

References

Technical references checked 6 October 2026. The software reference describes preflight checks; it does not confirm application support or a promised delivery format for your project.

• W3C: Inline markup and bidirectional text
• Adobe InDesign: Configure and use the Preflight panel