InDesign Tutorial: How to Update "Section" Headers & Marker Variables

Have you ever tried to change a chapter title or header in InDesign, only to find that you can't click on the text and when you find that it's controlled in the Parent Page, you just see the word "Section" instead of your actual title? If that's your experience, you're likely working with a Section Marker variable. In this quick tip video, I’ll show you how to hunt down those elusive dynamic headers and update them across your entire document in seconds. *In this video, you’ll learn: * ►The Difference Between Static and Dynamic Text: Why some text (like chart titles) can be edited directly, while others require a different approach. ►Identifying Parent Page Variables: How to check if your headers are controlled by an A-Parent or B-Parent master. ► Locating the Section Start: How to find the black diamond (or triangle) icon in your Pages panel that signals where a new section begins. ► Updating Section Marker Text: A step-by-step walkthrough of using the Numbering and Section Options menu to change your header text globally. ------------ *Time Stamps* 0:00 Introduction: Changing specific text vs. global headers. 0:07 Editing static text (like chart titles). 0:28 The problem: Why can't I click the text at the top of the page?. 0:40 Troubleshooting Command-Click and identifying Parent Page (Master) elements. 0:52 Discovering the "Section" variable on Parent Pages. 1:06 How Section Markers work in InDesign. 1:11 Locating the "Diamond" (Section Start) in the Pages panel. 1:23 Accessing Numbering and Section Options. 1:38 How to change "Section" text to your custom chapter or heading name. 1:47 Verifying the update across all pages using that Parent Page. 1:57 Final Tip: Managing sectioning and page numbering variables ------------ *Quick Steps from the Video: * • Identify the triangle icon in the Pages panel indicating a section start. • Right-click (or Control-click) that page icon. • Select Numbering and Section Options. • Type your new title (e.g., "Surnames") into the Section Marker field and click OK. 🔗 Read the full blog post for more InDesign tips: https://designertofullstack.com/indesign-linked-files-parent-pages-explained/ #AdobeInDesign #InDesignTutorial #GraphicDesign #BookDesign #ParentPages #SectionMarkers _____________________________________________________________ *JOIN MY EMAIL LIST* Love quick, helpful tutorials? You’ll love the emails too. 💌 https://designertofullstack.com/join-the-list/ *ABOUT ME* Hello, world. I’m *Kelly Barkhurst* —an experienced Mac-based full-stack designer, educator, and entrepreneur passionately blending artistic vision and creativity with deep technical expertise. With a BFA and MFA in Graphic Design and a certificate in Full-Stack Web Development, I’m uniquely positioned to work at this intersection of design and tech. My driving force is creating meaningful solutions and helping clients and students do the same. *What’s Kelly’s superpower?* It’s using design thinking to strategically plan the BIG picture, then diving deep into the technical “weeds” to bring that vision to life—through beautiful visual design, compelling writing, or well-crafted, functional code. *What brought you JOY today? * 👇 Share in the comments below *SOCIALS* https://twitter.com/@designer2fstack https://www.facebook.com/designertofullstack https://www.youtube.com/@UCWk0aZ-yFzCQX5bMLaISrog