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April 1, 2026Dan Rodney/3 min read

Story, Galley, & Layout Views

Master InCopy's Three Essential View Modes

InCopy's Three View Modes Overview

Galley View

Shows all text including overset content with accurate line breaks. Displays line numbers and inline notes for comprehensive text editing.

Story View

Displays all text including overset content but without accurate line breaks. Focuses on content flow with inline notes visible.

Layout View

Shows actual page layout with fonts, pictures, and colors. Only visible text is displayed with true type styling.

Story, Galley, & Layout Views

InCopy offers three distinct viewing modes, each optimized for different editorial workflows. Understanding when and how to use each view can dramatically improve your editing efficiency and accuracy.

Layout View Limitation

Overset text cannot be seen in Layout View. Switch to Story or Galley View to access and edit text that extends beyond the layout boundaries.

Layout View Features

True Visual Representation

Shows actual page layout with fonts, pictures, colors, and styling exactly as they will appear in final output.

Notes Panel Integration

Notes are accessed through the dedicated Notes panel rather than appearing inline with the text content.

Galley View

  • Displays all text content, including both visible layout text and critical overset text that would otherwise remain hidden from view.

  • Maintains accurate line breaks that mirror the final layout, making it ideal for precise copy editing and line-by-line review.

  • Offers full font and size customization through the bottom toolbar and system preferences:

    Mac: InCopy > Preferences > Galley & Story Display
    Windows: Edit > Preferences > Galley & Story Display

  • Provides line numbering for easy reference during collaborative editing sessions.

  • Displays editorial notes directly inline within the text flow, streamlining the review process.

  • Note that the display font is purely for editing comfort and doesn't reflect the final layout typography. This appearance is controlled through the Galley & Story Appearance toolbar (detailed below).

Galley view strikes the perfect balance between readability and layout accuracy, making it the preferred choice for most editorial tasks.

Galley View Advantages and Limitations

Pros
Shows both visible and overset text
Displays accurate line breaks
Includes line numbers for reference
Notes appear inline within text
Customizable font and size display
Cons
Font display not accurate to final layout
Requires toolbar customization for optimal viewing
Galley View Best Practice

Use Galley View when you need to see all text content, including overset text that won't fit in the layout, while maintaining accurate line break information.

Story View

  • Shows complete text content, including both visible and overset text that extends beyond the layout boundaries.

  • Presents text in a continuous flow without preserving actual line breaks, prioritizing readability over layout fidelity.

  • Provides the same customization options for display fonts and sizing:

    Mac: InCopy > Preferences > Galley & Story Display
    Windows: Edit > Preferences > Galley & Story Display

  • Integrates editorial notes seamlessly within the text stream for uninterrupted editing flow.

  • Uses display typography optimized for editing rather than final output, controlled via the Galley & Story Appearance toolbar (see configuration details below).

Story view excels for substantial content revisions, developmental editing, and situations where continuous text flow takes precedence over precise formatting.

Story View vs Galley View

FeatureStory ViewGalley View
Line BreaksNot AccurateAccurate
Overset TextVisibleVisible
Notes DisplayInlineInline
Line NumbersNoYes
Recommended: Choose Story View for content-focused editing when line breaks are less critical

Layout View

  • Renders the complete visual design including authentic typography, images, colors, and all design elements exactly as they'll appear in final output.

  • Restricts display to visible text only—overset content remains completely hidden, which can mask potential layout issues.

  • Requires the dedicated Notes panel for editorial comment management (Window > Notes), keeping annotations separate from the layout.

  • Presents typography and styling with complete accuracy, making it essential for final proofing and client presentations.

Layout view is indispensable for final reviews, client approvals, and any situation where visual accuracy is paramount.

Layout View Limitation

Overset text cannot be seen in Layout View. Switch to Story or Galley View to access and edit text that extends beyond the layout boundaries.

Layout View Features

True Visual Representation

Shows actual page layout with fonts, pictures, colors, and styling exactly as they will appear in final output.

Notes Panel Integration

Notes are accessed through the dedicated Notes panel rather than appearing inline with the text content.

Setting the Default View

While InCopy defaults to Story view, you can customize this behavior to match your workflow preferences:

  1. Ensure all documents are closed to apply the setting globally.

  2. Navigate to the View menu and select your preferred default view (Galley View or Layout View).

  3. All subsequently opened documents will automatically display in your chosen view, streamlining your workflow from the start.

This simple configuration can save considerable time when working with multiple documents throughout your editorial sessions.

How to Change Default View

1

Close All Documents

Ensure no InCopy documents are currently open before making changes to the default view setting.

2

Access View Menu

Navigate to the View menu and select your preferred default view option - either Galley View or Layout View.

3

Apply Setting

The next time you open any document, it will automatically open in your newly selected default view mode.

Default View Note

Story View is the default view mode in InCopy, but you can easily change this to match your workflow preferences.

The Galley & Story Appearance Toolbar

Positioned conveniently at the bottom left of your workspace, the Galley & Story Appearance toolbar provides comprehensive control over display typography, sizing, line spacing, and other visual elements specifically for Galley and Story views. This customization capability allows editors to optimize readability based on their preferences, monitor specifications, and the nature of their editorial work.

galley and story appearance toolbar

While this toolbar displays by default in most installations, you can restore it anytime via Window > Galley & Story Appearance if it becomes hidden. Consider bookmarking this location, as fine-tuning your display preferences can significantly impact editing comfort during extended work sessions.

Toolbar Customization Options

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Toolbar Location

The Galley & Story Appearance toolbar is located at the bottom left of the screen and is shown by default for easy access during editing.

Key Takeaways

1InCopy offers three distinct view modes: Galley, Story, and Layout, each optimized for different editing tasks and workflows.
2Galley View shows all text including overset content with accurate line breaks and line numbers, making it ideal for comprehensive text editing.
3Story View displays all text content including overset text but without accurate line breaks, focusing on content flow and readability.
4Layout View presents the actual page layout with true fonts, colors, and styling, but hides overset text that extends beyond layout boundaries.
5Notes appear inline in Galley and Story views but require the Notes panel in Layout View for access and management.
6The default view can be changed by closing all documents, selecting the preferred view from the View menu, which will apply to all future document openings.
7The Galley & Story Appearance toolbar allows customization of font, size, and line spacing for optimal viewing in Galley and Story modes.
8Understanding when to use each view mode enhances editing efficiency and ensures comprehensive content management across different project phases.

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