Tried this GREP method for fixing widows and orphans in my InDesign layout—worked surprisingly well for quick fixes. It caught most single-word lines at the end of paragraphs, but I had to manually adjust some exceptions where the GREP pattern didn’t account for punctuation properly. Still, way faster than hunting them down one by one!

Just a quick note: GREP styles can help with widows and orphans, but they can’t completely prevent them because they’re based on text patterns, not actual line breaks. For better control, combining GREP with paragraph composer settings and adjusting tracking or using non-breaking spaces might be necessary. So, relying solely on GREP won’t fully fix all widow and orphan issues.

@Rakesh Bhardwaj You can use GREP styles to help with widows and orphans, but it’s important to note that GREP alone can’t fully prevent them since it’s mostly about pattern matching text, not controlling line breaks. For better control, combining GREP with paragraph composer settings or adjusting tracking and kerning may be necessary. Also, keep in mind that InDesign has specific Widow and Orphan controls under Paragraph settings, which often provide a simpler and more reliable fix without needing complex GREP.

Tried using GREP for fixing widows and orphans like you suggested, but it really didn’t work for me. I followed the typical patterns for matching those last words or short lines, but it either missed most cases or ended up messing with the entire paragraph flow. Maybe it depends on the InDesign version or specific layout settings? Anyone else faced this?

Are you talking about using GREP styles in InDesign to catch widows and orphans? I’m not sure if GREP alone can fully fix those since it mostly matches patterns of text, but maybe you can set a GREP style to add non-breaking spaces or something to keep lines together? Or perhaps use GREP to find short last lines and then manually fix them after?

Tried your GREP approach for fixing widows in my InDesign layout and it definitely sped up the process compared to manual fixes. Just a heads up, it didn’t catch every single orphan line in my multi-column spreads, so I had to do a quick manual pass afterward. Still, much faster overall!