InCopy is used for general word processing, in contrast to InDesign, which is used to publish printed material, including newspapers and magazines.

The software includes standard word processing features such as spell check, track changes, and word count, and has various viewing modes that allow editors to visually inspect design elements — just as it looks to the designer working in Adobe InDesign.

Both galley and story views show the names of the style sheets applied to the text but do not display the actual formatting.

[5] Although InCopy can be used as a word processor (with full printing and exporting functions), it is primarily used to integrate with Adobe InDesign.

Once integrated, writers, editors and designers can simultaneously work on the same page; the designer creates the page layout with InDesign, while editors simultaneously edit different stories with InCopy, via the Adobe LiveEdit rights management system.