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Adobe InDesign: Bugs

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  1. Version of Adobe InDesign, InCopy or InDesign Server
  2. Steps to reproduce the issues
  3. Expected result
  4. Actual result
  5. Test file, screenshot, video or GIF capturing the issue (optional)
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7062 results found

  1. Text rendered bold when using transparencies

    When using transparent boxes or png images, InDesign will randomly render some text bold. This occurs both on screen and when printing. The only way to avoid it is by not using transparencies, which is annoying. People have been complaining about this since 2011! Get your sh*t together adobe. Come on.

    15 votes

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    Under Review  ·  amaarora responded

    Thanks for reporting the issue. We will review it shortly.

    -InDesign Team

  2. Multi-level lists

    1. VERSION: 19.4

    2. ISSUE: If you create a multi-level list (1, 1.1, 1.2.3, etc) and export as an accessible PDF the list structure is not correct and presents the incorrect "List level" to the reader when using any assistive technology.

    EXPECTED RESULTS: When a new level of a list is created the sublist's <L> goes INSIDE the <LBody> tag to properly indicate the list is sublevel.

    ACTUAL RESULTS: In the most recent build of InDesign, the <L> is just a sibling of the <LBody>. This is not only incorrect an a violation of PDF/UA-1, it also requires fixing EVERY TIME you…

    14 votes

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  3. Icon Panels do not expand correctly when Application Frame is OFF.

    Recurring issue from one InDesign upgrade to the next! Found 2- and 6-year old reports of the same bug. In-between updates fix it but reoccurs with every new upgrade...

    ISSUE
    When Application Frame is disabled, panels that are on the right side of the screen don't expand towards the left as they normally would but to the right.
    The bigger the UI scaling size, the more to the right of the screen the panel expansion moves, soon disappearing altogether. Only smallest sizing allows to display properly.
    Attaching screenshot for reference.
    No problem when Application Frame is enabled.

    TECHNICAL INFO:
    macOS…

    14 votes

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  4. Scrolling is glitchy or nonfunctional in InDesign 2024

    Scrolling with a mouse (not the trackpad) through a document vertically or horizontally works, but not always. Zooming in by holding Alt and then scrolling is unusable because trying to zoom in causes everything to zoom all the way out, and continuing to try to zoom in only works sometimes.

    I have tried this with multiple mouses, and the issue does not occur in any other program, including InDesign 2023.

    In the attached video, I am holding Alt and trying to zoom in.

    14 votes

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  5. Application Window 'resizes to bottom-half of screen' after waking Mac from sleep.

    There is an issue with Adobe apps while using Mac M1 with an external monitor. When put in sleep, the windows and palettes move to the bottom half of the screen.

    There are comments on this thread that confirm

    this is an issue with specifically Adobe apps(illustrator, photoshop and indesign at least):

    https://community.adobe.com/t5/illustrator-discussions/window-and-panels-moving-when-mac-goes-to-sle...

    please, Adobe support, address this issue.

    14 votes

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  6. The Book panel does not remember its size and location

    The Book panel is the only panel in InDesign that doesn't remember its size and position when you close and re-open it.

    Steps to reproduce:

    1. Create a new book (File > New > Book). The book panel is shown at the centre of the screen. No need to add documents to it.
    2. Move the panel to another location on the screen, and change its size in the usual way (click-drag on a corner of the panel).
    3. Save the book and close it.
    4. Re-open the book.

    Expected behaviour: the book panel is opened at the same location and at the same…

    14 votes

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    1 comment  ·  Book/TOC  ·  Admin →
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    Book panel is a special type of panel that is always associated with the .INDB file – unlike other panels where there is no actual association with a file on disk. The panel also shows the name of the Book file. If that INDB file is deleted, then the panel does not have any meaning.
    Only when the Book file is opened is the Book panel available. So it can’t be part of a workspace & thus its size and location also can’t be fixed as there could be multiple Book files that can be opened simultaneously.


    InDesign team

  7. ALT Text not appearing in group

    InDesign 2020

    Issue: I have a screenshot with alt text included (typed in the Object Export Options dialogue). I then have a simple red box (rectangle tool, no fill, 2pt stroke) highlighting a section of that screenshot. When I group those objects, and export a tagged PDF, I get an error in Acrobat stating that no alt text exists.

    Expected result: Alt text should appear.

    Actual result: No alt text is present, or the assigned alt text is not recognized and is flagged by Acrobat's accessibility checker.

    This issue did not exist with ID 2019.

    14 votes

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    4 comments  ·  PDF Export  ·  Admin →
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  8. Cells formatted as Number/Currency etc. in Excel without decimal places or as Date not imported correctly into InDesign.

    InDesign CC : 2020 / 15.0.0.155
    MacOS : 10.13.6
    MS Excel : 16.30 for Mac

    We were able since ever (last version ID CC 2019) to import Excel data-cells by InDesign with the placing functionality. With the actual version of InDesign CC 2020 numbers without any decimal places (e.g. 153) are not imported from Excel files and are displayed in InDesign with a "0" - (e.g. 153 imports to InDesign as 0). If the numbers in the Excel files have at least 1 decimal place numbers are imported correctly (e.g. 153.6 imports to InDesign as 153.6). Please fix this InDesign…

    14 votes

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    16 comments  ·  Others  ·  Admin →
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    Fix for this issue is now available in the latest update of InDesign 2020 – that is, InDesign 15.0.1

    In the Creative Cloud Desktop application, click on the Updates section on the left. You should be able to see the Update available for InDesign. Please update your InDesign application to this version to try out the fix.

    Let us know in the comments section if you face any problem with the updation process.


    Adobe InDesign Team

  9. Grep expressions with ~F in a character class fail in endnotes

    The inclusion of ~F in a character class invalidates grep expressions in endnotes.

    InDesign version: 14.0.2.324 (with the GREP fix installed)

    Steps to reproduce:

    1. Open the attached document. It contains a single page with text and an endnote.
    2. In the GREP tab of the Find/What window, enter the following GREP expression:

    \d[^.,;~F]+

    And target the document. The expression matches from a digit up to the next period, comma, semicolon, or footnote marker.

    Expected result: The expression should match some text in the main text and in the endnote.
    Actual Result: The expression does not match anything in the endnote.

    To…

    14 votes

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    Under Review  ·  amaarora responded

    Hi,
    Thanks for reporting the issue
    We are looking into it

    -InDesign Team

  10. PDF Hyphenation Bug when line has cross-reference, hyphenated word, and option is to create Tagged PDF

    When exporting an InDesign document to PDF, the hyphenated word is displayed incorrectly in the output PDF.

    It only happens with a line that has cross-reference object, hyphenated word, and option is to create Tagged PDF.

    InDesign 2019 (14.0.1) (MAC/PC) . Also tried it with previous versions and it has the same issue.

    14 votes

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    9 comments  ·  PDF Export  ·  Admin →
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  11. Background Tasks stuck on "Cancelling"

    I was exporting multiple PDFs that were not exporting properly. When I figured out they were stuck, I manually cancelled the export in "Background Tasks". Both tasks have been "Cancelling" for two days. I cannot close the files nor can I close InDesign.

    14 votes

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    4 comments  ·  Others  ·  Admin →
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  12. screen redraw errors: content disappears while editing

    While editing content (most usually, editing type), all the type disappears from the screen, so you can't see what's being edited. Scrolling up or down until the affected area is off screen, then scrolling back down fixes the problem, but it's a huge time suck to have to deal with this and all the other bugs.

    14 votes

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  13. Align toolbar: "Use Spacing" is greyed out

    Version: Adobe InDesign cc 2019 (v 14.0)

    Steps to reproduce:
    I'm not sure how to reproduce it. After some minutes of working, the checkbox for "Use Spacing" in toolbar Align/Distribute Spacing is greyed out and inactive. Not sure when it happens or what makes it happen.
    But: in the Properties toolbar, "Use Spacing" is not greyed out and it is working normal, as seen in the attached picture. If I click the checkbox in the Properties toolbar, then the checkbox in the Align toolbar is activated and not greyed out anymore.

    Expected result:
    "Use Spacing" in Align toolbar should not…

    14 votes

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    The fix for this issue is now available in the latest update 14.0.2 of InDesign 2019.
    If you are unable to see the update notification yet, open the menu (three dots) from the top-right of Creative Cloud desktop application and click on ‘Check For App Updates’.
    Once the update button is shown against InDesign, click on the button to update to Id 14.0.2.

    If you face any problems with the new update, do let us know in the comments.
    https://helpx.adobe.com/indesign/kb/fixed-issues.html

  14. No Panels at Start

    Many times CC apps start with no panels at all or panels which won't expand when clicked.

    Also happens in Photoshop, Illustrator in my experience and on different machines (Mac Pro at home, different iMacs at the office).

    Has been going on for many iterations of CC apps.

    macOS High Sierra 13.13.3 / CC 2018 InDesign 13.0.1

    14 votes

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    Closed: Fixed  ·  amaarora responded

    Hi,
    As per some recent comments on this thread, customers have confirmed that the issue is fixed.
    We are closing the thread. In case issue is encountered again, please log a new thread.

    -InDesign Team

  15. Cursor size in working area is huge InDesign CC 2018 Win

    The ID cursor (black) when over the workspace is huge. It is normal size when hovering over the tool bars (white), but when you move over the workspace it is supersized. This occurs when working on an external monitor, but is scaled appropriately on HD Laptop Screen.

    14 votes

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  16. Indesign performance issue : Object movement

    Indesign is always giving me rainbow wheel even if I edit small slides.

    14 votes

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    Hello All,

    Thank you for reporting the issue to us.

    In the latest version of InDesign, Id 14.0.3
    We have fixed multiple scenarios where the movement of objects was found to be slow.

    Please upgrade your InDesign application to the latest version to try out the fix.

    If you are unable to see the update yet, go to Creative Cloud desktop application, open the menu (three dots) from the top-right corner and click on ‘Check For App Updates’.

    If you face any problems with the new update, do let us know in the comments.

    You may also follow the below given link for the list of all fixed issues in Id 14.0.3
    https://helpx.adobe.com/indesign/kb/fixed-issues.html

  17. installed font missing

    InDesign 13.0.1 on macOS 10.12.6

    One installed font from a family of 6 suddenly started showing as not found. Frutiger LT Pro 67 Bold Condensed was correctly showing, now not.

    I have re-installed InDesign twice, reinstalled the font, and rebooted several times. Font is correctly showing still in Illustrator and Photoshop.

    This is impacting client files and while I have a workaround, I am concerned the problem will occur with other fonts where I don't have a viable solution. (I have another foundry version of that particular font.)

    Screen shots attached.

    many thanks

    14 votes

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    13 comments  ·  Others  ·  Admin →
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    Need More Info  ·  amaarora responded

    Please let us know if this issue still happens with the latest InDesign Release

    Thanks

  18. Omitted page ranges are affected by sections

    Summary:
    When describing a page range that omits the first/final page, if there is a starting section in the range, the output results will remain in the page range within the section.

    Verification:
    Create an 8-page document (Figure 1).
    Set the start section on page 5.
    Export the PDF (and print as well) and enter “-6” in the page range (Figure 2).

    Result:
    A PDF of pages 5-6 is exported.
    When the PDF is exported again, the page range is set to “5-6” (Figure 3).

    Ideal result:
    should not be affected by the presence or absence of sections.
    A PDF…

    13 votes

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    0 comments  ·  PDF Export  ·  Admin →
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  19. Workspace is still resetting every document. Latest Update has not fixed this yet

    Workspace is resetting every time I open a new document. I received a notification from Adobe that this has been fixed. I've updated and it is not fixed.

    13 votes

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    We have released InDesign 2025(v20.2.0.036) with many bug fixes. We recommend you upgrade to the latest version (if you’re not already on it) as it is more robust.

    If you still face this issue even after updating, please send the following information to santalwa@adobe.com :

    • Reproducible Steps – What were you doing when the issue occurred?
    • Video recording of the issue?
    • Is(Are) the issue related to a specific document(s)/asset(s)? If yes, could you provide the document(s)/asset(s) to us? Please package the entire document (To package the document, choose File → Package…)

    Adobe InDesign Team

  20. On waking Mac from sleep, open documents are grayed out on external monitor.

    If I put my MacBook Pro to sleep with work on an external monitor, when I turn it on at another place with an external monitor, all open documents are grayed out and do not display any object. The objects are selectable, but I can't see what's in them. Switching display modes, minimizing or dragging between displays doesn't help either.
    Apple M1 Max, Sonoma 14.0, InDesign 19.0

    13 votes

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