Skip to content

Adobe InDesign: Bugs

When filing a new bug, please provide:

  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)
If you are facing a crash in InDesign, please submit the crash report as well. How to Submit Crash Report
Join the InDesign Prerelease Program to try out the new features and the bug fixes that are available in beta builds.

  • Hot ideas
  • Top ideas
  • New ideas
  • My feedback

484 results found

  1. A few of pages are generated as the empty page in the exported PDF file from time to time

    When I try to generate my INDD file to PDF via the Export to PDF function of InDesign, a few of pages are generated as the empty page.

    . This happens from time to time (not always), even though I perform it with same file. (For example, if I retry to generate the PDF file without any amendment in the INDD file, this problem is fixed.)
    . Here, "empty page" means that all object is not shown on those pages - doesn't mean that the objects moves to the next pages.
    . I am using 11.4.1.102 x64 build with Windows…

    1 vote

    We're glad you're here

    Please sign in to leave feedback

    Signed in as (Sign out)

    We’ll send you updates on this idea

    1 comment  ·  PDF Export  ·  Admin →
    How important is this to you?

    We're glad you're here

    Please sign in to leave feedback

    Signed in as (Sign out)
  2. booklet

    Hi there, I have a problem too with my exported PDF out of PS when printing a booklet. No matter what settings I run the PDF will come out in portrait aspect ratio and not in landscape when I print as DEVICE INDEPENDENT. Mine is a booklet half Letter, classic 2 staples in the fold (5 pages front & back, 4cl.). I can print it 8.5''x11'' but not with bleed and crop marks. Any idea why, please? Thank you! (This problem was not in 2018 version).

    2 votes

    We're glad you're here

    Please sign in to leave feedback

    Signed in as (Sign out)

    We’ll send you updates on this idea

    2 comments  ·  PDF Export  ·  Admin →
    How important is this to you?

    We're glad you're here

    Please sign in to leave feedback

    Signed in as (Sign out)
  3. Adobe PDF (Interactive)

    Error when exporting to Adobe PDF (Interactive)
    Indesign v14.0
    Mac OS x 10.13.6
    Choose File > Export > Format select: Adobe PDF (Interactive) > click 'Save' > Click 'Export' > Error appears above 'Generating PDF' modal window.

    Error reads: "Failed to Export the PDF file." no code or explanation. See screenshot

    1 vote

    We're glad you're here

    Please sign in to leave feedback

    Signed in as (Sign out)

    We’ll send you updates on this idea

    3 comments  ·  PDF Export  ·  Admin →
    How important is this to you?

    We're glad you're here

    Please sign in to leave feedback

    Signed in as (Sign out)
    Resolved For User  ·  amaarora responded

    Issue as described in the thread is not faced by the user. Therefore, closing the issue

  4. InDesign produces 'failed to open the pdf file' error when importing pdf with dotted lines

    Using InDesign v13.1 on a MacBook Air (12 inch, 2017) running iOS 10.13, importing a .pdf generated using attached MS Powerpoint file LA02examplerunFigure.pptx resulted in 'failed to open the pdf file' error if the lines added to the graphic are dotted lines as shown (see attachment). Changing these lines to solid lines before exporting to .pdf solved this (see 'LA02examplerunFigure(noDotted).pptx). Upon experimentation, addition of any dotted line to the graphic in Powerpoint results in this error when the file is exported to a .pdf and imported to InDesign.

    5 votes

    We're glad you're here

    Please sign in to leave feedback

    Signed in as (Sign out)

    We’ll send you updates on this idea

    3 comments  ·  PDF Export  ·  Admin →
    How important is this to you?

    We're glad you're here

    Please sign in to leave feedback

    Signed in as (Sign out)
  5. PDF Export do not provide the option that people have to use braille devices can read it :(

    The Option to create a document for People who use a braille device is vanished. Huge Issue as the information letter is also beeing read from blind people (school with blind childs and teachers in vienna). The provides me with the update that they cant read it any more. Issue starts with InDesign CC 14.0.1 PC Version.
    Please advice of fix this.

    1 vote

    We're glad you're here

    Please sign in to leave feedback

    Signed in as (Sign out)

    We’ll send you updates on this idea

    0 comments  ·  PDF Export  ·  Admin →
    How important is this to you?

    We're glad you're here

    Please sign in to leave feedback

    Signed in as (Sign out)
  6. Using text variables causes highlighting text in PDF to be inconsistent/scrumbled

    When exporting to PDF from a file including text variables, it results in text in pdf that it is impossible to highlight correctly. and therefore - it is impossible to mark PDF comments on it. Screenshot and PDF files are attached.
    It only happened with ARIAL font, and only in certain book files (that were created in previous ID version). I couldn't recreate the bug in another file.
    When I removed the text variables the PDF was exported fine.
    I also had another kind of conditional text I made in these files - it was a sentence written inside the…

    1 vote

    We're glad you're here

    Please sign in to leave feedback

    Signed in as (Sign out)

    We’ll send you updates on this idea

    0 comments  ·  PDF Export  ·  Admin →
    How important is this to you?

    We're glad you're here

    Please sign in to leave feedback

    Signed in as (Sign out)
  7. Tabs in Arabic text move weight declaration to the wrong place

    When placing an Arabic weight statement (e.g. "13g") followed by a tab and a percentage (e.g. "19%"), the weight declaration ("g" or "mg") moves to the percentage when exporting to pdf. Only when setting PDFX/1a:2001 is selected the output is correct. But this setting removes all layers and flattens transparencies so it's not very useful.
    A workaround is to place a space after the tab (so on the left side since this is a right to left language).
    See screen shot in attachment. On top = InDesign file, bottom = pdf created from this file using PDFX/4. The top line…

    1 vote

    We're glad you're here

    Please sign in to leave feedback

    Signed in as (Sign out)

    We’ll send you updates on this idea

    0 comments  ·  PDF Export  ·  Admin →
    How important is this to you?

    We're glad you're here

    Please sign in to leave feedback

    Signed in as (Sign out)
  8. Export defaults are not sticky anymore after update

    When you hit Ctrl+E it used to use the last [pdf] export profile that had been used, but now it's always 'Adobe (Interactive) PDF' now. Might sound like a minor issue, but when you have to go through lots of pages one by one it just a massive waste of time going each time through File-Adobe PDF Presets-Needed One (using mouse).

    Can't see where it can be backed? Any suggestions?

    Thanks,

    Henry

    p.s. Thought it could be resolved through Keyboard shortcut, but apparently you can't make it for a specific preset, and Ctrl+E [as mentioned] is not "sticky" anymore

    Raised…

    1 vote

    We're glad you're here

    Please sign in to leave feedback

    Signed in as (Sign out)

    We’ll send you updates on this idea

    0 comments  ·  PDF Export  ·  Admin →
    How important is this to you?

    We're glad you're here

    Please sign in to leave feedback

    Signed in as (Sign out)
  9. Link metadata not exporting in large document

    InDesign 14.0.1 x64

    I have an 1100 page document that is primarily legal code and guidance, with several hundred cross-references to text anchors. The idea being that you can jump around easily in the document to get info on referenced code information.

    When I export to an interactive PDF, not all of the links work. I'm not able to predict which links will and won't work before export, but once exported those links will.not.work. When I check the PDF link info, the correct link information is there, it simply doesn't work. I can edit the link by manually selecting it…

    1 vote

    We're glad you're here

    Please sign in to leave feedback

    Signed in as (Sign out)

    We’ll send you updates on this idea

    0 comments  ·  PDF Export  ·  Admin →
    How important is this to you?

    We're glad you're here

    Please sign in to leave feedback

    Signed in as (Sign out)
  10. data merge to PDF: page numbers (generated with current page number marker) don't increase

    To recreate this bug:
    1) Make a new print document 8 pages long (doesn't matter if pages are facing or not) A4 or letter size (this doesn't matter either)
    2) Go to the master page and somewhere on the master page, add a new text frame and within that frame, add an auto page number.
    3) In a text editor, create the following file for test purposes and save it with the name "test.txt" - (cut and paste the next five lines of text):
    name
    Colin
    David
    Jose
    Max
    4) Return to InDesign, go to the data merge palette and…

    3 votes

    We're glad you're here

    Please sign in to leave feedback

    Signed in as (Sign out)

    We’ll send you updates on this idea

    2 comments  ·  PDF Export  ·  Admin →
    How important is this to you?

    We're glad you're here

    Please sign in to leave feedback

    Signed in as (Sign out)
  11. CC2018 exporting pixelated PDF

    Every export setting is giving same result.. Some have hidden items showing up. all have pixilations. Illustrator is exporting perfectly, I use 1 of 2 export settings for everything we do here.

    29 votes

    We're glad you're here

    Please sign in to leave feedback

    Signed in as (Sign out)

    We’ll send you updates on this idea

    35 comments  ·  PDF Export  ·  Admin →
    How important is this to you?

    We're glad you're here

    Please sign in to leave feedback

    Signed in as (Sign out)

    Fix of the issue is now available in InDesign’s latest November’17 update.
    Please upgrade to the latest version InDesign CC 13.0.1 for the fix.

    If you are unable to see the update, go to Creative Cloud application and click on the context menu on the top right and click on Check for App Updates.

    Thanks,
    InDesign Team

  12. Gradient background missing when export as PDF

    I just updated to the 2019 version of Adobe InDesign and was sent a file that was created with the same version. Some of the background was made using a gradient and disappears (becomes white) when I export to PDF. My colleague is able export and retain the gradient no problem, so it seems like it is a bug or setting that got changed. My InDesign expert colleagues tried basic troubleshooting and couldn't find the answer, so it doesn't seem to be obvious. Any ideas? Thanks!

    2 votes

    We're glad you're here

    Please sign in to leave feedback

    Signed in as (Sign out)

    We’ll send you updates on this idea

    0 comments  ·  PDF Export  ·  Admin →
    How important is this to you?

    We're glad you're here

    Please sign in to leave feedback

    Signed in as (Sign out)
  13. Through the single page PDF created from facing the text is displayed

    Through the PDF size under specified conditions, will display the text. Print out also confirmed.
    Please see the link below.
    https://forums.adobe.com/thread/2483538

    Translations by Microsoft® Translator

    10 votes

    We're glad you're here

    Please sign in to leave feedback

    Signed in as (Sign out)

    We’ll send you updates on this idea

    1 comment  ·  PDF Export  ·  Admin →
    How important is this to you?

    We're glad you're here

    Please sign in to leave feedback

    Signed in as (Sign out)
  14. Data Merge - Can't preview without errors

    The apparently long-running Data Merge previewing error!
    Occasionally previewing a data merge will permanently ruin exports. The only solution is to create a new document. Happened to me on almost every project I tried - wasted hours and hours.
    See this thread and video for more information:
    https://forums.adobe.com/message/10337647#10337647

    (Also colons in csv titles makes file unusable??)

    7 votes

    We're glad you're here

    Please sign in to leave feedback

    Signed in as (Sign out)

    We’ll send you updates on this idea

    4 comments  ·  PDF Export  ·  Admin →
    How important is this to you?

    We're glad you're here

    Please sign in to leave feedback

    Signed in as (Sign out)
  15. Interactive PDF fields won’t allow me to enter any text into them when reported from Indd.

    Mac OS 10.13.6 | Indesign CC 13.1 | Acrobat Pro DC 2018.011.20063

    When I create a file in InDesign with text fields for an interactive PDF and export it as interactive PDF I get a PDF with blank fields and the fields won’t allow me to enter any text into them.

    2 votes

    We're glad you're here

    Please sign in to leave feedback

    Signed in as (Sign out)

    We’ll send you updates on this idea

    0 comments  ·  PDF Export  ·  Admin →
    How important is this to you?

    We're glad you're here

    Please sign in to leave feedback

    Signed in as (Sign out)
  16. PDf

    I have updated to OSX 10.14 and now my InDesign freezes when I export a PDF. iMac specs attached. I have to force quit the application each time. The strange thing is that even though the app has frozen and the background task shows the PDF as partially complete it seems the PDF is actually being fully created.

    Running InDesign 13.1

    1 vote

    We're glad you're here

    Please sign in to leave feedback

    Signed in as (Sign out)

    We’ll send you updates on this idea

    1 comment  ·  PDF Export  ·  Admin →
    How important is this to you?

    We're glad you're here

    Please sign in to leave feedback

    Signed in as (Sign out)

    We have released InDesign CC2019.0.2 with lot of stability fixes. If you are not on 14.0.2.324 then I would recommend you to upgrade to latest version as it is more robust.

    If you still face this issue even after updating, please send the following information to santalwa@adobe.com :
    • Error snapshot or video recording of the issue?
    • Is(Are) the issue related to a specific document(s)/asset(s)? If Yes, Can you please provide the document(s)/asset(s)? Please package the entire document(To package the document, Go to File → Package)
    • Does Trashing preference and cache, please create a backup of Preference and cache before trashing them, help to resolve the issue?

    Adobe InDesign Team

  17. 1 vote

    We're glad you're here

    Please sign in to leave feedback

    Signed in as (Sign out)

    We’ll send you updates on this idea

    0 comments  ·  PDF Export  ·  Admin →
    How important is this to you?

    We're glad you're here

    Please sign in to leave feedback

    Signed in as (Sign out)
  18. Table cells tagged as form fields do not get tagged when using the Articles panel in an accessible PDF file.

    If you convert a table cell to a graphic cell and then make it an interactive form field, if you use the Articles panel to control the order, the form fields do not get tagged.

    1.) Create a table
    2.) Select a cell and choose Table > Convert to Graphic Cell
    3.) Open the articles panel and drag the frame containing the table to the Articles panel to create a new article.
    4.) Enable "Use for Reading order in tagged PDF" from the Articles panel menu.
    5.) Export to interactive PDF with tags enabled.

    Result: If you open the PDF…

    5 votes

    We're glad you're here

    Please sign in to leave feedback

    Signed in as (Sign out)

    We’ll send you updates on this idea

    4 comments  ·  PDF Export  ·  Admin →
    How important is this to you?

    We're glad you're here

    Please sign in to leave feedback

    Signed in as (Sign out)
  19. Hyperlinks broken over two lines exports incorrectly to PDF

    Using InDesign CC 13.0.1, I have some urls in a paragraph that are fairly long so have to break over two lines, e.g.

    www.websiteaddress.com/subpage/
    pagename

    When I export to pdf, the link will just link to www.websiteaddress.com/subpage/ and the bit with "pagename" is ignored.

    I found similar problems posted online from a few years back and the workaround was to set your hyperlinks using the hyperlinks palette, not just rely on the pdf to detect the links automatically. I've done this manually to my document, but the problem persists. I can get the full link to work behind the first…

    9 votes

    We're glad you're here

    Please sign in to leave feedback

    Signed in as (Sign out)

    We’ll send you updates on this idea

    6 comments  ·  PDF Export  ·  Admin →
    How important is this to you?

    We're glad you're here

    Please sign in to leave feedback

    Signed in as (Sign out)
  20. anchor

    1) Version of Adobe InDesign: CC 2018 (latest release)

    2) Steps to reproduce the issues:
    i) Create a text box with type tool. Enter text.
    ii) Create a text field with "buttons and forms" or insert a picture.
    iii) Anchor text field (or picture) to the end of the text in the text box.
    iv) Drag text box into Articles panel.
    v) Ensure "Include Article" is selected.
    vi) Select "use for reading order in tagged PDF" in Articles panel menu.
    vii) Export to PDF (save as interactive is using the text field).

    3) Expected result:

    Text field (or picture) will…

    19 votes

    We're glad you're here

    Please sign in to leave feedback

    Signed in as (Sign out)

    We’ll send you updates on this idea

    5 comments  ·  PDF Export  ·  Admin →
    How important is this to you?

    We're glad you're here

    Please sign in to leave feedback

    Signed in as (Sign out)
  • Don't see your idea?

Feedback and Knowledge Base