Adobe InDesign: Bugs
When filing a new bug, please provide:
- Version of Adobe InDesign, InCopy or InDesign Server
- Steps to reproduce the issues
- Expected result
- Actual result
- Test file, screenshot, video or GIF capturing the issue (optional)
- or
No existing idea results
- ~ No ideas found ~
7504 results found
-
Bug Hyperlink character style applied
When copy/pasting a text frame, and the text frame contains a hyperlink without a character style applied, in the new pasted frame the hyperlink has the Hyperlink character style applied. Do not change formatting when copy/pasting text frames.
1 vote -
Bug finder items in front of Indesign windows
When moving the application window, by clicking and dragging the application title bar, background finder items like other applications and finder windows are put in front of the Indesign application window. Please fix this. I'm using Os X 26.2 and Indesign CC2026 (21.0.2)
1 vote -
Content-Aware Fit produces poor crops / bad fit
In these “AI times,” how can “Content-Aware Fit” be so extremely bad at cropping images like these? It hasn’t improved between CC2019 and CC2026.
The feature could be very useful and does an okay job on many images, but when the results are this poor, it’s hard to use it at all in automated workflows.
I often get complaints that images that absolutely don’t need much cropping end up being cropped unnecessarily.
Is this something Adobe has in their backlog or roadmap to fix?
1 vote -
Textrahmenoptionen
Was ich in InDesign vermisse: es gibt zwar ein Konturwerkzeug auch für Textfelder, aber keine Möglichkeit, eine Zierlinie am Textfeld unten anzubringen. Ich habe in Handbüchern nichts gefunden. Es geht darum, nicht komplette Umrandungen zu erstellen, sondern eine Zierlinie am unteren Rand. In den beigefügten Dateien sehen Sie ein Beispiel von MS Publisher.
1 vote -
Place and Link
To the InDesign Product Team,
I am writing to provide feedback on the Place and Link (Content Collector) workflow. While the ability to sync text content across a document is invaluable, the current implementation of the "Parent-Child" relationship is overly restrictive and creates significant manual rework for designers.
The Problem: Currently, when a Parent object is updated, the Child object frequently reverts its font size, frame dimensions, and character treatment to match the Parent—even when "Preserve Local Overrides" is enabled. While "Style Mapping" exists as a workaround, it is an overly complex solution for a simple design need: keeping the words synced while keeping the design independent.
The Proposed Solution: I request a more intuitive "Link Options" toggle that allows a Child object to permanently lock its local formatting. Specifically:
Content-Only Sync: A high-level checkbox that tells the Child to only accept string (text) updates, ignoring all Parent-side attributes like point size, leading, tracking, and color. Geometry Independence: An option to decouple the frame's scale and dimensions from the Parent permanently, without needing to dive into complex sub-menus. One-Click "Stay as I Am": A simplified "Link Options" dialog where "Preserve Local Overrides" actually functions as a master lock for all visual attributes, rather than being overridden by "Update Appearance" or "Update Styles" flags.The "Place and Link" tool should function as a content-management bridge, not a formatting mirror. Designers need the flexibility to use the same text in a large headline (Parent) and a small sidebar (Child) without the software constantly fighting their layout decisions.
Thank you for your time and for continuing to improve the industry standard for layout design.
Best regards,
To the InDesign Product Team,
I am writing to provide feedback on the Place and Link (Content Collector) workflow. While the ability to sync text content across a document is invaluable, the current implementation of the "Parent-Child" relationship is overly restrictive and creates significant manual rework for designers.
The Problem: Currently, when a Parent object is updated, the Child object frequently reverts its font size, frame dimensions, and character treatment to match the Parent—even when "Preserve Local Overrides" is enabled. While "Style Mapping" exists as a workaround, it is an overly complex solution for a simple design need: keeping the…
1 vote -
Page Information is repositioned and cutoff when document is below a certain Document width
If a document has a width smaller than a certain size, the Page Information on exported PDFs becomes re-positioned lower and outside the left and right bounds so becomes cut off, as opposed to being within the crop mark area, no matter how long the file name is.
1 vote -
Unable to copy/past script label text
With this post I would like to report another bug.
In Indesign CC2026, it's not possible to copy/past a script label text.
Please fix this.
I'm using Os X.
1 vote -
BOM in CSV
for more than 7 years this problem is known to Adobe. Excel, Open source office suits etc. export CSV with BOM. it's against standard. one can import to textedit and save. Why is adobe not able to clean out that BOM?? I mean 25 years ago I was able to do a data merge. InDesign these days can not handle an excel exported CSV file. Really? Please guys. make the stuff work, that have worked 30 years ago. yes, shame on microsoft. shame on you both. users have to do a research to solve a problem, that has not existed 30 years ago because microsoft had the brilliant idea to once again add something to a standard and by that not sticking to the standard anymore. brilliant. thank you. Please fix microsoft's bug. I know, I ask for much. but it's not that big of a deal to fix that for you and make data merge in InDesign work without us users to need to use a 3rd tool to convert
for more than 7 years this problem is known to Adobe. Excel, Open source office suits etc. export CSV with BOM. it's against standard. one can import to textedit and save. Why is adobe not able to clean out that BOM?? I mean 25 years ago I was able to do a data merge. InDesign these days can not handle an excel exported CSV file. Really? Please guys. make the stuff work, that have worked 30 years ago. yes, shame on microsoft. shame on you both. users have to do a research to solve a problem, that has not…
1 vote -
FlexObject Items Invisible in Preview Mode (possible culprit: IDML Roundtrip)
Bug Report: FlexObject Items Invisible in Preview Mode (probably bugged after IDML Roundtrip)
Product: Adobe InDesign 2025 (v20.x)
Feature: Flex Layout / FlexObject (new in InDesign 2025)
Severity: Major — affects preview mode of the new flex objects
Date: February 20, 2026
Summary
FlexObject containers and their child items become invisible in Preview screen mode (but remain visible in Normal mode and Overprint Preview) after a document has undergone an IDML export/import roundtrip. The issue also propagates to any copies made from affected objects — even copies placed outside the FlexObject container.
The root cause was identified as a missing registration of these page items in the internal spread-level page item collection. Items exist in
page.allPageItemsbut are absent fromspread.allPageItems, which Preview mode apparently relies on for rendering.
Suspected Trigger
The affected document had previously undergone an IDML roundtrip (export as .idml, then reopen). The document contains FlexObject containers (the new Flex Layout feature introduced in InDesign 2025). The hypothesis is that the IDML reconstruction does not fully re-register FlexObject items in the spread's internal page item hierarchy. Since FlexObjects are a very new feature, it is plausible that the IDML serialization/deserialization path does not yet handle them with full fidelity.
Steps to Reproduce
- Create a new InDesign document.
- Add a Flex Layout container (FlexObject) with several child items (e.g., image frames with the object style "Album in REZI KURZ").
- Save and export the document as IDML (.idml).
- Close the document and reopen the exported .idml file.
- Save as .indd.
- Switch from Normal screen mode to Preview screen mode (View → Screen Mode → Preview, or press W).
Expected: All items remain visible.
Actual: The FlexObject and all its children disappear entirely.Additional observation: Copying an affected item out of the FlexObject and pasting it elsewhere on the page does not fix the issue — the copy inherits the "unregistered" state. Even extracting just the placed image (graphic content) from a frame and pasting it into the document independently produces a new frame that is also invisible in Preview mode.
Systematic Exclusion of Common Causes
The following properties were checked programmatically (via ExtendScript) on all affected objects and confirmed to be not the cause:
| Property / Setting | Value Found | Would Cause Invisibility? |
|---|---|---|
|item.nonprinting|falseon all items | No — correctly set |
|item.visible|trueon all items | No — correctly set |
|item.itemLayer.visible|true| No — layer is visible |
|item.itemLayer.printable|true| No — layer is set to print |
|item.transparencySettings.blendingSettings.opacity|100on all items | No — fully opaque |
| Object Style.nonprinting|falseon all relevant styles | No — styles do not suppress printing |
|item.fillColor|"None"(frames are graphic frames) | Not relevant |
| Geometric bounds vs. page bounds | All items within page boundaries | No — not on pasteboard |
| Link status of placed images |NORMALon all images | No — links are intact |
| Content type of frames |GRAPHIC_TYPE| Correct |Key distinction: Items are visible in Overprint Preview (View → Overprint Preview) but invisible in Preview screen mode (the mode that hides guides and pasteboard). This rules out any rendering/transparency issue and points to a metadata/registration problem specific to Preview mode's rendering path.
Diagnostic Finding: Missing Spread Registration
Using ExtendScript, the following discrepancy was discovered:
// On an affected document: spread.allPageItems.length; // → 0 (WRONG — should contain items) page.allPageItems.length; // → 21 (correct — all items present) // After creating a NEW rectangle via script on the same page: spread.allPageItems.length; // → 1 (new item registers correctly) page.allPageItems.length; // → 22All 21 page items (1 FlexObject + 9 Rectangles inside it + 10 Images + 2 loose Rectangle copies) were found via
page.allPageItemsbut none appeared inspread.allPageItems.A freshly created Rectangle (via
page.rectangles.add()) registered inspread.allPageItemsimmediately, confirming that the spread collection mechanism itself works — it is specifically the IDML-reconstructed FlexObject items that fail to register.This strongly suggests that Preview mode uses the
spread.allPageItemscollection (or an equivalent internal list) to determine which items to render, while Normal mode and Overprint Preview use a different rendering path that includes all items regardless of spread registration.
Workaround
A manual workaround was discovered and automated via ExtendScript:
- Cut the affected top-level item.
- Create a temporary Rectangle on the page.
- Paste Into the temporary Rectangle (Edit → Paste Into).
- Select the pasted item inside the container and Cut it back out.
- Remove the temporary Rectangle.
- Paste the item back onto the page.
- Restore the original geometric bounds.
This paste-into/cut-out cycle forces InDesign to re-register the item in the spread's internal collection. After this procedure, the item (including FlexObjects with all their children) appears correctly in Preview mode.
An automated repair script was developed that:
- Detects all top-level items present inpage.allPageItemsbut absent fromspread.allPageItems
- Applies the paste-into workaround to each affected item
- Verifies successful re-registration afterward
- Groups the entire operation under a single Undo step
Impact
- Print production: Items invisible in Preview mode may also be missing from PDF export or print output (not yet verified but likely given the correlation between Preview mode and print rendering).
- User confusion: Designers may not notice the issue until final proofing, as items appear normal in the default working view.
- Propagation: The issue spreads to any copies made from affected objects, making it difficult to isolate without programmatic diagnosis.
- Magazine production affected: The issue was discovered during production of a print magazine (folker magazine, issue 25-4), where FlexObject layouts are used for album review image grids.
Requested Fix
- Ensure that IDML import fully registers all reconstructed page items — including FlexObject containers and their children — in the spread's internal page item collection.
- Consider adding a document integrity check that detects and repairs unregistered page items on document open or IDML import.
- Verify that other new object types introduced alongside Flex Layout are also correctly handled during IDML roundtrips.
Environment
- InDesign version: 2025 (v20.x, latest available as of February 2026)
- OS: Windows
- Flex Layout feature: Enabled, actively used
- Document history: Created in InDesign → exported as IDML → reopened → saved as .indd
- Diagnosis performed with: ExtendScript via JSX execution (InDesign DOM scripting)
Bug Report: FlexObject Items Invisible in Preview Mode (probably bugged after IDML Roundtrip)
Product: Adobe InDesign 2025 (v20.x)
Feature: Flex Layout / FlexObject (new in InDesign 2025)
Severity: Major — affects preview mode of the new flex objects
Date: February 20, 2026
Summary
FlexObject containers and their child items become invisible in Preview screen mode (but remain visible in Normal mode and Overprint Preview) after a document has undergone an IDML export/import roundtrip. The issue also propagates to any copies made from affected objects — even copies placed outside the FlexObject container.
The root cause was identified as a missing…
1 votePlease send the following information to sharewithID@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 us with the document(s)/asset(s)? Please package the entire document (To package the document, choose File → Package…)
Also provide answers to follow queries
1. During IDML workflow , are you opening the indd containing flex in version 20.0-20.5 or you are opening the IDML in version 21.0 onwards?
2. What type of objects / images you are using?
3. are you grouping the items or creating nested flex frames?
4. You are only using object style to flex items or through any other menu?
-
pdf
Many occasions over the last couple of weeks when I try to export a PDF, it just blocks, wheel turning in the top right corner, and nothing happens until I forcibly close the program through Task Manager. On may occasions the completed PDF then appears in the folder.
1 vote -
"continue on next odd page numbering" does not work
InDesign 2019-2026 latest version: Automatic book page numbering does not work when using "continue on next odd page numbering". It continue with even number unless a blank page inserted. It should continued with odd number without insert a blank page. PLEASE CHECK!!!
1 vote -
Pages invisible
Pages are not visible. This started after Mac OS upgrade to 26.3 (25D125). I have to shut down InDesign to make pages visible, then if I zoom in or oiut pages disappear.
1 vote -
Hyperlinks to internal pages in a document created with an older version of InDesign cause the current version (21.2) to crash
hyperlinks to an internal page in a document created by an older version of InDesign crashes the current version, 21.2.
1 votePlease submit the crash report to us. (Guidelines to submit a crash are available at (https://helpx.adobe.com/indesign/kb/submit-crash-reports.html )
Also, please send the following information to sharewithID@adobe.com :
- Reproducible Steps – What were you doing when InDesign crashed?
- Video recording of the crash
- 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
-
Create Alternate Layout is buggy
I wanted to create one alternative Layout so that I can export my DIN A3 file also as DIN A4 sized file.
I created an alternate Layout as usual.
I expected having all 12 pages twice in 2 different Sizes, (one in A3 and one in A4)
What InDesign did was it created 4 different Alternate Layouts and distributed the 12 pages among the 4 layouts.
Meaning I have 2 Layout I did not create and I cannot move the pages back to the original layout.
Also it did not resize the design, styles and texts as usual, instead they are cut off.Since the "Undo / Redo" functionality is currently also deactivated or broken I cannot undo that step and my file is toast now.
Indesign Version 21.2., Mac OS, English
I wanted to create one alternative Layout so that I can export my DIN A3 file also as DIN A4 sized file.
I created an alternate Layout as usual.
I expected having all 12 pages twice in 2 different Sizes, (one in A3 and one in A4)
What InDesign did was it created 4 different Alternate Layouts and distributed the 12 pages among the 4 layouts.
Meaning I have 2 Layout I did not create and I cannot move the pages back to the original layout.
Also it did not resize the design, styles and texts as usual, instead…1 vote -
Bug: Object effects are rendered in wrong position in PNG output
In the attached document, the drop shadow behind the photo is rendered in the wrong place (about 30px lower) in the PNG output (compare to the PDF which is correct).
This also causes the gold background colour to render in the wrong place as well (also 30px lower) as it's applied as a transparency effect, so I guess the effect of the shadow is stacking with the colour and they are both being rendered lower down the image than intended.
1 vote -
Deleted text reappears when another object is selected
I copied a set of blocks and replaced the text in them. However, when I select other objects with the cursor, the deleted text reappears in the window where I replaced the text, and disappears when I release the mouse button.
1 vote -
PDF fails, no alert in Background Tasks
Indesign 21.2
Exporting a 30 page complex file, the sort which occasionally give us problems. The export ends with no crash, and no alert in Background Tasks, but a zero K PDF file.
In previous versions Indesign would crash. Which was only better in that you knew immediately there was a problem.
The complexity in our file is that it is a summary with many other indesign files placed into it.
Our workaround (exporting single pages then compiling) usually works if it is done in 2 or 3 chunks.1 votePlease send the following information to sharewithID@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 us with the document(s)/asset(s)? Please package the entire document (To package the document, choose File → Package…)
—
Adobe InDesign Team
-
Indesign with overprint exporting as blank PDF
I've got a bunch of InDesign files from different artists that all have overprinted objects. I then place all of these into a master InDesign file and arrange them. However when exporting the PDF is blank.
If I place PDF's instead of InDesign files though, the final PDF will export fine. Any one know why this is?
1 votePlease send the following information to sharewithID@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 us with the document(s)/asset(s)? Please package the entire document (To package the document, choose File → Package…)
—
Adobe InDesign Team
-
Arabic Diacritic Stacking Broken in v21.2 – Kasra Always Attaches Under Shadda When Ligatures Enabled
Severity: Critical
InDesign Version: 21.2 x64
Language: Arabic (RTL)Bug Summary
Incorrect positioning of Arabic diacritics (Kasra + Shadda) when ligatures are enabled.
Input order of combining marks is ignored, breaking previous behavior (pre-v17).Environment
Text Direction: RTL
Language: Arabic
Font: KFGQPC Uthman Taha Naskh
Composer: World-Ready Composer
Ligatures: Enabled
Diacritic Positioning panel tested (no effect)
Description
In versions up to 17, manual input order of Arabic diacritics controlled stacking:
Kasra (U+0650) then Shadda (U+0651) → Kasra under base letter
Shadda then Kasra → Kasra under Shadda
In version 21.2 x64, InDesign enforces mark-to-mark positioning strictly.
Kasra always attaches under Shadda, regardless of input order.This removes manual typographic control required in professional Arabic publishing.
Not a Font Issue
Font tested: KFGQPC Uthman Taha Naskh
Works correctly in Microsoft Word
Word respects input order
Therefore issue originates from InDesign shaping engine, not the font
Workarounds Tested
1. Disable LigaturesResult: Kasra appears under base letter (correct)
Problem: Not viable for production — breaks Arabic typography and workflow in large documents (800+ pages)- Diacritic Positioning Panel
No effect on stacking behavior
- GREP + Baseline Shift
Only visual workaround — not a shaping fix
Additional Observation
If entering:
Kasra + Shadda + KasraThe Kasra appears under the base letter (duplicated), indicating partial internal support for alternate stacking.
Steps to Reproduce
Set paragraph direction to RTL
Use font: KFGQPC Uthman Taha Naskh
Enable Ligatures
Type a letter + Kasra + Shadda
Observe: Kasra appears under Shadda
Disable Ligatures
Observe: Kasra appears under base letter
Impact
Breaks classical Arabic typography control
Affects religious and academic publishing
Removes backward compatibility with previous versions
Forces manual verification in large documents
Request
Please investigate:
Interaction between ligatures and mark-to-mark positioning
Changes introduced after v17
Possibility of restoring manual diacritic stacking behavior
Or adding an option such as:
“Respect input order for Arabic diacritics”Immediate attention requested due to impact on professional Arabic publishing workflows
Severity: Critical
InDesign Version: 21.2 x64
Language: Arabic (RTL)Bug Summary
Incorrect positioning of Arabic diacritics (Kasra + Shadda) when ligatures are enabled.
Input order of combining marks is ignored, breaking previous behavior (pre-v17).Environment
Text Direction: RTL
Language: Arabic
Font: KFGQPC Uthman Taha Naskh
Composer: World-Ready Composer
Ligatures: Enabled
Diacritic Positioning panel tested (no effect)
Description
In versions up to 17, manual input order of Arabic diacritics controlled stacking:
Kasra (U+0650) then Shadda (U+0651) → Kasra under base letter
Shadda then Kasra → Kasra under Shadda
In version 21.2 x64, InDesign enforces mark-to-mark positioning strictly.
Kasra always attaches under…1 vote -
Sharing for review results in an error. InDesign 21.2
When sharing for review, when I modify content and it updates, it takes longer than usual and eventually throws an error. This has happened three times already. Then I have to create a new review link. The downside is that if the document already has comments or corrections marked, I have to open the previous link.
1 vote
%252010.21.59.png){kind=link}
- Don't see your idea?