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)
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No existing idea results
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7017 results found
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Allow InDesign to retain local formatting when updating linked text files.
When using linked text files in InDesign, any local formatting changes made directly in InDesign (such as font size, color, bold/italic, etc.) are lost when the external text file is updated. This is a significant limitation for designers who need to maintain complex formatting in layouts. Please add an option to retain local formatting when linked text files are updated.
Suggestion:
“Preserve Local Formatting” in the Links panel or File Handling preferences.1 vote -
TOC Generation or Update Crashes InDesign 2025
macOS 15.2, InDesign 20.0.1
When I generate or update a TOC there is a roughly 7 in 10 chance InDesign 2025 will crash. This happens with multiple documents and has been happening consistently with every document since the release of 20.0 in October.
- I initially thought it was because I was using ID '25 on macOS Ventura, but it's still happening with existing and new documents since updating my Mac to Sequoia.
- Additionally, the same files moved to other computers (Windows 10, for example) also crash there when generating, updating TOCs.
- Happens whether the documents in question are standalone or booked, with or without other TOCs in same document, with and without other documents opened.
- No problems with ID '22, '23, or '24 on the same computer, with the same content in new documents or with the pre-existing documents that had pre-25 file versions.
- Happens with vanilla, plain text headings (no GREP styles, no Xrefs, no text variables).
I had hoped that all those literally more than 100 automatic bug reports would have had Adobe fix the problem or reach out to me for info, but no. My own troubleshooting hasn't turned up the culprit, so I'm asking the community for help.
It literally took me a (work) week to generate the table of contents for InDesign Masterclass: Type & Tables: 2025 Edition (and actually delayed the publication of that book by more than a week) because InDesign crashed every single time, hour after hour, of trying to generate the TOC for the INDB book of 12 INDDs. If I hadn't needed to teach MathML in the book, I wouldn't have used InDesign 2025 at all, and would have reverted to '24.
For InDesign Masterclass: Text Techniques book I lost ALMOST a week with the same crashing. In the end, I built the table of contents by hand, line by line, hyperlink by hyperlink, instead of using InDesign's built-in TOC feature.
macOS 15.2, InDesign 20.0.1
When I generate or update a TOC there is a roughly 7 in 10 chance InDesign 2025 will crash. This happens with multiple documents and has been happening consistently with every document since the release of 20.0 in October.
- I initially thought it was because I was using ID '25 on macOS Ventura, but it's still happening with existing and new documents since updating my Mac to Sequoia.
- Additionally, the same files moved to other computers (Windows 10, for example) also crash there when generating, updating TOCs.
- Happens whether the documents in question are standalone or…
1 vote -
InDesign 2025 can't read metadata from multiple images
macOS 15.2, InDesign 20.0.1
Problem: Metadata inside an image not being recognized by InDesign 2025.
Details:
Multiple images from different sources containing metadata that InDesign doesn't recognize
Presence of metadata in XMP Description field verified in Bridge and via InDesign's Links panel XMP File Info command.
Generating a Live Caption or Static Caption when using the Description field returns "<No data from link>".
Setting Object Export Options > Alt Text Source to From XMP: Description results in "metadata property is not present on some selected content".
When a PDF is generated using the images in question, the metadata is not passed through to the PDF, resulting in missing alt text accessibility errors.
Manually writing (or copying and pasting) the metadata to the Alt Text Source as Custom works, but as does manually creating a caption, but automation is the point.macOS 15.2, InDesign 20.0.1
Problem: Metadata inside an image not being recognized by InDesign 2025.
Details:
Multiple images from different sources containing metadata that InDesign doesn't recognize
Presence of metadata in XMP Description field verified in Bridge and via InDesign's Links panel XMP File Info command.
Generating a Live Caption or Static Caption when using the Description field returns "<No data from link>".
Setting Object Export Options > Alt Text Source to From XMP: Description results in "metadata property is not present on some selected content".
When a PDF is generated using the images in question, the metadata is not…1 vote -
Selected text does not highlight
Selected text does not highlight on some spreads only: when I double-click inside a text frame in InDesign, the usual highlight that indicates the selection does not appear on some spreads in the document, in other it does work.
This makes the work very challenging.1 vote -
CEP HTML Engine
In Task Manager, "CEP HTML Engine" spawns a couple dozen instances--is that the cause of numerous crashes? We just installed InDesign (and CC) 2024 (v. 19.5.1) for testing on both Windows 10 and 11 Enterprise. InDesign is hanging when I do basic tasks: copy & paste, move a graphic frame, delete a paragraph. The only way to recover is by ending the task in Task Manager. These issues are happening on multiple PCs, and different files. Does Adobe do any testing with CC on Windows?
1 vote -
Cursor clicking and dragging when only clicking.
When just clicking somewhere on-screen (e.g. clicking a different swatch colour or clicking on a text box), sometimes the cursor will click and drag the item as well. I have tried multiple mice (3) and still have the same issue with each one, making me assume it may be a software issue.
1 vote -
Before tag and after untag frame with different behavior
If you tag a frame object (XML), this object does not behave the same after untagging as before tagging. In other words: tagging is not fully reversible. You can see a difference in the layer panel and in the exported PDF tag structure (Tagged PDF)
How can this behavior be reproduced?
- Create a new InDesign document.
- Draw a placeholder (empty) graphic frame
- Assign any XML tag to the frame
- Remove the XML tag
- Export a tagged PDF
What is the difference between the object before tagging and after untagging?
The layer panel shows a different status.
The frame before tagging is not assigned a tag in the tag structure of the PDF during PDF export. A tag is assigned to the object in the PDF structure after tagging and untagging. (see attached screenshots)
What should be the correct behavior?
Both states of the frames - i.e. without tagging and after untagging - should result in the same result in the layer panel and in the tag export for PDF.
Why is this relevant?
This causes a problem if these objects appear in the tag structure of the exported PDF. They are (empty) graphic frames, but InDesign assigns a Figure tag to them and they also have no alternative text. When checking the PDF for accessibility, an error is reported.
These two states of the same object cannot be distinguished via ExtendScript. If an InDesign document is saved using IDML, these objects are converted back into “normal” graphic frames.
InDesign, Platform
InDesign 2024, 2025
macOS MonterayDiscussion
https://community.adobe.com/t5/indesign-discussions/rectangle-vs-graphic-frame/td-p/15039102
If you tag a frame object (XML), this object does not behave the same after untagging as before tagging. In other words: tagging is not fully reversible. You can see a difference in the layer panel and in the exported PDF tag structure (Tagged PDF)
How can this behavior be reproduced?
- Create a new InDesign document.
- Draw a placeholder (empty) graphic frame
- Assign any XML tag to the frame
- Remove the XML tag
- Export a tagged PDF
What is the difference between the object before tagging and after untagging?
The layer panel shows a different status.
The frame before tagging…
1 vote -
Add a Back Button to Navigate Recently Changed Items in Find/Change
I frequently use the Find/Change feature in InDesign for text and style replacements. However, it would be very helpful to have a "Back" button or feature to navigate to the last changed instance, especially when working on long documents.
Currently, the only workaround is manually using Undo (Ctrl+Z/Cmd+Z), but this isn't ideal for reviewing multiple changes. A "Go Back" option would enhance productivity and reduce errors by allowing users to quickly review recent changes.
Thank you for considering this request!
1 vote -
Searching and finding overset text no longer changes to the page this text is on
In InDesign 2024, you can search for text that happens to be overset (outside a text box). When you press find next, the page changes to the location of this text box with the matching overset text.
In InDesign 2025 version 20.01, you can search for overset text (outside the text box). The page will not change if the matching text is overset.
Being able to search for text that is inside an overset text box, and knowing what page it is on, is an important function. Can we get this back? Seems like a simple fix.
1 vote -
working spaces are not shown correctly after sleep mode
Adobe InDesign version 20.0.1 (Mac OS): Problem: after sleep mode, the saved workspace is not displayed correctly. The tool palettes are no longer on the second screen after the Mac has been put to Sleep mode
1 vote -
1 vote
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Palettes not docking in the sidebar
I seem to be having more trouble 'docking' palettes, or dragging them into a group on the sidebar on the right. Wondering if anyone else is experiencing this resistance?
When I drag a floating palette onto a closed group, it highlights blue, but I think it used to disappear and you could decide where in the group you wanted to put it, or even into another group or by itself. Currently, there is a light highlight on the group, but when released, it remains floating. When dragged to an open area, the floating palette dims, and will dock by itself.
1 vote -
1 vote
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Cannot Activate Fonts
Cannot Activate Lato Bold, Regular, and Semibold
1 vote -
no spellcheck
there is no spellcheck which really bothers me, I had to manually type in the right spelling, wasting my time because English is not my first language i forget how to spell some words, it takes hours for me to type something without spellcheck. Please add this function to InDesign it really is necessary
1 vote -
provide tool to manage external cross-references
I am responsible for maintaining and updating a long manual with many cross-references. Most of these cross-references are internal to the book collection, but a significant minority reference specific sections in other books that make up the manual or specific sections in other reference documents external to my organization. The ability to use the cross-reference tools to manage internal cross-references is a godsend. Manually tracking external cross-references, however, is extremely tedious and mistake-prone. Obviously it would not be possible to provide hyperlinks or automatic updating for external cross-references. However, I would still like a way to keep track of them in InDesign.
I would love for InDesign to provide the following workflow for managing external cross-references:
1. Provide a way to mark text strings as external cross-references. This could either be within the existing Insert Cross-Reference tool or a separate new tool. Ideally there would be an option to add metadata, such as the title and edition of the external document being referenced.
2. Provide a way to export an external cross-reference report as .CSV or other table format. This table would list each text string marked as an external cross reference, along with the page number where it appears in the InDesign document and any other metadata defined for that record.
3. Provide an option to toggle on and off highlighting of text marked as external cross references in InDesign.I am responsible for maintaining and updating a long manual with many cross-references. Most of these cross-references are internal to the book collection, but a significant minority reference specific sections in other books that make up the manual or specific sections in other reference documents external to my organization. The ability to use the cross-reference tools to manage internal cross-references is a godsend. Manually tracking external cross-references, however, is extremely tedious and mistake-prone. Obviously it would not be possible to provide hyperlinks or automatic updating for external cross-references. However, I would still like a way to keep track of them…
1 vote -
map Word lists to InDesign lists and paragraph styles
As the InDesign help documentation notes (https://helpx.adobe.com/indesign/using/map-export-manage-styles.html), "Text styles with bullet or number lists may not be copied or exported to a different application with the bullets or numbers intact." The suggested workflow is extremely time-consuming for a long document where every paragraph is assigned to a hierarchical outline structure in Word, since each paragraph has to be manually assigned to the correct paragraph style and the Word outline numbering that was converted to text needs to be manually deleted. In addition, when placing the document, it creates a separate new "imported list" style from each Word list, resulting in hundreds of unused list styles that need to be individually deleted in another tedious process (why isn't there any way to delete all unused Lists? or at least allow me to select multiple for deletion in the Define Lists dialog.)
A much faster workflow would be the following: in the place Word doc import options, add a section for mapping numbered/lettered lists in Word to InDesign lists and paragraph styles. Allow me to map each Word list hierarchy level to a corresponding InDesign list Level, assigned to a single InDesign list (this is a many-to-one reassignment). Also allow me to map each Word list hierarchy level to a corresponding InDesign paragraph style (this is a one-to-many reassignment, since Word allows multiple list levels in a single list Style).
As the InDesign help documentation notes (https://helpx.adobe.com/indesign/using/map-export-manage-styles.html), "Text styles with bullet or number lists may not be copied or exported to a different application with the bullets or numbers intact." The suggested workflow is extremely time-consuming for a long document where every paragraph is assigned to a hierarchical outline structure in Word, since each paragraph has to be manually assigned to the correct paragraph style and the Word outline numbering that was converted to text needs to be manually deleted. In addition, when placing the document, it creates a separate new "imported list" style from each Word list,…
1 vote -
View menu failing to load
When I roll over the Plug-Ins menu item, and then scoot over to the View menu item, the full View menu does not load. If I come off the menu header, and then hover directly over the View menu head, the full menu appears.
1 vote -
Document dissapearing from view after screenlock
Every time my screen goes to sleep or autolocks, when I open it back up the document I am working on disappears from view. I can see it is still there as there are a few frame outlines visible, and I am able to save it close it and reopen, then all is fine again but it is a very annoying issue as I have to do this multiple times per day.
1 vote -
ID 20.0.1 locks up when resizing a table cell, either expanding the column or expanding the row width downward.
Mac Sonoma, M2 silicon.
I have an academic text chapter with numerous tables; Hebrew is scattered through the text, and some tables have Hebrew columns. Many times working on the file, the slightest change to resize a table cell, or resize a column, or who knows what, ID will go into rainbow wheel of death mode and must be killed.
I just now found a repeatable lockup. A table had no header row, but crosses pages, so I created a header row to be present on each page for that table.
Copying the single line text from a cell into that column's header cell works. Copying a four text line table cell into the one line table header cell for that column expands the header cell (and row) downward, and then ID locks up and must be killed. That has happened twice on one table..
I now recognize that the same lockup has happened on other similar tables on exactly that same column; when copying a four line text from a cell into a one line header cell that must expand downward, ID locks up.
For what it is worth, the tables are on pages that are rotated 90º CCW, as the table is too wide for a 6x9 horizontal page.
In this instance the header row and the row below it are the last elements on a page; when pasting the text into the header cell the header row expands and pushes the first table cell to the next page.
Other tables have locked up ID when pasting into a header cell that was the first row on a page, but it may have pushed a lower row to the next page; I am not sure of that.
In another instance, in the top-of-page table panel for that same problematic column, I could click the column width box one point at a time to widen it to its desired width, roughly 66pt to 108pt, but if I entered 108pt in the column width and tabbed out to expand it at once, ID locked up and had to be killed.
I tried falling back to 19.5.1, but it also locks up and must be killed.
If you want the file to duplicate the problems, you must provide a private way to transfer it to you.
Why do you use a fixed size text box on the bug report page, when that makes it difficult to provide sufficiently long problem descriptions?
If you want more information I will try to provide it. Thank you.
Mac Sonoma, M2 silicon.
I have an academic text chapter with numerous tables; Hebrew is scattered through the text, and some tables have Hebrew columns. Many times working on the file, the slightest change to resize a table cell, or resize a column, or who knows what, ID will go into rainbow wheel of death mode and must be killed.
I just now found a repeatable lockup. A table had no header row, but crosses pages, so I created a header row to be present on each page for that table.
Copying the single line text from a cell into…
1 voteWe have released InDesign 2025(v20.2.0.036) with many stability fixes. We recommend you upgrade to the latest version (if you’re not already using it) as it is more robust.
If you are still facing this issue even after updating it, please submit the crash report to us. (Guidelines to submit crash are available at (https://helpx.adobe.com/indesign/kb/submit-crash-reports.html )
Also, please send the following information to santalwa@adobe.com :
- Reproducible Steps – What were you doing when InDesign froze?
- 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…)
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Adobe InDesign Team
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