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 ~
7607 results found
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The lists of entries for a cross reference is not ordered
Some panels with items (e.g. links) can be ordered by clicking the column header. Others cannot. Among these are the lists of references to choose from when inserting a cross-reference. These seem to be totally unordered. As a result, it is a pain to look for the right one (e.g. choose from a few hundred in a large document). I consider this a bug because other panels do have this ordering
2 votes -
Colour picker turns everything to blank with strokes, applies stroke
Colour picker is broken. Everything is checked, but when I use it, it turns the object picked from into blank with black stroke. When applied, it adds a black stroke. This is true of text, objects, and links. Deleting local settings changed nothing.
2 votes -
Profiles equal to the Output-Intend get lost on PDF-Export
When exporting a PDF all profiles equal to the Output-Intend (which in my case is the Document-Colorspace PSO Coated V3) get lost when exporting.
I have created a small test-file with an PSO Coated V3 Image and an ISO Coated V2 Image.
When Exporting as PDF X4 with Output-Intend Set to PSO Coated V3 the Image that IS PSO Coated V3 looses its profile and the same for the ISO Coated V2 when the Output-Intend is set to that.
This is horrible for Colormanagement. I've been in contact with "Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG" and they suggested to report this to Adobe as a bug.
They way it is you can not differenciate between images that don't have a profile and images that already have the correct profile. As a result all images get converted again in prepress - even those that already are in the correct profile.
If you have any further questions feel free to ask and i'll help out as good as i can :)
Thanks!
When exporting a PDF all profiles equal to the Output-Intend (which in my case is the Document-Colorspace PSO Coated V3) get lost when exporting.
I have created a small test-file with an PSO Coated V3 Image and an ISO Coated V2 Image.
When Exporting as PDF X4 with Output-Intend Set to PSO Coated V3 the Image that IS PSO Coated V3 looses its profile and the same for the ISO Coated V2 when the Output-Intend is set to that.
This is horrible for Colormanagement. I've been in contact with "Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG" and they suggested to report this to Adobe…
2 votes -
Missing color in PDF from InDesign
I have an InDesign file with a placed PSD file in it, which contains two spot colors. When I save the file as a PDF out of InDesign, only one of the two spot channels is visible.
I'm running the latest versions of InDesign, Photoshop, and Acrobat. To reproduce, open the attached InDesign file and save as a PDF. The resulting PDF should show a yellow and blue spot, but only the blue is visible. (The PDF generated during packaging also exhibits the problem.)
2 votes -
Export to interactive pdf option to view pdf greyed out in mac
I noticed yesterday 7/8/26 that the menu for export to interactive pdf has "view pdf after export" greyed out. It does work when I switch to the print pdf menu, so it's not a problem with acrobat or my Finder trying to use preview instead of acrobat.
1 vote -
Bug: Shift + 1 = bold paragraph instead of an exclamation point. So there is no way to type an exclaimation point right now in InDesign
I have InDesign 21.3 x64. Currently, there is no way to type an exclamation point. When you use the Shift key + the number 1, it will bold the paragraph instead of giving you an exclamation point.
1 vote -
‘Rows and Columns’ function still not included under ‘Cell styles’
Why is the ‘Rows and Columns’ function still not included under ‘Cell styles’? You cannot set the cell height and have to enter it manually for each individual cell.
1 vote -
Cursor changes to spinning circle, and undo stops working
This keeps happening, sometimes it's a new document. Cursor is spinning wheel but still functions, undo doesn't work either!
Windows 11
Indesign 21.4.11 vote -
Linear B
Character “Linear B Syllable B008 A” (Unicode U+10000) doesn’t display properly, no matter which font is used.
I have tried using Noto Sans Linear B, Code 2001, and a few of the Kurinto fonts. Either nothing is displayed, or there is a rectangle meaning the glyph is not available. However, the glyph displays properly in the font list, but not in a text box.
Attached are two screenshots, one from InDesign where the glyph doesn’t display properly, and one from Illustrator where it does work fine.
I do realize I’m probably the only person using these glyphs! LOL!
1 vote -
Pasteboard color
Since the last update 2026, all documents with custom preview pasteboard colour (I prefer a dark gray) revert to the standard light gray pasteboard colour.
Also: when changing the custom pasteboard colour I get a long list of standard colors with the custom colour on the bottom of the list, why such a long list and why not put custom on top in pop-up menu?
1 vote -
Epub Export Via InDesign Images are Left Instead of Center Aligned
Since installing 21.4.1 a week ago, reproducible Indesign export to reflowable ePub:
all images align LEFT despite export settings align center and object export custom align center.
I rolled back to 21.4, same result.
Rolled back to 21.3, issue resolved.
It's a bug.1 vote -
Data Merge randomly exports identical vector document 10x larger (Content Streams duplicated)
I believe I have found a reproducible bug in the InDesign PDF export engine.
Environment
InDesign 21.4.1
PDF Compatibility: Acrobat 5 (PDF 1.4)
Data Merge document
Approximately 200 records (400 pages)Expected behaviour
Exporting the same document repeatedly should always generate a PDF of approximately the same size.
Actual behaviour
The same document, exported multiple times using exactly the same PDF preset, randomly produces either:
a normal PDF (around 3–5 MB), or
a much larger PDF (30–50 MB).No document changes are made between exports.
Important observations
Both PDFs are fully vector.
No images are rasterized.
Acrobat PDF Optimizer reports that almost all additional size comes from Content Streams.
Fonts contribute almost nothing.
Images contribute almost nothing.
Metadata is negligible.Already tested
Linked Illustrator artwork replaced with linked PDF.
Artwork simplified.
No transparency.
No text stroke.
No appearance effects.
Saved as IDML and rebuilt.
New document created from IDML.
Same Data Merge source.
Same PDF preset.The behaviour remains random.
Additional information
I have other Data Merge jobs with 1000 records that consistently export to 3–5 MB.
This specific job, with only 200 records, randomly exports between 5 MB and 47 MB.
I can provide:
INDD
IDML
source artwork
good PDF
bad PDFgenerated from the same document.
I believe I have found a reproducible bug in the InDesign PDF export engine.
Environment
InDesign 21.4.1
PDF Compatibility: Acrobat 5 (PDF 1.4)
Data Merge document
Approximately 200 records (400 pages)Expected behaviour
Exporting the same document repeatedly should always generate a PDF of approximately the same size.
Actual behaviour
The same document, exported multiple times using exactly the same PDF preset, randomly produces either:
a normal PDF (around 3–5 MB), or
a much larger PDF (30–50 MB).No document changes are made between exports.
Important observations
Both PDFs are fully vector.
No images are rasterized.
Acrobat PDF Optimizer reports…1 vote -
Color Picker eyedropper freezes UI — invisible modal dialog blocks all interaction and saving
Version:
Adobe InDesign 21.4.1 / 2026 — macOS Tahoe 26.5.1, Apple Silicon M1 MaxSteps to reproduce:
Select an object with a fill color.
Double-click the Fill color swatch in the Tools panel to open the Color Picker dialog.
Try to sample a color from the document using the eyedropper inside the Color Picker.
Nothing happens (the eyedropper does not pick up any color).
Close the Color Picker dialog.Expected result:
The eyedropper samples the color under the cursor and applies it. After closing the dialog, the UI is fully responsive again.Actual result:
After closing the Color Picker, InDesign becomes unresponsive to all commands. Some UI elements are clickable but no action executes — menu items are greyed out or only trigger a warning beep. Menu commands (Save, Window > Arrange, etc.) do not respond. Attempting to quit triggers the warning "Die Anforderung kann nicht bearbeitet werden, da ein modales Dialogfeld oder eine modale Warnmeldung aktiv ist." ("The request cannot be processed because a modal dialog or modal alert is active."), but no such dialog is visible anywhere on screen or on any connected display. It appears an invisible modal dialog remains active and locks the whole application, blocking even saving.
Workaround found: The document tabs remain clickable — clicking the tab's close (×) triggers the normal "save changes?" prompt, which allows saving the file before force-quitting. Without this, all unsaved progress would be lost.
- Attachment: Screenshot of the modal warning attached.
Version:
Adobe InDesign 21.4.1 / 2026 — macOS Tahoe 26.5.1, Apple Silicon M1 MaxSteps to reproduce:
Select an object with a fill color.
Double-click the Fill color swatch in the Tools panel to open the Color Picker dialog.
Try to sample a color from the document using the eyedropper inside the Color Picker.
Nothing happens (the eyedropper does not pick up any color).
Close the Color Picker dialog.Expected result:
The eyedropper samples the color under the cursor and applies it. After closing the dialog, the UI is fully responsive again.Actual result:
After closing the Color Picker, InDesign…
1 vote -
Instabilidade. InDesign trava sem parar. Começa processando e entra em loop de processamento, não deixa nem desligar
Faz cerca 20 dias que o InDesign trava sem parar. Começa processando e entra em loop de processamento, não deixa nem desligar. Está difícil. Já atualizei, mas não resolve.
1 vote -
Flex Layout structure in anchored object lost on IDML/ICML round-trip
Version
Adobe InDesign 21.4.1, macOS 26.5.1Steps to reproduce
Create a Flex Layout in InDesign.
Anchor the Flex Layout to text as an anchored object.
Save the document as IDML, or export the story containing the Flex Layout as ICML.
Either reopen the saved IDML file, place the exported ICML file into a new InDesign document, or edit the ICML file in InCopy and refresh the link in InDesign.Expected result
The Flex Layout should appear identical to the original document.Actual result
The Flex Layout structure is lost entirely. The contents of text frames that were part of the Flex Layout is merged and appended at the end of the text.
Version
Adobe InDesign 21.4.1, macOS 26.5.1Steps to reproduce
Create a Flex Layout in InDesign.
Anchor the Flex Layout to text as an anchored object.
Save the document as IDML, or export the story containing the Flex Layout as ICML.
Either reopen the saved IDML file, place the exported ICML file into a new InDesign document, or edit the ICML file in InCopy and refresh the link in InDesign.Expected result
The Flex Layout should appear identical to the original document.Actual result
The Flex Layout structure is lost entirely. The contents of text frames that were part of the…
1 vote -
Big size linked pictures
The new versions of InDesign (21.3–21.4.1) cannot export files if a linked image is large (more than 1 GB). When exporting to PDF, only a gray square appears, and the JPG export is empty. The last working version is 21.2.
1 vote -
Big size pictures
The new versions of InDesign (21.3–21.4.1) cannot export files if a linked image is large (more than 1 GB). When exporting to PDF, only a gray square appears, and the JPG export is empty. The last working version is 21.2.
1 vote -
INDESIGN 21.4 CRASH
-When I change the image, the spinning wheel appears instead of the arrow cursor.
-During use, the program stops working, freezes completely, and I can't even close the window; I can only close the program via Task Manager.
-Sometimes it doesn't write text; I can select and delete, but it doesn't write.I have also worked with larger files in the past with previous versions of InDesign without any problems.
It's impossibile to work!
1 vote -
Severe image rendering corruption in InDesign on MacBook Pro M4 after macOS update
Description:
I am experiencing intermittent but repeatable image rendering corruption in Adobe InDesign on a brand-new 14-inch MacBook Pro (M4).
Symptoms:
Linked raster images (JPEG/PNG/PSD) initially display correctly.
After a short period of working, the images become corrupted on screen.
The corruption appears as vertical coloured lines, stretched pixels and black areas replacing the image content.
Vector objects and text remain unaffected.
The corruption affects multiple placed images within the document.
Relinking the affected image restores it temporarily, but the corruption returns.
The issue occurs across multiple InDesign documents.Additional observations:
Photoshop has also displayed occasional graphical glitches.
The issue started after installing the latest macOS update.
GPU Performance has been disabled in InDesign with no improvement.
Adobe Creative Cloud, InDesign and Photoshop are fully up to date.
Files are stored on the internal SSD (not an external drive or cloud storage).
Projects are packaged with local linked assets.
Exported PDFs appear normalHardware:
MacBook Pro 14-inch M4
Apple silicon
Latest version of macOSDiagnostics already completed:
Apple Mac Resource Inspector — Passed
Apple Display Anomalies — Passed
No hardware faults detected.Request:
Could you advise whether this is a known compatibility issue between the latest version of macOS and InDesign, or if there are additional graphics-related settings or patches I should apply?Description:
I am experiencing intermittent but repeatable image rendering corruption in Adobe InDesign on a brand-new 14-inch MacBook Pro (M4).
Symptoms:
Linked raster images (JPEG/PNG/PSD) initially display correctly.
After a short period of working, the images become corrupted on screen.
The corruption appears as vertical coloured lines, stretched pixels and black areas replacing the image content.
Vector objects and text remain unaffected.
The corruption affects multiple placed images within the document.
Relinking the affected image restores it temporarily, but the corruption returns.
The issue occurs across multiple InDesign documents.Additional observations:
Photoshop has also displayed occasional graphical glitches.
The issue…1 vote -
Large Hourglass and frozen file:
I used Gemini to generate an image using a separate device, then imported it to InDesign then Indesign reacted weird. The new Alt Text recognized the image was Gemini and there was a weird link icon and then an Alt Design icon and a 1" hourglass appeared and I could not do anything. Now my whole file is gone and wont open.
1 vote
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