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
- ~ No ideas found ~
7607 results found
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1 vote
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Overprint Preview does not work until cursor is moved
When switching between Normal Mode and Overprint Preview, Overprint Preview does not immediately switch/preview until I move my cursor. My Display Performance is set to Typical Display.
1 vote -
InDesign fails to open .indd files from Finder when full path is long on APFS external drive
Environment:
- macOS: 26.4.1
- InDesign version: 21.3
- Drive format: APFS external SSD
- File location: /Volumes/nollueP41/작업드라이브/01프로젝트별/국립환경인재개발원/01_폐기물처리 및 자원순환의 이해 2기/작업/폐기물처리 및 자원순환의 이해 2기.inddSteps to reproduce:
1. Place an .indd file in a deep folder path on an APFS external drive.
2. Double-click the .indd file in Finder.
3. InDesign launches or becomes active, but shows the error:
“Missing required parameter 'from' for method 'open'.”
4. Move the same file to the root level or a shorter path on the same external drive.
5. Double-click again.Expected result:
The .indd file should open normally from Finder regardless of full path length, as long as the path is valid in macOS.Actual result:
The file fails to open from Finder when the full path is long. The same file opens normally via File > Open inside InDesign, and also opens when dragged into the InDesign window. Other file types such as PDF open normally from the same folder path.Additional notes:
This appears to be an InDesign-specific issue handling long full paths passed from Finder, not a macOS file system issue.Environment:
- macOS: 26.4.1
- InDesign version: 21.3
- Drive format: APFS external SSD
- File location: /Volumes/nollueP41/작업드라이브/01프로젝트별/국립환경인재개발원/01_폐기물처리 및 자원순환의 이해 2기/작업/폐기물처리 및 자원순환의 이해 2기.inddSteps to reproduce:
1. Place an .indd file in a deep folder path on an APFS external drive.
2. Double-click the .indd file in Finder.
3. InDesign launches or becomes active, but shows the error:
“Missing required parameter 'from' for method 'open'.”
4. Move the same file to the root level or a shorter path on the same external drive.
5. Double-click again.Expected result:
The .indd file should open normally from…1 vote -
Colour swatch in Effects panel previews as RGB instead of CMYK
My working document is CMYK. When I open my Effects panel to change a swatch colour in the Blending section, it previews the colour as RGB, not CMYK. When you click on the swatch to bring up the Effect Colour panel, the swatch shows as the CMYK breakdown. The initial Blending option panel is incorrectly previewing as RGB and the swatches do not correlate. This occurs on all colours and all FX.
1 vote -
Split Screen and Multi Window Screen Redraw Issues (diagonal slash)
I have the same error occurring on two machines (different Adobe accounts) - both fresh (a month old) installations of InDesign 2026 (V21.3)
Whenever viewing in Multi-Window (two documents side by side) or Split Screen (same document with two viewports side by side). Making minor edits often causes the top portion of one window or the other to go blank diagonally across the screen(see images). It gets filled in either white or the pasteboard color.
Scrolling up/down will correctly redraw content that comes into view, but whatever was already in the frame buffer stays and the blank area just scrolls up/down until you completely scroll to all new content.
This seems to happen whether either window is in "NORMAL" or "PREVIEW" mode and often when switching focus between windows, typically in the window losing focus. If the window receiving focus already has the blank diagonal area it briefly shows the full page then the diagonal comes back. In some cases both windows can have the diagonal slash across them.
Please remove whatever moronic new AI tool got shoved into the software and broke this basic function that has worked fine for 20 years - I have actual work I need to do!
I have the same error occurring on two machines (different Adobe accounts) - both fresh (a month old) installations of InDesign 2026 (V21.3)
Whenever viewing in Multi-Window (two documents side by side) or Split Screen (same document with two viewports side by side). Making minor edits often causes the top portion of one window or the other to go blank diagonally across the screen(see images). It gets filled in either white or the pasteboard color.
Scrolling up/down will correctly redraw content that comes into view, but whatever was already in the frame buffer stays and the blank area just…
1 vote -
eyedropper tool no longer copies text formatting
The eyedropper tool no longer copies text formatting from a selected source and applying to new text. At best, it changes the color, but not the typeface, weight, character attributes. When highlighting the source text, the eyedropper properly changes to loaded with the "T" - but still doesn't apply the text formatting correctly.
No character or paragraph styles have been applied.
Eyedropper settings are set correctly to copy the formatting.Problem persists despite resetting Indesign preferences, rebooting, manually deleting indesign preferences, rebooting, updating to latest version, rebooting.
Very annoying bug that clearly slows down work.
1 vote -
Use Typographers Quotes preference keeps being deselected
I’m using InDesign 21.1. This isn’t a new bug – it has been around for a while. I often discover that the Use Typographers Quotes is deselected, and I never deslect it. I don’t believe there’s a keyboard command that I inadvertently press that does it, so I have no idea why this happens.
Has anyone else encountered it? A minor irritant, but I finally got around to reporting it. Thanks!
1 vote -
home
Home Welcome Screen Blank After Update on all Apps
After the recent set of updates, Indesign does not show the welcome screen. When i try to create a new document (CNTRL+N, File>New>Document) the app hangs and i have to restart the app. I am able to open existing files, but not create new ones. Worked around the problem by selecting "Use Legacy New Document Dialog", but i would like to get my home/Welcome screen back.1 vote -
InDesign does not respect the selected color space
InDesign does not respect the selected color space.
Bad current state: I have the Fogra 39 profile selected in Color Settings, but InDesign still assigns the U.S. Web Coat (SWOP) v2 profile to all newly created documents. It continues to treat this unwanted profile as Working CMYK.
Required fix: InDesign should assign the correct color profile set in Color Settings to newly created documents and also use this profile as Working CMYK in Proof Setup and Export dialog.
This confusion with profiles regularly returns with each new major InDesign update. I have reported it here in the past.
1 vote -
InCopy is creating "phantom hyperlinks" in InDesign
Our InCopy editors are adding hyperlinks but they aren't showing up in InDesign. To make things worse, you can no longer add a hyperlink to the text. I discovered that InCopy is leaving phantom hyperlinks and it seems to be a bug, or at least has caused us considerable consternation. (I'm using InDesign 2026 v21.0.2 and InCopy 2026 v21.3).
Okay, I’ve gone deep into the rabbit hole and I think I’ve figured out the problem with hyperlinks not showing up, or text you can’t add a hyperlink to. It’s a lengthy, complex explanation so I’ll start with the all too easy fix and then explain why.
THE FIX: When you create a link in InCopy, you have to click the “Shared Hyperlink Destination” button.
This really only applies to multiple links that have the same destination, like how Supplemental Table 1 and Supplemental Table 2 both go to the same URL, but I don’t think it will hurt to click it for every link, just in case that URL gets repeated later on.
If you don’t click Shared Hyperlink Destination, only the first hyperlink will show up in the Hyperlinks panel, and the rest become phantom links.
And to make things worse, apparently this isn’t an issue when you make a link in InDesign. It only happens in InCopy.
If I’m right, this will fix the problem. At least, it worked when I tried it. We’ll have to see if it works all the time.
THE EXPLANATION for us InDesign nerds.
If there’s text that you can’t make into a hyperlink (the New Hyperlink option is greyed out) it’s because there’s already a link there, but for some reason it’s not showing up in the Hyperlinks panel. It’s a phantom link. However, you can still see the phantom link if you open it in Story Editor. Story Editor shows where the link is, but you can’t edit it or add a new link to the text.
The only way to fix it is to retype the text outside of the link brackets, or copy and paste the text out of the brackets (except the link sticks to the first character so you can’t copy that, which is yet another pain). After you retype the text, you can highlight the link (everything in the brackets) and delete it, and then you are able to add a hyperlink to the retyped text. You have to do this for each phantom link individually. This is an annoying and cumbersome fix, but we’ve known about it for a while.
If you want to get into the nitty gritty, I think this kind of explains what’s going on. https://stackoverflow.com/questions/17490661/how-to-properly-remove-hyperlinks-from-indesign-document-using-extendscript
I made a quick script to look for the phantom hyperlinks, but all it shows me are the hyperlinks in the Hyperlinks panel, so I can’t find the phantom links that show up in the Story Editor with a script. I may explore that some more in case the issue arises again.
But in any case, it looks like the links are losing their destination URL in InCopy because the URL is already taken by another link, but the hyperlink still remains and won’t show up in the Hyperlinks panel because there’s no destination. InDesign sees an empty link and doesn’t show it on the panel. However, when you use the shared destination button, all the links just point to that one URL and share it, and it shows up in the Hyperlinks panel. I’m going to report this to InDesign as a bug.
Whew!
Our InCopy editors are adding hyperlinks but they aren't showing up in InDesign. To make things worse, you can no longer add a hyperlink to the text. I discovered that InCopy is leaving phantom hyperlinks and it seems to be a bug, or at least has caused us considerable consternation. (I'm using InDesign 2026 v21.0.2 and InCopy 2026 v21.3).
Okay, I’ve gone deep into the rabbit hole and I think I’ve figured out the problem with hyperlinks not showing up, or text you can’t add a hyperlink to. It’s a lengthy, complex explanation so I’ll start with the all too…
1 vote -
Cannot make swatches permanent in InDesign now
We have a very efficient brand template with swatch libraries created as .ai and .ase files. In InDesign and Illustrator we right-click on the swatch library and click on "Persistent". Today (April 29, w2026) my swatches libraries are missing. I've rebuilt my preferences. I've re-loaded the swatches and the option to make them persistent isn't there any more.
I read that now swatch libraries are document specific, or to make them in a template, or to use Adobe CC libraries to make our swatches. We don't choose to use CC libraries.
None of these are efficient workflows for us. Please can Adobe bring the option to make the swatches persistent back? Please compare screenshots of InDesign issue and Illustrator, Thank you.
We have a very efficient brand template with swatch libraries created as .ai and .ase files. In InDesign and Illustrator we right-click on the swatch library and click on "Persistent". Today (April 29, w2026) my swatches libraries are missing. I've rebuilt my preferences. I've re-loaded the swatches and the option to make them persistent isn't there any more.
I read that now swatch libraries are document specific, or to make them in a template, or to use Adobe CC libraries to make our swatches. We don't choose to use CC libraries.
None of these are efficient workflows for us. Please…
1 vote -
make guides
I want to make angled guides but I can't find a solution? The only thing I could find online isn't available for some reason even though I have the most updated version of Indesign. The solution people posted was to right click and there should be an option to 'make guides' out of a shape but that option does not exist. super frustrating and this always seems to happen where there is this made up easy fix that I apparently don't have access to.
1 vote -
I'm paying monthly fee for InDesign. Am on new computer and need app download don't have password. Spent hours trying to solve problem
Should be something to make this easy to do
1 vote -
Change to Text Conditions show/print status not saved
Text Conditions are not saved, unless you do some other changes to the document.
- Change the show/print status to the text conditions in the relevant palette.
- Save the document.
The status of text conditions is not saved.
If you do some other changes afterward, it is saved.
1 vote -
Disable auto-scroll (hover scroll) during drag & drop
While working in InDesign with large catalogs (200+ images), there is a major usability issue during drag & drop.
When dragging images into the document, the canvas automatically shifts horizontally as the cursor approaches the window edge (auto-scroll / hover scroll behavior).
This results in:
the layout “drifting” sideways after multiple placements
the need to constantly reposition the view (similar to a typewriter carriage shift)
significant slowdown in production workflowExpected behavior:
Option to completely disable auto-scroll
Or disable it specifically during drag & drop operationsCurrent limitation:
There is no setting in Preferences to control or disable this behavior.Request:
Please add:a toggle to disable hover-based auto-scrolling
or a modifier key / setting to prevent canvas movement while dragging objectsThis is critical for high-volume layout workflows.
While working in InDesign with large catalogs (200+ images), there is a major usability issue during drag & drop.
When dragging images into the document, the canvas automatically shifts horizontally as the cursor approaches the window edge (auto-scroll / hover scroll behavior).
This results in:
the layout “drifting” sideways after multiple placements
the need to constantly reposition the view (similar to a typewriter carriage shift)
significant slowdown in production workflowExpected behavior:
Option to completely disable auto-scroll
Or disable it specifically during drag & drop operationsCurrent limitation:
There is no setting in Preferences to control or disable this behavior.…
1 vote -
InDesign 21.3 is not autofilling the file name on Adobe PDF Preset export even though the checkbox for that is auto-selected. The save As fi
InDesign 21.3 is not autofilling the file name on Adobe PDF Preset export even though the checkbox for that is auto-selected. The save As field also cannot be pasted into. I must type text into the field to export a PDF from that File menu item. I am working Mac OS Tahoe 26.4.1. Please fix this bug in the next update.
1 vote -
1 vote
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Adding info to name in save as causes the name to disappear. Typing new name causes beginning of typed name to disappear.
This is a new bug. Clean it up.
1 vote -
page number cropped off
The Page palette crops off the last row of page numbers. This has been broken for years.
1 vote -
PDF Export results in deleting a page from the InDesign Document!
I have a 330 page book PDF. After exporting my ID design as a PDF, it destroyed my Table of Contents page by leaving it clear and adding another clear page to the spread.
Every time I try to fix it by deleting the clear spread and adding a new page to start all over again, it tells me "Requested operation would cause one or more objects to be too small.
Please check whether the stroke weight is too large."
For some unknown reason I have lost my Table of Contents page and can't add even a new page to the document...Many ThanksI have a 330 page book PDF. After exporting my ID design as a PDF, it destroyed my Table of Contents page by leaving it clear and adding another clear page to the spread.
Every time I try to fix it by deleting the clear spread and adding a new page to start all over again, it tells me "Requested operation would cause one or more objects to be too small.
Please check whether the stroke weight is too large."
For some unknown reason I have lost my Table of Contents page and can't add even a new page to…1 vote
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