[ID-4260604] InDesign with Typeface app is going in Protective Shutdown on document close
Customer Scenario1
Brand new Indesign 20.2: open any document, change nothing in it and close it. Indesign gives a warning and then crashes.
MacOS 15.3.1 (24D70), Macstudio M2, I have reset all personal prefs, I am using Typeface app. This didn't happen with 20.1
Customer Scenario2
Doing a data merging of a .CSV file.
Result
InDesign is going in Protective Shutdown for few scenarios
Workaround
- Deactivate the Typeface app and continue to work with InDesign v20.2.0.36
- Rolling back to InDesign 20.1.0.71 to continue to work with the Typeface app

The fix of the issue is now available in the latest InDesign 2025(v20.3.0.060). We recommend you upgrade to the latest version for the fix.
If you are unable to see the update, go to the Creative Cloud application click on the context menu on the top right, and click on Check for App Updates.
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Adobe InDesign Team
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Maik commented
My CC doesn't show prereleases.
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Cameron commented
Hi Sanyam! The prerelease version fix worked for me. No more Error issues when closing documents or trying to package files. Thank you for your work to fix this!
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Cameron commented
Version: Adobe InDesign v20.2 on macOS Sequoia 15.4.1 on Apple M1 Max
Steps to Reproduce: File > Package… > Package… > Package. I've also had issues when just closing files and the same error pops up.
Expected Result: No errors/crashing and files packaged.
Actual Result: Error message triggered: "Adobe InDesign is shutting down. A serious error was detected. Please restart InDesign to recover work in any unsaved InDesign documents." This closes the application. When re-opened, it goes through document recovery process.I reverted to InDesign v20.1 and I don't experience the issue at all. Something was introduced in v20.2 to contribute to this issue.
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Maik commented
I also have that , sort of. It crashes regularly when closing it at the end of the work day.
Yesterday it crashed several time on a broken cross-ref, when I simply selected it and wanted to jump to its position. -
Chris commented
Hi all,
I’m running InDesign 2025 (v20.2.0.36) on macOS 15.3.2 (Apple Silicon). I’ve experienced a repeat crash which seems to happen either at launch or while interacting with a document.
I’ve attached the crash log for reference, but the key info is:
• Crash type: SIGSEGV (Segmentation fault: 11)
• Exception code: 0x0000000000000000
• Crash location: Document Actions → Command::DoImmediate(short)
• Main thread: crash happened in the dispatch queue: com.apple.main-threadFrom what I can see, it looks like InDesign is crashing during a document-level action, possibly linked to a plugin or corrupted document element. There are also multiple background threads referencing PlugPlugOwl, TypeKit, and VulcanMessage, so there may be extension or font-related interference too.
Here’s what I’ve already tried:
• Launching in safe mode (holding Shift) — still crashes
• Resetting InDesign preferences — didn’t help
• Validated fonts using Font Book — no issues flagged
• All updates are installed, both macOS and InDesignWould love some help identifying the root cause, or advice on further diagnostics.
Thanks in advance!
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Bryant Dresher commented
Sorry for the duplicate post, the bug reporting system is responding with a 404 error in my browser leading me to believe my reported issue was lost so I re-submitted.
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Bryant Dresher commented
We are working with documents and automation within InDesign 2025 20.2.0.36 UAE version. We have found that closing a document through running an automation script we have will cause InDesign to crash. I have attached a screenshot of the error and the crash log.
This is not an issue with InDesign 2025 20.1.0.71, or 20.2.0.36 in English (North American), Chinese Traditional, or Japanese.
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Bryant Dresher commented
We are experiencing Adobe InDesign 2025 20.2.0.36 will crash after we run an Arabic document through some production automation scripts. These automation scripts essentially take an English template InDesign document and swap out the various elements from an English document to an Arabic formatted document. The automation makes changes to all the relevant controls in InDesign to support RTL document formatting. We do not have this issue with InDesign 2025 20.1.0.71, so this is a regression for us. We have tested the same workflow in 20.2.0.36 in English (North American), Chinese Traditional, and Japanese without experiencing the crash. The crash happens after all automation and saving of the file is complete. When the file is closed InDesign UAE crashes with an error. I have attached all crash logs to this case that this system allows me to upload including a screenshot of the error at the time it occurs when the close document is called by the script.
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Derek commented
In production version of Indesign I am getting this issue with InDesign trying to add a font to the file (even after I have have the font use in the page). I blocks all other background processes.
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Tom L commented
Prerelease 20.3 (for me) seems to fix this bug! Auto--activitation is on
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Derek commented
Prerelease updated, Not working for me, still crashing with Typeface activation active. Switch off and it doesn’t.
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Derek commented
Deactivating Auto Activate in InDesign in Typeface fixes the issue for me
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Frieder Zimmermann commented
I had the same problem. I switched off the ‘ADOBE Fonts’ source in the font settings of Typeface.
Then I cleared the font cache of typeface. (Start typeface with the option key pressed and you will get a window with the option to clear the font cache). -
Krysztoff Dorion commented
Since I installed 20.2, it's been all but pleasant. There hasn't been a single document that didn't make Indesign crash. I think it has crashed more than 10 times for not apparent reason.. And I ended up with a corrupt file..
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Lee Hodgkinson commented
I was getting the same crashing at my home Mac (Mac mini M1) but not my work Mac (Mac Studio M2). I turned off auto-activation in Typeface and the problem has went away at home (it was already off on the work Mac).
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Morgan Williams commented
I just updated two hours ago and I've had it crash six times at random. Three of those were immediately upon copying a placed PDF from one INDD file to another. I have not saved any of the crash reports yet.
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Marco Camani commented
Dear all, with version 20.2, as soon as I open a document that needs to load a font, the software crashes. Do something! Thank you very much!
Marco. -
Tom L commented
I sent you a link to a wetransfer file with a screenrecording, an empty file that I made in this video, and an apple crash record. I don’t get an Adobe crash report as you can see in the movie. My Crashreporter app is set as it should.
I have done a reset of Indesign settings, I’ve restarted the Mac, but all to no avail. Indesign 20.2 is not okay, at least for me!!!After a day of waiting for your reply I've reinstalled Indesign 20.1 and that solved my problem. Waiting for your reply santalwa@adobe.com
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Grant M commented
I have a similar problem. InDesign 20.2 shuts down due to Serious error when doing a data merging of a .CSV file. I have the same error window pop up. I have initialled the app and reinstalled it, deleted preferences and cache.
I have now reinstalled Indesign 20.1.