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Trouble with duplicated layers when importing Illustrator file with multiple artboards into InDesign

Forum|Forum|7 months ago
August 19, 2025
9 replies
2287 views

Hi, I have an Illustrator file with multiple artboards and elements arranged on different layers. When I import the file into InDesign, the layers get multiplied based on the number of artboards, and every time I have to go on a treasure hunt to hide the layers that don’t correspond to the graphics on that specific artboard.
I cannot and do not want to split the artboards into separate files.
How can I fix this in Illustrator and InDesign 2025?

Trouble_with_duplicated_layers_when_importing_AI_file_with_multiple_artboards_into_InDesign.zip

Correct answer Rohit_Jain

The issue regarding duplicate entries has been resolved in the latest beta release 30.1.109. We kindly request you to update to this version and try it once at your end. Please let us know if you still encounter any issues — your feedback is greatly appreciated.

We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience this may have caused.

Warm regards,
Rohit Jain
Illustartor Team

R

Rohit_JainCorrect answer

Adobe Employee

The issue regarding duplicate entries has been resolved in the latest beta release 30.1.109. We kindly request you to update to this version and try it once at your end. Please let us know if you still encounter any issues — your feedback is greatly appreciated.

We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience this may have caused.

Warm regards,
Rohit Jain
Illustartor Team

Ton Frederiks

Community Expert

It looks like the option in Preferences > File Handling: Save in Background is causing this.

Turning it off will give the expected amount of layers.

Kurt Gold

Community Expert

Good catch, Ton. That seems to explain the issue.

Did you know that or did you do some trial and error?

Ton Frederiks

Community Expert

No I did not know that until I read a post about a problem with PDF layers in the Illustrator Slack channel and since InDesign places the PDF content....

E

Estuardo Ramos

Participating Frequently

Linked Illustrator files sometimes show duplicated or missing elements in Photoshop or InDesign, particularly when the objects are grouped.

And you have to go back and ungroup objects so they are not shown duplicated, or with some objects you have to move them, then put it back on place so they show up again.

This is so frustrating because it was never an issue before, and now I can’t rely on my linked files at all. We constantly create mockups in Photoshop and InDesign using linked Illustrator objects, and grouped elements are suddenly duplicating or disappearing. It’s seriously affecting our workflow.

I am using Illustrator for Mac, 29.8.2

Please fix this.

Abhishek Rao

Community Manager

Hi @Estuardo Ramos,

Sorry to hear about the issue with linked Illustrator files. Could you please confirm your exact macOS version and whether this happens with all linked files or just specific ones? Try saving the Illustrator file as a new copy using Save As, then relink it in Photoshop or InDesign to see if it displays correctly. If possible, please share an affected sample file for testing. If the file is confidential, feel free to send it via DM using a link from Drive, Dropbox, or another cloud service.

Let me know how it goes.

Abhishek

E

Estuardo Ramos

Participating Frequently

Hi It is happening, with most all files, if I make a change and update, sometimes would do it duplicate, sometimes wont show the objects, in fact, it just happened now, I tried to removed some objects that where shown to be duplicated, then save the file, and update the document inside the other apps (when it was duplicated), and both PS and ID still showed the objects, where it suppos to be none.

is Mac OS 15.5

I shared the files by DM,

Thank you,

L

Little_Matty

Known Participant

Chiming in to say I'm experiencing the same issue. Placed illustrator file duplicates layers based on how many artboards there are in the file when using object layer options. Additionally its not respecting the override. Layers will look correct under Typical Display but show default layout when switching to High Quality display.

The only work around I've found is moving layers all into 1 art board (Not ideal but have to get the job done). This all started when updating to Mac OS Tahoe for me.

OS: Tahoe 26.0.1

Indesign: 20.5

Illustrator: 29.8.1

Abhishek Rao

Community Manager

Hi @matthewt48518530 and @Kurt Gold,

Thanks a lot for sharing the sample files and details. I'm checking this internally with the product team and will get back with an update as soon as I have more information to share.

Appreciate your patience in the meantime.

Abhishek

Abhishek Rao

Community Manager

Hi everyone,

Thanks for sharing your update. I tested this behavior on my end, but couldn't reproduce it with the sample files I tried. Could you please confirm the exact versions of Illustrator and InDesign you're using, along with your operating system details? It would also be really helpful if you could share a sample affected file where this duplication happens, so I can test it further. You can upload it through any public cloud-sharing service like Google Drive or Dropbox and share the link here. If confidential, you can share it via DM on the community.

Looking forward to your update.

Abhishek

M

Mattia RosaAuthor

Participating Frequently

I have the latest available versions of macOS Sequoia and Illustrator + InDesign 2025. Both macOS and Adobe CC have always had automatic downloads and app updates to the latest released versions active.

M

matthewt48518530

Participating Frequently

Hi Mattia Rosa,

Did you find a solution?

I am having the same problem. What used to be an super efficient and brilliant way to manage brand assets and colours from one source file with multiple layers and artboards is now a complete fiasco. For example, I have icon files with many artboards and a few layers (eg. 20 artboards with 4 layers for text, graphic, bkg and frame). If I want to place just 1 icon in my indesign file and toggle of just one of those layers, this means I have 20 layers WITH THE SAME NAME for EACH layer when there should only be 4!!! Completely unworkable. Now times that my the number of icons and feel you hope drain from you because so many of my client files have been organised like this. Please Adobe, fix what you broke.

M

Mattia RosaAuthor

Participating Frequently

Hi Matthew,
I use it this way too, and I've always found it very useful. Suddenly, I ran into the problem with a file containing artboards with various packaging, all with layers for clipping, background, graphics, text, etc.

M

matthewt48518530

Participating Frequently

Hi Mattia, it really is the best, tranformed brand asset management in the best way possible. Hope it's fixed soon. Outputting the illustrator link to a PDF with layers is a good work around but not great while branding assets are still in the design phase, the whole point of active links I guess. Fingers crossed.

ta M

creative explorer

Community Expert

@Mattia Rosa I probably would create more pages in InDesign and when you place the artwork from Illustrator, you can click on the pages to place each different artwork on a separate page, especially if you don't want to separate the files into their own file.

If you turn on 'Show Import Options' on, then you will have the options to place all the artboards in InDesign or select the 'range' that you want to place it in; If you do NOT turn on 'Show Import Options' on, you would only get to place the first artboard in

m

placing-show-options.zip

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Festive_Elixir4327

Participant

Can anyone help please?

When I place an Illustrator file in Indesign, multiple duplicated layers show in the Object Layers Options window. I have 9 layers in the artwork but it shows athere's 27 layers as all are duplicated 3 times.

The top 9 Layers are correct, but I don't know why I have 3 x showing.
Note: I have blurred out my Company name layer intentionally for obvious reasons.

Thanks for reading

F

Festive_Elixir4327

Participant

PS - I'm using all the latest versions of Illustrator and InDesign.

Anubhav M

Community Manager

Hello @Festive_Elixir4327,

I'm sorry to hear about your experience. I tried replicating this behavior on my end, but could not. Could you check if InDesign behaves this way with all files? If not, share a link to the file and a small screen recording of your exact workflow and the problem so we can investigate further.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Anubhav

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