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Dominique_R2
Known Participant
Aug 6, 2026 2:58 PM UTC
Answered

Drop Cap is applied automatically to the first word in every new text frame

Hello all,

I am not new to InDesign but new to the latest version. I haven’t used the software for several years.

This is my most strange problem:

I create a new multi-page document, give it its basic specs in the Document Setup window. I go to the first page, draw a text frame. The default font is Minion Pro, 12 point, left-aligned. All seems fine. I have not yet created any character or paragraph style.

I type my very first word… and it has a drop cap!

The only Paragraph Style is [Basic Paragraph], the only Character Style is [None]. In [Basic Paragraph], under Drop Caps and Nested Styles, all parameters are at zero and the Properties panel confirms that the current character style is [Basic Paragraph], which has no drop cap… except that it does in my text frame!

I would love to hear your suggestions as to what might be causing this. I am stumped.

Attached is my screen capture.

Many thanks in advance.

Dominique

    graphics_4075
    graphics_4075Correct answer
    Inspiring
    Aug 6, 2026 5:07 PM UTC

    Your Basic Paragraph has all of these settings attached. I clicked reset to base and type seems normal. I believe this is your problem, lots of OpenType settings applied somehow. 

     

    Also I assume you are French but if not, make sure your language is correctly set.

    Cheers

    12 replies

    rob day
    Community Expert
    Community Expert
    Aug 6, 2026 3:46 PM UTC

    I can see your Paragraph panel dropcap is set to 0 0. Can you share the document?

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    Dominique_R2
    Known Participant
    Aug 6, 2026 4:38 PM UTC

    I did above. Thank you.

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    rob day
    Community Expert
    Community Expert
    Aug 6, 2026 3:34 PM UTC

    Hi ​@Dominique_R2 , You don’t have Preview checked in your Paragraph Style panel’s lower left corner.

     

    Also, with your cursor in the paragraph, check your Paragraph (not Paragraph Styles) panel’s Dropcap setting:

     

     

     

    And, you can set the default Paragraph and Paragraph Style settings by closing all documents and choosing the desired defaults. You may have inadvertently set a dropcap as the default with no docs open.

     

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    Dominique_R2
    Known Participant
    Aug 6, 2026 3:45 PM UTC

    Thank you Rob. I checked the Preview box in the Paragraph Styles dialog, nothing changed. I checked the Paragraph panel with the cursor in the paragraph, *and* highlighting the drop cap, nothing  (see capture B attached).

    I also checked all the settings with all documents closed and my workspace launched, no drop caps set anywhere...

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    rob day
    Community Expert
    Community Expert
    Aug 6, 2026 3:51 PM UTC

    Have you dried trashing our ID Caches, and if that doesn’t fix trashing Preferences?

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    Dave Creamer of IDEAS
    Community Expert
    Community Expert
    Aug 6, 2026 3:27 PM UTC

    Select ONLY the first character and check the Character panel. Also check it with nothing selected. 

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    David Creamer: Community Expert (ACI and ACE 1995-2023)
    Dominique_R2
    Known Participant
    Aug 6, 2026 4:36 PM UTC

    Thanks Dave for your suggestions. I did both things, to no avail.

    I can share the document, as requested, and for what it’s worth… It’s attached.

    D.

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    graphics_4075
    graphics_4075Correct answer
    Inspiring
    Aug 6, 2026 5:07 PM UTC

    Your Basic Paragraph has all of these settings attached. I clicked reset to base and type seems normal. I believe this is your problem, lots of OpenType settings applied somehow. 

     

    Also I assume you are French but if not, make sure your language is correctly set.

    Translate
    Cheers