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Sueperfly1
Participant
May 14, 2022
Answered

How do I merge all InDesign Interface panels and windows back into one window?

  • May 14, 2022
  • 3 replies
  • 3299 views

My InDesign interface is in pieces. All workspace panels, the home panel and the "advanced" panel are all floating separate from the document window. It is very hard to move InDesign from one sceen to another, because I have to move five different panels/windows to work with it. I don't have to do this with any other app. Does anyone know how to merge them back into one window like Photoshop/Illustrator/every other adobe program? This just happened and it's very frustrating. Anyone out there know how to help?

 

Thanks,

Sue

Correct answer Sueperfly1

Hi James,

So I reset my InDesign preferences (press Shift+Option+Command+Control, start InDesign), but it still isn't showing a normal interface with all panels connected in one window. 

I seem to be in a "full-screen" mode, but pressing ESC or CMD L of F11 (or any other keyboard combos that have been recommended) doesn't bring me out of it.
Basically, I have no Application Frame. The top bar with the red, yellow, and green dots on it is missing and I can't figure out how to get it back.

 

Thanks, Sue


Hi James,

I figured it out. Its an issue with having an external monitor. 

Here's the fix..

1. Go to InDesign/Preferences/Interface .. uncheck "Open Documents as Tabs"

2. Unplug your external monitor.

3. Quit InDesign and Open Indesign again. 

InDesign's Application Frame comes back and you can plug your monitor back in.

 

I hope they fix that glitch. It took me 4 hrs to figure that out. 

 

Thanks,

Sue

 

3 replies

matchley
matchley
Participant
May 4, 2023

I am having the exact same problem and only in InDesign. My document windows will not dock to the application window. So all of my documents are floating. They can float as one, but will not dock. It is such a pain. I just got a new computer and upgraded to Ventura, so it has something to do with that for me, I am sure. 

None of the fixes described here work for me.

L
Lorinda278444470de9
Participant
September 18, 2023

1. Open InDesign.

2. Go to Window.

3. Pull down to Application Frame.

4. Check Application Frame.

5. Wahlah! The frames fly together.

    matchley
    matchley
    Participant
    September 18, 2023

    I love you! Really, I do!

    Dan Rodney
    Community Expert
    Dan RodneyCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    May 15, 2022

    You can reset back to the original setup of your current workspace by choosing Window > Workspace > Reset [your workspace name].

     

    If you don't like your current workspace, choose another in Window > Workspace. After choosing a workspace you can reset it to how it was originally saved by choosing Window > Workspace > Reset [your workspace name].

    — Adobe Certified Expert & Instructor at Noble Desktop | Web Developer, Designer, InDesign Scriptor
    James Gifford—NitroPress
    James Gifford—NitroPress
    Legend
    May 14, 2022

    Go to Window | Workspace and select the standard layouts until you find the one you prefer.

     

    The more advanced approach is to break out all the panels you like, arrange and size them as you prefer, and then save that workspace as [Sue] or whatever, so you can call it back when you mess up the layout. Or develop two or three workspace layouts for different tasks and workflows. It's a very, very flexible and useful feature.

     

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    S
    Sueperfly1Author
    Participant
    May 14, 2022

    Hi James,

    I tried all of the "Workspace" styles, but that does not bring all the panels together into one window. It just changes out the panels to match what tools you would need for what type of project you are working on. My problem is more simple. I just want to have all parts and pieces of my InDesign workspace in one window that I can drag around my monitor in one mouse click. I just want InDesign to look like Photoshop, Illustrator, Dreamweaver, etc.  I don't know what happened. It was fine last week and now I can't get the different panels to connect to each other. 

     

    Thanks,

    Sue

    James Gifford—NitroPress
    James Gifford—NitroPress
    Legend
    May 15, 2022

    I thought at least one of the default options pulled all the palettes back into the docked mode — when I click Advanced, for example, everything collapses into one docked panel set (on the right edge). That sounds like what you wanted/started with.

     

    All the palettes are drag/drop/magnetic. Grab them by the top bar and drag them to where you want — tiled next to another palette group, merged into a palette set (becomes a tab in that group) or docked on one edge of the ID window (from where you can fly them in and out with the little double arrow icon). A blue line shows you where the merge will happen if you let go of the drag.

     

    If things really won't dock/stick/merge, you may have corrupted preferences. Reset your preferences and see if that fixes things. (Can't recall the key combo right offhand, it's in here somewhere.)

     

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