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Question

How to retrieve Indesign doc from the cloud

Forum|Forum|23 days ago
June 20, 2026
7 replies
65 views

I saved my Indesign Book doc to a new folder on my computer. Adobe moved it to the cloud instead which I never to. I always choose to my computer. How do I get it back? The instructions I have found are as follows: Locating Your InDesign File in the Cloud
To retrieve your InDesign file that may have been saved to the cloud, follow these steps:
1 Log into Adobe Account: Go to the Adobe Creative Cloud website or open the Creative Cloud app.
2 Check Cloud Storage: Look for your saved files in the cloud storage section. Your InDesign document should be listed there if it was saved as a Cloud Document.

I logged in but cannot find the ACC website nor open the CC app and I don’t want it. I do not want to purchase anything else. I also find the web sites very sparse of direction or information. How do I get my doc back, since I created a new folder for it and it is not here?

Thanks

Abhishek Rao

Community Manager

Hi @M.E.310814321c2q,

Thanks for the additional details, and I'm sorry you're experiencing this issue.

Since an InDesign Book file (.indb) cannot be saved as an Adobe Cloud Document, could you please open Finder and search for either *.indb or the exact name of your Book file? If the file appears in the search results, right-click it and choose Get Info, or select Show Enclosing Folder if that option is available. Then, review the full file path shown in Finder and see if you're able to navigate to that location and locate the file directly.

This will help determine whether the file is stored on your local drive, iCloud Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, or another synced location, and from there you can access and recover it.

Looking forward to your update.

Best,
Abhishek

M

M.E.310814321c2qAuthor

Known Participant

I found a folder but all it had in it was the pdf I had exported to for sending to the printer. It did not have the INDB file.

When I had completed my last book edits, saved each chapter (INDD docs), I next had to close the Book Panel window. It asked if I wanted to save and I said yes. Where? To a new, named folder. If I had remained in the same folder, the date would not have been changed by me and it would have asked if I want to replace the file already there (the one I have open). I said yes and it replaces and saves.

M

M.E.310814321c2qAuthor

Known Participant

I can’t set up iCloud in settings because I don’t have an Apple Account. I tried but it tells me my password isn’t right. So, what password is it looking for? My adobe password? My email password or a or the, new one I tried for an Apple account. This also indicates that I had not set it up so that it would go to iCloud-----apparently. Guessing here.

leo.r

Community Expert

I can’t set up iCloud in settings because I don’t have an Apple Account.

If you don’t have access to iCloud, then apparently your folder is synced with some other cloud service.

Still, do you see iCloud in your sidebar in the Finder:

Are you using any other cloud services like the ones in the screenshot?

M

M.E.310814321c2qAuthor

Known Participant

No and certainly not intentionally that I know of.

M

M.E.310814321c2qAuthor

Known Participant

So if it went to iCloud, how do I find that?

rob day

Community Expert

I missed that you created an .indb (InDesign Book File, File > New > Book...), and not a new Document (.indd, File > New > Document).

Book files can only be saved locally, so it has to be somewhere on your computer or local network. Do you understand the difference between an InDesign Document and an InDesign Book (a collection of InDesign documents)?

M

M.E.310814321c2qAuthor

Known Participant

Hi. I believe I do. My book is made up of 20 some Indesign documents (chapters, preface, endnotes, etc), so when I open it, a book panel window opens and I can go proof read each chapter, make changes, etc. Then when I save each one before closing I still have to close the book panel window and that asks if I want to change, where and name. So when I do, if it is in the same folder, it asks if I want to replace it? Yes, but, when I feel it is the final and last edit, before flattening transparencies, embedding fonts and linking images for export, I create a new folder, same book name but new draft version date. That I cannot find and I am certain of where I saved it and the name and date. The first search I did seem to indicate it was in a or the cloud. I dragged it to a new desktop folder, saved and it closed. Next, not there.

M

M.E.310814321c2qAuthor

Known Participant

This image you sent me, where do I find that? Is it on my desktop? Does it appear if I open indesign? Is it on a particular internet site? What is the “Open dialog” you mention? Is that the search magnifying glass on my desktop (right top)? That is what I tried the first time but now shows nothing.

M

M.E.310814321c2qAuthor

Known Participant

Yes it was or is an INDB document. I have many edits of this book, titled the name and date of the edit. I created a new folder for it, as I do when I have made a lot of changes, put the folder where I usually put them so I know where it is, but when I went to look for it the next day, there was no such folder under the most recent date. I did a search of my computer and it showed the folder but said it was in the cloud. That is all that I know. While that search window was open, I dragged the new folder to a new folder on the desktop and thought that was it; I got it.

Next day, opened that desktop folder and it was not there.

That is all that I know at this time. A google search directed me to go Adobe, go to the CC site and search there but when in Adobe, there was no CC site to go to, find or see on the web page. It also said I could try the CC app but when I went to that it wanted me to purchase something, the app I think and I’m not interested in being deceptively directed to purchase anything just to get my folder back.

That’s it from here. Back to you in the studio. Hope that helps.

rob day

Community Expert

Hi @M.E.310814321c2q , Also you can get to InDesign cloud or computer saved documents via the Open dialog—toggle Open Cloud Document or On your computer to switch between computer and cloud saved docs:

leo.r

Community Expert

I saved my Indesign Book doc to a new folder on my computer.

Just to make sure: is it an .indb document?

Adobe moved it to the cloud instead

Adobe doesn’t move anything to the cloud or anywhere else for that matter. Also, .indb docs (books) cannot be saved as “cloud docs”.

Do you see your file anywhere? Why do you think your file was moved somewhere, and particularly to the cloud?

nor open the CC app

What happens when you attempt to open the Creative Cloud app? This app must function in order for you to use the CC apps. (Or, more accurately, if it’s unable to function then it’s a sign of a trouble that will eventually affect your CC apps.)

What are your InDesign and operating system versions?

leo.r

Community Expert

P.S. Is it possible that your file was in fact moved to Apple’s iCloud? This could happen if you have iCloud sync enabled in System Settings, in which case files saved in certain folders will be automatically stored in iCloud.

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