InDesign 21.4.1 update deleted all of my preferences and workspace

I don’t know if this helps you for the future. But before doing any updates or even regularly like I do is to make a backup of your settings

I made this script for myself it backs up the folder with settings/scripts/workspaces etc.

I typically do it about once a week, or if I feel like major changes or before any updates.
 

Hope it’s benefit to you for the future - unsure why Adobe cannot keep a backup log of your settings as standard… but hey
 

/*
Backs up user-specific InDesign settings for the version this script is run from.
Tested for macOS folder layout and intended to be run from Scripts Panel.
*/

(function () {
    if (Folder.fs !== "Macintosh") {
        alert("This script is for macOS only.");
        return;
    }

    var appVersion = String(app.version || "");
    var majorMatch = appVersion.match(/^(\d+)/);
    var majorVersion = majorMatch ? majorMatch[1] : null;
    if (!majorVersion) {
        alert("Could not determine InDesign major version from app.version: " + appVersion);
        return;
    }

    var home = Folder("~");
    var documentsFolder = new Folder(home.fsName + "/Documents");
    if (!documentsFolder.exists) {
        alert("Could not locate your Documents folder.");
        return;
    }

    var rootBackupFolder = new Folder(documentsFolder.fsName + "/InDesign_Settings_Backups");
    ensureFolder(rootBackupFolder);

    var timestamp = makeTimestamp();
    var jobFolderName = "InDesign_" + sanitize(majorVersion) + "_" + timestamp;
    var jobFolder = new Folder(rootBackupFolder.fsName + "/" + jobFolderName);
    ensureFolder(jobFolder);

    var sources = [];
    var copied = [];
    var skipped = [];
    var foundVersionLabels = [];

    // Back up the entire version folder from Preferences and Application Support.
    var prefRoot = new Folder(home.fsName + "/Library/Preferences/Adobe InDesign");
    var prefVersionFolder = findVersionFolder(prefRoot, majorVersion);
    sources.push({
        label: "Preferences version folder",
        folder: prefVersionFolder,
        targetName: "Preferences_Version_" + majorVersion
    });
    if (prefVersionFolder && prefVersionFolder.exists) {
        foundVersionLabels.push(prefVersionFolder.name + " (Preferences)");
    }

    var appSupportRoot = new Folder(home.fsName + "/Library/Application Support/Adobe/InDesign");
    var appSupportVersionFolder = findVersionFolder(appSupportRoot, majorVersion);
    sources.push({
        label: "Application Support version folder",
        folder: appSupportVersionFolder,
        targetName: "ApplicationSupport_Version_" + majorVersion
    });
    if (appSupportVersionFolder && appSupportVersionFolder.exists) {
        foundVersionLabels.push(appSupportVersionFolder.name + " (Application Support)");
    }

    // Optional app Startup Scripts in the installed InDesign app.
    var appStartupScripts = new Folder(app.filePath.fsName + "/Scripts/Startup Scripts");
    sources.push({
        label: "Application Startup Scripts",
        folder: appStartupScripts,
        targetName: "App_Startup_Scripts"
    });

    var i;
    for (i = 0; i < sources.length; i++) {
        var source = sources[i];
        if (!source.folder || !source.folder.exists) {
            skipped.push(source.label + " (not found)");
            continue;
        }

        var target = new Folder(jobFolder.fsName + "/" + source.targetName);
        ensureFolder(target);
        copyFolderContents(source.folder, target, copied, skipped, source.label);
    }

    if (!foundVersionLabels.length) {
        skipped.push("No user settings Version folder found for major version " + majorVersion);
    }

    writeManifest(jobFolder, majorVersion, foundVersionLabels, copied, skipped);

    alert(
        "Backup complete.\n\n" +
        "InDesign app version: " + appVersion + "\n" +
        "Detected major version: " + majorVersion + "\n" +
        "Saved to:\n" + jobFolder.fsName + "\n\n" +
        "Copied entries: " + copied.length + "\n" +
        "Skipped entries: " + skipped.length
    );

    function copyFolderContents(sourceFolder, targetFolder, copiedLog, skippedLog, sourceLabel) {
        var entries = sourceFolder.getFiles();
        var j;
        for (j = 0; j < entries.length; j++) {
            copyEntry(entries[j], targetFolder, copiedLog, skippedLog, sourceLabel);
        }
    }

    function copyEntry(entry, targetParent, copiedLog, skippedLog, sourceLabel) {
        if (entry instanceof Folder) {
            var newFolder = new Folder(targetParent.fsName + "/" + entry.name);
            if (!newFolder.exists && !newFolder.create()) {
                skippedLog.push(sourceLabel + ": failed to create folder " + newFolder.fsName);
                return;
            }

            var children = entry.getFiles();
            var k;
            for (k = 0; k < children.length; k++) {
                copyEntry(children[k], newFolder, copiedLog, skippedLog, sourceLabel);
            }
            return;
        }

        if (entry instanceof File) {
            var targetFile = new File(targetParent.fsName + "/" + entry.name);
            if (targetFile.exists) {
                try {
                    targetFile.remove();
                } catch (e1) {
                    skippedLog.push(sourceLabel + ": could not overwrite " + targetFile.fsName);
                    return;
                }
            }

            if (entry.copy(targetFile.fsName)) {
                copiedLog.push(sourceLabel + ": " + entry.fsName);
            } else {
                skippedLog.push(sourceLabel + ": failed to copy " + entry.fsName);
            }
        }
    }

    function ensureFolder(folderObj) {
        if (!folderObj.exists) {
            if (!folderObj.create()) {
                throw new Error("Could not create folder: " + folderObj.fsName);
            }
        }
    }

    function makeTimestamp() {
        var now = new Date();
        return (
            now.getFullYear() +
            pad2(now.getMonth() + 1) +
            pad2(now.getDate()) +
            "_" +
            pad2(now.getHours()) +
            pad2(now.getMinutes()) +
            pad2(now.getSeconds())
        );
    }

    function pad2(n) {
        return n < 10 ? "0" + n : String(n);
    }

    function sanitize(s) {
        return String(s).replace(/[^\w.\- ]+/g, "_").replace(/\s+/g, "_");
    }

    function findVersionFolder(rootFolder, major) {
        if (!rootFolder || !rootFolder.exists) {
            return null;
        }

        var exactA = new Folder(rootFolder.fsName + "/Version " + major + ".0");
        if (exactA.exists) {
            return exactA;
        }

        var exactB = new Folder(rootFolder.fsName + "/Version " + major);
        if (exactB.exists) {
            return exactB;
        }

        var all = rootFolder.getFiles(function (f) {
            return f instanceof Folder && /^Version\s+\d+(\.\d+)?$/.test(f.name);
        });

        var match = null;
        var n;
        for (n = 0; n < all.length; n++) {
            var folderName = all[n].name;
            if (folderName.indexOf("Version " + major) === 0) {
                match = all[n];
                break;
            }
        }

        return match;
    }

    function writeManifest(jobFolderObj, major, versionLabels, copiedLog, skippedLog) {
        var manifest = new File(jobFolderObj.fsName + "/backup_manifest.txt");
        if (!manifest.open("w")) {
            return;
        }

        manifest.writeln("InDesign User Settings Backup");
        manifest.writeln("Generated: " + new Date().toString());
        manifest.writeln("InDesign major version: " + major);
        manifest.writeln("Matched version folders:");
        if (versionLabels.length) {
            var z;
            for (z = 0; z < versionLabels.length; z++) {
                manifest.writeln(" - " + versionLabels[z]);
            }
        } else {
            manifest.writeln(" - none");
        }
        manifest.writeln("");
        manifest.writeln("Copied entries (" + copiedLog.length + "):");

        var m;
        for (m = 0; m < copiedLog.length; m++) {
            manifest.writeln(" - " + copiedLog[m]);
        }

        manifest.writeln("");
        manifest.writeln("Skipped entries (" + skippedLog.length + "):");
        for (m = 0; m < skippedLog.length; m++) {
            manifest.writeln(" - " + skippedLog[m]);
        }

        manifest.close();
    }
})();

There are two features to be aware of that might help you:

1. File > User Settings > Import/Export User Settings (do this before running an upgrade patch). This was added to InDesign in March of 2024.
2. Edit > Migrate Previous Local Settings (do this when installing a clean new year version). I’m not sure, but this menu item may have been introduced around 2014-2015.

The fact that your old preference files were wiped out may actually have been a good thing. Using old preference files—that were created for a version with older code—after an update often causes major issues. It may seem like an invasion of your time having to redo preferences and workspaces after an update but, speaking from experience, it is usually worth it. 

The Download meant that the CC app was not recognizing the installed version (I assume the 24.1 is a typo). That would have been the first clue something was wrong.

What OS and OS version are you using?

Hi ​@Sam329057051r49,

Sorry to hear you ran into this. This isn't the expected behavior for an update. Could you please check whether your previous InDesign preferences still exist in your user profile? If the old preference folders are still present, you may be able to restore your settings by manually copying the relevant preference and workspace files into the new version's preferences folder.

This guide explains how to copy presets and workspaces from a previous version:
https://www.rockymountaintraining.com/adobe-indesign-how-to-copy-your-presets-after-an-update/

You may also find this Adobe Community discussion helpful, as it covers recovering lost workspace preferences:
https://community.adobe.com/questions-671/lost-my-workspace-preferences-how-to-get-them-back-886826?postid=3475412#post3475412

Please let us know what you find, and we'll continue to assist from there.

Thanks,
Abhishek

That sounds unusual. Have you done this via the Creative Cloud desktop app? I’ve never seen any “Download” buttons there. Only “Install” and “Update”. What’s your operating system?