Inspiring

Answered

InDesign crashes at startup when showing "Update modified links"

Forum|Forum|23 days ago
March 12, 2026
4 replies
50 views

Hi,

Recently when I open an inDesign file of which a linked file (in these cases .xlsx files) needs updating, it shows me the prompt at startup that Links have been modified. But it then completely freezes (file does not open). I then have to kill inDesign through Task Manager.

After that the same file does open (but doesn't show the prompt) and I can update the link within the file with Update link (but no warning sign that a link is not up to date in the Linka pane, there is one on the text frame).

Using version 21.2

Correct answer TBV06

I have been digging a bit and apparently IT has turned on Sharepoint archiving things which caused a bunch of files which we hadn't touched in a while being archived as an .url.

Another colleague has been asking to exclude our folders from it since it contains files which we do need for our linked files in indesign and IT took them out of the archive….I think that messed it up, because when I relinked the the images in the inDesign file it seems to have solved the crashing for now I think….

TBV06AuthorCorrect answer

Inspiring

I have been digging a bit and apparently IT has turned on Sharepoint archiving things which caused a bunch of files which we hadn't touched in a while being archived as an .url.

Another colleague has been asking to exclude our folders from it since it contains files which we do need for our linked files in indesign and IT took them out of the archive….I think that messed it up, because when I relinked the the images in the inDesign file it seems to have solved the crashing for now I think….

Dave Creamer of IDEAS

Community Expert

Are the linked files local or on a server?

David Creamer: Community Expert (ACI and ACE 1995-2023)

TBV06Author

Inspiring

Linked files are in a Sharepoint environment but set as “Always keep on this device”. Furthermore it has been flawless in the last 12 months

BobLevine

Community Expert

Full operating system version and build, please.

TBV06Author

Inspiring

Windows 11 Enterprise

24H2

26100.7840

M

Manan Joshi

Community Expert

This is strange. Try changing the location of the linked file or deleting the link and reimporting it. You can also try exporting the INDD document to IDML and then resaving it back to INDD

-Manan

TBV06Author

Inspiring

I have 100+ documents set up like this. This is not a working solution for me

Dave Creamer of IDEAS

Community Expert

But you can at least TRY it on ONE document to see if it solves the problem.

David Creamer: Community Expert (ACI and ACE 1995-2023)

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