Inspiring

Answered

InDesign does not save PDF export settings

Forum|Forum|7 months ago
August 18, 2025
3 replies
1039 views

InDesign (InDesign 20.5.0.48). no longer saves file-specific PDF settings. Every time I attempt to generate a PDF, InDesign defaults to the settings used most recently (from an unrelated file). As a result, I have to manually set my PDF settings every time I generate a PDF. Is there a fix for this? Thanks.

Correct answer Eugene Tyson

It's always been like that in InDesign. It doesn't remember the PDF settings of the files.

I think it does in Illustrator.

E

Eugene Tyson

Correct answer

Community Expert

It's always been like that in InDesign. It doesn't remember the PDF settings of the files.

I think it does in Illustrator.

K

KCH LTDAuthor

Inspiring

Hmm … that’s not been my experience, Eugene. For me (and other users, I presume) InDesign saved PDF settings when I saved the file. I never used to have to reconfigure them unless I wanted to change something.

Abhishek Rao

Community Manager

Hi @KCH LTD,

Thanks for sharing the details. I was able to reproduce the behavior you described with PDF export settings in InDesign 20.5. I'm currently checking with the product team to understand whether this is expected or a potential bug.

I'll update you as soon as I have more information.

Thanks for your patience,
Abhishek

leo.r

Community Expert

Yes, I can reproduce it. Definitely a new bug.

EDIT Aug20/25: ...or maybe not new! see discussion below.

S

stevej61370215

Inspiring

It's not a new bug for some of us. This feature has NEVER worked for us since it was introduced. InDesign always just remembers the most recently used settings from another unrelated file, so we've had this bug for around 6 years.

So, that's the behaviour we have been seeing since the 'feature' was introduced back in 2019 or whenever it was. We have tried many times to find out why it didn't work but have never had any success.

While I don't really wish this inconvenience on other people, from a purely selfish point of view if it does raise the issue with Adobe again then perhaps they'll fix it this time… hopefully.

leo.r

Community Expert

It's not a new bug for some of us.

By @stevej61370215

Yes, I remember that recent discussion:

https://community.adobe.com/t5/indesign-discussions/last-export-format-not-being-remembered/m-p/15441951#M632600:~:text=Thanks%20%40leo.r.%20InDesign%2020.5%20and%20MacOS%20Ventura%2013.7.6

The bug discussed in this new thread is still a bit different though as it only affects PDF settings. I still can't reproduce the specific issues you described (that is, the last used format is still saved for me for each particular document, as expected). But it could be a part of the same problem.

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