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Kathy22522298trqs
December 28, 2025
Answered

InDesign freezing up shortly after opening.

  • December 28, 2025
  • 2 replies
  • 445 views

I was making a 60 page book with 39 fonts and many of the graphics with feathered edges. What I've ried so far is to start a new book in 3 or segments. But now even opening InDesign for the START of the book, after doing well for much longer (half a day with hardly anything accomplished because I was listening to tutorials while the program sat open) It is frozen. I thought with the new book I'd fist go find some Adobe Fonts so that I'd be SURE there was no "missing font" messages.  I went looking for templates to choose from to possibly make my life easier, but so far haven't found them.

I've watched many tutorials over these months to get answers on hw to do things, and am puzzled because everyone has a different way to do the same thing. I'm sure I do much better work with a limited pallet.

Correct answer Mike Witherell

Hi Kathy,

Here are some suggestions to help you:

Consider saving an .INDD file to your local hard drive on your laptop. It will run MUCH faster. When you choose a cloud-based document .INDDC, the whole operation of InDesign can only run as fast as the internet connection will allow, which is slower; sometimes much slower.

The same is true of linked graphics. Operate them from your computer; not CC Libraries. Again, the updating of the file will be slowed down because of your internet connection speed.

Another suggestion (because I am a trainer) is to get some training in operating and understanding InDesign page layout, fonts, and the computer operating system. It is a deep and professional software, and requires training in the art and craft.

 

PS: InDesign files in the cloud (INDDC) cannot package. First, you must save to your local drive computer as INDD and then you can attempt to package the project.

2 replies

Mike Witherell
Community Expert
Mike WitherellCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
Community Expert
December 29, 2025

Hi Kathy,

Here are some suggestions to help you:

Consider saving an .INDD file to your local hard drive on your laptop. It will run MUCH faster. When you choose a cloud-based document .INDDC, the whole operation of InDesign can only run as fast as the internet connection will allow, which is slower; sometimes much slower.

The same is true of linked graphics. Operate them from your computer; not CC Libraries. Again, the updating of the file will be slowed down because of your internet connection speed.

Another suggestion (because I am a trainer) is to get some training in operating and understanding InDesign page layout, fonts, and the computer operating system. It is a deep and professional software, and requires training in the art and craft.

 

PS: InDesign files in the cloud (INDDC) cannot package. First, you must save to your local drive computer as INDD and then you can attempt to package the project.

Mike Witherell
K
Kathy22522298trqsAuthor
December 29, 2025
I look forward to following all those suggestions.
When I've watched tutorial from Youtube, their pathways are inconsistent.
So through this recent experience I discovered Adobe has plenty of tutorials to watch. I'll stick to those!
Thanks!
leo.r
Community Expert
leo.rCommunity Expert
Community Expert
December 29, 2025

What are your versions of InDesign and operating system? And what's the exact problem? Is it that every time you open a specific file, InDesign gets frozen? Or something else? Is the file that freezes InDesign a book file (.indb) or a regular document (.indd)?  

K
Kathy22522298trqsAuthor
December 29, 2025
Thank you for asking!
Version is the latest, 21.
The file is a document. It was 60 pages, but then I started over, making a new document with only 16 pages, planning to make other sections separately. Shortly after starting the freezing began again.
I also moved the graphics and photos for the book into the cloud library so there would be no missing link issue. I also downloaded a few specific adobe fonts so I'd KNOW InDesign would be happy. I was pasting in 1 page at a time and switching/scaling down the number of different fonts I had used before.
Last night I cleaned up 1.5gig of cache and temp files and history on my laptop.
I've been using task master to shut down the frozen program and open it again, only to make one or 2 tasks, where the click might take a minute to register.
The files are INDDC.
I remember a few days ago I made a change i one of the files from print purpose to web publish, because it will be a flipbook online. I don't know if that may have thrown a wrench in to the works.
My brother had a suggestion to try to go through a back door to InDesign by way of a path I'm sending a picture of, but when I got to the IDesign folder the program was all in bits/sections.
Does any of that help?

Kathy
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