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Inspiring
Nov 18, 2025 6:26 AM UTC
Answered

Indesign Save & Save as windows do not work

Hi, I'm on the latest Indesign version (21.0) and my Save and Save as dialog windows are blank. It started last week, before that I did not have this problem. I am using a work-around as Save a copy window works. 

I already tried setting preferences to the old dialog window, deleting caches and force restarting Indesign. So far to no avail. Adding a screenshot of the Save dialog window. 

cenek_4046Correct answer
Inspiring
Nov 19, 2025 8:35 AM UTC

Why would this be necessary. Aren't they supposed to make something that works out of the box? I did a clean install on a new computer. Same issue.

 Even went from W10 to W11. Exactly the same problem. Exactly!


Thanks everyone for advices.

I got onsite IT support here. They reinstalled the C++ redistributables, which did not help.

But then they started the Windows in a Safe mode, as Eugene suggested earlier (hold shift while clicking on a restart button in a Start menu, then  Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings) started Indesign, then restarted the computer normally and it started working. Hope it helps.

24 replies

Peter Spier
Community Expert
Community Expert
Nov 18, 2025 12:02 PM UTC

At what point do you see this? When opening the File Menu, or after Clicking on the Save As command?

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Inspiring
Nov 18, 2025 12:59 PM UTC

After clicking on the Save (as) option from the menu.

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Peter Spier
Community Expert
Community Expert
Nov 18, 2025 3:56 PM UTC

So this is really Windows explorer, not InDesign, that is creating the dialog. I wonder if this isn't another manifestation of the need to rebuild the Microsoft Visual C++ libraries after installing version 21. 

That will definitely need an Admin ...

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Community Expert
Nov 18, 2025 7:39 AM UTC

Try resetting your preferences:

InDesign 19.3 and newer go to Preferences > General > and click on "Reset Preferences on Quit" and then quit and restart.

Or
Windows: Start InDesign, and then press Shift+Ctrl+Alt. Click Yes when asked if you want to delete preference files.
macOS: While pressing Shift+Option+Command+Control, start InDesign. Click Yes when asked if you want to delete preference files.
A dialog will appear asking to delete the InDesign Preferences, select 'Yes' on this dialog.



More in-depth cleanse of preferences

https://helpx.adobe.com/in/indesign/kb/indesign-preferences-support-file-locations.html

 

-------------

Reinstalling rarely fixes everything - you can do a complete reinstall using the
Creative Cloud Cleaner Tool https://helpx.adobe.com/creative-cloud/kb/cc-cleaner-tool-installation-problems.html

 

 

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Inspiring
Nov 18, 2025 8:01 AM UTC

Unfortunately did not work. But thank you for your answer.

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Anubhav M
Community Manager
Community Manager
Nov 18, 2025 9:05 AM UTC

Hello @cenek_4046,

I'm sorry to hear the suggestions did not help. Would you mind trying the following steps and checking if they help:

- Close all Adobe applications.

- Rename the UXP folder to UXP.old from the following location:

(Windows) Navigate to C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\UXP

(macOS) Navigate to Macintosh HD/Library/Application Support/Adobe/UXP

 

- Relaunch InDesign

 

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Anubhav

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