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Lag on PDF export

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When I try to export to PDF and select “Output” on the export screen, InDesign lags for half a minute before displaying the output options. Is this behavior normal? Could it be due to corrupted color profiles? This has been happening to me for several versions now; it is not exclusive to InDesign 2026... It can’t be a hardware issue, because I’m working on a Mac Studio with an M2 Ultra and 64 GB of RAM.

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Eugene TysonCorrect answer

Community Expert

No, I wouldn’t consider that to be normal.

Since Output is where InDesign starts dealing with colour conversion, destination profiles, ink handling etc., your colour-profile theory is certainly worth testing.

I’d probably troubleshoot it in this order:

Try a completely new blank document first.
Create a new document, put a simple text frame in it and go to Export > Adobe PDF (Print) > Output.

If it still pauses for 30 seconds, you can pretty much rule out the document itself. If it only happens with certain files, try exporting one of those files to IDML, reopen the IDML and test again. Adobe recommends IDML as one way of eliminating document-level corruption.

Test with one of the standard Adobe PDF presets
Try something like PDF/X-4 rather than one of your own saved PDF presets. If the delay disappears, I’d suspect a damaged/custom PDF preset rather than InDesign generally.

Test the colour profiles
Back them up first, then temporarily move any profiles you have installed yourself out of:

~/Library/ColorSync/Profiles/

and, if you have installed system-wide profiles, check:

/Library/ColorSync/Profiles/

I would not start removing anything from:

`/System/Library/ColorSync/Profiles/`

Those are macOS system profiles.

Restart InDesign after moving the custom profiles and test again. If the Output panel suddenly opens normally, put the profiles back in batches until you find the culprit.

Reset InDesign preferences
Corrupt preferences can cause some fairly odd delays in dialogs and output functions. Adobe specifically recommends resetting preferences when troubleshooting PDF/export and performance problems.

On the Mac you can also use Preferences > General > Reset Preferences On Quit, then restart InDesign.

Obviously make a note/back up anything customised first because this resets more than just the PDF settings.

Try without third-party plug-ins
If you have anything installed that hooks into fonts, colour management, preflight, PDF, DAM systems etc., temporarily disable it and retest. Adobe lists incompatible third-party plug-ins as a possible source of InDesign performance problems.

Turn off Live Preflight temporarily
Window > Output > Preflight and switch Preflight off, then restart InDesign and test. Adobe has documented Live Preflight as a potential factor in PDF-export hangs/performance issues, so it is another easy thing to eliminate.

Try another macOS user account
This is a useful test because it gives InDesign a different user Library, different preferences, caches and user colour profiles. If Output opens immediately under another macOS account, you know the problem is somewhere in your normal user environment rather than the application or hardware.

I’d also be interested to know whether you get the same delay if you go into Print > Output. If both the Print and PDF Export Output panels lag, that would make me even more suspicious of something in the colour-management/profile side of the system.

And because you say it has followed you through several versions of InDesign, that also makes me less inclined to blame a particular InDesign release. Something persistent such as a colour profile, preference migrated between versions, third-party plug-in, PDF preset or user-level macOS configuration would be higher on my list.

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ldelvalAuthor

Participant

Thanks everyone for the help! Following your advice, the problem was solved after resetting the app preferences. 😀

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rob day

Community Expert

Hi @ldelval , Just to clarify, the lag only happens when you click on the PDF Output tab, and not when you choose File > Export > Adobe PDF(Print)?

If that’s the case what is your Adobe PDF Preset set to? Does it happen if you choose the unmodified [PDF/X-4:2008] preset? Also, what color profiles are assigned to the document in Edit>Assign Profiles… (not Edit>Color Settings)?

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curious_navigatordb3a

Participating Frequently

A 30-second delay is definitely longer than I’d expect, especially on an M2 Ultra with 64 GB RAM. I wouldn’t blame the color profiles first.

I’d try these things:

Turn off Live Preflight and test the export again.

Try exporting a new, simple InDesign document. If that works normally, the issue is probably with the original file.

Check for missing fonts, links, or problematic images.

Try exporting to your local drive instead of iCloud or a network location.

If it only happens with one document, export it as IDML, reopen it, and try the PDF export again.

If it happens with every document, try resetting InDesign preferences.

I’d start with Live Preflight and the IDML test. They’re quick ways to find out whether the problem is with the document or InDesign itself.

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curious_navigatordb3a

Participating Frequently

A 30-second delay is definitely longer than I’d expect, especially on an M2 Ultra with 64 GB RAM. I wouldn’t blame the color profiles first.

I’d try these things:

Turn off Live Preflight and test the export again.

Try exporting a new, simple InDesign document. If that works normally, the issue is probably with the original file.

Check for missing fonts, links, or problematic images.

Try exporting to your local drive instead of iCloud or a network location.

If it only happens with one document, export it as IDML, reopen it, and try the PDF export again.

If it happens with every document, try resetting InDesign preferences.

I’d start with Live Preflight and the IDML test. They’re quick ways to find out whether the problem is with the document or InDesign itself.

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Abhishek Rao

Community Manager

Hi @ldelval,

I hope the suggestions shared by the Community Experts have been helpful and that the issue is resolved by now. If you are still experiencing the delay, please update us on the current status and the results of the suggested troubleshooting steps so that we can assist you accordingly.

Best,
Abhishek

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Bill Silbert

Community Expert

If Eugene Tyson’s suggestion about resetting preferences fixes the issue then after you’ve reset up the program to your liking you might want to make a copy of your now pristine InDesign preference folder for future use (make sure that you do all of the setting up with no document open and then quit the program to assure that the new preferences will be firmly set). Keeping a copy of preferences assures you that if InDesign corrupts in any way in the future you can simply swap out your good preference folder for the corrupt one with a minimum of fuss. Your InDesign preference folder can be found at the following locations:

For Macintosh users:

The User Library folder in which InDesign’s preferences are stored is hidden by default on most Macintoshes. To access it make sure that InDesign is closed and click on the desktop to launch a Finder Window (Command-N). With this window in column view follow the path User>Home folder (it’s the folder with an icon that looks like a house—it may have the user’s name rather than “Home”) and click on the Home folder. With the Option Key pressed choose Library from the Finder Go Menu. “Library” will now appear within the Home folder. Within the Library folder find the folder called Preferences and within it find the folder called “Adobe InDesign”. Save a copy of this file for future use.

For Windows Users:

The preference files are hidden. To find them go to the Control Panel and open Folder Options and then click the View tab. Then select “Show hidden files and folders” or “Show hidden files, folders or drive options” in Advanced Settings. Then find the folder at the end of this path: C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\InDesign. Save a copy of this file for future use.

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Manan Joshi

Community Expert

Does it happen with every file? Do these same files export fine on other machines?

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-Manan

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Eugene Tyson

Correct answer