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June 16, 2022
Answered

Migrate custom settings from old computer to new computer

  • June 16, 2022
  • 3 replies
  • 2963 views

Hi All,

I searched the discussions and can't find an answer to the 2022 suite for this question.
My Macbook Pro laptop is on it's way out and I'm in the process of setting up a new one. I cannot for the life of me find a way to either export (or preferably SYNC) all of my custom settings to the new laptop for Indesign (and Photoshop).

I've found this article from 2017 (no help at all): https://community.adobe.com/t5/indesign-discussions/migrate-indesign-with-all-application-settings/m-p/9207787#M57495

And this article from 2021 (I can NOT for the life of me find these sync settings at all): https://helpx.adobe.com/indesign/using/sync-settings.html

I'm wanting to sync over from one laptop to another basically ALL of my custom settings and presets
Workspace setting
Keyboard shortcuts
Printing preferences
User scripts
Document presets
PDF presets
Plugins
Actions
Etc

Any help to get this done for Indesign (and Photoshop) would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you all in advance!


Correct answer Peter Spier

Most of the things you are looking for will be in your user library (which is hidden by default on Mac) at Hard Drive/Users/<USER>/Library/Preferences/Adobe InDesign/<Version #>/<Language>/ and similarly for the other adobe apps.

Some things, like PDF presets, color profiles, and document presets will be saved in various Adobe Common folders, system folders, or even random folders of your choice specified when you saved the preset.

3 replies

Willi Adelberger
Community Expert
Community Expert
June 18, 2022

You cannot migrate Adobe prorams as they will not work properly then. You have to install them from the scratch. 
But you can copy the preferences and settings. You get on the Ma the hidden personal Library:

  1. Go to the finder. 
    2. Hold down the alt-key and go to Go to Menu

3 Open the Library without a Symbol, which is now visible. 
4. There you find all preserts. 

Brad @ Roaring Mouse
Community Expert
Community Expert
June 18, 2022

"You cannot migrate Adobe programs as they will not work properly then."

Not so. Agreed, it's not recommneded, but I've done it several times, including the computer I am on right now which was Migrated successfully from an older laptop. Outside of deactivating the old and reactivating on the new platform as one would expect, all my presets/settings etc. have always carried over with no issues.

Regardless, I just offered it as another alternative to move settings. But my guess they've already gone as far as installed fresh copies anyway, in which case Migration is already too late, so the manual approach is the way to go.

Brad @ Roaring Mouse
Community Expert
Community Expert
June 18, 2022

If you are moving to a new Mac, I recommend using the Migrate tool to copy all the info from your old one to your new one. Properly done, this brings along all apps and existing preferences as well.

Peter Spier
Community Expert
Peter SpierCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
Community Expert
June 16, 2022

Most of the things you are looking for will be in your user library (which is hidden by default on Mac) at Hard Drive/Users/<USER>/Library/Preferences/Adobe InDesign/<Version #>/<Language>/ and similarly for the other adobe apps.

Some things, like PDF presets, color profiles, and document presets will be saved in various Adobe Common folders, system folders, or even random folders of your choice specified when you saved the preset.