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Peter Grecco
Known Participant
November 29, 2025
Answered

Problems with Alt Tags (Object Export Options)

  • November 29, 2025
  • 2 replies
  • 179 views

PROBLEM 1: Whenever I attempt to add Alt Tags to images in InDesign, it only sometimes remembers.

PROBLEM 2: I also have to do certain steps twice to even add the Alt Tag in the first place. Specifically, I mean that when I attempt to select "Custom", I have learned that I have to select "Custom", then leave the dialogue box, then come back in and add the Alt Tag in the Custom field. This is a bug within a bug! Repeat steps to add the Alt Tag, but then it forgets them half the time! The reason I even do it in InDesign so that I don't have to keep doing it to the PDF each time I export one. If InDesign worked correctly, it would mean I only have to enter the Alt Tag once.

PROBLEM 3: Furthermore, having read the forums (and through personal experience), the Alt Tags might STILL be forgotton when it gets exported to PDF! Triple-whammy bug! Please, Adobe... Stop adding features to all your software and fix more bugs!

Note: before someone suggests bringing Adobe Bridge into the workflow... I have stopped using it altogether because it sucks balls.

Correct answer Mike Witherell

What version of InDesign are you running? What OS version?

 

Problems with dialog boxes and interfaces within InDesign often suggests a suspicion on corrupt cache files. They can be reset. Read about the methods to reset, including a focus on cache files, in this compendium of reset advice.

2 replies

Mike Witherell
Community Expert
Mike WitherellCommunity Expert
Community Expert
November 29, 2025

El Grecco,

I'm glad that helped. I wish we didn't have to troubleshoot these programs as much as we do.

For what its worth, I think Adobe Bridge is really useful at times. I wish they would continue to add industrial-strength file-renaming capabilities in it.

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

What version of InDesign are you running? What OS version?

 

Problems with dialog boxes and interfaces within InDesign often suggests a suspicion on corrupt cache files. They can be reset. Read about the methods to reset, including a focus on cache files, in this compendium of reset advice.

Mike Witherell
P
Peter GreccoAuthor
Known Participant
November 29, 2025

Using Mac OS Ventura 13.7.8. 

As for the InDesign version, this has been happening through several versions, and still happened with the latest one I updated earlier today – 21.0.2

I have reset the preferences and I think this has fixed the problem. At least for the first few attempts. Thank you. I may reset preferences on other programs as well.

 

FYI, My frustration in my original post is not just about this one issue. It has been a buildup with several Adobe programs (Premiere, Acrobat, Illustrator, Photoshop) and various types of issues, as well as a very poor search engine on Adobe Stock (and that one is for sure not a preferences reset issue). Anyway, thank you. I'm hopeful this has resolved the problem.

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