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dianas57553026
Participant
February 1, 2018
Answered

Running multiple versions of InDesign on same Windows 10 machine

  • February 1, 2018
  • 2 replies
  • 8407 views

My client currently uses CS6 and will be installing CC18.  Can we install and run both versions on a users windows machine?  If so, are there any requirements that must be met to do so?

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer Cari Jansen

Yes, you can run multiple versions of InDesign on the one system.

Firstly, ensure that when installing CC (2018) you don't uninstall CS6, as by default any older versions will be removed.

Tip on how to keep the older versions of InDesign when installing the new version:

  1. The Creative Cloud desktop app will show an Update option next to InDesign CC.
  2. When you click on this option, ensure you also click on Advanced Options, and that's where you'll find the setting that allows you to deselect  Remove old versions option.

Secondly, ensure that before installing any newer versions you check that your system is compatible with the version.

Thirdly:

  • If you haven't launched either of your InDesign versions, and double click on an InDesign document to open it, note that it will open in the latest version of the software. So if you want to keep a CS6 file as CS6, ensure you launch CS6 first. (I believe there is or was  something you could install on your system that would launch the right version of InDesign automatically, when double-clicking... but can't for the life of me find it anywhere... maybe someone else can provide a link for that).

2 replies

Bill Silbert
Community Expert
Bill SilbertCommunity Expert
Community Expert
February 1, 2018

Multiple versions of InDesign can be run on the same machine. When you install CC 2018, however, make sure that "Import previous settings and preferences" which will appear in Advanced options during the install is NOT checked. You should also know that CS6 is not officially supported for Windows 10 and as Windows 10 keeps automatically updating itself it is likely that before very long you may have trouble running CS6 at all on that system. Microsoft has announced that they will be calling all future updates by the name Windows 10 but as the updates keep rolling out it probably will become a very different operating system. This has already happened with CS5 and earlier versions of Illustrator which have been rendered inoperable by updates which happened last summer. So to sum up for your original question, yes, you can run multiple versions but you do have to be careful as to how old a version you're using.

Annamalai SenthilKumar
Annamalai SenthilKumar
Participant
February 13, 2020

What is the licensing terms to use dual version of InDesign CC 2019 and InDesign CC 2018 on single computer. Two InDesign CC license required for this?

BobLevine
Community Expert
BobLevineCommunity Expert
Community Expert
February 13, 2020

A single CC license includes all available versions. If you want both installed go for it.

In the future please start a new discussion instead of re-opening a years old discussion.

I'm locking this one as it's been answered.

C
Cari JansenCorrect answer
Legend
February 1, 2018

Yes, you can run multiple versions of InDesign on the one system.

Firstly, ensure that when installing CC (2018) you don't uninstall CS6, as by default any older versions will be removed.

Tip on how to keep the older versions of InDesign when installing the new version:

  1. The Creative Cloud desktop app will show an Update option next to InDesign CC.
  2. When you click on this option, ensure you also click on Advanced Options, and that's where you'll find the setting that allows you to deselect  Remove old versions option.

Secondly, ensure that before installing any newer versions you check that your system is compatible with the version.

Thirdly:

  • If you haven't launched either of your InDesign versions, and double click on an InDesign document to open it, note that it will open in the latest version of the software. So if you want to keep a CS6 file as CS6, ensure you launch CS6 first. (I believe there is or was  something you could install on your system that would launch the right version of InDesign automatically, when double-clicking... but can't for the life of me find it anywhere... maybe someone else can provide a link for that).
Vidit Kothari
Vidit Kothari
Known Participant
December 8, 2018

Hi Cari,

May I ask for your help with something similar?

I have Adobe InDesign CC 2019 installed in my Win PC and now I need to install InDesign CC 2018 without losing CC 2019 installation. Is that possible? (I tried going to the Creative Cloud App and clicking the Other version flyout menu button but then it asks me to uninstall the CC 2019 version of the app.) Please let me know if there is a way to do that?

and to sett the default InDesign app version to open an .indd file, you can check this thread where I managed to find a solution using regedit: Re: How to set InDesign CS5 as the default in the system having InDesign CS4 has the default ?

Steve Werner
Community Expert
Steve WernerCommunity Expert
Community Expert
December 8, 2018

There is a software product called Soxy from Rorohiko Workflow Resources which keeps track of which application version you want to open files in when more than one application version is installed. It's completely configurable and works with Mac or Windows.

It's well supported by the deveoper, and you can read about it here (other than the fact that I've used the software, I have no relationship to the company):

https://www.rorohiko.com/wordpress/downloads/lightning-brain-soxy/

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