Adobe InDesign 2024 - Tool menu boxes become empty

Report · Aug 01, 2024

After using InDesign for a day or two, the right hand tool menus show nothing, they are empty.
Mostly Character, Gradient, Effects and a few more. Things I have already done to try to remedy the issue have been: reset preferences, force quit, uninstall and then re-install. After a few days it happens again. Really annoying. It has been happening for almost a year now. Even after wiping my computer last year, and reformatting my computer (for other reasons). It happens again after 1-3 days.

I have been a Graphic Designer for over 30 years, InDesign's performance just gets worse and worse ever since it has turned into Creative Cloud only software. Don't tell me I need a newer model computer.

Working on a 2019 iMac with Sonoma 14. Adobe InDesign 2024 V19.5

Report · Aug 01, 2024

I'm not a Mac user so will be just brainstorming - does it happens AFTER you restart your machine? Is fine untill you restart?

Also, from replies posted by others - real users of Macs - this kind of the problem could be related to the cache - that needs to be cleared - but I'm not sure if it's about "machine" cache or "application" / InDesign's cache - so you should rather start with clearing InDesign's cache as clearing "machine" cache is rather a "nuclear" option.

Report · Aug 01, 2024

Try deleting your InDesign cache files as has been suggested. This process can restore interface elements that have disappeared.

To do so on a Mac:

The User Library folder in which InDesign’s cache files 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 “Caches” folder. Within the Caches folder find and delete the entire folder “Adobe InDesign”. I find that deleting the InDesign cache folder completely leads to a lasting change.

Report · Aug 09, 2024

I did this. We will see how it goes, and how many days it will last.

Done on 7/9, because that is when it started again.