Can't Open InDesign

[Melisa21787126w58g]

I am trying to open InDesign to keep working on a file but it keeps getting stuck at "Starting up Tracker". This has only happened in the last three days. I was able to go around this the day before yesterday by opening another file that was in there, closing it and opening up the current one. This is no longer working for me. Please help.

[Bill Silbert]

What version of InDesign and what operating system are you using? The first thing that you should try is to delete your InDesign preferences. Hopefully, by resetting the program back to its defaults this issue will be resolved. If that does not work then you might try the advice given in the following thread from a few years ago: https://community.adobe.com/t5/indesign-discussions/indesign-cc-crashes-on-starting-up-trackers/td-p....

To delete InDesign preferences:

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” and the file called “com.adobe.InDesign.plist” and delete both that folder and that file. When InDesign is next launched it will create new preference files and the program will be restored to its defaults.

For Windows Users: You can try the quick way of resetting on a PC which is to hold down Ctrl + Alt + Shift when launching InDesign and respond affirmatively when asked if you want to reset. There have been some recent reports that the window asking if you want to reset is not popping up but that the prefs are being reset anyway. If this works great but if it doesn’t you may have to manually delete them.

To do so: On Windows 7 and above 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 delete (or rename) the folder at the end of this path: C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\InDesign\<Version #>\<Language>. Make sure that InDesign is closed when you do this. When you relaunch the program it will create new preference files and the program will be at its default settings.

The advantage of manually deleting preference files is that after you’ve reset up the program (make sure that no document window is open) to your liking, you can create copies of your personalized “mint” preference files (make sure that you quit the program before copying them—that finalizes your customization) and use them in the future to replace any corrupt versions you may need to delete.

[Jonathan2301273454v0]

Hi Bill, would you have any idea what might be wrong if I have to delete these files after every session? Path of files deleted: C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\InDesign\<Version #>\<Language>  . Also, the program must be started from: C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe InDesign 2022\InDesign.exe  . All other methods result in a freeze on start-up with the displayed text: "starting up trackers". The PC is running Windows 10. Photoshop, Illustrator, and Acrobat CC all work fine. The machine also CS4 installed, which still functions and is used for opening legacy files. I do frequently use a "sync folder" between Windows and MacOS. In do not use Indesign on the cloud or save to the Creative Cloud. I have reinstalled InDesign and even moved back in time three versions in attempts to fix this. Thanks!