Continuous spinning wheel in InDesign 2022

Report · Nov 02, 2021

I get a spinning wheel every time I try to do anytging in InDesign. I have just updated the software and its taking me forever to do any design with the continuous spinning wheel. The preferences were all new with the new install so it cant be that. Please can you help!!!

Report · Nov 23, 2021

Recommended RAM is 16GB and that is a pretty old machine.

It might be time to start thinking about new hardware. You're at the end of the line anyway if you can't get past Catalina. That will be dropped next year.

Report · Nov 22, 2021

If I for work, I would advise against any updates to new versions (unless forced by new hardware) until the update has been out for a few months and had a few bug-fix releases.

David Creamer: Community Expert (ACI and ACE 1995-2023)

Report · Nov 22, 2021

That would be great except when I don't upgrade to the newest version everything slows down so much I almost have to upgrade. Thanks.

Report · Nov 22, 2021

How does it slow down? What's causing it?

A will-maintained system will not usually down--although it will always seem slower as one gets used to the system's speed. The only thing that generally slows down a system will be third-party utilities or an OS upgrade--barring hardware issues such as failing drives or overheating.

IMO, your system doesn't have enough RAM--it can probably go up to 32 GB. I don't know if you have a SSD, but that makes a big difference too; unfortunately, iMacs are hard to upgrade.

David Creamer: Community Expert (ACI and ACE 1995-2023)

Report · Feb 04, 2022

Shutting the Preflight worked for me...whew! This was particular to one file I need to keep updated and it wasn't created by me. Thank you!

Report · Sep 28, 2022

Spinning wheel in Indesign - sometimes it doesn't even spin, just sits there and then shuts the program, over and over again.

I work on a weekly publication and this hase become quite ridiculous - my InDesign just does not work. Stops/spins. Stops/Spins.

Very frustrating in a deadline driven workplace.

I am now working at 9pm at night on my home iMac with Indesign vs 17.1 because it works. This new version 17.4 on my work laptop does not work. It also seems to have a communcation problem with Adobe PDF, signalling an error everytime we make a pdf - we are all having problems with it at work.

I will have to see if our IT can unistall this version of InDesign (fingers crossed) and install the old version. I cannot sustain working days starting at 5am to 10pm because this version of Indesign does not want to work.

I have been working with Indesign for very long time, but this version 2022 17.4 is untenable, unusable, unstable and hopefully uninstalled tomorrow.

Please let me know when you find a solution.

Report · Nov 23, 2021

Hello!

I have had the spinning problem with the 2022 upgrade. I have the program via my uni. I did many actions (restart etc, mac user) to no avail. I downloaded Illustaror and it worked with no problem. Then I thought to disconnect the wifi. It worked. I connected the wifi again and it did not work. Disconnected, it worked. Connected the wife via my mobile in an other country, did not work. Disconnected again and it works. Acrobat Distiller works fine too. Only InDesigh has the spinning problem when connected to the internet.

Report · Nov 26, 2021

Hi there,

Thanks for trying the steps suggested above. Does this happen while working on a document or after launching it?

Please check if keeping files & links locally on the Desktop helps?

Also, you may try adding all the networking endpoints mentioned in this helpx article (https://helpx.adobe.com/enterprise/kb/network-endpoints.html) in system firewall settings. I hope it helps!

Regards,

Anshul Saini

Report · Nov 26, 2021

Hello! I use the program through uni's creative cloud. I have the files I am working with on my laptop. They do not open, neither the files nor the program itself when I am connected to Wi-Fi. When disconnected both the program itself and the files open. This is a new phenomenon after the upgrade to 2022 version. And only InDesign seems to have this problem. I am able to work however, and once a file is open I turn on the Wi-Fi again. I wonder however when a new unexpected problem will appear again. The program has otherwise been very stable all the many years I have been using it.
Thanks for responding.

Report · Dec 21, 2021

I have the same problems with the spinning weel and I have now figured out how to get the problem under control:
- Adobe Fonts disabled in the Creative Cloud app
- Creative Cloud sync set to pause (only leave it on when I need it)
- Preflight control in ID set to "Off
- Layout View setting on Typical
- GPU Performance in the Preferences panel switched off

Report · Dec 21, 2021

Alas, it doesn't work for me, after following all your steps, for which I thank you. One other possible explanation for me could be the security programs my uni places in the laptop. I had problem with them before as I am distnace working in a different country. Still I have found my own solution, cumbersome but it works.

Report · Jan 06, 2022

Hello.

Same problem here, since +/– 36 hours — I cannot work because of this. I've reinstalled InDesign multiple times, removed preferences, etc. ... all to no avail. Customer Support also has no idea and said "Product Experts" need to look into the situation.

All the things you mention here, and others have elsewhere (changing settings, turning off WiFi, etc.), don't work.

I cannot lose another day of working. It's quite bizarre.

No new changes occurred. The issue started two nights ago as I was testing a typeface I'm designing in InDesign — a normal routine operation — and all of a sudden InDesign just got the spinning wheel indefinitely and it's not been resolvable since. It doesn't matter if it's a new file, old file, or just launching the application — after 3–10 seconds, it just freezes.

Any new ideas?

Report · Jan 07, 2022

Hi there,

We're really sorry for this frustrating experience. This is not the experience we want you to have. I checked internally, your case is still open, and the team is in contact with you. Also, I have personally escalated to the Principal Technical consultant. Please keep me updated here or via DM on how things are going.

Regards,

Anshul Saini

Report · Jan 07, 2022

Yeah, it's pretty unbelievable ...

Nevertheless, as a last resort, I updated the MacOS to Monterey and that somehow seems to have solved it — for now.

I would still like to know what the problem is as it seems bizarre that from one minute to the next, without changing any of my own settings — software-, system-, or hardware-wise — I suddently cannot work for 2+ days.

The only noticeable change in my computer since the MacOS update is that a number of typefaces (fonts) in my type management software (FontExplorer X Pro) have been deactivated.

Perhaps this has something to do with it?

Report · Jan 10, 2022

Glad to hear that issue got resolved. There is a chance if those typefaces are culprits, then you can turn them off and On one by one to check if they are causing the issue or not. Also, it is possible in your system configuration FontExplorer Pro is causing the Beachball issue. Share your observation with us.

Regards,

Anshul Saini

Report · Jan 11, 2022

Hello, my spinning problem remains. I do not have FontExplorer Pro installed moreover. The easiest way to work for me is To start Indesign with wifi on. After the wheel spins for a while I turn of the wifi. The spinning stops and the Indesign program works as it should. I turn on the wifi again and all is normal.

The problem is between the wifi connection and the Indesign starting. A problem I have not had before the update. Restarts and reinstallations, turning off of synchronosing at start etc have not hepled. The mystery remains.

Report · Jan 11, 2022

I've turned all the fonts back on and have no new issues. The only other interesting observation is that it seems some of the font files have a different root location on Dropbox — some keeping an old name "~/Dropbox/..." and others taking a new name "~/Dropbox (Personal)/...", which automatically gets renamed like that after you link another Dropbox to your computer. So, I think the reason those got deactivated is because the macOS upgrade would've broken the connection to the old named Dropbox, whereas perhaps the previous one maintained a cache somehow and/or could sort out the location on its own. Who knows.

Anyway ... I continue to find it very puzzling and frustrating that from one minute to the next this issue could even occur, and no one knows precisely why.

I think Adobe needs to seriously focus on troubleshooting this ... it's far too time-consuming to work towards finding solutions by stabbing in the dark.

Report · Dec 20, 2021

I was having the same issue but just HAPPENED upon something that seems to have helped. Open the "background tasks" panel and keep an eye on it. Whatever it is "working on" see if you can resolve it. In my case it was font activation, activating a font that was part of imported text and not a font I was using in my document. I resolved all the font conflicts and that has solved my issue at least...

GRIZZLED VETERAN RANT:

With me, whenever I have the SPINNING WHEEL OF DEATH over the years it seems it is ALWAYS is a result of some kind of FONT or SUITCASE issue. Who do we have to vote for to get Adobe to REINTRODUCE ATM and handle font activation for all CS programs? I'll vote...I'll CAMPAIGN...just PLEASE KILL SUITCASE and revise and reintroduce ATM...

Report · Dec 21, 2021

Hello and thank you. My window for background tasks is empty, it doesn't show anything at all. I haven't imported any new fonts in the new version om InDesign. The problem came with the update. And remains. I can work when after the initial spinning with the wifi on I turn the latter of and restart InDesign. The program doesn't open (it spins) with the wifi off initially either. So, wifi on, program on and spinning, then both off, reopen program and it works. Then I can have wifi on and all is fine.

Report · May 04, 2022

same here, using Indesign 2022 v 17.1 with Rightfont. It sometimes takes up to 3 minutes to open a document (previously saved with this version of ID). Display performance is dismal - even in "Typical Display" mode. Everything is jerking around and it is hard to select stuff. What a bummer !!

ID used to run really smoothly on my Macbook Pro 2019, 16MB RAM, SSD drives but now it feels like I'm on a 1990's Macbook.

Report · May 04, 2022

Try disable Auto activation for ID in Rightfont.

Report · May 17, 2022

Hello,

thankfully, after today's new Monteray upgrade the program works fine, no spinning or any delay at all.

Report · Jul 06, 2022

I'm at my wits end. Will Adobe refund my lost revenue because I can't work with an application that I've used since you sent it out as a beta many years ago. Should I look into alternatives, or is Adobe actually trying to resolve this issue.

Report · Aug 15, 2022

I had the same issue. Found out my Microsoft OneDrive was syncing a massive .mov file over the cloud which slowed it down. I removed the file and it is now working fine.

Report · Dec 16, 2023

I just had that problem. I had an old alert that I did not clear. As soon as I cleared it the spinning circle disappeared.