Indesign 14 on Windows 11

[Malcy7]

Hi

Because of a plug-in my company uses, we have to use Indesign 14 (2019). This has been fine up until now, but we have now updated our PCs which are running windows 11.

Indesign 14 doesn't seem to work using this OS.

Can anyone suggest how we can get round this.

Thanks for anything - Malcolm

[BobLevine]

2019 should run fine in Windows 11 but if you don't give us more details we can't help. What exactly does "doesn't seem to work using this OS" mean?

BTW, you're going to be in for a world of pain if you need to add workstations since you'll have to jump through all kinds of hoops with Adobe for a 2019 installer. I'd be looking for new plugins. This is going to bite you sooner rather than later.

[Malcy7]

Thanks for your reply

doesn't seem to work using this OS - meaning Operating System - meaning Windows 11.

Our IT company can't find a way of us using Indesign 14 whilst using windows 11 as an operating system, so just wondered if any of you geniuses knew a way?

Thanks.

[BobLevine]

I can't help, and I also gather that nobody else is going to be able to either. Telling us something doesn't work is like telling a doctor you're sick.

What exactly is happening here?

[Frans v.d. Geest]

Windows 11, but on what for machine? Intel or ARM (surface)?

[Malcy7]

Intel.....thanks.

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

What exactly is the problem? 

Installer just refuses to start or what? 

What kind of "plugin" are you using? 

Sometimes, people call their product "plugin" - when in fact it's just a script... 

Or it might good time to find new solution for your workflow? 

[Malcy7]

We are using XMPie mail merge plug-in

Thanks.

[BobLevine]

Last time I'm going to ask!

What EXACTLY is the problem?

[Malcy7]

Indesign 14 simply won't open.........

And hey.....chill out.......

[Dave Creamer of IDEAS]

Well, it was the third time he asked...

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

Looks like XMPie was last updated in September 12, 2021?!?!

https://www.xmpie.com/xesreleasenotes/

[Malcy7]

Thanks for this, though maybe I should have mentioned I don't have the funds to buy the latest license, so I'm stuck with a license that is years old.

But, regardless of the plug-in, Indesign 14 simply won't open in windows 11?

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

But, regardless of the plug-in, Indesign 14 simply won't open in windows 11?

By @Malcy7

So it INSTALLS - but won't open?

Windows 11 - fresh install or over the existing Windows 10 - or over the older version of Windows?

[Malcy7]

Yes, it even goes through the start up screen then....nothing.....

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

But you need to answer HOW Win11 been installed?

Fresh or over old installation?

It's very important - if it was fresh - then you have a problem - if it was Over - then maybe you need to do proper clean up first and re-install of CC.

[BobLevine]

I would have agreed with this a long time ago, but I've done countless Win 10 to Win 11 upgrade for myself, family and friends and have yet to run into a problem.

Sounds like the OP would benefit from uninstall / reinstall but as I noted earlier, once it's uninstalled you're at the mercy of Adobe for an installer.

[Malcy7]

This is a brand new PC, and we then installed indesign 14 from a folder where we kept the old version (Indesign 14) because it's not available from the Adobe site anymore. It's fully licensed btw....

[BobLevine · Accepted solution]

Sounds like that's your problem right there. Contact Adobe and see if they'll give you an official installer. You can't just copy over an installation from one machine to another...and BTW, this is part of that world of pain I described earlier. This is just going to get harder and harder to maintain as time goes on.

[Malcy7]

Thanks. We didn't just copy it over, we have an installer file. As for Adobe, they don't support anything older than Indesgn 18......but thanks anyway...

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

Activation servers are still active - have you tried to force backward compatibility? 

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

Yeah, it's not Linux - you can't just copy Program Files - there are files in Common, then subfolders in Windows directory, etc. 

Not to mention - REGISTRY entries. 

It would be possible to "transfer" InDesign's installation between machines - but it's not trivial. 

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

BUT... there could be a solution for you - your IT guys should known that... 

Make an image of your original drive, install this new drive in a new machine, install Win11 over this image.

But, you still can have some problems... either straight away - win over win - or later. 

[Malcy7]

Thanks for the advice.....I'll put that to the IT experts!

[Dave Creamer of IDEAS]

@Robert at ID-Tasker That is for the XES software. It looks like they are using uDirect and uCreate for their product names.