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MarilynR2
Participating Frequently
June 2, 2025
Answered

InDesign 20.3.1 – Extremely Slow PDF Export After Update

  • June 2, 2025
  • 5 replies
  • 2381 views

After the 20.3.1 update, exporting a file to a PDF from InDesign is painful. Ridiculously slow even when the document is fairly light weight, everything is linked properly etc...never mind when it's a larger, multipage document. It is so incredibly frustrating. 

 

So far, I have tried:

Restarting multiple times just to make sure it wasn't just these few documents that had the issue

Trashing the preferences twice now

Complete reinstall

Turning off the live pre flight

Turning off the GPU

 

None have worked. 

 

I am using Extensis Connect as a font manager, mostly because I have yet to find an alternative where the auto activation works as well as theirs does. If I found something else, I'd probably switch as it can be laggy sometime but I've used it in conjunction with InDesign for years and years and have NEVER had an issue like this before. 

 

Is anyone else having this issue? If so and you resolved it, how? Taking any and all suggestions. I've never had to roll back to a previous version but would definitely consider it (provided I'm not going to have to resave everything)

 

 

 

<Title renamed by MOD>

 

Correct answer Eugene Tyson

One other option - regarding reinstalling 

 

Reinstalling rarely fixes everything - you can do a complete reinstall using the
Creative Cloud Cleaner Tool https://helpx.adobe.com/creative-cloud/kb/cc-cleaner-tool-installation-problems.html

5 replies

Abhishek Rao
Community Manager
Abhishek RaoCommunity Manager
Community Manager
June 3, 2025

Hi @MarilynR2,

 

Thanks again for all the info you've shared so far. I'd recommend giving the suggestions from the experts above a try, to see if that improves the performance.

In addition to that, could you also try booting your Mac in Safe Mode and testing the export process there? It helps check for any system-level conflicts. Reference: Start up your Mac in Safe Mode.

Also, try creating and testing the file in a new local admin user account to see if the issue might be related to something specific in your current user profile. Reference: Set up users, guests, and groups on your Mac.

Let us know how it goes.

 

Looking forward to hearing from you. 

Abhishek

E
Community Expert
Eugene TysonCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
Community Expert
June 3, 2025

One other option - regarding reinstalling 

 

Reinstalling rarely fixes everything - you can do a complete reinstall using the
Creative Cloud Cleaner Tool https://helpx.adobe.com/creative-cloud/kb/cc-cleaner-tool-installation-problems.html

    M
    MarilynR2Author
    Participating Frequently
    June 8, 2025

    This seems to have resolved the issue! Finally! Thank you so much for this suggestion!!! 

      D
      Dirk Becker
      Legend
      June 3, 2025

      I hope downgrading solved the immediate issue. If 20.3 won't do, try something earlier such as 20.2 . Documents are supposed to be compatible as long you stick to version 20.x.

       

      If the problem persists, I'd first try whether disabling background export still works. This is not expected to solve the problem, just a preparation for the next step. You can undo it later on.

       

      Use the Activity Monitor to see what's going on. Read that discussion, follow the steps, post a few matching screen shots. Over there it turned out font related. You also mentioned a font manager. Could be a similar cause, could be anything else. We can only tell from looking at the activity report.

       

        D
        Dirk Becker
        Legend
        June 3, 2025

        Please also look at the recent discussion which suggested Extensis tweaks.

         

        Dave Creamer of IDEAS
        Community Expert
        Dave Creamer of IDEASCommunity Expert
        Community Expert
        June 3, 2025

        What happens if disable Extensis and any other plugins? Use the Document Fonts folder if you don't want to add the fonts to your system.

        Since you mentioned the GPU, I'm assuming you are on a Mac. Can you give some details about your system: OS version, RAM, processor, drive space, etc.?

        (I tested some documents on my Windows system and saw no delay.)

         

        David Creamer: Community Expert (ACI and ACE 1995-2023)
        M
        MarilynR2Author
        Participating Frequently
        June 3, 2025

        Oh, and also forgot to mention...this kind of lag is not happening with any other applications. Just InDesign. The rest of the suite is running just fine. 

        Dave Creamer of IDEAS
        Community Expert
        Dave Creamer of IDEASCommunity Expert
        Community Expert
        June 3, 2025

        Try uninstalling and downgrade to the prior update 20.3 with the Creative Cloud app.

        See if it goes back to normal.

         

        David Creamer: Community Expert (ACI and ACE 1995-2023)
        rob day
        Community Expert
        rob dayCommunity Expert
        Community Expert
        June 3, 2025

        Hi @MarilynR2 , Does it happen if you create a new document with text only—no links?

        M
        MarilynR2Author
        Participating Frequently
        June 3, 2025

        Yes. I did try that also early on to see if it was a font issue. It also happens if I create a new document with just an image, and even if I create a completely BLANK document with no images or text at all on it. 

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