InDesign 2020 User Interface Too Small

[vern]

I have been unable to increase the size of the User Interface in InDesign. I am using a Lenovo Yoga laptop with 64 bit Windows 10. Illustrator and Photoshop are scaled up (too big but at least I can read them without squinting) and InDesign is not. Below is an image of the comparison between the two.

The settings under Preferences > UI Scaling only make the application appear smaller.

Thank you for your advice and support...

[BobLevine]

What is the O/S UI scaling set to? The only choices that work well is 150 and 200 and then you can match them in InDesign.

[jmsobbe]

I concur. This is the still an issue with InDesign 2020 15.1.1 x64. I have a HP Zbook X2 with a 4k display built in. The interface settings do not improve the scaling enough to make the program fully usable. The default scale for this device is the 300%.  I do not have thise issue with Illustrator or PS. 
I did not have this issue with my Macbook Pro when running on OS X. 

[BobLevine]

Right. It is only InDesign.

For the life of me I don't get it.

[Bevi Chagnon - PubCom.com]

Also finding that when I use two monitors on a Windows system, the entire InDesign window can go haywire, enlarge beyond the screen. Royal PITA to get back to anything that's usable.

And if the screen's pixel resolution settings are changed, several InDesign dialogue boxes are clipped off.

Can't believe we're having this basic problem at this stage of the programming industry.

[BobLevine]

Totally agree.

The UI scaling tech in InDesign dates back to Windows Vista. It should be an embarrassment and what ticks me off even more is I can't even get anyone to acknowledge it.

[Misti6C2B]

I'm seeing this same issue posted beginning in 2018... 2 years and no resolution whatsoever

[BobLevine]

Adobe doesn't care about this.

It's remarkable that they won't even provide an explanation.

[vitaminnn]

Well hell.  I was all excited to start learning InDesign this morning and this was the first issue ... the UI super small.

Sounds like it's known and at this point, there's nothing that can be done?  Do I have that right?

[jmsobbe]

I'm with you. I would like to see an offical response from Adobe on this. This is affecting my usage of the program on my laptop. I have the HP Zbook X2, which is a product that debuted at Adobe Max in 2017. It's over 3 years later and the issue is still a problem. 

https://www.techrepublic.com/article/hp-unveils-worlds-first-detachable-pc-workstation-the-zbook-x2/

[eddiepostpones]

Exactly the same problem for me. Zbook X2 was developed with adobe software in mind why can't Adobe sort this out?!

[terzap]

Agreed. This needs to be fixed. I'm becoming sight-impaired and it's super difficult to work in apps that don't allow me to custom scale items in the interface. 

[anne-mariec93685459]

I thought Adobe had dealt with this issue and then I get a new laptop (Dell XPS 15 9500) and have the exact same issue as you. So frusterating!

Adobe...please allow greater UI scaling control or fix the issues. All the other CC apps I've used on the new system look great.

I feel like Adobe is abandoning InDesign to develop endless iPhone apps. Please maintain your core applications. I can't find a work around and like terzap have vision issues that make InDesign unusable on my screen.

[Nick8988]

For those who are on windows 10. Try this, helped me. Just turn off High DPI scaling override.

[vitaminnn]

I don't see the "compatability" tab?

[Nick8988]

https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/106509-add-remove-compatibility-tab-properties-page-windows.html

[vitaminnn]

Fount it.  I was in the properties for the InDesign folder ... not application.  Thanks.

[vitaminnn]

Didn't seem to work for me.  Did you change any other settings when changing the DPI settings?

[joygrafika]

OH YEAH, nick you da'am! this totally fixed the issue with incorrect UI scaling. I have my main app window set to 4K monitor and the UI panels are pushed to a lower rez 32-inch monitor. InDesign build in UI scaling didn't do jack. changing high DPI setting via winexplorer fixed everything. now, my main screen uses native 4K rez while my other screen with all the UI panels shows up in its native resolution. no more blurry UI. whoohooo!

[CarnahanMary]

Thank you, thank you, thank you. 

[elitsaz76863026]

Thank you so much! This fixed it for me, though Adobe should fix the issue, not force each user to seek walkaround.
My settings were a little different, but basically I made the system prefer it's own scaling (125% for me) before the application scaling.

[Geоrge]

Don't forget to add your voice here - https://indesign.uservoice.com/forums/601021-adobe-indesign-feature-requests/suggestions/32003341-in... - it may be won't fixed by years as now, but all that we can do - add our voice and wait.

[BobLevine]

They don't care. I've been complaining for years!

Adobe employees don't even comment (you know...those silly "we're sorry you're experiencing this..." kind of responses) on these complaints the way they do on every other one.

[Geоrge]

Yes, you are right. But this is only one thing that we can do and they will see this. 

>> I've been complaining for years!

I do ask this - https://indesign.uservoice.com/forums/601021-adobe-indesign-feature-requests more than 10 years through beta feature requests and then trough uservoice. We see that this request is top#1 and they ignore this! We can only ask it and add our voices. 

[Bevi Chagnon - PubCom.com]

Update for 2021:

I've successfully increased the GUI size in Windows 64 in InDesign 2021. 

But it's still a bit dicey when you view some dialogue boxes, especially larger ones that can get clipped off, like the Paragraph Styles definition dialogue.

These 3 screen caps are from a high-res laptop (primary screen 2736 x 1824 resolution) with an external monitor 1920 x 1200 resolution.

Below: Laptop at its recommended resolution and scaling gives a passable GUI size.

Primary screen, laptop at recommended 2736x1824 resolution and 200% scaling.

External Monitor at its recommended resolution and scaling is unuseable.

External monitor at recommended settings: 1920 x 1200 and 100% scaling.

External Monitor increased to 150% scaling gives a usable GUI size. Any higher and dialogue boxes are clipped.

External monitor with scaling increased to 150%.

I'm going to test this 3rd setting for the next couple of weeks to see:

1. How stable it is. Previouis scalings have made InDesign crash and perform irratically.
2. If any dialogue boxes are clipped.