InDesign 2025 Performance Issues on Mac M1: Spinning Beach Ball and Crashes in 2024 Version

[cg91002266]

I installed the new Indesign 2025 and it has been unsuable (I get the spinning beach ball everytime I try to scroll). So I have gone back to 2024 but now have issues with it crashing and I lost work. Anyone else having big issues with 2024 since the update of 2025? Or anyone know how to solve the 2025 issues so it is actually usable? (I am on a Mac, Apple M1 Max chip, 64 GB memory running Sequoia 15.0.1). Thank you! 

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[Bill Silbert]

When you upgraded to CC 2025 did you use the option to import previous settings and preferences? Many times old preference files will cause poor performance in the updated program. Try resetting your InDesign preferences. This process will reset the program to its defaults. Hopefully, this will fix the issues.
To reset preferences on a Mac:
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.
The advantage of manually deleting preference files in this manner 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.

[cg91002266]

Tried deleting preferences but it is still happening. 

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

There are a lot of threads about problems with 2025 - but no more problems after downgrading to 2024.

Have you tried resetting preferences? 

https://community.adobe.com/t5/indesign-discussions/reset-indesign-preferences-and-other-troubleshoo...

[dominico54545139]

Hi All,

Just a note to say that I also experienced this issue on my M1 and that resetting the preferences did not work.

I am back to using 2024.

Fingers crossed for a solution.

[Abhishek Rao]

Hi cg91002266!

In addition to resetting preferences, I recommend trying a Safe Boot on your Mac to see if it improves performance with InDesign 2025. This can help identify if any background processes are causing issues. 

Also, if you have any 'third-party plugins' installed, please try disabling them, as they can sometimes lead to conflicts. Let us know if these steps help! Thank you for your patience!

Best,

Abhishek Rao

[cg91002266]

Tried but did not fix it. 😞 

[Abhishek Rao]

Hi @cg91002266,

Thanks for trying those steps, and I’m sorry to hear the issue persists. You’re not alone—multiple users have reported similar performance issues with InDesign 2025, and there’s an active UserVoice page where the product team is tracking and investigating this: [InDesign 2025 Performance Issue](https://adobe.ly/4hqNuWf).

The team is requesting additional information to help diagnose the issue. If possible, could you please provide details like:
- Your OS version.
- Whether slowness occurs with specific/existing documents or with new documents as well.
- When the slowness begins (e.g., right after opening, after performing specific steps, or after some time).

It would be great if you could go to the UserVoice page to upvote and add your comments. This will assist the team in their investigation and help prioritize a solution. Thank you for your patience as we work to resolve this!

Best,  
Abhishek Rao

[cg91002266]

Will do! Thank you Abhishek!

[cg91002266]

Yes, that didn't seem to fix it. 

[jistofercrow]

Just bought a new MacBook Pro last month and tried working on an existing project so I can work away from my desktop setup. Using InDesign 2025 causes so many spinning beach balls, it took me quite a bit more time just to make simple text edits and had some hyperlinks. Robert at ID-Tasker mentioned downgrading to 2024 so I tried that and seems to work perfect now. So if you are using 2025 I would try this option.

[bibiss]

Bonjour

J'ai installé la version 2025 de indesign cette version ne fonctionne pas bien ça mouline !!! tout le temps impossible de travailler normalement.

Avez-vous des retours sur ce problème

Merci

S. Bisson

[kglad]

in the future, to find the best place to post your message, use the list here, https://community.adobe.com/

p.s. i don't think the adobe website, and forums in particular, are easy to navigate, so don't spend a lot of time searching that forum list. do your best and we'll move the post (like this one has already been moved) if it helps you get responses.

<"moved from using the community bugs">

[jmlevy]

Il y a de nombreux posts à ce sujet. La solution qui semble fonctionner est de réinitialiser les préférences.

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

@bibiss 

As mentioned by @jmlevy - you can start with resetting preferences:

https://community.adobe.com/t5/indesign-discussions/reset-indesign-preferences-and-other-troubleshoo...

but if you wan to work comfortably - you should downgrade to 2024 and turn off Auto-update.

[Lucas32264817wik8]

I'm commenting because me and my fellow designers on my team have been dealing with the same issue and none of the fixes are working either. We have had to downgrade to 2024 if we want to get work done.

[Greg Harbour]

Same problems with 2024 on Sonoma now

[Herbiedriver1]

And here I thought it was just me!!!  Not an M1 but an i9 imac that never had problems before the new version of inDesign. Very frustrating when trying to work on a multipage document. Every time I select an object, scroll, try to type, select a font, pick a style, I get the spinning beach ball.  Hard to be a professional using 'professional tools' and having to wait like I was using Pagemaker on an IBM XT.

[Greg Harbour]

Same problems with 2024 on Sonoma now

[takayukionishi]

Hey there, 

Does anyone having issue that InDesign stops and turns the rainbow wheel every signle move you make in InDsign? This is terreble and cant finish anything... 

Wonder if anyone found the solution or trick for this nightmare. 

I am running macOS Sequoia  15.0.1. MacBook Pro.

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[Abhishek Rao]

Hi @takayukionishi,

Thank you for reaching out about the issues you're experiencing with InDesign 2025. I recommend checking out the following articles that provide troubleshooting steps for resolving slow performance and unexpected behavior in InDesign:

1. [Resolve Slow Performance and Unexpected Behavior of InDesign](https://adobe.ly/3Yl6exw)
2. [Slow Performance in InDesign](https://adobe.ly/4eSH9Bm)

Please let us know how it goes after following these steps!

Best,  
Abhishek Rao

[Gary at Brand-ing]

As paying users, we should not have to troubleshoot anything. You have brought out a poor version of an updatew that has not been tested propertly. Adobe, what are you doing????

[Dave Creamer of IDEAS]

>>As paying users, we should not have to troubleshoot anything.

That may be true, but it doesn't change the current situation. Did you try any of the steps?

At least Adobe makes it easy to go back a version--can't say the same for the Mac OS.

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

@takayukionishi

Start from resetting preferences and lowering number of fonts - double check for duplicates.

[Manan Joshi]

Lots of reports related to slowness of this version. I would suggest you hold on to making this version as your main version for now and revert back to the previous one.

-Manan