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! 

<Title renamed by MOD>

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

2025

By @RobFrease

Then you should downgrade to 2024. 

There are a lot of serious bugs & glitches in 2025... 

[RobFrease]

Thank you, will do!

[RobFrease]

Thank you Robert, InDesign 2024 19.5 working flawless. I am flying through pages right now.

[Dave Creamer of IDEAS]

As a general rule, one should wait 6-12 months after any major software or OS release, especially on production units. And whatever you do, don't upgrade both in a short timeframe. Sequoia just came out in Sept. and ID 20 in Oct. Too soon for "prime time". 

[oeilcarre]

La version Indesign Beta V 20.1 semble fonctionner

[Jeroen357688072isn]

Same problem here.

Opening one file seems okay only slight performance drop versus version 2024.
When opening two or more files, it is no longer workable and I get the wheel spinning continuously.

Running on iMac Retina 5K, 27-inch, 2020 with Sonoma 14.7.1 (23H222)

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

@Jeroen357688072isn

Downgrade to 2024 / 19.5 

[Abhishek Rao]

Hi everyone,

Thank you for sharing the details regarding the performance issues you’re facing. In order to help the product team further investigate and identify the root cause, they’ve requested that you provide a spindump. This diagnostic report will help us analyze any potential factors contributing to the crashes and performance slowdowns.

Here are the steps to capture a spindump on your Mac:

1. Reproduce the issue by opening InDesign and performing the actions that cause the spinning beach ball or crash.
2. Open the Console application:
   • Go to Applications > Utilities > Console.
3. In the Console, go to Action > Send a Report.
4. Then, select Spindump and save the file.
5. Please share the saved spindump file with us by uploading it here.

This will provide valuable insight to the product team and help us resolve the issue more effectively.

Looking forward to your response!

Best,
Abhishek

[Abhishek Rao]

Hello Everyone,

We wanted to share an update from our product team regarding a recent performance concern.

It has come to our attention that a combination of the Documents Fonts folder and the Contextual Task Bar may be contributing to slowness in some workflows. If either of these elements is absent, no performance degradation is observed.

The product team has outlined the following workflows to help confirm this behavior:

Workflow 1: Documents Font Folder + Contextual Task Bar

1. Open any InDesign document (all fonts should be displayed, and no missing fonts dialog should be shown).

2. Enable the Contextual Task Bar.

3. Toggle between selecting a text frame with text (document fonts applied) and empty space in both GPU and CPU mode.

Expectation: Slowness should be observed.

Workflow 2: Documents Font Folder + No Contextual Task Bar

1. Open any InDesign document (all fonts should be displayed, and no missing fonts dialog should be shown).

2. Disable the Contextual Task Bar.

3. Toggle between selecting a text frame with text (document fonts applied) and empty space in both GPU and CPU mode.

Expectation: No slowness should be observed.

Workflow 3: No Documents Font Folder + Contextual Task Bar

1. Open any InDesign document without the document’s font (missing fonts dialog should be shown).

2. Enable the Contextual Task Bar.

3. Toggle between selecting a text frame with text (document fonts applied) and empty space in both GPU and CPU mode.

Expectation: No slowness should be observed.

Workflow 4: No Documents Font Folder + No Contextual Task Bar

1. Open any InDesign document (missing fonts dialog should be shown).

2. Disable the Contextual Task Bar.

3. Toggle between selecting a text frame with text (document fonts applied) and empty space in both GPU and CPU mode.

Expectation: No slowness should be observed.

We would appreciate it if any users encountering this behavior could try these workflows and confirm the results. Your feedback is valuable and will help us further refine and improve the product.

Thank you for your time and support!

Best,

Abhishek Rao

[raymondd13924530]

What!? 

I haven't got time to do your job, I'm not in your R&D department.

What the hell is a Contextual Task Bar? is that a Cadbury's product.

[gregdot]

Downgrading to version 19.0 worked for me

Wasn't Magnet. Noodled with Contextual Task Bar. No idea what Docuemnts Fonts Folder is. Wasn't the MacOS version. Anything later than 19.0 (19.4 etc) has same problems on Sonoma or Sequoia.

I used to sit a MacOS version behind to accommodate Indesign catching up, but I'd rather just use an old Indesign version. 

Business is moving from linear, static media (Adobe's wheelhouse) to interactive, dynamic media (Adobe's blindspot) anywho.

[Janne2596680603pr]

This is NOT the issue.

I have Contextual bar turned off and no Documents Folder >> still laggy and slow

[davecourtemanche]

Workflow 4: No Documents Font Folder + No Contextual Task Bar

1. Open any InDesign document (missing fonts dialog should be shown).

2. Disable the Contextual Task Bar.

3. Toggle between selecting a text frame with text (document fonts applied) and empty space in both GPU and CPU mode.

Expectation: No slowness should be observed.

You cannot toggle anything with the missing fonts dialogue showing. That being said, click through missing fonts (SKIP). Toggle on/off Contextual Task Bar (not on for me by default), no Document Fonts folder, still lagging. Quitting & restarting ID will speed back up but at some point will lag again necessitating restart.

[michaelh71375170]

When I duplicate my work folder to my desktop, toss the documents folder, and open up the doc again with the fonts now missing, the slowness goes away. I then added the missing font into Connect Fonts from a different folder (not the one linked with the document from a collect) and the slowness was also gone. I hope this helps!

[WayneS-HFS]

I have reset preferences, tried saving as IDML, and then eventually uninstalled ID (20.0) and reinstalled. Nothing has worked. It has become unusable at this point. Every command or movement results in the spinning ball.

[Dave Creamer of IDEAS]

A new OS (September 2024) and a new InDesign version (October 2024) do not make a good combo. Neither have been user tested for any length of time. Back down to ID 2024 for a few months.

[jenshauge]

I have downgraded to 19 and uninstalled 20.  I have run CleanMy Mac and I am holding my breath and only drinking water and coffee, but the problems have followed the file like a ghost …:
I cannot copy & paste without file crashing. Text on pages disappear. Illustrations disappear. Suddenly, some elements are visible on the page. And then gone again.
I have 90 pages with lots of text and illustrations that need to be ready tomorrow afternoon. This is so horrible!

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

@jenshauge

Try IDMLing - export as IDML, open, save with a new name - do not overwrite your original file.

[jenshauge]

Thank you. I tried that but only got what looked like temporary files.  

[Dave Creamer of IDEAS]

Did someone force you to upgrade the OS or software in such a short period of time since their release? Was there a feature you were just "dying" for and needed for work?

Check your Mac preferences and Creative Cloud preferences to make sure they are not set to auto update. Id you want to play new new versions of Adobe software, you can install multiple [major] versions on the same system. Make sure you have enough hard drive space. Also, open the version you want to play with and use the open menu--don't double-click on files at the desktop level.

[jenshauge]

Thanks for advice. Yes, my Creatice Cloud preferences were set to auto update. I have been using Mac since 1988 and I for many years I have not had any trouble with upgrades. I was not prepared for this situation. The setting is now changed.
The file, even after I have uninstalled v.20 and opened it from within v.19.5 is still totally hopeless. I have now started to make the publication from a new document "native" from v.19.5 instead of the document that was converted from v.20.  
If I am lucky, I can copy the elements from each page in the corrupt document and paste into this document without the ghost following.   

[kcdizzle]

For the love of God, has this been fixed yet? i have a macbook, it's older, running ventura. PLEASE FIX THIS!!!! i never had an issue running any adobe programs until this new 2025 version. My working speed has been cut in HALF waiting for the stupid curser to move. UGH!!!

[BobLevine]

What version of Ventura? 

[tscalway]

I am still exeperiencing this on an iMac ...can Adobe fix this ....cant do anything in this 2025 update with a spinning ball speed bump and work with a large community of designers that downgrading to 2024 means I have to convert files and that doesnt seem to work at the moment ... worst update ever!

[robert_7293]

I have the same issue - on a small (3-page) document.  Every click is followed by 3-5 seconds of spinning beach ball.

M1 Mac Studio 32GB memory Running Sequoia 15.2