InDesign 2025 SLOW

[Bigwig]

Just started using ID 2025 this morning and I'm noticing a LOT of lag time with pretty much any activity. I'm running a Mac Studio with an M2 Ultra, so it's not my computer. I've tried some simple troubleshooting but it is simply not responding like ID 2024. Help!

[Bigwig]

Hello Woods Creative: while I realize downgrading does resolve the speed issue, I have way too many documents created in the new version to do that. So I'm just hoping that Adobe solves the issue sooner rather than later. Your post is the first acknowledgment that I've seen that Adobe is aware of the issue. It would be nice if they communicated directly with their customers and kept them informed of the progress. 

[Andee NG]

Yeah, same -- I've been using version 25 since they first introduced it (although I guess that's my own fault for assuming it wouldn't be laggy as hell), and to revert all my files back to v24 would take just as long as it would to continue working in v25 with its near-constant delays across every action (just bringing the open app to the front of my desktop instigates a three-second delay every time).

[Bigwig]

Yes! And closing a document, 3 seconds with a progress bar. WHY???! It's raising my blood pressure.

[wlym]

Me too, it's so weird. What is it doing? I've reinstalled the 2024 version and it doesn't lag. Same documents, same fonts. Must be that AI magic making our work faster and easier!

[Craig McLaughlin]

So long as you’re logged into your Adobe account and open an ID 2025 document with ID 2024, you can choose to convert it back to an ID 2024 file. That’s what I’m doing for the foreseeable future.

[davecourtemanche]

I wondering if they've re-introduced the bug where using the spanning / splitting para style in a document causes the spinning. I remember that being a bug in a previous version. I'm noticing the spinning happening more in docs that utilize this function.

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

https://community.adobe.com/t5/indesign-discussions/indesign-2025-performance-issues-on-mac-m1-spinn...

[wlym]

This is unacceptable for expensive professional software.

Brand new M4 Pro MacBook Pro, 48GB RAM, fresh install of Adobe InDesign, simple documents, and IT LAGS like I'm running it on a 10 year old machine. Resetting preferences did zero (except require me to set up the panels again). Thanks for nothing Adobe.

[Dave Creamer of IDEAS]

I'm sure it on the InDesign's team top priority. If it was a simple fix, it would be out by now.

Here's what I know:

It seems to be restricted to Macs.

It seems to be restricted to the new Mac M chips.

It seems to be restricted to ID 2025.

It may or not be restricted to the latest Mac OS.

(Lastly, on more of a minor point, the third-party app Magnet causes a lot of problems.)

[davecourtemanche]

I'm on a pre M chip iMac Pro and it's happening to me, so not necessarily that.

[Dave Creamer of IDEAS]

I'm on a pre M chip iMac Pro and it's happening to me, so not necessarily that.

By @davecourtemanche

Interesting. Just to confirm, you are on an Intel chip? What OS are you using? (And did you check for the Magnet app?)

[davecourtemanche]

iMac Pro / 3.2 GHz 8-Core Intel Xeon W

OS Sequoia 15.2

No Magnet app

[Dave Creamer of IDEAS]

That was one of the items listed. I suspect the problem is a combination of multiple items--possibly ID and the OS?

[davecourtemanche]

I just wanted to add clarity on this statement:

It seems to be restricted to the new Mac M chips.

I had posted on this thread (or another??) that I notice a drag when utilizing the span/split feature of Para Styles. I remember that being a bug in previous versions. Also, when opening a doc with missing fonts, then going to Extensis to launch fonts, coming back to ID after fonts are activated, big drag (not always, but often). Restarting ID will end the drag.

[rabbes60705312]

I have a M1 and a Mac Pro (2019) Problems are the same on the Mac Pro.

[AMgraphic219]

Same here, not able to use 2025. I am going back to 2024. All I get is a spinning rainbow. My computer is new.

[meady1001]

Reporting this in, too. On my M1 Max Studio with 64gb Ram the 2025 version runs like a dog. Incredibly laggy compared to the 2024 release.

[nanned1277822]

Are we just sharing this since november 2024? Is there somebody Adobe reading this? I can't imagine this can't be fixed in 2/3 months. It's not freeware! We are paying customers and Adobe is just ignoring their customers!

[pabloporta]

Right! I have seen at least three recent updates for Illustrator and Photoshop and none for InDesign! How is this possible? Adobe, fix the problem! The solution can't be rolling back to the 2024 version! 

[ignite_mike]

I am not sure why this is marked as Solved as it is not. I have an iMac with 32gb ram, running on Sequoia. I recently did a complete reformat over the Christmas holidays and reinstalled all the software. I have been experiencing all the same issues as others have noted. Extremely slow and laggy. Every time I click to do something I have to wait 2-5 seconds for the spinning wheel to "think" until it lets me do anything. Completely unusable. 

I tried all of the suggestions in this thread, including disabling font previews, pre-flight etc, and resetting the prefs. The preferences reset seems to help, but only for a short time. Within minutes the issue returns.

I have given up and returned to InDesign 2024. This meant saving .idml files for all documents I had already created in 2025 so they would be backward compatible. 2024 is running flawlessly, so the issue is clearly with 2025. 

Adobe, please fix this!!

[Dave Creamer of IDEAS]

I believe that when it was marked correct (at least Barb Binder's reply), the OP stated that it worked. Later on, the OP said it got better but the problem started up again but by then it was already marked. The only "correct" answer at the time of this post, is to revert back to 2024.

[e__z]

An update was available today, and it’s now running significantly faster. Switching between the various Adobe programs also feels much snappier to me.

[Bigwig]

I'm not seeing that yet. What is the new version number? 

[leo.r]

I'm not seeing that yet. What is the new version number? 

By @Bigwig

not released in all countries yet, you may need to wait a few days (or less).

[e__z]

The version number is 20.1, and it appeared for the first time for me today (Switzerland). It feels like night and day. Hopefully, this won’t change over time due to some cache-related issues.