InDesign file either gone or lost

Report · May 12, 2025

Hello,

I am having an embarrassing issue: an InDesign document has just vanished from my files.

All I have left is the PDF created on March 12, 2025, in InDesign 20.2, as stated in the "Get Info" dialog in macOS.

The filename is as I would expect and I usually—if not always—export PDF from InDesign using the same filename as the INDD.

An initial search for the InDesign document showed it missing from the usual places where I would have saved it. Setting a Finder search window to filter for ALL .indd on my system returned no result for this document. Plugging in the TimeMachine backup and browsing in it again returned no result.

I thought about having used the InDesign cloud documents for this but going to File > Open has "Cloud documents" greyed out. Logging into my Creative Cloud page and looking for the file there again left me lost.

What are my realistic options?

I tried to import the PDF into InDesign directly but ... it's complicated.

Report · May 12, 2025

Stop Everything
Don’t save, write, or download anything new onto the drive.

Check the Bin (if you haven't already)
If the file was accidentally deleted or lost due to disk corruption, the space it occupied might still be recoverable unless overwritten.

Double-check the Usual Human Errors
Check Downloads, Desktop, Documents and obscure folders.

Use Spotlight properly: in Finder use kind:indd in the search bar,

Check Recent Files inside InDesign (File > Open Recent)

Review the PDF’s "Get Info" again and look at the file path hint if it exists.

Check for temp files in InDesign recovery folders, although since the file was exported as a PDF, InDesign might have cleaned up those autosave temp files already.

File Recovery Software (Third-Party)
Try disk recovery tools immediately.
Disk Drill

Data Rescue 6

EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard

These can scan the disk at block level and may find deleted INDD files.

Newer versions and Beta Version InDesign can convert PDF to InDesign - you could download the Beta and give it a go.

Maybe PDF2ID (Recosoft plugin for InDesign)

It's expensive but does a better job than trying to copy and paste or import PDFs.

Use Acrobat Pro to extract the elements

Even the best PDF conversion will need manual fixing, style rebuilding, and checking. It’s still less painful than starting from zero, though.

Truth be told
Backup regularly - save versions of files, don't overwrite old files, and version them into folders.

Set up a proper local AND cloud backup (Time Machine isn't foolproof alone).

Make sure Save As copies go to known locations

Report · May 12, 2025

Thank you very much for chiming in so quickly.

I think the main issue here is that I worked on this file back in March (sorry, I wrote May above, I will rectify that) and then never again until now.

The Bin's 30 days are now well passed. Even CCC (Carbon Copy Cloner)'s 60 days retention has no trace of it (we are still within that window). It is nowhere to be found if (read below) it ever existed as a saved file.

I searched using kind:indd in Spotlight, in the two local backups (physical) I have and in the two cloud backups. No trace of that file, not even a shadow.

I am starting to think that, in the mindlessness of the moment, I may have created the file in one session and not saved it. Highly unlikely, but I currently see no other explanation. The project, which uses both PDF, SIB, INDD, JPEG files, is all in a specific folder in iCloud, with specific local backup to a folder where I keep ... drumroll ... all Adobe files! It's not there...

It's all truly frustrating but I need to move on.

Report · May 12, 2025

Try newest version of InDesign - or download the lastet Beta Version of Indesign - might be able to open the PDF directly in InDesign.

And then you're on to 3rd party tools.

If there's only minor edits you might be able to make them directly in the PDF - are you ok with making advanced edits in Acrobat Pro? I can talk you through it.

I've been in situation before where all that's supplied is a PDF to make edits.

And in the past i've used MultipPage importer https://community.adobe.com/t5/indesign-discussions/importing-multipage-pdf-indesign/m-p/13096715

Navigate to the page with the change - overlay the change on top of what's there (for consistency)

Then you can open the PDF on certain pages - remove the content from the PDF

Update the link - so those parts that were in the PDF are now gone and all that's left is the new InDEsign content.

Means you don't have to do a complete rebuild.

Report · May 12, 2025

I'm on the latest InDesign. The file was a mix of text and of imported PDFs so I also tried to split the original PDF into smaller sections and import them one by one. It was kind of working but not ideal so, in the last 2 hours, I have rebuilt the whole thing and saved it locally. I will also try again to save a copy to InDesign Cloud Documents (where I feel I may have saved this back in March) to see if it shows up this time.

I am moderately comfortable with Acrobat Pro, but thank you anyway for your offer.

Now I should be set up, hoping things like this —be they user or machine error— do not happen again.

Report · May 12, 2025

I'm on the latest InDesign.
By @Inélsòre

Just in case:

@Eugene Tyson was referring to the latest Beta version of InDesign, which allows you to open PDFs in InDesign (that is, convert PDFs into editable InDesign files).

Report · May 12, 2025

I'm not sure if I have anything special turned on somewhere in my Creative Cloud app but, while I am on the 20.3.1 version (latest stable, correct?), I still get popups about "Convert PDF into InDesign (beta)" every time I open or place a PDF. When, earlier this morning, I tried to do just what you both suggested, InDesign duly complied and did its best to convert the file.

I'm sure that, with more standard files (text-images, no music notation) it would do a much better job!

Report · May 12, 2025

am on the 20.3.1 version (latest stable, correct?), I still get popups about "Convert PDF into InDesign
By @Inélsòre

Actually, you're right. I forgot that the "convert PDF" feature is now in the released version already (even if in its beta form yet). So indeed you don't need a beta version of InDesign.

Report · May 12, 2025

You don't need the INDesign Beta version - but sometimes the new releases have new upgraded features - so it's worth exploring or keeping your eye on.

Report · May 15, 2025

going to File > Open has "Cloud documents" greyed out
By @Inélsòre

Not really related to your problem, but it's a bug that should be addressed in the next update. Just in case someone stumbles upon this.