Hello, is anyone able to use InDesign now ? I am experiencing a severe issue with InDesign where files are reported as corrupted, and I am unable to save them under any circumstances. When opening an older file, InDesign initially reported that some image links were missing. I relinked and updated all the images. After updating the images, the file suddenly started showing as corrupted. Attempts to repair the file failed, and I could not save the file. To troubleshoot, I tried creating a completely new document. Even in a brand new file, as soon as I add a colour block to the parent page, InDesign immediately reports that the file is corrupted and will not allow saving (while it's a brand new file ?!) I have tried multiple versions of InDesign, including 2025 and 2026/21.1, and also reinstalled the software and reset preferences, disabled GPU preferences, but the issue persists. Every time I attempt to add a certain colour block, the file becomes unsavable. I tried to open all of my previous files with InDesign (which were all perfectly fine BEFORE), now they ALL suddenly show as "corrupted". Has anyone encountered a similar problem? Is there a known workaround for this bug or a solution? Please help, I am a startup art business and all my proposals, business plans, and invitations to clients are all based on InDesign. Thank you. <Title renamed by MOD>

Question

InDesign files corrupted and unable to save after Windows 11 update KB5074109 (January 2026)

Forum|Forum|4 months ago
January 14, 2026
87 replies
47570 views

Hello, is anyone able to use InDesign now ?

I am experiencing a severe issue with InDesign where files are reported as corrupted, and I am unable to save them under any circumstances.

When opening an older file, InDesign initially reported that some image links were missing. I relinked and updated all the images.
After updating the images, the file suddenly started showing as corrupted. Attempts to repair the file failed, and I could not save the file.
To troubleshoot, I tried creating a completely new document. Even in a brand new file, as soon as I add a colour block to the parent page, InDesign immediately reports that the file is corrupted and will not allow saving (while it's a brand new file ?!)
I have tried multiple versions of InDesign, including 2025 and 2026/21.1, and also reinstalled the software and reset preferences, disabled GPU preferences, but the issue persists.
Every time I attempt to add a certain colour block, the file becomes unsavable. I tried to open all of my previous files with InDesign (which were all perfectly fine BEFORE), now they ALL suddenly show as "corrupted".

Has anyone encountered a similar problem? Is there a known workaround for this bug or a solution? Please help, I am a startup art business and all my proposals, business plans, and invitations to clients are all based on InDesign. Thank you.

Show previous replies

katinac13237708

I do not have an option to uninstall the Windows update (I have rolled these back before, but the option does no exist for this one). I installed the pre-release of InDesign as suggested, and continued to get the error when trying to save to my Dropbox folder.

Abhishek Rao

Community Manager

Hi everyone,

Thanks for reporting this and for sharing detailed examples.

We've been able to confirm that this issue occurs after the Microsoft Windows security updates released on January 13, 2026 (KB5074109 on Windows 11 and KB5073724 on Windows 10). After installing these updates, InDesign may show Error 2, fail to save files, or crash during the save process. This can happen with both newly created documents and files originally edited on macOS, and is more commonly seen when working in cloud-synced folders such as OneDrive or Dropbox.

The issue has been successfully reproduced and is currently under investigation by the InDesign team. You can track progress and add your vote or details on the related UserVoice thread here:
https://adobe.ly/4qUhzkS

Temporary workaround:

Uninstall the affected Windows update (KB5074109 / KB5073724), which multiple users have confirmed restores normal save behavior
Alternatively, save and work from a local (non-cloud-synced) folder until the issue is resolved

We'll continue to share updates in this thread as more information becomes available.

Thank you for your patience and for helping us investigate this further.

Abhishek

A

Angie Wolfe

Microsoft won't let me uninstall this update. Any other work arounds?

G

Gabriele_Sonnberger7006

Me, too! Did you solve the problem? Or have we to wait for a new update? I'm a little desperate of this ...

A

Anonymous

For me solves, when start working, open Copy of document (InDesign 21.0)

leo.r

Community Expert

For me solves, when start working, open Copy of document (InDesign 21.0)
By @40822452

If you experience this widespread issue in Windows, then you need to uninstall a recent Windows update:

https://community.adobe.com/t5/indesign-discussions/indesign-files-corrupted-and-unable-to-save-after-windows-11-update-kb5074109-january-2026/m-p/15667809/page/6#M647738

(If you indeed report the same issue and your solution helps, then it's also good info to know.)

A

Anonymous

Thanks, leo.r! Me also have no permission to something uninstall. Maybe after some time IT specialist can help....

davidl75906951

Hi, I just wanted to confirm that InDesign Pre-release build 21.2.0.27 does not resolve this problem (Windows 11 Pro x64).

Some details:

Confirmed that KB5074109 had automatically installed into my Windows 11 a few days ago.
Windows did not allow me to revert.
One work-around I discovered was that disabling OneDrive or copying the file over and running loading/saving the file on a standard local drive worked (e.g. C:\temp), after finishing I would copy back to the OneDrive folder and restart OneDrive to sync for colleagues
I enrolled in the Pre-release program for InDesign, however it took about 6-8 hours for the application to populate in Creative Cloud which I was then able to install (build 21.2.0.27)
Using 21.2.0.27 it seemed to work initially, but on further testing - it failed to save, and InDesign completely crashed and had to kill the task from Task Manager.
I'll have to go back to running off C:\temp using 21.1 - that was more stable at least, until this is resolved with another build.

Thanks,

L

LottevdNoortNL

Participant

Hello, I have a big problem and I can't solve it...

Since a few days ago, InDesign keeps telling me I can not save my files anymore because the files are broken or corrupt (error code 2).

It's not only 1 or 2 files, but every file I am making from now on. I've tried re installing InDesign and Adobe Cloud, but nothing seems to work.

If I save as an IMDL it works for like 5 minutes, after that, InDesign keeps giving me the same error. What can I do to solve this?

Abhishek Rao

Community Manager

Hi @LottevdNoortNL,

Thanks for sharing the details, and sorry to hear about the trouble you’re facing. Could you please confirm your OS version and, if you're on Windows, let us know whether any recent system updates were installed? Also, please review this related thread and let us know if the behavior you're experiencing matches what's described there:
https://adobe.ly/49Hi8rh

If it's the same issue, this is a known problem and is currently being worked on. If it's not similar, please share more details so we can look into it further.

Looking forward to your update.
Abhishek

L

LottevdNoortNL

Participant

Hi there!

Thanks so much for you reply. I've read the topic you just send me and I have the exact same issue! Indeed, an update from windows happened and since then, I got this problem.

For me it's solved (for now) to save the InDesign file on my C-drive. I prefer not to do that actually, because of workspace, but for now it's working.

I will wait for the update in the other topic. I can't turn around the windows update so I guess for now I have to deal with it. Glad I am not the only one!

C

chaimm14507597

Same Indesign problem, not saving the files, and giving error message that files are damaged. What I have determined is that the files are being saved in a synched Dropbox folder. And that is the new problem. Indesign does not save a file in the process of being synched to Dropbox. So I moved the file out of the Dropbox folder, and now the files are saving correctly. The new problem is to resolve working with a different Dropbox style service.

kyles85970985

I did NOT do the Windows Update and I'm getting this issue. Worked on January 17 at night, today I can't save the file I use every week at work. I've tried saving it as different names ... copying and pasting into a new document. I uninstalled InDesign and re-installed.

P

Paul22519508f4zv

Participating Frequently

experiencing the same issue.

B

Blaaze

I posted this in another thread. I am having the same issues as everyone else.
Could not complete your request of a database error
The file "DBTmp3912245282959093" is damaged (Error Code 2).
I saw in another discucssion post that they repaired the "Repair the C++ Redistributables" Would this work? Unfortunarly I'm on a work laytop and do not have admin right to perform this.

A

argbanks1

A (tempotary) fix that does't require Microsoft or Adobe to do anything:

I traced my issue back to Dropbox syncing, though it may apply to other backup apps like OneDrive, etc.

- When Dropbox was running, saving files to my local Dropbox folder would produce the file error message in InDesign.
- When I tried saving files to a different local folder, like Downloads, it saved fine.
- When I shut down Dropbox (then) shut down and restart InDesign, I was able to save to my local Dropbox folder without errors
- Once I was done working, I re-starrted Dropbox and files synced as expected.

My hope is that Adobe/Microsoft/Dropbox/whoever fixes the issue soon, however in the short term this got me back up and working again.

This fix worked for someone else in this thread as well, and I hope this helps you!

SiberianSiren5

Known Participant

Any resolution yet? I have tried all suggested fixes, but haven't found anything that works. Rolling back to previous version did not work. I am now trying the 20.0 version that was suggested. UPDATE: version 20 has same issue. I followed instructions for rolling back the Windows security update KB5074109 (Start/Windows Updates/Update History/Uninstall Updates) and now everything works fine.

P

Paul22519508f4zv

Participating Frequently

Discovered a workaround on this, thanks to the help of our support company Air IT Group. On opening the file, make a change in the document (e.g add a cyan square to pasteboard), rather than 'save', click 'save as' and save as over the existing file name > then close the file > reopen the file again and 'save' function should now work without falling over, erroring or crashing out. Each time you open it for the first time, you'll need to do the 'save as' each time over existing file name for it to work. It's a frustrating workaround but at least you'll be able to work on the documents.

W

WhitmyreArt

Participating Frequently

Doesn't work for me. It worked once, then when I tried it again, all the 'damaged' errors occurred again.

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