Indesign not remembering window size (Again)

[garethirwin1234]

This seems to be a perennial issue for indesign. When I open the app it opens as large as the screen every time. Then I resize it and sure enough on relaunch its back to full screen. Its not world ending but its super annoying and appeared on the 2022 release.

Please fix it.

Also when is spell check that thing on computers since 1990 coming to this forum?

[callme.pads]

Fixed it - super simple but annoying.

With Indesign open - click on the Indesign app icon from the dock of the screen indesign is currently on.

This lets the computer and its apps know that screen is the "active/selected" screen. (this is the same as when you use command+tab app switcher but it only appears on one "active/selected" screen)

Now open Indesign, go full screen, and then exit full screen.

Resize your screen or double click on the top of the app window next to the app name to force full screen and try again. 

Should work now.

[James ONeill]

I can't follow this. InDesign doesn't seem to have a Full Screen option. And what does "top of the app window next to the app name" mean? The only app name I see is on the menu bar. Sorry, I'm very confused.

[PacoD]

@James ONeill 

Hi;

Callme.pads's directions are a bit tricky for me to understand, too, but I think I figured them out. I believe "full Screen" is to maximize the working window, which will do so to whatever size of monitor InDCC is launched on.

Attached is my PC's desktop showing InDCC in all its glory, hoping it might help understand. In any event, the instructions did not help correct the issue, at least for me.

Below is how InDCC currently is choosing to launch—notice the working window's placement, which varies with each launch; sometimes it takes up the whole monitor, sometimes it's very small, always in a random location on the monitor—in every case, I have to manually resize the working window to my preference/comfort.

[HSDA]

It's 2024 and this bug is still "bugging", my solution is primitive but it works for me, I resize indesign as a whole, quit, then re-open it, try the shift+w (presentation preview), and go back, if it shrinks then, I repeat quitting, resizing, quitting again, trying it out.
It usually takes a few times but it works then 😄

[HARSHIKA_VERMA]

Hi All,

We understand your frustration and agree it's a long-pending issue. We've an active conversation about this issue on this post: https://adobe.ly/3Yzy2zY.

We want to inform you that we have logged a new bug for this issue, as mentioned in the post. We are actively working with the team to fix the issue on priority.

Meanwhile, we would request you to please upvote this UserVoice page: https://adobe.ly/3YHHAca for better tracking of upvotes and more visibility.

We are sorry for the inconvenience.

Thanks,

Harshika

[James ONeill]

I don't understand why this should take literally a decade to fix. It WORKED in the FIRST version of InDesign and kept working until Creative Suite 4 or so. Was this maybe something that only worked in Carbon?

[PacoD]

@HARSHIKA_VERMA 

Hi;
The issue to which you refer to (and provided link) as having an "active conversation"—"InDesign minimizing window after exiting preview mode"—is entirely different from the issue addressed in this discussion.

This discussion is about InDCC not remembering the size of the working window from its last launch, and opening to a random size on next launch—the working window would open to occupy the entire size of the montitor it's launched on -or- any random size and location within the monitor it's launched  on ...which is what happens to me.

No matter how many or what forum fixes I apply, no matter how many times I save a workspace ('New workspace') whether new or overwriting an existing workspace, the working window will always open, at InDCC's launch, to a random size/placement within my PC's monitor.

[PacoD]

Hi;

Today is April 24, 2025 ... and Adobe has not been able to solve the issue. I have tried plenty suggestions, but without resolution. The only "solution" to the issue is to pin InD to my PC's taskbar and never "quit" (close) it, but rather minimize it—this way my workspace settings will always remain and the working window will keep its size/location.

[Randy Hagan]

Hey, for what it's worth, my Outlook 365 application window can't remember size in my Windows 11 install either. Nor can it consistently remember its own File Manager window size either.

Methinks you may be goring the wrong ox here. Jus' sayin'

Randy

[James ONeill]

I think Adobe and Microsoft are both stuck on a PHONE paradigm, where ALL windows take up the whole screen. Also desktop users will pay the subscription fee and live with it. There's no need to "win them over" since all meaningful competition is gone.

[SteveClayton]

Almost 5 YEARS later and this issue still persists. Maybe the developers could try talking a little faster during Adobe's "active conversation about this issue".

[PacoD]

Fact is that solving the annoying issue of the working window has never been and will never be anywhere near a priority— instead, we are bombarded with endless "improvements" to PsCC .. 🙄

[Abhishek Rao]

Hi @SteveClayton & @PacoD,

Sorry to hear that you are running into this issue. I completely understand how frustrating it is to deal with this window sizing issue.

Could you please confirm the exact version of InDesign you are using and the details of your operating system? If you are on any version earlier than 20.2, I recommend updating to at least 20.2 or preferably the latest 20.5 release to see if that helps.

Also, are you working with an external monitor when you notice this behavior? If possible, please share a short screen recording demonstrating the issue so we can check it further with the team.

If the problem continues even after updating, please try testing it in your system's safe mode to rule out any interference from third‑party desktop management or display utilities. References:
Windows: https://adobe.ly/45s91tD
macOS: https://adobe.ly/4mhkq54

Once you try these steps, let me know how it goes.

I'll be watching for your update.

Abhishek

[PacoD]

Hello, Abhishek;

The issue with InD's working window has been going on for y-e-a-r-s. I've been a Creative Cloud subscriber for y-e-a-r-s and always keep up-to-date with the latest version of the apps I use on a daily basis—Ps, Ai and InD, in my case.

I've no idea what you mean by "external monitor". I have an assembled PC (components purchased separately) that's worked perfectly for y-e-a-r-s (once top-of-the-line), but as is usual with technology, it's now considered "old and obsolete" and will (very) soon be replaced with a 2025 model. 

I have read about other users' complaints about the same issue ... all having different set-ups, brands and PCs ... but all suffering the same annoyance ... so, it might seem that the problem does not lie on the user's side. Having said that, I have no interest in further looking "under the hood" in search of probable cause for InD's quirky behaviour that Adobe is sure to be well aware of. However, thank you for your interest in resolving an old and tired issue.

[James ONeill]

I have a suggestion: open InDesign on a Mac, open a document, resize it to be about half the size of the screen. Then quit InDesign, relaunch, and reopen that document. Does it fill the screen again? Then welcome to our world. If it doesn't, then you have some kind of magic setup, because everybody else can not get it to behave. And it used to work correctly back in the old CS days. Not a major problem, but seems like such low-hanging fruit, Adobe should take the 2 hours to fix it.

[belinda_3649]

I am using INDD 21.0.1 and has just started happening to me for the first time ever. I'm on an iMac. It is so annoying. it's happening in Photoshop 27.0.0 too!

[Anubhav M]

Hello @belinda_3649,

I'm sorry to hear you're having similar trouble with InDesign and Photoshop. Would you mind trying the suggestions shared earlier and let us know if they help?

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Anubhav

[James ONeill]

What's funny is they keep saying to "upgrade" or "update" and seem genuinely confused, as if it isn't also happening on their systems. Do they even USE their own products? Or are they just trying to get a rise out of users?