InDesign not working past launch

[jana_4255]

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Assistance Needed: Persistent Issue with InDesign (Versions 19.5.1 and 20)

Dear Adobe Community,

I’m reaching out for assistance with a persistent issue we’re experiencing with Adobe InDesign on our system. We’ve tried several troubleshooting steps but haven’t been able to resolve the problem.

Here are the details:

• InDesign versions tested: 19.5.1 and 20
• System: Dell Precision 3580 running Windows Enterprise, version 23H2

Troubleshooting steps already attempted:

1. Running InDesign in safe mode
2. Reinstalling the application completely
3. Using compatibility mode (Windows 7 and Windows 8)
4. Trying multiple versions of the software (19.5.1 and 20)

Despite these efforts, the issue persists. I’d appreciate any guidance or suggestions to help identify the root cause or resolve the problem.

If any additional details about the error or system configuration would be helpful, I’m happy to provide them.

Thank you in advance for your time and support!

Best regards,
jana

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

Have you tried the Nuclear Option: 

https://community.adobe.com/t5/indesign-discussions/reset-indesign-preferences-and-other-troubleshoo... 

[Manan Joshi]

Hi @jana_4255,

What exactly is the problem that you are facing? In the screenshot you added I see the touch interface active is that a problem?

-Manan

[jana_4255]

No, even before clearing preferences during uninstall it was the same, it frozes the sreen on opening, and you have to exit the program only by task manager, to kill the process, otherwise it will be stuck like that forever.

[jana_4255]

Sometimes it opens a file, but it stucks the screen again and you can't do anytning. and again for exit trough task manager.

[BobLevine]

Does your computer have a touch screen? Have you tried changing the workspace before opening a file?

[jana_4255]

You can't get to there, it's stuck right after opening and it's unresponssive. 

[J E L]

@jana_4255, I'm curious to know how much system memory you have (e.g., 16 GB) and how much storage space you have available on your Precision 3580 (e.g., 256 GB solid state drive). Is the InDesign app installed and running locally on your computer with Window Enterprise, or is it only a virtualized environment? For optimal performance, it is recommended to save InDesign files locally rather than on network drives or removable media.

[jana_4255]

1TB SSD, and 16GB RAM, and I save the files localy on the SSD.

[J E L]

Okay, sounds good. Thanks for letting us know. With 16GB, make sure you aren't running any other programs or apps that take a lot of resources at the same time. Let us know if you are still crashing. You can try rolling back to an earlier version if you were stable using it before.

[jana_4255]

I'm sorry it was 32GB RAM.

And also I tried with diferent versions, even beta. Nothing worked.

It was solved by opening other user. It was probably issue with the user account.

The main question is why only In Design wasn't working, everything else was ok.

[Abhishek Rao]

Hi @jana_4255,

Thanks for the details!

Is this issue persistent, or does it happen intermittently? Also, does the application start and then not respond, or does it crash and trigger the crash reporter? 

It would be helpful if you could share a screen recording demonstrating the issue. In the provided screenshot, we can see that InDesign is on the Touch workspace, but a video would give us a clearer idea of what’s happening. This way, we can guide you more effectively.

Looking forward to your response!

Best,  
Abhishek

[jana_4255]

It was solved by opening other user. It was probably issue with the user account.

The main question is why only In Design wasn't working, everything else was ok.

[Abhishek Rao]

Hi @jana_4255,

Glad switching user accounts resolved the issue! The problem could have been due to several factors, such as:

Corrupt User Profile-Specific Data, User Account Permissions, Conflicts with Other Software, Corrupted User Profile, Missing or Damaged Files, Application Licensing or Activation Issues, User-Specific Configuration Issues (Custom plugins, fonts, or workspace settings could have caused problems.), Network and Storage(Issues with network drives or external storage might have contributed to the problem.), Third-Party Software Integration, Malware or Unwanted Software(Malware targeting your user profile might have interfered with InDesign.), etc

For future stability, ensure your account has full permissions for the Adobe folders in:

• C:\Users[YourUsername]\AppData\Roaming\Adobe
• C:\Users[YourUsername]\AppData\Local\Adobe

Let me know if you need further help!

Best,
Abhishek