Participant

Question

InDesign operating unbelievably slow on MacBook Pro running on M1 chip

Forum|Forum|4 years ago
December 4, 2021
8 replies
6577 views

I continuously run into the same issue of InDesign running poorly on my 2020 M1 MacBook Pro. My device has 8 GB RAM and a 500 GB storage. I am running the most recent 17.0.1 update of InDesign. No matter the document size or complexity, I get the spinning wheel every few seconds, that lasts for 5–10 seconds at a time, and it is nearly impossible to work with. I have tried turning off my Preflight panel, turning off the GPU performance, operating on typical display rather than high-quality display, and closing out every other program in the meantime, and nothing works. I have dealt with this issue since I first got my MacBook earlier in 2021, and greatly anticipated an Apple Silicon native version of InDesign to come out, but was greatly disappointed to find that I still have the same issues despite having the newest version. I have seen many other users report having similar issues, but I am at a loss as to why this is still an issue. Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

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JTREYES-SYCUAN

Participant

InDesign has been slow since Catalina, on the 2013 Mac Pro (128GB RAM, 2TB SSD, D700), a lot slower especially when dealing with the Text Took and slecting Text. Funny enough, InDesign was way faster on a 2012 Mac Pro, 1TB SSD, 64 GB RAM, RX580. I say slow down the updates and clean up the coding, get back to basics. Pardon the cursing: https://youtu.be/Ah8Iz2TW1UM

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Eugene Tyson

Community Expert

The problem is most certainly something on your Mac slowing it down. If if wasn't then the forum would be flooded with the same issue.

Try starting in safe mode and only launch InDesign and see if the issue remains.

Try a new user login.

Also some quick fixes

If a document is not behaving well then try

File>Export

Choose IDML

Open the IDML in InDesign
Save the file as a new InDesign file with a new name
See if the issue persists.

,.......

Try resetting your preferences:

Windows: Start InDesign, and then press Shift+Ctrl+Alt. Click Yes when asked if you want to delete preference files.
macOS: While pressing Shift+Option+Command+Control, start InDesign. Click Yes when asked if you want to delete preference files.
A dialog will appear asking to delete the InDesign Preferences, select 'Yes' on this dialog.
Further info and instructions here if needed:
https://helpx.adobe.com/in/indesign/kb/indesign-preferences-support-file-locations.html

.....

Reinstalling rarely fixes everything - you can do a complete reinstall using the
Creative Cloud Cleaner Tool https://helpx.adobe.com/creative-cloud/kb/cc-cleaner-tool-installation-problems.html

.....

Rollback to a previous InDeisgn version

https://helpx.adobe.com/download-install/using/install-previous-version.html#:~:text=Open%20the%20Creative%20Cloud%20desktop,down%20list%2C%20select%20Other%20Versions.

James Prout

Known Participant

I guess the loaded question to this thread is why should the enduser have to jump through all of these hoops in order for the InDesign software to work seamlessly on newer computers. Didn't the developers test this product on a variety of computers with different specs prior to releasing updates??

We bought an iMac 24-inch M1, 2021 w/ 16GB RAM to replace a 27-inch iMac which stopped working. Now my boss is complaining "why does it take 5 minutes to copy and paste a simple rectangle".

Running InDesign v. 19.0 for a large catalog which is due at the printers early December. At this rate it will be April!

Mast3r Gr3y

Participating Frequently

I have tested two brand new m1 Pro 16" with 16gb Ram and 1TB of SSD and had the same performance Issues. Both Indesign Versions were running slow. As if the gpu is not working properly.

I wiped the mac completely new and installed only indesign and onedrive and still had the same issue.

Of course the newest indesign Version...

Any help?

My Thinkpad P50 from 2015 or so is running smoother...

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reliable_Zenith5FA1

Participant

I am also having the same issue on a brand new M1 16inch Macbook Pro with 16GB Ram and 500GB storage. Really puzzling.

JMiddelhaufe

Participant

I've had a similar problem as well (MB Air M1, 16 GB, InDesign 16.4), spinning wheel/beach ball popping up all the time. What helped was ejecting my external (TimeMachine-)hard drive. Idk how that is connected to InDesign running badly, but it did help.

Also saving files on the internal disk as opposed to a server/NAS is a lot faster.

Frans v.d. Geest

Community Expert

I have an iMac M1 16gb/2TB, a MacMini iMac, same and a small MacBook Air, 8/512.

My InDesign really flies on all three.

So check for third party software, plug-ins, fonts, document corruption etc.
I have no speed problems, it is blazingly fast on all my three M1's...

Running the native M1 version, not under Rosetta.

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Jiaxuan5FE4

Participant

Same thing here. Today I used InDesign (17.0.1, the Apple Sillicon version) on my newly bought M1 Max MacBook 16 with 32GB RAM. The program was unbelievably sluggish. I got the project from my coworker, and it works smoothly on her 8gen i7 laptop with 16GB RAM and 1050 graphic card.

I mean, it's totally unacceptable. It almost ruined my day because we were working hard for a close deadline. I have to redesign everything in Illustrator and it took me more than 30 extra minutes (you see: 30 minutes, it's not a big project).

PLEASE check where is wrong about InDesign. I need to use it almost every week. I know you have done great jobs on Premiere Pro and Photoshop. So please fix this.

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Eugene Tyson

Community Expert

Incredible that all these errors are happening on Apple systems and nobody is going to Apple to get answers?

J

Jiaxuan5FE4

Participant

I think it's more about Adobe. Because: 1. most apps work fine. 2. other Adobe apps work fine.

J

jamesh54902546

Participant

Discovered the same problem here running InDesign 17.0.1 on a 2020 (M1) Macbook Pro, but all is well when using version 16.4.

Just in case you are not aware, the RAM isn't upgradeable in these MacBooks, but it is unlikely to be the issue, they generally out-perfom Intel-based machines with a lot more RAM.

Dave Creamer of IDEAS

Community Expert

Fully aware. I don't think Apple is doing enough to emphasize more RAM for power users regardless of how efficient the new systems are.

David Creamer: Community Expert (ACI and ACE 1995-2023)

BobLevine

Community Expert

Recommended minimum for RAM is 16GB. I wouldn't expect much at all with 8.

Frans v.d. Geest

Community Expert

Those numbers are different for the M1 Mac Bob, I have a 16 GB iMac M1 and MacMini and a 8 GB M1 Macbook Air. It really flies on all three. (Photshop however has some strange stalls...)

Dave Creamer of IDEAS

Community Expert

In my classes, I usually recommend 32 GB for ID/AI/PS work (16 minimum) and 64 GB if doing video (32 minimum). Unfortunately, Apple has always charged a premium for RAM when purchased with the computer. Apple is making it harder and harder to install RAM after purchase.

David Creamer: Community Expert (ACI and ACE 1995-2023)

Dave Creamer of IDEAS

Community Expert

Couple of questions:

Have you tried the v16 version that is M1 compatible? Does it have the same problem?

Check with your video card manufacturer and see if there is a driver update (Apple and Microsoft don't always update to the newest driver.)

Have you considered upgrading to more RAM? Eight is pretty low.

David Creamer: Community Expert (ACI and ACE 1995-2023)

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