Indesign Save & Save as windows do not work

[cenek_4046]

Hi, I'm on the latest Indesign version (21.0) and my Save and Save as dialog windows are blank. It started last week, before that I did not have this problem. I am using a work-around as Save a copy window works. 

I already tried setting preferences to the old dialog window, deleting caches and force restarting Indesign. So far to no avail. Adding a screenshot of the Save dialog window. 

[Eugene Tyson]

Try resetting your preferences:

InDesign 19.3 and newer go to Preferences > General > and click on "Reset Preferences on Quit" and then quit and restart.

Or
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.



More in-depth cleanse of preferences

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

[cenek_4046]

Unfortunately did not work. But thank you for your answer.

[Anubhav M]

Hello @cenek_4046,

I'm sorry to hear the suggestions did not help. Would you mind trying the following steps and checking if they help:

- Close all Adobe applications.

- Rename the UXP folder to UXP.old from the following location:

(Windows) Navigate to C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\UXP

(macOS) Navigate to Macintosh HD/Library/Application Support/Adobe/UXP

- Relaunch InDesign

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Anubhav

[cenek_4046]

Thank you, I tried it, but to no luck. The dialog window is still not working. I am on a Windows PC.

[Eugene Tyson · Accepted solution]

Can you start in safe mode and see if the problem persists?
If it's ok in Safe Mode - reboot normally - then open Task Manager and turn off applications one by one to see what's causing it.

[cenek_4046]

I am not able to restart the PC in a safe mode, as I dont have the rights to do so.

[Eugene Tyson]

Is there any IT person who can help you with this? 
It might be a permissions issue, and if you don't have the admin rights to make changes it could be tricky.

[cenek_4046]

Yes, its definitely a permission issue, as I am just a user, not administrator. There are currently no IT technicians on my site.

[plykmadsen_6382]

At least I get an option to download my file. Although I only get a thumbnail downloaded. Seems to me that their entire backend is reeling. And I did a brand new install on a new computer too. Exactly the same problem. I suspect interns are running the show.....

[Peter Spier]

At what point do you see this? When opening the File Menu, or after Clicking on the Save As command?

[cenek_4046]

After clicking on the Save (as) option from the menu.

[Peter Spier]

So this is really Windows explorer, not InDesign, that is creating the dialog. I wonder if this isn't another manifestation of the need to rebuild the Microsoft Visual C++ libraries after installing version 21. 

That will definitely need an Admin ...

[cenek_4046]

I tried reinstalling Indesign, yet the problem persists.

[Eugene Tyson]

It's still not clear exactly what steps you've taken so far. You mentioned you tried the steps I suggested earlier, but later you said you reinstalled InDesign it’s not clear whether that was a full clean reinstall using the Creative Cloud Cleaner Tool, or just a standard uninstall/reinstall through Windows or Creative Cloud.

The reason it matters is that a normal reinstall does not remove all the underlying files, preferences, caches, and system components that might be causing this issue.

The Creative Cloud Cleaner Tool performs a complete removal, which is often required when dialog windows or OS-level components are not responding correctly.

Before going further, can we take a step back and clarify exactly what you’ve done?

1. Did you use the Creative Cloud Cleaner Tool as linked earlier?
2. Did you rename/delete the UXP folder?
3. Did you reset InDesign preferences at launch (using the keyboard shortcut), or only through the menu?
4. Have you been able to confirm with IT whether you have permissions to rebuild or update Visual C++ libraries?

Clear answers to those will help us narrow down what’s actually happening and what we can try next.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

About the Microsoft Visual C++ libraries

InDesign 21 relies on a set of Windows system components called Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributables.

If these libraries are missing, corrupted, or not updated properly, Windows system dialogs (including the Save/Save As file explorer dialog) can fail to render or appear blank which is exactly the symptom you're seeing.

This is not an InDesign-specific window; it’s Windows File Explorer being triggered through InDesign.

Because your account does not have administrator rights, you cannot repair or reinstall these libraries yourself.

Here’s what needs to be done (your IT must perform these steps):

1. Uninstall all existing Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable packages
   (both x64 and x86 versions, from 2008 → 2022)
   via Control Panel → Programs & Features.
2. Restart the computer.
3. Reinstall the latest supported Visual C++ redistributables from Microsoft:

   Search for:
   “Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable Latest Supported Downloads”
   (It’s an official Microsoft page.)
   Install both:

   • vc_redist.x64.exe

   • vc_redist.x86.exe

4. Restart again and then launch InDesign.

This rebuilds the Windows runtime libraries that InDesign depends on for UI dialogs.
Adobe staff and several users have confirmed that this fixes blank file dialogs after updating to 21.0.

Because this requires system-level changes, you'll need an admin or IT technician to do it.

[plykmadsen_6382]

Why would this be necessary. Aren't they supposed to make something that works out of the box? I did a clean install on a new computer. Same issue.

 Even went from W10 to W11. Exactly the same problem. Exactly!

[cenek_4046 · Accepted solution]

Thanks everyone for advices.

I got onsite IT support here. They reinstalled the C++ redistributables, which did not help.

But then they started the Windows in a Safe mode, as Eugene suggested earlier (hold shift while clicking on a restart button in a Start menu, then  Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings) started Indesign, then restarted the computer normally and it started working. Hope it helps.

[Eugene Tyson]

Every system is its own strange little universe. One user has a clean install, another has a library of apps that all try to talk at the same time. You have different drivers, graphics cards, antivirus software, VPNs, permissions settings, colour profiles, old registry bits still lurking about, hardware quirks, system policies, cloud sync tools, font managers, background services, network rules, company security tools, OS updates that did not install quite right, and even firmware versions that behave differently.

On paper Adobe should behave the same everywhere. In reality it ends up like building a house on twenty different kinds of soil. Sometimes it stands tall. Sometimes the floorboards squeak.

[Marco5E36]

Problem is that the Application Indesign is trying to connect to the Adobe Cloud. In our Case the Cloud is disabled and blocked by our firewall. When i try to do the same steps from outside of our network i have no problems

[leo.r]

Problem is that the Application Indesign is trying to connect to the Adobe Cloud. In our Case the Cloud is disabled and blocked by our firewall.

By @Marco5E36

Is there a particular reason your IT department can't allow connection to Creative Cloud?

[Marco5E36]

No, we have a very restricted network. So the only chance is to give indesign a path in the registry or ini (if exists)

[leo.r]

No, we have a very restricted network. So the only chance is to give indesign a path in the registry or ini (if exists)

By @Marco5E36

Does it mean that you're running some kind of special edition of InDesign that can function without ever being able to connect to Creative Cloud servers?

[Marco5E36]

we use the latest version of indesign 21.0.1 

[leo.r]

we use the latest version of indesign 21.0.1 

By @Marco5E36

If you are running a regular version of InDesign, then you do have an active connection to Creative Cloud servers because otherwise InDesign wouldn't function.

[Marco5E36]

we have access to the internet via a proxy configuration, but the software indesign is trying to connect directly to adobe