InDesign Tools shortcut Keys Not Working

[Mike285024292f2u]

My Adobe InDesign shortcut keys no longer work! (very useful when toggling between Preview and Normal View, etc.) The shortcut keys do, however work fine in Photoshop. Uninstalled and reinstalled etc to no avail.

Also, is there a way to set the InDesign Default Workspace? I used to open InDesign all the time and it would open to my preferred Workspace (Advanced), but not it opens to what appears to by no workspace enabled )(not even essentials) meaning I need to go and select Advanced every time I open an ID document.

[Rishabh_Tiwari]

Hi @Mike285024292f2u ,

Sorry to hear that you're experiencing issues with InDesign shortcut keys and workspace. Here are some troubleshooting steps that you can try to resolve these issues:

For shortcut keys:

• Ensure that the shortcuts are still assigned in the Keyboard Shortcuts dialog box. Go to Edit > Keyboard Shortcuts to check.
• Reset your InDesign preferences. Press and hold down Shift + Ctrl + Alt (Windows) or Shift + Control + Option + Command (Mac OS) while InDesign is starting up. When prompted to delete InDesign preferences, click Yes.
• Check if there are any conflicting third-party keyboard shortcut programs that might interfere with InDesign's shortcut keys.

For workspace:

• Reset your InDesign preferences as mentioned above. This should reset your default workspace to "Essentials".
• Go to Window > Workspace > New Workspace to set your preferred workspace. Customize your preferred workspace and save it with a name of your choice. You can set this as your default workspace by going to Window > Workspace > Save Workspace as Default.

I hope this helps resolve your issues with InDesign. Let me know if you have any further questions. 

Thanks

Rishabh

[Mike285024292f2u]

Shortcuts are still assigned yes.
Because my shortcut keys are meesed up, Resetting the ID preferences with the Shift + Control + Option + Command (Mac OS) does nothing. actually ends up brining up my Office 365 Home page (no prompt comes up asking if I want to delete ID preferences)

[Mike285024292f2u]

ok this is odd - the Normal > Preview toggle works when I hold the W key AND the ESC key . . . 

[Eugene Tyson]

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

[Rishabh_Tiwari]

Hi,

I am just following up on this issue. Did the suggestions shared above help? Please feel free to update the discussion if you still need assistance.

Thanks
Rishabh

[Rishabh_Tiwari]

Thank you for trying. You can try restoring preferences by following the steps shared in the videos added here. Let us know if this helps or if you need further assistance.

[CATHRINE0101]

I'm having repeated issues with keyboard shortcuts not working in InDesgn - have tried all of the suggested fixes suggested by Rishabh but none of these work?

[starlight1013]

Hi, as of today, this is happening to me as well...

So far, I've tried every suggestion here and nothing has worked. Well, I didn't know what to do after this as there are no further insturctions:

• Ensure that the shortcuts are still assigned in the Keyboard Shortcuts dialog box. Go to Edit > Keyboard Shortcuts to check.

I opened that dialog box, but what do I do from there?

I do have the latest update.

Thank you,

Debby

[Steve Werner]

Here's another thing which can cause a problem with keyboard shortcuts:

There could be an application or extension which is grabbing your keyboard shortcuts like Command or Shift. It's easy to test this: Quit out of InDesign and restart your computer. As you're starting up, hold down the Shift key to disable startup applications. Then IMMEDIATELY open InDesign and see if the keyboard shortcut which was the problem is now working. If it is, they there is some app or extension which is interfering. Open apps one at a time, and test whether the keyboard shortcut is working to find the culprit.

[Chris30956429edrz]

I am having this issue too...

[Barb Binder]

Which of the troubleshooting steps listed above have you tried so far, Chris?

~Barb

[Eugene Tyson]

Could be third party app taking control. I have WebRoot installed on the Mac - and I have to Pause Keyboard Shortcuts in the WebRoot app for the shortcuts to work in InDesign.

Mac Os is so stupid that other applications override application shortcuts - it drives me nuts.
Never ever ever happens on my PC.

[petraew]

Webroot causes the same problem for me. 

[heidiw51280870]

Eugene Tyson, you are a life-saver! I installed WebRoot this morning then noticed my ID shortcuts weren't working. I'm so glad Google led me to this thread. "Pause Secure Keyboard Entry" in Webroot fixed the problem. Thank you, thank you!

[Shanpub]

@Mike285024292f2u 

Choose a different set from the Keyboard set options, then select the proper set once more to remedy the problem.

I go through this approach and it solves my problem.

[Robin34281236l0vh]

Hi, I just updated my Indesign about 20 minutes ago and my shortcuts are also not working. I have tried all tips in this post, but nothing seems to do the job. 

Help is very appreciated! 

[Barb Binder]

Hi Robin:

The first thing I would do is restart your computer. Have you done that yet?

~Barb

[Steve Werner]

After Barb's suggestion, if they are still not working, it could be because you just updated InDesign. Sometimes restoring InDesign caches and preferences can help with things which don't work after an update. Here's how:

https://www.rockymountaintraining.com/adobe-indesign-rebuilding-preferences-cache/

[Barb Binder]

Hi Robin:

I have tried all tips in this post

It's helpful to detail exactly what you have done so far so that we can pick up from there. Please also share your InDesign version number and your operating system, and operating system version number.

~Barb

[JohnAT · Accepted solution]

There has to be another program that you are using that is overriding your keyboard commands. The issue I was having was that I was using Webex. Once I disabled the shortcuts in Webex my commands worked again in my Adobe products. 

[jenniferl2400]

This is happening to me, too. I've tried all the results suggested here. Some shortcuts work, others do not. For example, I can't use Ctrl+T to open the Character dialog box (to access fonts / font size, etc.). It's really annoying.

[JohnAT]

You have another program that the keyboard shorts are overriding your Adobe apps. My program was Webex. Once I turned off the keyboard commands for that mine all worked fine. 

[jenniferl2400]

Thank you! I can't figure out what that might be. I don't use Webex. The only other thing open is Chrome with the same tabs I always have open. Nothing changed on my end. I haven't added software. 

[JohnAT]

What you might be able to try that worked for me was before I changed my prefs for Webex is if Webex was not running my Adobe keyboard shortcuts would work. Try having just Indesign open and see if they work and then open the other apps you use one at a time and see which one they stop working on.