InDesign Undo history clears itself without user action

[bernd_9382]

Undo steps disappear automatically while working.
Undo history resets to ~3 entries without any undo action being triggered.

This happens reproducibly every ~10 seconds.

Preflight is disabled.

Reproducible in:
- new documents
- local files (no cloud documents)
- fresh installs
- multiple machines

Windows 11.
Photoshop is not affected.

please help : (

[Eugene Tyson]

Option 1 Reset InDesign 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

Option 2  Clear InDesign Caches

1. A corrupted cache can trigger background resets.
2. Quit InDesign
3. Go to: C:\Users\[username]\AppData\Local\Adobe\InDesign\Version 21.0\
4. Mac  go to: ~/Library/Caches/Adobe InDesign/
5. Delete the Caches folder
6. Relaunch InDesign
7. (Preferences are left intact with this method.)

Option 3 Clean Reinstall (Creative Cloud Cleaner Tool)

1. If the issue persists across machines, a deeper cleanup is worth trying.
2. Uninstall InDesign from Creative Cloud
3. Download and run Adobe Creative Cloud Cleaner Tool
4. Remove all InDesign entries
5. Reboot
6. Reinstall InDesign

Additional Things Worth Checking

If none of the above help:

Disable third-party plugins (even old ones you don’t actively use)

Turn off background services temporarily:

Windows antivirus / ransomware protection

Cloud sync tools (OneDrive, Dropbox)

If this started recently, roll back via Creative Cloud > Previous Versions

If it survives fresh installs and multiple machines, that points away from user error and toward a software or system-level conflict.

[bernd_9382]

thank you for your answer!

my specs:

desktop pc:

intel i7-12700kf (3.6ghz)

16 gb ram

rtx 3060ti

laptop:

intel i7-1165G7 (2.8ghz)

16 gb ram

intel iris xe graphics

heres a list of what has been done:

InDesign-Specific Tests

• GPU acceleration disabled

• Preferences reset (Ctrl+Alt+Shift on startup)

• AppData / cache folders manually deleted

• Live Preflight disabled

• Preflight profile set to [None]

• Dynamic spelling / background text features disabled

• Auto-recovery settings checked (only path available in current versions)

• CC Libraries closed

• No plugins installed

• No scripts or startup scripts present

• CEP / Extensions folders removed or renamed

• Tested with minimal documents (single page, single frame)

• Happens with text and non-text workflows

• Happens regardless of tool used

---

Creative Cloud / Adobe Tests

• All Adobe applications uninstalled

• Adobe Creative Cloud Cleaner Tool used

• Creative Cloud reinstalled fresh

• InDesign installed as the only Adobe app

• No Creative Cloud sync options available to disable

• Issue persists after clean CC reinstall

---

Windows / System Tests

• New local Windows user account created

• Windows In-Place Repair performed

• Graphics drivers updated

• Tested with different Windows update states

• Touch / handwriting / text services investigated

• No clipboard managers, keyboard tools, or automation tools running

• Issue persists across systems

[Dave Creamer of IDEAS]

What is the exact version of Windows 11 are you using?

Are you GPU drivers up to date?

I'm not having any problem with undos. 

I'm running Win 11 25H2 KB5072033

i9-13900K (3.00 GHz)

InDesign 21.0.2

NVIDIA Studio driver 591.44 for RTX 4080

128 GB RAM

[Willi Adelberger]

Available undos depend n free RAM and disc space. It can be reduced by other running applications. 

[Julius Krisu]

Completely unhelpful comment in this thread - the reported problem is that one day we had endless steps of undo and the next day (with the same & plenty amount of RAM) the history keeps resetting to like 4-5 undos. It's a bug, not a memory issue on the user's side.

[Houssam37884838cxnz]

Bug Confirmation: Undo History Auto-Purge During Idle State

Hello,

I can confirm experiencing the identical issue described in this thread.

System Configuration:

• OS: Windows 11 25H2
• InDesign versions tested: 21.x and 20.0 (issue persists across both)
• Hardware: Adequate RAM allocation, >100GB free disk space

Issue Behavior: Undo stack grows normally during active editing (reaches 15-20 steps), then automatically purges after 30-90 seconds of idle time, reducing to ~8 steps (sometimes 4). This is not a static limit but an idle-triggered memory management behavior.

Troubleshooting Performed (no resolution):

1. Preferences reset (Ctrl+Alt+Shift on launch)
2. Complete InDesign uninstall/reinstall
3. Tested on InDesign 20.0 (downgrade from 21.x)
4. Verified adequate disk space (>100GB free)
5. Tested on new documents + local files (non-cloud storage)
6. Disabled InDesign Recovery folder (%LocalAppData%\Adobe\InDesign\...\InDesign Recovery)
7. Attempted Windows update rollback

Key Observations:

• Issue onset correlates with recent timeframe (was not present months ago)
• Reproducible on blank documents
• Pattern: active editing → stack grows → idle period → automatic purge
• Not a static memory limit but idle-state triggered behavior
• Stack purge occurs at application level, not UI refresh issue (confirmed via Ctrl+Z limit)

Technical Hypothesis: Given the correlation with the December 9, 2025 Windows update (KB for 23H2/24H2/25H2) and idle-triggered behavior, this appears to be a conflict between InDesign's undo stack memory management and Windows' modified Virtual Memory Manager or memory compression policies in recent builds.

Available for providing diagnostic logs, memory dumps, or additional testing if needed.

[OsakaWebbie]

@Houssam37884838cxnz

Hardware: Adequate RAM allocation

Can you please tell us exactly how much RAM your machine has? That's a key point we have been asking each other recently.

Issue Behavior: Undo stack grows normally during active editing (reaches 15-20 steps), then automatically purges after 30-90 seconds of idle time, reducing to ~8 steps (sometimes 4). This is not a static limit but an idle-triggered memory management behavior.

In my observation (both on my own machine and in a screen capture that someone else shared), no significant idling is required to see the behavior - we can be continuously doing actions while watching the History window, and almost all the actions will disappear from History before our eyes (without waiting 30 seconds).

Also, please note that the post you're responding to was written a week ago, which is quite old for this hot topic. The thread is very confusing, as old and new posts seem to be mixed together (because many people reply to other posts like you did, instead of to the original so that they get listed in order). The current discussion is not about Windows updates anymore (because even some people with Windows 10 are having the issue, and I know my Windows 11 has had updates at all since November) but about physical RAM. So far no one with more than 16GB has had the problem, and no one has reported a 16GB machine that doesn't have the problem. Yes, I know that 16GB should be more than sufficient to run the software, but this correlation appears to be relevant anyway.

[Giovani-Cospefogo]

It could be RAM related? Yes, it can.

BUT --- we having beeing using the software for a LONG TIME, with exactly same machine and same RAM and the problem was not there. So... it could be RAM related, but in my view, it started after this new SHARING features in InDesign documents... When this was introduced? Around beginning of December?

[OsakaWebbie]

The purpose of the question is only to help Adobe diagnose the bug, not to place blame on users. Everyone here (including Adobe) agrees that it's a bug that needs to be fixed. But since not every PC that is running InDesign is showing the symptoms, it helps Adobe track it down if they can know more about what is different about PCs that do vs. don't.

I don't know what Sharing features you're talking about, but if those features were added to ID 2026, 2025, and 2024 around the same time, perhaps it's related. But if only 2026, it's not, because some people have said they are having the same problem with the older versions.

[leo.r]

So far no one with more than 16GB has had the problem

By @OsakaWebbie

At least one:

https://community.adobe.com/t5/indesign-discussions/indesign-undo-history-clears-itself-without-user...

[Houssam37884838cxnz]

MSI Cyborg 15 A13VF
Processore 13th Gen Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-13620H (2.40 GHz)
RAM installata 16,0 GB (15,7 GB utilizzabile)
Tipo sistema Sistema operativo a 64 bit, processore basato su x64
Windows 11 Home - 25H2

[Julius Krisu]

To every possible Advisor - please read this before you come up with another unproven speculations. Facts: 1) The problem we have [resetting history + disspaearing text] is devastating for our work; 2) Came out of the blue on the same systems and hardware we were nicely working on untill the 21.x updates [Windows, plenty of RAM, good graphics adapter - just as it is for most people dealing with professional layouts]; 3) None ideas so far were of any help [clearing preferences, resetting, rollback, etc.] 4) The problem is rooted in software itself and apparently it originates from the new InD architecture where the history is no longer simple and linear but more and more fused with shared document-state system: previews, GPU performance, dynamic UI panels, view synchronization, recovery etc.; 5) It's kind of a bug but deeply rooted - someone need to take of care of this fast and effectively.

[Julius Krisu]

Here's some informative news from another forum:

[I kindly ask @Abhishek Rao to have a look, since your colleague apparently had more luck]

Sanyam Talwar (Senior Lead Software Engineer, Adobe InDesign) 

Hi,

Thank you for reporting the issue. We have been able to reproduce the issue, and it is currently under investigation.

Analysis

• We have been able to reproduce the issue on Windows, and it is currently under investigation.
• The root cause is that the UNDO stack is getting purged and the issue is getting manifested in History Panel.
• The issue is intermittently(depends on when InDesign chooses to purge the stack) getting reproduced on Windows machine only. The issue is not observed on Macintosh.
• It has started to be reported by customer recently 14-Dec-2025 onwards. A Windows update has been pushed on 09 December 2025 for Win11 23H2, 24H2 and 25H2. 

[Barb Binder]

Also, please let us know what version of InDesign, when this started happening (i.e., after upgrading to v21 from v20)  and your computer specifications.

Does restarting Windows make a difference?

~Barb

[bernd_9382]

ive tried out different versions. first noticed the bug on 20.5.1 on my laptop. didnt think much of it and just called it a day. next morning i started working on my desktop pc (21.0.1) and noticed the same bug again. since then tried installing older versions. didnt help unfortunately

[Eugene Tyson]

I don't think it's a bug or we would have a flood of similar issues. 

Might be something local. 

Restart in safe mode and only open indesign and test it. 

If its working normally then it's likely a background app, like vpn, firewall, any app really. 

If its fine in safe mode then restart in normal mode. 

Then see what's running in the background and try to eliminate various apps.

[LisaRaymond]

I run Windows 11 on my desktop, InDesign version 21.0.2 x64. Everything was fine with my Adobe after I logged off last night. I came to my desk this morning, started InDesign, and all the problems started then. I had a new opening screen/layout that I don't like - the opening screen/layout shouldn't default to what the programmers decided on, it should be up to individual users and offered as a request/suggestion for change vs. forced - then I had to get someone from Adobe tech support to remote into my computer because I had a text box not working with the Object menu. I solved for that, but he deleted and reset a lot of my preferences. I don't know how much that has to do with this, either. Now, I find out on my deadline day/night I'm restricted to the number of undo's I can make? I've been using InDesign for over 20 years, and this is the WORST update I've experienced. I rarely have trouble with any of my Adobe products - I think I've only lodged complaints maybe 5x in 20 years - and the help files are usually more helpful than right now. Please let the users know when the undo issue is solved. I'd love to know when I can use my preferred screen/layout when I start the program vs. what the programmers wanted us to use; my hope is the next update - hopefully very soon - has that fixed as well. Thank you.

[alvarobuenol]

Hello, I'm working with version 19.0, it works fine. Newer versions has the "undo problem" and the "print booklet" option crash the program when exporting.

Hope to find here a solution, because I can not work comfortable.

[leo.r]

It looks like other users have reported a similar issue recently. I can find at least one thread, but I think I saw more:

https://community.adobe.com/t5/indesign-discussions/multiple-undo-option-has-disappeared-in-indesign...

[leo.r]

...here's another one:

https://community.adobe.com/t5/indesign-discussions/indesign-21-0-x64-com-problemas-no-undo/m-p/1559...

They all seem to come from Windows users.

[leo.r]

...and another one, just a few hours ago:

https://community.adobe.com/t5/indesign-discussions/befehl-quot-r%C3%BCckg%C3%A4ngig-quot-geht-nicht...

[leo.r]

...and yet another one:

https://community.adobe.com/t5/indesign-discussions/indesign-2026-history-problem/td-p/15631383

[Cheesusmice]

Experiencing the same, windows user. Video attached to show it in action. Screen recording wouldnt capture the history window so had to use phone!

[Will30682734q2pw]

This is exactly what it looks like for me as well.