InDesign very slow after latest update - especially when working with hyperlinks

[clyde_2309]

Since the latest update InDesign has become very sluggish, especially when hyperlinks need to be modified. When trying to open the hyperlinks menu, it takes at least a minute to open, and any changes such as selecting a drop-down option, or placing a hyperlink, produces the same effect.

Also, just loading new InDD docs takes longer.

I'm running Win11 with 64 GB RAM, with plenty of drive space available.

Before the latest update, InDD was somewhat slow, but not like it is now.

This is very frustrating.

[Abhishek Rao]

Hi @hare-in-moon,

Just to confirm, when you say "latest update," are you referring to InDesign version 20.2? Also, does this slowdown happen only with specific documents, or does it occur even with brand-new files?

Could you try resetting your InDesign preferences and update if it makes a difference? Reference: Reset InDesign Preferences. Be sure to back them up first in case you need to restore them later.

Additionally, it would be great if you could test the performance in Safe Mode and also by creating a new local admin user account to see if anything changes. These steps can help rule out any system-level conflicts:

Start in Safe Mode

Create a New Admin User

Let me know how things go after trying these steps

Abhishek Rao

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

@clyde_2309

Try "refreshing" / rebuilding your document, either:

1) try IDMLing - export as IDML, open, save with a new name - do not overwrite your original file. 

2) create a new document - with the same page size and margins - then move all pages from the old file - at the beginning - then delete last empty page. 

And if you're not doing it - start doing Save As with a new name more often - at least once a week or even at the end of the day - depends on how many changes you do. 

[clyde_2309]

It now includes the latest update to 20.3.

I think that I’ve narrowed it down to an issue with document hyperlinks.

I create a weekly Bible study newsletter with lots of links, with each issue used as a template to create the next issue.

I also created another document with all of the common links used in the various newsletters to make it “easier” to call up/insert the common/repeated links, and I think that there are over 2000 links. I imagine that this creates a delay in opening the documents as well as working with the links.

With InDD 20.2 the delay seemed to increase when opening the newsletters and working with the links in the documents. This hasn’t improved at all in 20.3.

I don’t know of any different way to do work with the hyperlinks other than my current procedure.

Does anyone have any suggestions regarding the use/management of hyperlinks?

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

[...]
Does anyone have any suggestions regarding the use/management of hyperlinks?

By @clyde_2309

For starters - turn off this:

Then, either hide Pages pallet - or turn off Show Thumbnails:

Also, HIDE Links panel - when you don't have to work on Links.

InDesign is constantly updating the above - so if you hide those panels / turn off previews / checking validity - it should speed up things.