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Westy8165
Participant
April 6, 2022
Answered

InDesign won't open - Windows 11

  • April 6, 2022
  • 4 replies
  • 8363 views

Hi everyone, i am having masssive problems with Indesign. Im on Windows 11  and am running the latest version of InDesign. I was having some issues with InDesign and read that resetting the preference might be the answer. So i used the ctrl+shiftr+alt method and reset them. Since then it wont open at all. The splash screen appears for a millisecond then dissapears. I then found another article that suggested renaming the Indesign folder to Indesign.old but that hasnt worked either. All other programs (Photoshop, Illustrator, Bridge, Acrtobat etc are all working fine) Its really frustrating and i need InDesign for my day to day work. Can anyone helpo me with other possiuble solutions.

 

Thanks. David

Correct answer Peter Spier

Thanks Peter. That didn't work either. No worries. I'm just opening as Administrator and getting on with it.


If it opens as admin, but not in your old profile, the problem is almost certainly in your old user profile folders.

See Troubleshooting 101: Replace, or "trash" your preferences for the two paths to the user files and with InDesign closed rename both of the Version folders (something like OldVersion is fine) so you can copy over the old shortcut sets, saved queries and other stuff you might want. Launch InDesign and it should create new Version folders.

If it still fails to launch, there's something really weird about your user profile.

4 replies

Christopher Shelton
Christopher Shelton
Participating Frequently
May 29, 2023

Just a long shot, but could be hardware related?

What harddrive specs do you have? Specifically M.2? You could try installing it on a different drive?

You could try swapping out RAM sticks one at time?

BobLevine
Community Expert
BobLevineCommunity Expert
Community Expert
May 29, 2023

One hell of a longshot given that this is an InDesign on Windows 11 issue.

M
Melinda30488708qpwz
Participating Frequently
June 14, 2023

Did any answer come from this? I'm having the same problem. Windows 11, latest versions of CCloud and InDesign, have renamed my preference files. Photoshop will start, but InDesign shows startup screen and then disappears.

 

    E
    emilg43871659
    Participating Frequently
    April 20, 2023

    Mine won't open either. Just see the intro splash screen for a second or two and then it disapears. 

    Later versions can open.

    I need this to do my job. What the heck.

      P
      PacosMother
      Known Participant
      May 27, 2023

      How do you do control-alt-shift to delete preferences when the program doesn't open? Splash screen opens then disappears. I'm having the same problem on my laptop (Windows 11, Indesign18.3 and 17.4.1). Splash screen opens then disappears. Yesterday, it worked fine on the desktop (Windows 10, InDesign 18.3).

      Peter Spier
      Community Expert
      Peter SpierCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      May 29, 2023
      quote

      How do you do control-alt-shift to delete preferences when the program doesn't open?


      By @PacosMother

      Press the keys immediately as you launch the program. You have to be really quick. If you are fast enought you will see a message asking if you want to delete the prefs.

      You can also manually delete the preference files. see Troubleshooting 101: Replace, or "trash" your preferences 

      BobLevine
      Community Expert
      BobLevineCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      April 6, 2022

      What does "latest version" mean? The current version is 17.2.

      What are the rest of your system specs? RAM and processor as well as free harddrive space.

      When you held down CTRL+ALT+Shift did you get a prompt to delete your preferences? If not, it didn't work. If it did, try uninstalling and re-installing InDesign from the CC Desktop app.

      W
      Westy8165Author
      Participant
      April 6, 2022

      Hi there, 

       

      Thanks for your reply. Yes, latest version means 17.2. My system is:
      Windows 11
      Intel i5 2600k

      B660m Motherboard

      32GB 3200mhz Ram

      1tb Windows drive with 750gb free space.

       

      I have uninstalled and reinstalled and that hasnt worked. 

       

      When i did the ctrl alt shift, the prompt came up asking to delete my preferences to which i clicked yes. Then nothing happened and it still wont open. I have also tried both the suggestions above. I have moved the preferences elsewhere and Abobe created new ones and that didnt work. I also installed older versions and they didnt work as well. 

       

      I have created a new user in windows to test under a fresh envirenment and that didnt work either. It waill also not load in Wiindows safe mode either. 

      BobLevine
      Community Expert
      BobLevineCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      April 6, 2022

      Do you have an third party InDesign plugins? Do you have any third party antivirus?

      If so, deactivate them.

      D
      Doc Maik
      Legend
      April 6, 2022

      Alternative 1: move the preferences file somewhere else. ID will create a new one.

      Alternative 2: install an older version in parallel, just to see if that one starts.

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