Participant

Question

InDesign won't save my files

Forum|Forum|11 months ago
April 21, 2025
3 replies
436 views

SOLVED: I've struggled with this issue many times, and I've finally found a new solution! You can break up your work into separates, smaller files (Indesign does this when its internal undo/snapshot system has glitched). There's a way to move individual pages to a fresh, uncorrupted file:

(1) Make 6 new documents of the same dimensions with one blank page each.

(2) Go into the pages panel in the original file and click the hamburger.

(3) Go to "Move pages".

(4) Insert a range (eg. 1-50) and then "Move to..." your fresh document.

(5) Repeat this a few times (50-100, 100-150, 150-200...) until you get to 300.

For 300 pages, it's probably best to break it up in 50's.

This should allow all of your links, swatched, layers, etc to transfer to the new document without having to copy+paste or export.

Performance

Robert at ID-Tasker

Legend

[...]

This should allow all of your links, swatched, layers, etc to transfer to the new document without having to copy+paste or export.

By @Magdalena32778750mut8

One more thing - moving pages WILL NOT transfer UNUSED styles - Char, Para, Table, Cell, Object - nor colors / swatches.

IDMLing will transfer everything - when trying to fix corrupted document - but moving pages won't.

Robert at ID-Tasker

Legend

@Magdalena32778750mut8

Problems with files depends on how you use InDesign:

1) do not embed images / vectors - link them,

2) do Save As with a new name at the end of the day - or at the end of the week - depends on how many changes you do - then work on this newly saved file.

3) when you use INDD / INDB files created in an older version of InDesign - always re-save them in the new version.

4) keep your hardware up to date - especially have a lot of RAM installed.

300 pages document is nothing - in terms of what InDesign can handle - you don't say what problems have you experienced - but most likely they would relate to the points above.

Mike Witherell

Community Expert

Magdalena,

I moved your comment to a new entry on its own. You do not make clear what problem you are trying to solve. Can you describe the problem you are dealing with?

Mike Witherell

M

Magdalena32778750mut8Author

Participant

Thanks, this was written in response to a separate query in Adobe Community, attached below. I experienced a similar issue a few times due to my files' size and solved it accordingly.

"I need URGENT help please!

worked all day yesterday with clients on a book design. noticed the undo buttons weren't working but with them here i couldnt take time to figure it out, i thought it was just a keyboard shortcut problem.

When time to save comes along i cannot save, at all.

So i try to package the file in order to make a copy. IN DESIGN CRASHED AND I LOST EVERYHTING!!!!!!

My clients are due back this morning to continue but the file opens with none of the work we did yesterday. I was hitting control s throughout the day but no error message came up and so i thought all was ok.

Please please please, someone. Is there any hidden place indesign could have saved my work yesterday or some sort of recovery file? I am really very close to tears! Its a 300 page book and i just cannot imagine having to do all of this again..."

Robert at ID-Tasker

Legend

[...] I experienced a similar issue a few times due to my files' size and solved it accordingly. [...]

By @Magdalena32778750mut8

What was the size of your file?

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