Exit
  • Global community
    • Language:
      • Deutsch
      • English
      • Español
      • Français
      • Português
  • 日本語コミュニティ
  • 한국 커뮤니티
6

InDesign workspace window is off screen

New Here ,
Feb 11, 2020 Feb 11, 2020

I was using InDesign at work with my laptop connected to my fancy new superwide monitor. Then I came home and tried to open the same files on my laptop without the superwide monitor. The workspace windows are apparently opening up offscreen where I can't see or grab them. I've tried changing the resolution, but can't go small enough to pull the windows into view. I've done a lot of searches on the topic but nothing seems to help or reset the windows and all the solutions provided are from at least a year ago. Any other suggestions?

 

[Moving from generic Start/Help forum to the specific Program forum... Mod]
[To find a forum for your program please start at https://community.adobe.com/]

 
 
 
 

 

TOPICS
Bug , Feature request
66.1K
Translate
Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines

correct answers 2 Correct answers

New Here , Jun 10, 2020 Jun 10, 2020

My workspace was completely off the screen while using InDesign on my macbook pro. (It happened after disconnecting from a larger display monitor.)

I've been searching for an answer and this just worked for me  - In InDesign go to Window and make sure Application Frame is unchecked.  Once I did this the application window popped back in where I was able to resize it.

Hope this helps!

 

-amy

Translate
Community Beginner , May 17, 2024 May 17, 2024

Sharing this particular solution in case it helps someone because this issue was driving me nuts. In InDesign 18.3 (2023), on Mac Studio, Mac Studio Display, the document window (left, bottom) is always off-screen when I open a file. I don't use the Application Frame because it constricts my workflow, but I did try toggling on and off. Didn't help. I can click the green button to make the window fit the entire screen, but if I try to adjust it smaller/narrower, it jumps off the screen again.
By a

...
Translate
Community Expert ,
Feb 11, 2020 Feb 11, 2020

Try maximizing the window:

  • Mac: click the green circle in the top left
  • Windows: double click the title bar

~Barb

 

Translate
Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Community Beginner ,
Jun 01, 2020 Jun 01, 2020

I am having the same issues. There is no top bar with the colored circle to close or minimize. 

Translate
Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Community Beginner ,
Nov 22, 2021 Nov 22, 2021

This problem has been driving me nuts for weeks. Clicking the green circle worked perfectly. Thank you!

 

Translate
Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Community Beginner ,
Oct 22, 2022 Oct 22, 2022

oh Barb, thank you. It's the "little" things that can drive us crazy. You rock.

Translate
Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
New Here ,
Jan 15, 2023 Jan 15, 2023

I can not SEE THE GREEN BUTTON, because my workspace is off the screen.

 

Translate
Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
New Here ,
Oct 05, 2023 Oct 05, 2023

This advice is horrible because the little green circle is off screen.

Translate
Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Community Expert ,
Oct 05, 2023 Oct 05, 2023

You may have to grab the top of the workspace window and click-drag the window to the right until you can finally see the green circle on the screen.

 

Randy

Translate
Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Community Beginner ,
Oct 09, 2023 Oct 09, 2023

This does not work when, as described above, the top of the workspace window is entirely off the screen.

Translate
Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
New Here ,
Oct 18, 2023 Oct 18, 2023

You have probably fixed the problem now, but I got around it by reducing the resolution of my screen, moving all the offending menus back to more suitable places (i.e. in the middle of the screen, away from the edges) and then pushed the resolution back up.

Translate
Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
New Here ,
Oct 18, 2024 Oct 18, 2024

Thank you! This worked for me!!

Translate
Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
New Here ,
May 05, 2025 May 05, 2025
LATEST

Toggle the "Application Frame" under "Window" off and on. Hopefully you'll see the red, green and yellow dots.

 

Translate
Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Participant ,
Oct 20, 2024 Oct 20, 2024

You saved my dogs from having to listen to me whine about InDesign for another day! Thank you soooo much.

Translate
Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Enthusiast ,
Feb 11, 2020 Feb 11, 2020

Very frustrating when that happens. Try the following:

 

1. If you're on a Mac, make sure that InDesign's application window is fitted to your screen by clicking on the green "+" button in the upper left.

2. Reset your preferred workspace by clicking on the workspace button and selecting "Reset WorkspaceName". For example, if you're using the Essentials Workspace, select Reset Essentials.

3. If that still doesn't work, try resetting your monitor resolution to any setting, then changing it back to the current setting.

Translate
Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Community Beginner ,
Jun 01, 2020 Jun 01, 2020

Neither of these optins worked for me. Resetting the workspace made the tool bars and such disappear, assumingly to the wherever the rest of inDesign is at

Translate
Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Enthusiast ,
Jun 02, 2020 Jun 02, 2020

Can you provide a screenshot of your desktop with InDesign as the active application so that we can get a better idea of what might be happening?

Translate
Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
New Here ,
Jun 25, 2021 Jun 25, 2021

Thank you. chaning resolution, then changing back works perfectly on Mac Mini M1 running Illustrator 2021 Silicon Beta.

Translate
Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
New Here ,
Jan 15, 2023 Jan 15, 2023

Thanks David, the monitor resolution reset did the trick for me. I tried everyting else but wouldnt have thought to do that.

Translate
Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
New Here ,
May 28, 2024 May 28, 2024

To anyone who has tried the above options to no avail: what finally worked for me (only possible if you have an external monitor connected) was switching the primary display to my other screen.

Translate
Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
New Here ,
Jun 27, 2024 Jun 27, 2024

Changing the primary display worked for me. Thank you for your tip.

 

Translate
Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
New Here ,
Jan 27, 2025 Jan 27, 2025

This tip also worked for me. Switch the primary display to the second screen, I can now see the InDesign application bar and traffic light dots, resize the InDesign window to be small, switch the primary display back to the original screen. I can then move InDesign to my preferred screen and resize to fit.

It's about time Adobe fixed this problem, it only occurs with InDesign.

Translate
Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Community Expert ,
Jun 02, 2020 Jun 02, 2020

Kelwells: please provide a screenshot, along with your operating system and the version of InDesign that you are using.

 

~Barb

Translate
Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
New Here ,
Jun 10, 2020 Jun 10, 2020

My workspace was completely off the screen while using InDesign on my macbook pro. (It happened after disconnecting from a larger display monitor.)

I've been searching for an answer and this just worked for me  - In InDesign go to Window and make sure Application Frame is unchecked.  Once I did this the application window popped back in where I was able to resize it.

Hope this helps!

 

-amy

Translate
Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Community Beginner ,
Jun 22, 2020 Jun 22, 2020

Will remember this next time. I restarted the InDesign and that worked too. Thanks!

Translate
Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
New Here ,
Jul 22, 2020 Jul 22, 2020

thank you Amy! 🙂 x

Translate
Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines