Mouse cursor stuttering or freezing

Report · Dec 18, 2024

Hi All

I have recently developed a problem whilst using InDesign. My cursor doesn't move fluidly, rather it starts 'stuttering' and sometimes freezing altogether.

I did read on here somwhere that I should try and delete the preferences and reboot InDesign.

Unfortunately, I'm unable to do that as I don't have access to my User Library (long story, but the person that set up my PC and installed all the Apps is no longer in business and did not give me the Admin password! Also, I've always been a Mac person and this is my first PC so I have very limited Windows knowledge).

Instead, I updated InDesign to the very latest version which did help a bit (although it appears to be using the old preference file). However, if I need to open Illustrator or Photoshop at the same time as InDesign, the problem is back and 10 times worse. It is impossible to use the mouse / cursor in Photoshop or Illustrator unless I quit InDesign.

Does anybody have any ideas or suggestions please without me having to back everything up and reinstall Windows and all my apps again?

Many thanks

Report · Dec 18, 2024

Hi @Christopher36818224wnti,

Thank you for reaching out!

I'm sorry to hear about the cursor stuttering and freezing issue you're experiencing. To better assist you, could you please share the following details:

The version of InDesign you're using (e.g., 2024 version 19.1, etc.).
The version of Windows installed on your PC (e.g., Windows 10, Windows 11).

Additionally, it would be helpful if you could share a screen recording that captures your workflow, starting from launching InDesign to when the issue occurs. This will help us understand the problem more clearly and identify potential causes.

In the meantime, here are a few suggestions you could try:

Ensure your graphics card drivers are up to date, as outdated drivers can cause performance issues.
If multiple Adobe apps are open, check if closing other resource-heavy applications improves performance.

Let us know the requested details and the outcome of the above steps, and we'll assist you further!

Looking forward to your response.

Best,
Abhishek

Report · Dec 26, 2024

Hi Abhishek

Thank you for your reply.

I am now using InDesign 2025 (20.0.1), although the problem started with my previous version (2022 v17.0).

I am running a Dell PC under Windows 10 Pro. 16 Gb RAM. Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-6700 CPU @ 3.40GHz 3.41 GHz.

Graphics card drivers are up to date. Everything was fine until a few weeks ago when the 'stuttering' cursor started and has got worse since. It is better since upgrading to ID 2025 but impossible to have 2 Adobe apps open at the same time.

If I need to work in Photoshop or Illustrator, then I have to quit InDesign otherwise the curser is so unresponsive I'm unable to work at all.

I have checked the Task Manager and nothing else is taking any memory.

Many thanks
Chris

Report · Dec 27, 2024

Hi @Christopher36818224wnti,

Thank you for your detailed response. I appreciate the information you’ve shared so far.

To better understand the issue and identify the root cause, could you please share a screen recording of the problem? It would be helpful to see the cursor stuttering in action and understand your workflow when the issue occurs.

Additionally, could you confirm if this issue is specific to InDesign, or are you experiencing similar problems with other Creative Cloud applications like Photoshop, Illustrator, or others?

Looking forward to your response!

Best,
Abhishek

Report · Dec 27, 2024

Windows 10? I don't suppose you're using one of the interactive slideshow wallpapers, are you?

I don't know if it ever got fixed but back in the day, those caused all kinds of headaches.