Problem with automatic font activation in InDesign.

Report · Jun 11, 2025

I have some locally installed fonts which InDesign still keeps downloading and trying to install which I want to stop. Some of them then get the "can't install due to a conflict" but they still get downloaded and others get installed. I do have the "Auto add Adobe Fonts" in preferences->File Handling deactivated already.

I narrowed down the issue but don't know how to fix it. The fonts this is happening to are the ones which I originally (intentionally) activated through Adobe fonts but later uninstalled and installed the font locally. If I open a document with that font in it and then go to 'Type -> Find/Replace Font' and then click on the font in question, I can see that under 'Path' it says 'Added from Adobe Fonts' despite it now being installed locally.

So, how can I make InDesign "forget" that it initially used the Adobe Fonts version and stop InDesign from downloading the font despite having a local version and 'Auto add' disabled? I suspect it might have to do with the font cache but idk what exactly to delete.

I've already logged out of all Adobe apps and rebooted (with Auto add in InDesign deactivated and even Adobe Fonts deactivated in CC). But even after the reboot, it still thinks the path should be Adobe Fonts and not the local font file. The second I activate Adobe Fonts in CC, the fonts get added.

System environment: Windows 11, InDesign 20.3.1 (but problem existed for a long time). I am using MainType 12 but I don't think this should play a role here.

Thanks for any help.

Report · Jun 11, 2025

Hi @claudia2323,

Thanks so much for the detailed explanation. This behavior can sometimes be tied to cached font data that InDesign holds onto.

To help reset this, could you try clearing InDesign's font cache? Reference: https://adobe.ly/4kBhEam
After doing this, restart your system and launch InDesign again with Adobe Fonts disabled in both InDesign and the Creative Cloud app.

Also, if you haven't already, try manually replacing the font via Type > Find/Replace Font and select the locally installed version to override the reference. This may help InDesign stop recognizing the font as sourced from Adobe Fonts.

Let me know how this goes.

Abhishek

Report · Jun 11, 2025

Hi @Abhishek Rao,

Thanks for the quick replay.

To start from bottom, replacing the font via Type>Find/Replace Font with a local version was one of the first things I tried but that doesn't work unfortunately. InDesign keeps the Adobe Fonts reference even with Adobe Fonts disabled.

I suspected it had something to do with the font cache but wouldn't it be rather the Adobe font cache instead of the Windows System font cache. The system doesn't allow me to delete those files (bc they are in use; and yes, I do have the necessary permissions). Before I go all the way to disable the Windows services to delete them, I want to check if those are really the right font cache files. I've seen in other posts that there are (non-Windows) Adobe specific font caches which make more sense to me but I'm not sure which files exactly. So, are you sure I have to delete the Windows cache?

Thanks.

Report · Jun 11, 2025

Hi @claudia2323,

Thanks for the update! Just to understand the situation better, could you please confirm if you're trying to remove a specific font, or if there's a list of fonts you'd like to stop InDesign from activating?

For example, if it's a particular font and it was originally activated via Adobe Fonts, you'll need to head over to the Creative Cloud Desktop App and manually remove or deactivate it from there. After doing that, you can double-check that it's no longer active by visiting https://adobe.ly/3SMvBpL and searching for that font.

Also, regarding the font cache cleanup, just to reassure you, clearing InDesign's font cache won’t remove or affect any of your installed fonts, whether local or from Adobe Fonts. It simply clears up any unnecessary or outdated cache data that might be causing these kinds of issues.

Let me know once you’ve had a chance to try that or if you're dealing with multiple fonts.

Looking forward to hearig back from you.

Abhishek

Report · Jun 11, 2025

Hi @Abhishek Rao,

I'm having this issue with multiple fonts. And yes, I've deactivated them all from Adobe Fonts (some via the website you've linked and some via the Adobe Fonts section in the Creative Cloud Desktop App. I've also checked the relevant Windows folders where you store the fonts (both, for the ones which are for Adobe apps only and the ones for fonts which are available for Adobe and other apps) and they had been gone. After making sure none of the Adobe fonts are present, I've deactivated Adobe Fonts in the CC app, logged out and then rebooted the system. But InDesign still used Adobe fonts as source (as shown above in the screencap), despite the font only being avaiable as local install. And that's also the font InDesign is using the screencap above, desite having Adobe Fonts in the path. When I made that screencap, InDesign couldn't even access Adobe Fonts (bc it was disabled in the CC app at that time), it was using the local install.

Regarding the font cache – I'm not worried about the Adobe font cache affecting my Windows fonts. I'm wondering if the link you provided above (\Windows\ServiceProfiles\LocalService\AppData\Local) is actually about the Adobe font cache, because it talks about the Windows System Font cache and not the Adobe cache (plus that directory referenced in that article is a Windows, not Adobe directory). My question is if this directory is really to delete the Adobe Font cache (esp since other posts reference different names for the Adobe Font cache files).

Thanks for your help.

Claudia

Report · Jun 11, 2025

I should clarify, I had the Indesign document for the sceenshot open without Adobe Fonts active and then turned it on for this post to show how Adobe tries adding the font in question but has that installation conflict as shown in the UI of the CC desktop app.

Report · Jun 11, 2025

Hi @claudia2323,

Thanks again for all the detailed info. Could you confirm if this behavior is happening only with InDesign, or are you noticing similar font activation issues in other Adobe apps (like Illustrator or Photoshop) as well?

In the meantime, I'd suggest clearing InDesign's internal cache to see if that helps. You can do this by navigating to:

'C:\Users\<YOUR USERNAME>\AppData\Local\Adobe\InDesign\Version <YOUR VERSION>\en_US\Caches'

Once you're there, try copying the entire 'Caches' folder to your desktop as a backup, and then delete it from the original location. Restart your system and test the issue again in InDesign. If the problem still persists, you can simply copy the backup folder from your desktop back to its original location.

Additionally, clearing the system font cache can also help resolve issues like this, as it’s often responsible for font source conflicts, even when Adobe Fonts is turned off. Moreover, please confirm if you are using any third-party font management tool. If yes, then disable ti and then test the issue after clearing the cache.

Looking forward to your update.
Abhishek

Report · Jun 11, 2025

Hi @Abhishek Rao,

Thanks for the additional info.

I'm using High-Logic Maintype 12 as mentioned in the original post but only started recently using it and the problem existed before. Plus, I did test it with the app closed/disabled and the activation issue still exists.

I've just tried Illustrator & Photoshop and yes, Adobe Fonts tries to active the font despite having (and using) the local version of the font. Same behaviour as in InDesign.

Realizing that it's not limited to InDesign, I guess the next step is indeed deleting the system font cache. I'll do that tomorrow since I have more time to fix things if it causes issues with the system. I'll come back to you tomorrow with "results" once I've tried it.

Thanks.

Claudia

Report · Jun 13, 2025

Hi @Abhishek Rao,

Sorry, it took a bit longer.

I've gone through all suggested things and now I'm even more confused. So, let's see how I got there.

I'm describing every step in detail to preempt questions.

1) Deleting the System Font Cache

- Closed all apps except CC app
- Uninstalled/deactivated the fonts which Adobe Fonts had tried to download/install due to the main problem. Checked the hidden directory where Adobe stores the fonts to make sure they are really gone.
- Deactivated Adobe Fonts in the CC app.
- Closed CC app
- To ensure nothing was running the background which might prevent a solution, I ended every Adobe related process via the task manger (eg Sync services, update services etc). Also ended every other font-related Windows process
- Then deleted the system font cache as outlined in your first reply (after stopping the Windows service for the font cache which is necessary to delete it).
- Rebooted the computer
- Opened InDesign to check on the path of the font source (which Adobe Fonts is still disabled in CC; the InDesign option for 'Auto add fonts' was always disabled).

Well, the font path was still "Added from Adobe Fonts" and not the local file which InDesign has actually been using (Adobe Fonts was diabled so InDesign HAD to use the local font file to display it in the document). In short, it changed nothing. And just to verify further, I then turned on Adobe Fonts in the CC app and as expected, Adobe Fonts tried to install the fonts in question (ie it downloaded it and then when trying to install it failed and displayed the error message as seen in my original screencap).

2) Deleting the InDesign cache

Although I thought deleting the InDesign cache as suggested in one of your later replies should make no difference since the problem is not limited to InDesign but also occurs with Photoshop & Illustrator, I wanted to try that too, just to make sure (of course after uninstalling the attempted auto downloads and deactivating Adobe Fonts in the CC app)..

So, I deleted the InDesign cache and rebooted as lined out. After starting InDesign I checked the fonts I've used as example (PT Sans) and was blown away because now it has my local font file as source in path and NOT Adobe fonts anymore. I was about to celebrate but wanted to check other fonts I have this issue with (eg FF Good) just to make sure... and then the disappointment and confusion set in because other fonts which had the same issue, are STILL listed with "Added from Adobe Fonts" in path.

In short, the deleting the InDesign cache fixed the problem with that specific font I used as example in the inital post but not with others, which I don't understand at all. Why is it updating the font source on that one font but not on others after a cache removal??????? To verify, I turned on Adobe Fonts int he CC app and as "expected" it tried to download/install FF Good (which still had the Adobe Fonts in the path) and not PT Sans anymore which had the source updated.

Although I used the other font (FF Good Pro) just recently too, I decided to run another test in case it has to do with how recent that font was used. So I created an InDeisgn document and used FF Good saved it and then went through all the steps for deleting the InDesign cache just as I had before and outlined above.

Unfortunately, it didn't make a difference. Ie. PT Sans is now 'OK' but other fonts still have the same problem. And I'm really confused why the problem got solved for one font but not the others.

The only thing which is really clear to me after all the testing, is that the problem is clearly triggered for all fonts which have the "Added from Adobe Fonts" in it's original source path because that was the first way the font in question was used and InDesign (or rather Adobe at large because it also applies to Photoshot and Illustrator) refused to update the source path for its fonts after them being uninstalled through Adobe Fonts and installed as a local font through Windows.

Any ideas?

Thanks,

Claudia

Report · Jun 11, 2025

I have some locally installed fonts which InDesign still keeps downloading and trying to install which I want to stop

Hi @claudia2323 , The Adobe Fonts get activated not installed. Adobe Type offers a version of PT Sans which is different from Google’s version—your problem has come up before from users mixing the Google (installed) and Adobe Type (Activated) versions.

If you want to use the Adobe Type version, try uninstalling all the Google versions of PT Sans installed in your local OS so there is no conflict and activate via the Add Font button at Adobe Fonts

Report · Jun 11, 2025

Hi @rob day,

Thanks for your reply.

I actually want to use my local version NOT the Adobe one. And it's happening to several fonts (not only Google fonts). It really comes down to Adobe Type trying to use the Adobe version because I had it activated initially, even after I uninstalled it in Adobe Fonts.

Thanks for your help.

Report · Jun 11, 2025

I actually want to use my local version NOT the Adobe one

Have you turned off Auto-activate Adobe Fonts in your ID Preferences, and gone to https://fonts.adobe.com/fonts/pt-sans-pro and clicked the Remove button?

If you don’t want to use any Adobe Fonts you can disable all Adobe Cloud Fonts in your CC app Prefs. There is a Google version of PT Sans which you can download and install in your system from Google https://fonts.google.com/specimen/PT+Sans

Report · Jun 13, 2025

Hi @rob day,

Thanks for your suggestions but they do not solve the problem.

As I said in my original post, the "Auto add Fonts " option in preferences as always been diabled. And the issue is not limited to Google fonts, I just used it as example. My issue occors with a list of fonts which were originally by Adobe Fonts and then removed by Adobe fonts and installed locally. There is not issue or question with intentionally installing or uninstalling fonts through Adobe or locally. It's about the Adobe app "refusing" to update the source path. There is more info in replies from Abhishek or me if you're curious.

Thanks.

Report · Jun 13, 2025

Hello @claudia2323,

To further investigate the problem further, could you try running InDesign under a different administrator account (Windows) and checking if it helps?

Looking forward to hearing from you.
Anubhav

Report · Jun 15, 2025

Hi @Anubhav M,

just created another admin account on the PC, switched and checked... unfortunately it doesn't make a difference.

In case it matters, there is only one account on this computer (or was until I created the other for this experiment). I use a local Windows account and it has admin rights. I always install fonts the same way, so that would not be the cause for different behaviour either.

Looking forward to more ideas,

Claudia

Report · Jun 16, 2025

Hello @claudia2323,

Thanks for confirming. Would you mind trying the following steps and checking if it helps:

Close all Adobe applications
Remove the Creative Cloud Desktop application, CCLibrary, and CoreSync using the Creative Cloud Cleaner Tool (https://adobe.ly/4n4XQ0E)
Reinstall the Creative Cloud Desktop application (https://adobe.ly/3FGug0X)
Relaunch InDesign

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Anubhav

Report · Jun 17, 2025

Hi @Anubhav M,

I will try this but reading through all the instructions I have one question before I begin: in which option of the cleaner tool is the CCLibrary and CoreSync? Is it included in '6 Creative Cloud only' or is it somewhere else?

Thanks,

Claudia

Report · Jun 17, 2025

Hi @claudia2323,

Thanks a lot for your patience.

Regarding your question about the Creative Cloud Cleaner Tool: yes, both CCLibrary and CoreSync are included when you select option 6, “Creative Cloud only”. That will remove the related components properly. Just make sure to follow the sequence exactly: quit all Adobe apps first, run the tool with the right selection, then reinstall the Creative Cloud Desktop app using the official link afterward.

Once you're done, please test the same file again (with Adobe Fonts still disabled in both InDesign and the CC app) and let me know if it still detects the font as coming from Adobe Fonts. If yes, we can take it forward from there with a deeper review.

Looking forward to hearing how it goes!

Abhishek

Report · Jun 23, 2025

Hi @Abhishek Rao,

Sorry for the delay but due to a project I didn't want to use the cleaner tool before it was finished in case something goes wrong. Anyway, did everything this weekend (and that part worked, ie the cleaner tool was successful and I reinstalled the cc app) but unfortunately the problem still exists. It made no difference.

Then I had an idea and did some testing where I thought I found the cause and a workaround solution. Unfortunately I can't reproduce the "solution" but I think I narrowed down the circumstances at least. Here is what I did:

I installed a font I never used before: Hanken Grotesk (which is a Google font and I also downloaded the font for local install but didn't install yet).

Installed through Adobe Fonts as follows:
Installed for Adobe apps only: Thin, Thin Italic, Light, Light Italic, Regular, Italic, Semibold, Semibold Italic, Black, Black Italic
Installed for all apps: ExtraLight, ExtraLight Italic, Medium, Medium Italic, Bold, Bold Italic, ExtraBold, ExtraBold Italic

Created a new doc in InDesign and used the fonts when only installed through Adobe Fonts (to find out if it has something to do with the cache):
Hanken Grotesk ExtraLight => for all apps
Hanken Grotesk ExtraLight Italic => for all apps
Hanken Grotesk Thin => for Adobe apps only
Hanken Grotesk Thin Italic => for Adobe apps only
Hanken Grotesk Black => for Adobe apps only
Hanken Grotesk Black Italic => for Adobe apps only

Then uninstalled through Adobe Fonts:
Hanken Grotesk ExtraLight Italic (all apps, used)
Hanken Grotesk Thin Italic (only Adobe, used)
Hanken Grotesk Bold Italic (all apps, not used)
Hanken Grotesk SemiBold Italic (only Adobe, not used)

Now installed all fonts (the static ones obviously) locally. So for most fonts a local AND an Adobe Font were installed except ExtraLight Italic, Thin Italic, Bold Italic, Semibold Italic.

Now, while "both fonts were installed" => New Document and used:
Light (Adobe apps only)
Light Italic (Adobe apps only)
Medium (all apps)
Medium Italic (all apps)

Uninstalled all Adobe Fonts. Threw in a restart and then checked the fonts in the documents I created and also check on the ones which I had uninstalled before using them (Bold Italic & Semibold Italic).

The following fonts had the local fonts in path:
Bold Italic (installed for all apps but not used before uninstall)
Semibold Italic (installed for Adobe only and not used before uninstall)
Light & Light Italic (installed for Adobe only & used when both installed)
Thin, Thin Italic, Black, Black Italic (installed for Adobe only, used and uninstalled partly before the local install & partly after the local install).

The following fonts still had "Added from Adobe Fonts" in path:
ExtraLight & Extralight Italic (installed for all apps, used & uninstalled partly before the local install & partly after the local install)
Medium & Medium Italic (installed for all apps and used when both were installed)

At this point it seems clear to me, the issue arrises for fonts which were installed for ALL apps through Adobe Fonts and then used (so does have something to do with the cache as well)

Which gave me to an idea.... I uninstalled the local fonts for ExtraLight, Extralight Italic, Medium & Medium Italic. Then I installed the fonts for Adobe apps only (they were initially installed for all apps). Then used the fonts, saved the doc again and restarted (I actually rebooted the computer a few times during this entire process but tbh I don't remember where exactly anymore). Then uninstalled the font through Adobe Fonts and installed the local fonts. Tada! I worked. Or so I thought. It did solve the issue with those 4 fonts. But then I tried to use the same workaround for other fonts and there it didn't work. 😞

I hope this gives you more ideas at least.

Thanks,
Claudia

Report · Jun 23, 2025

Hi @claudia2323,

Thanks so much for your incredible detail and persistence in narrowing this down. I've shared the next action plan with you over DM. Please take a moment to go through it and let me know how it goes when you get a chance.

I really appreciate all the effort you've put into testing, and I'll continue to follow up closely to help resolve this.

Abhishek