"Activating Font" background task won't stop

[Thomas30206178sk8b]

Hello! 

I'm having an trouble the background task feature on InDesign. I downloaded two fonts from DaFont to spice up my magazine, and since then I haven't been able to save or export my document because it is continuously "activating font" under background tasks and isn't stopping. There is no option to delete (see picture). Has anyone had experience with this? I'm afraid to ctrl-alt-delete because I don't want my document to not be saved. 

This post from 2020 had a similar issue, but after I did what the commentor suggested (went to Find/Replace Font and clicked "Redefine Style When Changing All" for all the non-normalized fonts) it still didn't work. I'm at a loss as to what to do. 

[Bera35005021f6ve]

My fix was to see which fonts it was trying to activate, mainly it was fonts like @rob day said, that were on both Google Fonts and Adobe Fonts, so I uninstalled the font and reinstalled it. I also kept the auto activate on, since it's so helpful. 

[Bob5CF2]

THIS!  Thank you, Bera! You jogged my memory. We had the same issue with Montserrat, which is both a Google font and an Adobe font. As soon as I deleted the Google font, it allowed Adobe to "see the path" to activating the fonts I needed.  Bebas was the font in question for the curious font folks.  I believe it is also an Apple system Font, which also may be another little wrinkle that I just worked out.  THANK YOU!

[rob day]

Hi @Bob5CF2 , the font activation problem is coming up a lot, and the common thread seems to be conflicts between fonts with the same name that are installed in the system and activated via AdobeType’s cloud service.

[Bob5CF2]

Yup. That seems to be the case.  Google and Apple fonts seem to be the culprits for me. I'm wondering why they go by font name and not font ID number.

[Douglas5DE7]

It is happening for me with Montserrat. Thanks for this!

[Douglas5DE7]

How did you delete the Google font? It is not installed on my hard drive, but I am experiencing the spinning circle of "adding font" and the font doesn't show up properly.

[leo.r]

How did you delete the Google font? It is not installed on my hard drive, but I am experiencing the spinning circle of "adding font" and the font doesn't show up properly.

By @Douglas5DE7

Try to log out of Creative Cloud then log back in; also restart.

[Bob5CF2]

I use Extensis Connect Fonts to manage my fonts.  I can search fonts through that and either deactivate them or delete them. 

[razzledazzle019 · Accepted solution]

In our case it was FontExplorer that had a VERY old Type 1 font active on the system. Because this font was still installed, Adobe's version of the same name wouldn't fully install. Once I removed all references to the old fonts with that name in the system and restarted just to be sure, Adobe was able to successfully install the font family as well as automatically substitute the font. Previously it remained hung as a background task if set to auto-add fonts or with that deselected, it just stayed processing when manually choosing to substitute the font.

[davida58128891]

I have the same isue and the fonts aren't even in the document I am working on.

Also, it is fonts that are already active in Creative Cloud! I have found a "sometimes" fix for this is: Find the font in Cloud and click "install family" button (even though I am working in Adobe apps only). This seems to clear the background task without having to restart InDesign. I will also turn off auto-activation as I have always had issue with synched fonts appear as missing even though they are installed.

[isabelled44703090]

Same... Everything, everywhere, all the time issues nowadays. So much wasted time, I didn't sign up for this. Sorry for the rant but I do miss the old days where you bought your software once every 4 years and it ran smooth as butter.

[davida58128891]

I agree 100%. Never had these issues before subscription. While I can see the advantages, I much preferred the old setup (been working with InDesign since the first programme), I do get sick of the bugs, constant updates to fix the bugs. I hate using Adobe Fonts as I quite often have to close the programme and reopen because installed Adobe fonts are being picked up even though they were fine the day before when I opened the same file). And of course, you don't own a licence a physical font file.

My issue is not being caused my a Type 1 conflict as the "correct answer " suggests as the font in question isn't even in the job.

[rob day]

While I can see the advantages, I much preferred the old setup (been working with InDesign since the first programme)

Hi @davida58128891 , You don’t have to use Adobe Fonts or allow them to activate. From your Creative Cloud app’s Preferences choose Services and disable Adobe Fonts, and with no docs open uncheck Prefs>File Handling>Fonts>Auto-activate Adobe Fonts

[Arvin5EDF]

Just go to "edit", "preferences" and down to "file handling", uncheck the box that says "auto activate Adobe Fonts. Then RESTART the software.