/t5/indesign-discussions/redraw-glitches-screen-fails-to-refresh-properly/td-p/15214717Mar 16, 2025
Mar 16, 2025
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For the past couple of years (can't remember exactly what version of InDesign or Windows it started) I've had constant issues with InDesign not displaying objects properly after doing an edit or scrolling. Sections of the screen will have all the artwork offset by a pixel or two so lines don't match up, or the selection boxes of objects are slightly offset from the objects themselves. If I toggle preview off and then back on again (with W) it fixes it up, it all snaps back into place. But this happens CONSTANTLY. I'll fix it up and a few edits later it's back again.
I thought it might have just been my work laptop configuration (HP Zbook Studio, Windows 11) however I worked on my home laptop (Asus ROG Zephyrus 15) and it did the same thing so I can't blame that. Happens on any file I have so it's not the file itself.
I've always had an issue with vector graphics just going "blank" until you do the ol' WW trick so maybe it's a continuation of that? I feel like the poor cousin (Windows user) using the poor cousin Adobe program that hasn't been substantially updated in years...
Could you confirm which version of InDesign you’re using? Also, where is the file stored - locally, on an external drive, a remote server, or in the cloud?
Try saving the file as IDML (File > Save As > InDesign Markup (IDML)), then reopen it and check if the issue persists. If it does, try packaging the file (File > Package), then open the INDD file from the packaged folder and see if that helps. Ref: https://adobe.ly/3DODHdF
Also, are you using an external monitor? Let me know how it goes!
This happens on anything I work on, so it's not the file. InDesign is up to date, no updates pending. But it's been doing this for at least a year so it's been through a few versions. The files are generally on my hard drive, synched to SharePoint but essentially local. I'm using two external monitors however I get the same thing when just working on my laptop without any etxernal screens. Given it's persisted across two work laptops and my home laptop I figured this might be a universal problem and not just something localised to me?
It's like the screen sometimes doesn't refresh properly when something changes. You know, if you drag objects around the screen then other objects will momentarily get corrupted, say, a 10% opacity box will look 100% in sections as you drag something over it but once you let the mouse button go it all refreshes to how it should be. It seems that in that process certain sections of the display are redrawn in a slightly incorrect position and it takes a screen refresh (like entering/existing preview mode) to force it to redraw in the right spot.
Are you using any third party plug-ins with your InDesign? If so then check the third party's website to make sure that the version of the plug-in is compatible with the latest version of InDesign. If an update is available try that. If the plug-in has not been updated then try running InDesign without the plug-in and see if InDesign's performance improves.
No 3rd party plugins. The only thing that I can think of that's common to both laptops is that I use an Apple Mouse so I have Magic Mouse Utilities installed, and it's an old version as I have the original mouse. I can try disabling that on my home computer (work too hard as it's all locked down and I had to pull favours to get it installed!).
I thought it might be graphics card related? Work is Intel/RTX3000 and home is AMD/RTX3050 but both are pretty common. And InDesign on Windows doesn't use the dedicated graphics as far as I know (hence comment about being a poor cousin...)
I was sorta hoping this would trigger an avalanche of "yes that happens to me too and it's always bugged me" but maybe I am indeed alone...
Thanks for the update! You mentioned testing with the laptop's trackpad or a different mouse/keyboard. Could you confirm if the issue persisted after that? Also, if you haven’t already, try disabling Magic Mouse Utilities on your home setup and see if that makes any difference.
If the problem continues, try creating a new Windows user account and test InDesign there to check if it’s profile-related. Ref: Manage User Accounts in Windows.
If possible, please share a screen recording showing the issue in action. Looking forward to your update.
I'm leaning towards it being caused by the Magic Mouse under Windows as when I switched to the standard Dell that work supplies the issue didn't reoccur (or if it did it was very seldom). Perhaps it's something to do with how the scrolling gets communicated, but it's only InDesign that seems to have this sort of issue. InDesign is very prone to the screen scrolling wildly at the slightest touch of the scrolling surface which again no other application seems to suffer from. So I'm guessing it's a combination of the two.
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