Request for InDesign Document Previews in macOS Finder (Sequoia 15.0.1)

[randomtask72]

Hi. Please, can we have InDesign files in MacOS Finder (Sequoia 15.0.1) show the document preview.

I have relied on 3rd party developers over the last 10+ years (ArtView and inddPreview.app) to provide this essential feature. Unfortunately Apple has dropped support for legacy plugins (so called Quick Look generators) so inddPreview.app has stopped working.

I have over 15,000 InDesign files, and to now do what is usually a quick visual finder search is impossible with the Finder only showing the generic InDesign Document Icon.

.psd files have finder document previews
.ai files have finder document previews

Why not InDesign?

The 6 year old Feature Request is marked as Solved when it clearly isn't.
https://indesign.uservoice.com/forums/601021-adobe-indesign-feature-requests/suggestions/33291841-in...

Attached image: Left, how the finder looks now, on the Right, how it needs to look!

Kind regards

<Title renamed by MOD>

[Abhishek Rao]

Hi @randomtask72,

I completely understand your frustration regarding the lack of InDesign document previews in macOS Finder, especially with such a large collection of files. It can be incredibly inconvenient when tools that were once reliable become unsupported, making your workflow more difficult.

I can see how important this feature is for you, and your request is valid. I recommend continuing to voice your concerns on the UserVoice page and encouraging others to do the same to help prioritize this feature request.

Thank you for your patience, and please know that your feedback is crucial as we work to improve InDesign for all users.

Best,
Abhishek Rao

[randomtask72]

Sorry for the late reply - I was run over 🙈. I have added this to the Indesign feature requests. If you are interested in this feature, please can you vote for it here: https://indesign.uservoice.com/forums/601021-adobe-indesign-feature-requests/suggestions/50346207-in...

[leo.r]

You're confusing two different features: file preview and icon preview.

You're referring to the icon preview feature (which, indeed, has never been natively available for InDesign documents; it was provided by some 3rd-party tools, as you mentioned).

The file preview for InDesign files is available in Sequoia (the one you see in the preview pane in the Finder).

The "6 year old Feature Request" you mentioned requested the file previews for InDesign documents, which ability was provided in InDesign 2023 (as correctly stated by the answer from Adobe).

If you specifically want icon previews, you can file a new feature request.

[leo.r]

P.S. BTW, I totally understand how useful InDesign icon previews can be for some users. However, I personally wouldn't even want this feature to be added to InDesign due to the way it's implemented in macOS. That's because there's no way to enable icon previews for specific files only. 

I do like icon previews for images and always have this option enabled in the Finder. However, for InDesign documents, I prefer to just see their icons. Same with PDF files. If Adobe implements icon previews for InDesign files, there will be no way to disable it in the Finder.

[zimaelz]

Hi randomtask72,

I totally agree whith you. There's no sense not having one solution reliabel for this after years. How long will we have to deal with a more difficult workflow? 

[leo.r]

I totally agree whith you. There's no sense not having one solution reliabel for this after years. How long will we have to deal with a more difficult workflow? 

By @zimaelz

Btw, as a workaround, you can achieve what you need in Bridge (as you may know anyway).

[zimaelz]

It's true, thanks leo.r

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

https://helpx.adobe.com/uk/indesign/using/saving-documents.html#:~:text=To%20include%20a%20preview%2....

[MyTheo]

Have you found a solution yet? I switched to Sequoia 15.5 this week and am appalled. I'm having the same problem as you. What's more, eps files are no longer visible in Finder. This is making my work very difficult.

[leo.r]

Have you found a solution yet? I switched to Sequoia 15.5 this week and am appalled. I'm having the same problem as you. What's more, eps files are no longer visible in Finder. This is making my work very difficult.

By @MyTheo

Can you please elaborate on what solution specifically you're looking for? This thread deals with at least two features, all mixed together: Finder icon preview and file preview, and possibly something else.

Also, by "eps files are no longer visible in Finder" I guess you meant that EPS previews are not available in the Finder anymore. That's true, and I guess it's because macOS dropped PostScript support on Sequoia (or sometime earlier).

As mentioned earlier, as a workaround, you can still see all the desired previews in Bridge.

P.S. As to your EPS files, then ideally you'd want to resave them into a more contemporary format such as PDF or .ai, then relink in InDesign (which can be done semi-automatically). EPS is an obsolete format by now (unless you're using some specialized software that still requires EPS). But I know it's easier said than done if you have a large library of EPS files from earlier days.

[MyTheo]

That's exactly what I mean. Apple no longer offers it in Quick Look. I'm looking for a way to see the preview in Finder. There used to be an app for InDesign files that displayed a preview in Finder, but it no longer works in Sequoia either. This causes me a lot of problems in my daily work because it wastes time and therefore money. I'll probably have to use software to automatically convert all EPS files to AI or PDF. The problem is that I have to refer back to older InDesign documents, which then can't find the linked files. In any case, I really regret updating to Sequoia.

[leo.r]

That's exactly what I mean. Apple no longer offers it in Quick Look. I'm looking for a way to see the preview in Finder. There used to be an app for InDesign files that displayed a preview in Finder, but it no longer works in Sequoia either.

By @MyTheo

You should be able to see InDesign file previews in the Finder on Sequoia (provided you saved your InDesign files with the option to save the preview). Can you post a screenshot that illustrates the problem?

[leo.r]

I'll probably have to use software to automatically convert all EPS files to AI or PDF. The problem is that I have to refer back to older InDesign documents, which then can't find the linked files.

By @MyTheo

You can use this option from the Links panel menu:

[MyTheo]

Here is a screenshot of how my Finder displays InDesign documents. Restoring the file links is not a problem, but it takes extra effort. The same applies to converting all files to other formats.

[leo.r]

Here is a screenshot of how my Finder displays InDesign documents.

By @MyTheo

Ok so you're referring to icon previews. Indeed, this option for InDesign documents was only available through 3rd-party tools that are not working anymore.

I initially posted my opinion on this option here:

https://community.adobe.com/t5/indesign-discussions/request-for-indesign-document-previews-in-macos-...

Bridge is probably the best option now to view InDesign file previews the way you want.