Right-to-Left toggle in Paragraph panel has disappeared from InDesign 2022

Report · Apr 26, 2022

I have been using English/Arabic regional version of InDesign for a while now, specifically because it includes the LTR/RTL options. The Paragraph panel un until recently included the Right-to-left toggle, which allowed me to work in both RTL and LTR copy.

In version 17.1 of InDesign 2022 it was there, however in version 17.2 it has disappeared. I had updated my version of InDesign, but, had to downgrade it in order to regain this crucial feature.

Are there plans to return this this toggle? For those of us who work in multiple languages this is essential (even when working in Arabic, it is necessary).

Report · Apr 27, 2022

Marhaba Gaby. The Paragraph Direction buttons were never removed from InDesign, they're still there.

Make sure you have the correct language settings in your Adobe CC desktop application so that next time you update any Adobe software, the right update for your language preference will be downloaded.

Report · Apr 27, 2022

Shokran Zaid!

All my settings matched yours: the language settings (I've had it set that way for 2.5 years now) and the version, but, the toggle simply was not there on 17.2 for me and was there in 17.1.

However, this morning there was a new update, and I am now in 17.2.1 and the toggle is back.

I have no explanation whatsoever, as literally the only thing that changed was updating from 17.1 to 17.2, reverting back to 17.1 then this morning updating first to 17.2 and then 17.2.1 as soon as I got the notification that there was an update.

Either way, it's back, yay! Thank you so much for taking the time of puttin together all the screenshots.

Report · Apr 27, 2022

If this disappeared, you have probably installed English with Hebrew support.

Change in the CC App to English with Arabic Support, install ID and IC again. After installing change back to your standard language and you have all needed tools.

Report · Oct 13, 2023

this doesn't work for me at all. I installed the English - Arabic language InDesign and the paragraph direction tool is still missing.

Report · Aug 06, 2024

I am also having issues, it disappeared on the 19.2 version, is there anyway to fix it?

Report · Aug 06, 2024

Hello @salagroobi,

Thank you for reaching out. It seems like you are facing a text direction issue while typing Right to Left in InDesign. To resolve this, please follow these steps:

Install the MENA version of Illustrator: Ensure you have the Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) version of Illustrator installed. You can install additional language support in the Adobe Creative Cloud application.
Select Right-to-Left (RTL) Direction: After installing the MENA version, open your InDesign document. In the Paragraph panel (you can find it in the Window menu), you will see a button that looks like a small arrow pointing to the right (text direction). Click on it to switch between left-to-right (LTR) and right-to-left (RTL) text direction.

By following these steps, you should be able to type Hebrew with the correct direction for numbers and symbols. If the issue persists, please let me know, and I'll be happy to assist you further.

Best,

Anshul Saini

Report · Aug 10, 2024

Hi Anshul, thank you for your suggestions, I tried that but it is still not appearing in the paragraph panel or the characters panel, followed the step accordingly and even restarted the programme. Is there something I am missing?

Report · Aug 12, 2024

Hello @salagroobi,

I’m sorry to hear that the issue persists despite following the suggested steps.

Would you mind sharing a screenshot of creative cloud window showing which version of InDesign is installed?

We will look forward to your response.

Thank you,

Abhishek Rao

Report · Aug 12, 2024

Marhaba Sarah,

I'm sure that you have missed one step somewhere. I do suspect the following is affecting the process, when you remove/uninstall an application, the below dialogue window appears, just click the "Remove" button.

This way you guarantee that new installation will be a fresh one.

Report · Dec 13, 2024

Same here. This worked perfectly for years and then the paragraph direction just disappeared. I wish Adobe would stop doing things like this. It takes so much to figure out how to fix these things.

Report · Dec 16, 2024

Hi @Gaby Mazal,

I understand your frustration with the missing RTL toggle in InDesign. This issue can sometimes be caused by language and regional settings not being configured correctly, or by certain versions of InDesign not having the Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) features activated.

Would you mind trying below?:

1. Ensure you’re using the correct InDesign version:

- InDesign must be installed with English (Middle Eastern) or English (Arabic) language support for RTL features to be available. Check that the MENA version of InDesign is installed through the Adobe Creative Cloud app.

2. Check Language Settings:

- Open the Creative Cloud desktop app, go to Preferences > Apps, and make sure the correct language is selected (e.g., English - Middle Eastern). Then reinstall InDesign.

3. Try resetting the InDesign preferences and tell us how it goes. Reference: https://adobe.ly/3W4Gbuv

Let me know if these steps help, or if you'd like further assistance!

Best,

Abhishek Rao

Report · Jan 06, 2025

Ok, so looks like i am not the only one facing this.

I am facing the same issue. I am using InDesing 20.0 x64 standalone... i have not installed CC because I don't need it.

And that's why I don't want to uninstall and reinstall my InDesign!

Second thing - what kind of solution is this? to install an app with a particular language settinge? I mean if I am working on all the languages, should I be switching the same app for languages they support?

What's your generic solution?

Report · Jan 06, 2025

Hi @Preet362031139ipq,

Thank you for reaching out and sharing your concerns. I understand how frustrating this issue can be, especially when working across multiple languages. Let me clarify and provide some solutions for your situation.

To work with Hebrew and Arabic languages, InDesign and Illustrator require the MENA (Middle Eastern and North African) version, which supports Right-to-Left (RTL) text. Unfortunately, this version is only available through the Creative Cloud app.
You can still keep your standalone InDesign 20.0 version alongside the MENA version if you decide to install Creative Cloud. For more details, please refer to these guides:

Let me know if you need further assistance!

Best,
Abhishek Rao