Top of Window Off-Screen, Unable to Reposition (Mac, Multiple Monitors)

[TheMorningLine2]

Almost everyday, I have an issue where the top of the InDesign window is off the screen, which means I can't move the window around to position it properly on my monitor. The solution I've found is to use Mission Control to shift the InDesign window on to another monitor, which typically shifts it down just enough to be able to click the top of the window and drag it down more. Sometimes resizing the window will cause it to pop back on to the screen properly, but that doesn't always work.

I'm flagging this because it doesn't happen with any other Adobe programs, and it's consistent enough to be really disruptive to my workflow.

As an aside, multiple-monitor performance across Adobe programs is quite poor in general; pop-up windows for things like exporting, effects, etc. often appear on different screens at random, and still do so even after being repositioned in a prior use. I really wish Adobe could fix this.

I use a Macbook Pro (16-inch, 2021, M1 Max, 64 GB RAM) for work. I have multiple monitor set-ups at home (1 monitor) and at the office (2 monitors), and I use my laptop as an active screen in both scenarios as well. We're using macOS Monterey 12.7.5 because newer versions of the OS cause issues with our remote server, but given that the main issue only happens with InDesign, it seems to be a bug with the program.

[HARSHIKA_VERMA]

Hi there,

Sorry for the trouble. Would you mind trying the suggestion shared in this post: https://adobe.ly/3WWxXWu? Please let us know if that helps.

We will be happy to assist you further.

Thanks,

Harshika

[TheMorningLine2]

Hi Harshika,

I'll give this a try when this happens tomorrow to see if it makes the window movable. However, leaving the application frame option off is not a great option for my workflow. Also, this is another workaround, but not a permanent solution to the problem. Is this something that Adobe is currently looking into a creating a fix for? Being able to reposition the window via some other means besides the top of the window, or creating an option in the View menu to resize the window to the current screen size would be more permanent solutions.

Thanks,

Colin

[HARSHIKA_VERMA]

Hi Colin,

We understand your frustration and sorry for the delay in response. Did you get a chance to try the workaround suggested? let us know if that works for you.

We will also share your feedback with the team. Meanwhile, you may also submit your feedback here: https://adobe.ly/3X8z1Xp and upvote the existing request for better visibility.

Thanks,

Harshika

[MicheleAlise]

This only made things worse on my M1 macbook. I unchecked "application window" and set dock to open in display 2. Now the app itself still lives on display 1, while the document window is on display 2, flyouts on display 1. There's no way to drag the app window up. What a mess! I'm losing a lot of time messing around with this daily, 

[Anshul_Saini]

Hi @MicheleAlise,

Thanks for trying. It sounds like you're experiencing quite a frustrating issue with InDesign on your multiple monitor setup. Here’s a step-by-step approach to help resolve it:

• Reset Workspace: Sometimes, resetting the workspace can resolve display issues. Here’s how you can do it:

  • Go to Window > Workspace > Reset "<your workspace name>". This should reset the window positions and sizes to their defaults.

• Screen Recording: If the issue persists, it would be helpful to see a screen recording of what you're experiencing. This can provide more insight into how the windows are behaving across your monitors.

  • You can use screen recording software like QuickTime Player (built into macOS) or any other screen capture tool of your choice.
  • Capture the screen while you attempt to move the InDesign window and encounter the issue.

These steps should help troubleshoot and potentially resolve the issue.

Best,

Anshul Saini

[stephenw90833369]

Right click on the InDesign icon in the Dock, scroll to "Options" and click on "All Desktops" under title Assign To. That seemed to solve my same issue along with Photoshop and Illustrator as well

[Abhishek Rao]

Hi @NatureCulture,

Thank you for sharing your experience with the InDesign window positioning issue on a multiple monitor setup. We appreciate your proactive approach in troubleshooting the problem by unplugging your second monitor and finding a workaround that worked for you.

Your feedback is invaluable, and it helps us understand the various ways users are interacting with our software across different configurations. If you encounter any further issues or have additional insights, please don't hesitate to reach out.

Thanks again for your contribution to the community!

Best,

Abhishek Rao 

[NatureCulture · Accepted solution]

I just had this problem----then I unplugged my second monitor from my computer, and that fixed it (somehow I think when you disconnect the second monitor it has to check for positioning issues, and correct)

[Buddylee22]

I do the same thing. It's a habit now—I don't even try a workaround, usually because I'm too busy to stop working. I just unplug my second monitor, which allows me to drag my inDesign, Illustrator, or Photoshop window down and to the right a bit. Then, I plug my monitor back in. This happens around once a day. 

[ligiam61918284]

In InDesign go to Window and make sure Application Frame is unchecked.

[David Grubbs]

Not a single suggested solution above does anything useful.

It was not happening before I recently upgraded to a new MacBook Pro.

In InDesign2025, the window bar with the red/yellow/green buttons (that allows moving a window) is above the screen. Turning off Application Frame didn't help, it hurt badly because the editing window has disappeared and now I can't even find the InDesign window if I use the mouse-to-upper-right-corner to show all windows. And when I *can* find the InDesign window (with Command-Tab) and move it to another screen, it only stays there in the temporary mode while the green border is around it. When clicked on, it goes back to the main screen -- with the top control bar hidden above the MacOS menu bar.

Unplugging and plugging in the extra monitors only caused *other* windows to move around.

At no point is the green + button accessable.  It is visible temporarily when mouse-to-upper-right-corner reveals it, but clicking on any part of that window shoves it back to the main monitor with the top bar hidden. The combination of a new Apple Silicon MacBook, the latest MacOS (Sequoia 15.2), and the latest version of InDesign (which I grabbed two days ago, forced by the chip change) simply does not work.

I've used InDesign (and Pagemaker before it) for 20 years and nothing like this has ever happened.

Photoshop and Acrobat don't show this problem. Illustrator *starts* with this problem, but I was able to move the window to another screen after mouse-to-upper-right-corner revealed it.

None of the other dozens of non-Adobe software packages I've tested on my new Mac show anything like this brain damage.

[Abhishek Rao]

Hi David,

Thank you for providing such a detailed description of the issue you're facing with InDesign on your new MacBook Pro.

I'm sorry to hear that the suggested solutions haven’t worked for you so far. Based on your description, it seems this could be related to the interaction between InDesign 2025, the latest macOS version, and your MacBook’s hardware.

Could you please share the version of InDesign you are using, along with the details of your macOS? Are you using multiple screens, and if so, could you also let us know the model(s) of the screens? Additionally, could you test the issue after disconnecting the second screen and let us know if that changes anything?

Another useful step would be to test the issue in Safe Mode to rule out any third-party software conflicts. Here are the guides for testing in Safe Mode:

• Windows: Start your PC in Safe Mode in Windows
• macOS: Start your Mac in Safe Mode

I’ve also escalated this issue to the product team for further investigation. In the meantime, please feel free to share any additional details, and I will ensure that you’re updated as soon as we have more information or a potential fix.

Thank you for your patience and for reaching out to us.

Best,
Abhishek Rao

[David Grubbs]

I'll do further testing when I have some time.

But I thought it was clear that I have multiple monitors (two in addition
to the main MacBook Pro screen) and I was using the *latest* version of
everything.

MacOS Sequoia 15.2 (No "updates" offered beyond that.)

InDesign taken from your website three days ago: 20.0.1

The initial window comes up and is movable/resizable. When I open a file,
the main window jumps back to the main screen with no header bar. The top
of the screen is the half-inch high dark grey with "Share", "Essentials",
and a search bar that shows "Adobe Stock".

If I open a *.indb file, the extra windows (Links, Character & Paragraph
info, etc.) show up on an alternate screen, but the list of chapters in the
*.indb shows up on the main screen. When I click on a chapter, *that* shows
up with a header bar that allows me to move it, but all the tools, the
"Properties" and "Pages" section and the top info (with the 9 small boxes
and X/Y/W/H and lots of other things) are stuck on the main screen with no
header bar I can use to move it.

[dbdzn]

I am having the very same problem with muliple monitors and a new MacBook Pro. I't making it near impossible to work...really frustrating.

[dbdzn]

I just figured out a workaround. Settings > Displays > rearrange how your monitors are setup. In my case I have my MacBook Pro at the bottom and my two other displays on top... one right above the MacBook Pro... the other to the right. I moved the MacBook Pro display to the left of the other two monitors and the InDesign window looks normal and is movable with the 3 colored dots in the upper left of the window. I'll restart my computer and see if it stays... will let you know.

[dbdzn]

Restarted my computer... opened InDesign and it's window opened where I left it... in the middle of the monitor above my MacBook Pro. All is back to normal... for now.

[dbdzn]

I think the problem started after opening up a clients InDesign file. It must have come with a different monitor setup attached.

[David Grubbs]

I used Settings->Display->Arrange to move the desktops around, and later moved them back.

Now when I *start* InDesign, the initial window shows up where I left it (in one of the extra monitors), but when I open a *.indb file, all the tools jump back to the main MacBook screen. If I use the *.indb list to open a *.indd file, *that* window shows up with a header bar I can use to move. But that's not all that useful with all the tools locked into the main screen.

If I skip the *.indb file and simply open a *.indd file (or create a "New" document), it shows up with a header bar the same way -- I can move it, but the tools are still tied to the main screen. And oddly, there's a small window with "Add a Frame", "Start with Image" and other things that shows up in the middle of the main screen -- right in the middle of the where the editing window shows up -- but it can't be moved.

[dbdzn]

After you start InDesign go to your Mac Settings and move the order of your monitors. When I did this the InDesign window showed up as usual with all the tools in the middle of one of the screens. I could move it to any of the monitors with no problem…everything, tools, etc. all moved together. When I restarted and opened InDesign everything was the way it should be. So far…
Sent from my iPhone

[Srishti Bali]

Hi David Grubbs and dbdzn

Apologies for the inconvenience—I understand how frustrating this can be. Could one of you share a short video demonstrating the issue? Also, while you both mentioned using a MacBook Pro, could you confirm the versions of your operating system and InDesign?

We’re here to help—just need a bit more information!

Regards,

Srishti

[dbdzn]

Sorry but I haven’t had the problem again since I did the workaround so I can’t create a video.

New MacBook Pro with M4 chip

 macOS Sequoia version 15.1

InDesign 20.0