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Answered

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

Forum|Forum|1 year ago
May 24, 2024
9 replies
12068 views

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.

Correct answer NatureCulture

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)

B

Barb36631678joo0

Participating Frequently

Same issue. Pops up at random, probably an issue with working on a laptop that is sometimes attached to an external monitor, sometimes not. Very frustrating; there should be a way to resize all windows to fit the current screen quickly like in Windows.

Abhishek Rao

Community Manager

Hi @Barb36631678joo0,

I'm sorry to hear this is happening. A quick workaround you can try is holding the Option key and double-clicking one of the visible corners of the window, which should snap it back into place. If that doesn't help, could you confirm the exact macOS version and InDesign version you're using and whether the issue happens every time you switch displays or only at random? A short screen recording would also be really helpful for the team to review. Moreover, test the issue in safe m ode as well. Ref: https://adobe.ly/3ViyorO

Please give this a try and let me know how it goes, so we can take it further.

Abhishek

A

andrey_skripnik

Participating Frequently

hold Option and double-click on one of the visible corners

E

efficient_person1243

Known Participant

This is still going on in March of 2025. This is absolutely bewildering. My laptop screen resolution is larger than my display monitor resolution-- the selected window of Premiere Pro is now directly out of touch and cannot be moved.

F3 does not work.

Turning the monitor off or unplugging does not work.

KVM does not work.

If Adobe implemented (LIKE ALL OTHER APPLICATIONS) the Window -> Resize & Move options in the upper menu bar, this would be a nonissue problem. I can't believe it.

W

wysiwyg_7805

Participant

The fix on this reddit post just worked here, F3 then drag the window

How in the heck do you move the application frame? (macOS) : r/indesign

P

Patty291233552xaz

Participant

Pull the left side of the application window in a bit. This worked for me.

ligiam61918284

Participant

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

D

David Grubbs

Participant

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

Community Manager

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

N

NatureCultureCorrect answer

Inspiring

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)

B

Buddylee22

Participant

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.

S

stephenw90833369

Participant

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

Community Manager

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

HARSHIKA_VERMA

Community Manager

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

T

TheMorningLine2Author

Participating Frequently

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

Community Manager

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

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