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Troubleshooting 101: Replace, or "trash" your InDesign preferences [2009 Outdated & Locked]

Community Expert ,
Nov 18, 2009 Nov 18, 2009

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When InDesign starts to behave strangely, the number one suggestion for troubleshooting is to replace (or trash, reset or restore) the application preferences. This will remove corrupt preferences and replace them with a new set of default preferences, and often end bad behavior.

There is a quick and easy method for doing this using the keyboard: close and relaunch InDesign, and IMMEDIATELY hold down Ctrl + Alt + Shift (Windows) or Cmd + Ctrl + Opt + Shift (Mac), and respond in the affirmative to the dialog asking if you really want to replace the preferences. There are two downsides to this method, however. First, you must be extremely fast on the keyboard (if you don’t see the confirmation prompt, you were too slow), and second, anytime you replace the preferences you will lose most program customizations, and using the keyboard method leaves you with no backup to restore them when the problem turns out to be something else.

My preferred method is to CLOSE INDESIGN and do a “manual” prefs replacement, which consists of finding and renaming the two files which make up the preference set: InDesign Defaults and InDesign SavedData. BOTH of these files should be replaced at the same time. You can delete them, but renaming or moving them will give you the opportunity to copy them back in the event that new prefs doesn’t cure your issue. When you restart ID, the program will look for these two files, and when they are not found, a new default set will be written.

[Defunct link removed by Peter Spier on 11/6/15]

These are normally hidden files, so you will need to set your system to show them. They will be found in various places depending on the OS, and the version of InDesign. (Edit: For Mac users running OSX 10.7 or newer, you can learn how to show hidden files here: Access hidden user library files | Mac OS 10.7 Lion)

PLEASE LOOK AT THESE PATHS CAREFULLY. They look similar, but are two different folders for the two files.

InDesign Defaults:

Windows XP: C:\Documents and Settings\<USER>\Application Data\Adobe\InDesign\<Version #>\<language>\  (Note: Prior to version 6 [CS4] the language folder is not used).

Windows Vista or Windows 7 and newer: C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\InDesign\<Version #>\<Language>\ (Note: Prior to version 6 [CS4] the language folder is not used).

Macintosh: Hard Drive/Users/<USER>/Library/Preferences/Adobe InDesign/<Version #>/<Language>/(Note: Prior to version 6 [CS4] the language folder is not used).

InDesign SavedData:

Windows XP: C:\Documents and Settings\<USER>\Local Settings\Application Data\Adobe\InDesign\<Version #>\<Language>\Caches\ (Note: Prior to version 6 [CS4] the language folder is not used).

Windows Vista or Windows 7 and newer: C:\Users\<USER>\AppData\Local\Adobe\InDesign\<Version #>\<Language>\Caches\  (Note: Prior to version 6 [CS4] the language folder is not used).

Macintosh: Hard Drive/Users/<USER>/Library/Caches/Adobe InDesign/<Version #>/<Language>/ (Note: Prior to version 6 [CS4] the language folder is not used).

In some earlier versions of ID, InDesign SavedData may also be found in the first directory.

As mentioned above, when you replace your preferences you will lose customizations beyond those things that are set in the preferences dialogs. These include Document and Print Presets you might have created. If you haven't made backups already, you should go, prior to replacing the preferences, to the "Define" dialogs for printer and document presets and custom stroke styles, and select all of your custom entries, the click the save button and put the file someplace safe. After resetting preferences using the keyboard or by renaming/deleting the old files and restarting InDesign, these customized settings can be re-loaded with a single click once again in the Define dialogs. 
  
PDF presets can be backed up in the same way, but they are stored in a different location and will not be destroyed by a simple preference reset. Other customizations that you should not lose are workspaces, keyboard shortcut sets, and find/change queries.

As a further step I strongly recommend that you make a copy of these two files when you have a working customized set. Store them in a safe place and you can use them to overwrite a corrupt set so no further editing or reloading will be required. Users of InDesign CS4 can use a free script from InTools.com to backup and store multiple sets of preferences: In-Tools Scripts » Preference Manager Script

Edit: Corrected Mac Path per Jongware's post below.

UPDATE: I just ran across a situation in which overwriting the InDesign Defaults and InDesign SavedData files failed to restore functionality to the tools on a single user account on a multiple user system (the other account was fine). This is an absolute first and I've been using the technique for years, including replacing these two files on this system which is used by the student newspaper where I was a professor, in order to customize or restore preferences every semester. What did work was to use the keyboard method first, then close InDesign and manually replace the two files to restore the prefs to the proper settings.  -- Peter

Further update: We have had several reports now in the CC versions of InDesign where using the manual method has failed to solve problems that are normally fixed by replacing preferences. to the best of my knowledge, using the keyboard method has solved the problem for each of those users. -- Peter

Message was edited by: Peter Spier

Message was edited by: Peter Spier

Message was edited by: amxyz

Message was edited by: Peter Spier to add path warnings.

Message was edited by: Peter Spier to add update re: failure of one method and success of other in CC.

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Guest
Nov 16, 2010 Nov 16, 2010

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Hi, my ID Version was 7.0.2 so I downloaded and ran the update and now the version is 7.0.3.535. But still the same crash....

I also tried renaming the SING-Folder - theres only Adobe->Abobe InDesign->Plug-Ins->Text->(SING Resources) is this the right one??

and renaming/removing sing.apln...

...and I really don't know what to do anymore.... ist there any logfile or sth. like this that can be checked?

I think it did launch after I installed it.... 'cause I also copied a link on my desktop and usually do this when I checked the program running... but maybe I'm wrong about this.... don't know now, it was some month ago 😞

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Community Expert ,
Nov 16, 2010 Nov 16, 2010

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The SING folder should be in Common FIles\Adobe\

I don't believe there is antying other than (possibly) an event viewer item, which may not be too helpful.

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Guest
Nov 17, 2010 Nov 17, 2010

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PETER YOU ARE THE BEST!!! 🙂

Thanks a lot, it works now. And now it also created the "InDesign Defaults"-File.

But did not recreate the SING-Folder and sing.apln (I moved them in another folder).... but if these aren't that important it doesn't bother me 🙂

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LEGEND ,
Nov 17, 2010 Nov 17, 2010

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If you ever open a document with CJK content, you will need SING. Otherwise you should be okay...

Harbs

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Guest
Jan 15, 2011 Jan 15, 2011

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Hello, thank you sooooooo much for this post.  It was immensely helpful.  I have just downloaded the CS5 trial of Indesign.  All seemed to be with the install until I tried to use my colour swatches and I realised that they they were all "greyed" out.  I then proceeded to check my tables meus and I realised that I didn't have any functionality at all   At first I thought, ah must be the free trial, but I remembered using a free trial before of one of the earlier versions and I had full functionality.

Thankfully I found this post.  I did try the manual reset of the preferences orginally, but I couldn't locate the files I needed to copy. (I did select "show hidden files" and I am using Windows 7).

So I opted for using the "Ctrl + Alt + Shift" method (while having all my toes crossed and shutting my eyes & hoping for the best!)  Hey presto it works (so far anyway!

Thank you for saving my bacon, really useful post ....tttttthhhhaaaaannnnnkkkkk youuuuu!!!!

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Guest
Mar 22, 2011 Mar 22, 2011

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Anyone have replace your preferences for Mac tutorial?

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Community Expert ,
Mar 22, 2011 Mar 22, 2011

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What, exactly do you mean by a tutorial that you think wasn't covered a the beginning of this thread?

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Community Expert ,
Mar 22, 2011 Mar 22, 2011

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@syst_m,

What Mac preferences are you talking about? There are preferences for each application, and many, many different Apple preferences. Most of them are in <home>/Library /Preferences. Some are in /Library/Preferences.

If you wanted to actually erase all your Mac preferences, you would do a clean install of your operating system and then reinstall all your software.

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Guest
Mar 24, 2011 Mar 24, 2011

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I'm only loosing preferences for InDesign. When I start up sometimes, everything is reset. I have now saved out all my print and document settings to make it a little easier, but I was wondering if there is a fix for this and if not, how can i replace these settings from a my backup disk. I use time machine.

I'm running CS5, InDesign 7.0.3. My machine is a 24" iMac, Mac OSX  10.5.8, 3.06 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 4 GB RAM. Plently of disk space.

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Guest
Mar 24, 2011 Mar 24, 2011

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I'm running CS5, InDesign 7.0.3. My machine is a 24" iMac, Mac OSX  10.5.8, 3.06 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, 4 GB RAM. Plently of disk space.

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Community Expert ,
Mar 24, 2011 Mar 24, 2011

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Make copies of clean versions of InDesign Defaults and InDesign SavedData and store them anywhere. Use them to replace a corrupt set.

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Community Beginner ,
Mar 24, 2011 Mar 24, 2011

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Thank you! Thank you!

That worked for me finally, I appreciate your help.

Marilyn

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Guest
Apr 11, 2011 Apr 11, 2011

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So for the past few weeks, I haven't been able to use my tool bar, my control bar, or any other boxes (character, paragraph...) in CS5. I have an arrow, and they are not grey, but I cannot click anything. I replaced the 2 files, and I now have use of my toolbar (THANK YOU) but everything else is still not working. I also upgraded to the latest everything. Does anyone (PETER) have any idea what the problem is? Thank you very much.

Laura

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Community Expert ,
Apr 11, 2011 Apr 11, 2011

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Guest
Apr 11, 2011 Apr 11, 2011

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I knew I could count on you, genius! Thank you ever so much.

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Guru ,
Apr 13, 2011 Apr 13, 2011

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I would like to replace the files but am nervous that my autocorrect and user dictionaries might be affected how do I up those 2 files?

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Community Expert ,
Apr 13, 2011 Apr 13, 2011

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Autocorrect seetings seem to be an xml file in your user profile under the Autocorrect subfolder, and user dictionaries have a .udc extension (you decide where they are stored, I believe), so you should be able to search for and back up both. I don't personally use either one, so I wouldn't stake my life on it, but as far as I know they won't be affected by a prefs replacement, at least not the manual method.

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New Here ,
Apr 26, 2011 Apr 26, 2011

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Hi ,

I am running into problem and wondering if anyone thinks replacing InDesign preferences wiill solve the problem.  I am running CS5 on windows XP

I was able to print out two spreads and they printed fine.. got to the third spreadone and all spreads after are printing with the guides showing in the PDF.. Has anyone seen this before. If so is there a solution?

The guides are not visible or turned on in the actual In Design document.  I tried saving under a different name. I tried saving just the pages that I wanted to print, I tried export but when I export another little wierd problem occurs.. I am getting a random block of color in a place where I dont have anything. I think the two problems are related. I tried to reduce the size of the images on the pages and still nothing works.

Any suggstions?

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Community Expert ,
Apr 26, 2011 Apr 26, 2011

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This sounds more like file corruption that preference issues. Try Remove minor corruption by exporting

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New Here ,
Apr 26, 2011 Apr 26, 2011

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thanks, it worked to open ID CS5.

Why is 5 so buggy? First I had numerous crashes and now an error message when opening,

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Community Expert ,
Apr 26, 2011 Apr 26, 2011

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Please start a new thread to discuss your "buggy" behavior. Most problems are actually not bugs, but some sort of system conflict, and we usually can find a solution.

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New Here ,
Apr 28, 2011 Apr 28, 2011

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Thanks Peter,

In the end I uninstalled and reinstalled ID CS5 and so far it seems to be

working ok.

rt

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New Here ,
May 10, 2011 May 10, 2011

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Thanks - this fix worked for me on CS2.

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Community Beginner ,
May 15, 2011 May 15, 2011

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That did it. You're the best. Thank you.

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New Here ,
Jun 02, 2011 Jun 02, 2011

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Hi!
I tried everything on this tread (renaming SING, erasing "indesign saved data" - defaults I dont have it) and nothing worked...

Until yesterday, everything was running fine. Today it got screwed...

My startup ID CS5 apears all the way to the end, program loads on screen for a few seconds, I can see the welcome screen (that one to choose if I want to open a recent file, create a noe one, etc) but this screen is empty, them the program closes itself, no messages, nothing.

Any help?

Is there an issue with AVG (I just updated to the new version, grrrr..) I tried to disable it, but didnt work.

thanks!

UPDATE: Some INDD files I can open, by double-clicking it. It loads fine, but right after I see a popup screen, asking me if I want to save the file before closing it. If I click yes or no, Indesign closes. there is no way to edit the file or whatever.

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