Why is everything pixelated and blurry in CS6?

[cngu12]

Hi,

A few months ago I installed the trial versions of Adobe Indesign, Illustrator and Photoshop on my MacBookPro.  After they expired I purchased the standard student edition and used the provided key number to unlock the full versions.  However, everything (including the sample fonts list, icons and opening menu) are pixelated and blurry.  As a design student, it is incredibly distracting to see font that isn't smooth like it should be on a retina display...

I've updated Indesign to version 8.0.1 but to no avail.  What could be wrong and how might I solve this problem?

Thank you,

Cuong

[BobLevine]

If you have a retina display there is no fix. Retina support was added to

InDesign CC which is available as part of Creative Cloud.

[judypleung]

Hi Bob,

Do you know if there will be a fix? Or would it be a waste of Adobe's time?

[Peter Spier]

Retina support requires the new code that was introduced in CC. There will be no fix for CS6.

[Floodlight Studios]

"Retina support requires the new code that was introduced in CC. There will be no fix for CS6." - absolute bullshit, I have just updated CC to the 2015 version ans it is still blurry, still hard on the eyes, this is totally unacceptable.

[Peter Spier]

If you are having display issues in CC 2015 there is something more going on. Are you set to High Quality Display? Is your option in the prefs re scaling for high res displays set correctly?

[ASD91]

Never mind mines all fixed. Just downloaded every update i could.

[Rachel Lutski]

how did u update? i updated it from the halp tool in indesign but it didnt help
what do i need to do to fix it? its impossible to work

[ASD91]

I thought it had all worked however my indesign didnt clear up. Photoshop and illustrator are perfect quality but indesign is still pixelated. I downloaded updates from adobe, and then went on Mac updates and there was a few new ones there.

Also i went on the apple website for macbook help and spoke to an advisor, they were pretty helpful

[Peter Spier]

Did you install InDesign CC? No amount of updating CS6 will make a difference.

[Rachel Lutski]

ho man...
no, i have only the CS6....  i gess ill have to waite for the adobe update

[Peter Spier]

Rachel Lutski wrote:

i gess ill have to waite for the adobe update

What Adobe update? To get Retina support you need to subscribe to Creative Cloud and use InDesign CC.

[Rachel Lutski]

how do i do it? do i need to buy the indesign cc? or is there an update for the cs6?

[Peter Spier]

InDesign CC is only available as part of a subscription to Creative Cloud (you pay a monthly fee). I believe there is a discount being offered for the first year of the subscription for users who have licensed previous versions of InDesign. https://creative.adobe.com/#join/offer/complete

[Peter Spier]

Looks like the link above is not a good place to start. Try http://www.adobe.com/products/discount-software-coupons.html instead.

[Rachel Lutski]

cool! ill chack it.
thenks!

[Bjørn_Frost]

So they force paying customers to their CC in order to fix a issue they are to lazy to fix. Come on Adobe, this is a lousy way of treating paying customers. I've spend to much on the CS6 packed to get treated like this!

[BobLevine]

Nobody forced you to buy a new computer, and nobody's forcing you to subscribe. You bought a new machine without checking compatibility of the applications you use...that's on you, I'm afraid. If you really want to rant at someone I suggest aiming it at Apple who came up with a beautiful display with little in the way of backward compatibility.

[Bjørn_Frost]

Wow, a really productive reply! I expect more for a product in that price range! CC is not for me, how should I know Adobe would leave their paying customers like this! This is not a issue about compatibility but a issue of Adobe forcing a business model down on customers who does not need that business model. So this IS an Adobe problem.

[John Mensinger]

Granted Bob's reply isn't exactly coddling, but it is at least accurate.

You've been driving Ford production road cars all your life, filling them with reasonably priced, low-octane petrol purchased at the service station owned by your friend Michael...

You come into a bit of money and decide to treat yourself to the motoring upgrade you've always wanted; an Aston Martin.

A week or two later, you discover the Aston Martin runs terribly on Michael's low-cost, low octane petrol you've always used, and from now on, you'll have to pay a higher price for Michael's high-grade fuel.

How dare Michael do this to you?

Apple has a long history of waving shiny bobbles at its market and convincing faithfuls of must-have status, irrespective of whether it is in the best interest of sustained compatibility. So-called "Retina" technology is a classic example. Lord knows I can barely see a thing on my "ordinary" display. Nevertheless, like you, I'll be among the last CS6 holdouts. But when we finally do sign up for whatever CC is called then, it will probably be for different reasons.

[BobLevine]

Nice analogy, John.

[Tereyn]

I also had problems with blurry or pixelated images that I placed in InDesign CS6 (I have NOT had this problem with text), I checked the effective resolution in my links panel and found it to be acceptable (150 dpi) so I knew this wasn't the problem. The solution I found was to select the image with the selection tool, then in the menu bar (or right click) go to > Object > Display Performance and select High Quality View. You can also do this for text frames but since I don't have blurry text I can't verify that it will work in that case. This will fix the on-screen viewing problems. You'll need to play with export settings to correct any fuzziness on printed or exported images.

Note: I do not have a retina display but do have a MacBook Pro.

[BobLevine]

This thread is about the effect of retina displays on the entire UI, not the display of images.

[Tereyn]

Why isn't it called that then? I found this thread based on a search to solve a problem as stated in the title. Since the originator has not stated that the software was tested on a non-retina display how can he/she or you be sure the display is the origin of the problem?

[BobLevine]

If you read the entire thread you’ll see it’s about retina displays and incompatibilities with CS6 and earlier. I’m only pointing it out for the lurkers.

[Bjørn_Frost]

Because the problem is focusing on the menus in ID and not the graphics imported into the work area. -> (including the sample fonts list, icons and opening menu)