How to Move ALL InDesign CC Apps to New Computer

[Richard Groff]

I have a new Mac and am trying to move all my ID CC apps to it. I downloaded the Creative Cloud desktop app and was able to install the latest version of InDesign, but I don't see how to install previous versions. I do work for multiple clients who use everything from CS6 to 2020 and I need CC and CC 2014 to CC 2019.

I doubt that I can just copy them from the old computer to the new one. Anyone have any idea?

[Frans v.d. Geest]

You can only revert to one older version these days, so 2019 and that's it. Copying over won't work.

[Frans v.d. Geest]

You could use Carbon  Copy Cloner to clone your old HD and then clone that to your new Mac, that will work.

[Richard Groff]

Thanks, Frans! I guess that's the heavy-duty way of doing it! I may have to if other means don't work out.

[Creamer Training]

<Response Deleted by Moderator>

[Richard Groff]

Thanks IDEAS-Training! I'm downloading them now. If I install them this way will they then appear in the CC desktop app? Or is that even necessary? I'm not trying to get away with anything here, it's just that I've had ID since version 1 and currently have CS6 through 2020. I never know what version a client will give me to work on and they always need their project to remain in the version they send me.

[Creamer Training]

They should. Make sure you turn off the "remove older versions" under your CC app settings. 

[Creamer Training]

Assuming your new Mac comes with the latest operating system, it will only run 64-bit versions of the old software. So some programs, such as InDesign CS6 will not work and some are hybrid 64- and 32-bit. 

I would take Frans advice and clone your current drive to an external drive*. You should be able to boot from the drive when you need the older software that won't run under the new OS. 

*Get a drive that has multiple connections and use the fastest one each computer supports. For example, your older computer may support USB-3 while your new one supports USB-C--or Thunderbolt 2 and 3 repectively. 

[Richard Groff]

Hoo-boy! I was able to download and install 2014-2018 but now when I start the CC desktop app it's blank--all white. Can't do anything with it but force-quit and none of the ID apps work now.

[Creamer Training]

It's entirely possible that many of the apps won't work properly on the new OS. 

If it is just the CC app you might want to uninstall it and reinstall (the latest version).

[Richard Groff · Accepted solution]

Success! I took the latest Time Machine backup from the "old" computer (a Mac mini running High Sierra), erased the hard drive on the "new" computer (actually a refurbished Mac mini that came with Mojave), and restored the backup from the "old" computer to the "new" one. Then I updated to Mojave again. Still had the problem with the CC Desktop app coming up blank, but I eventually found where to redownload it (repairing didn't work) and I'm back in business with CS6, CC, CC2014, CC2015, CC2017, CC2018, CC2019, and 2020! Strangely, only CS6, CC2019, and 2020 appear in the "apps" section of the CC Desktop app, but they work fine.

[margaretd36077956]

The Link for InDesign 2017 worked great. I could reinstall on my laptop because it is OS Mojave.

When I tried to install on my desktop which is in OS Catalina it said the installer didn't work with it.

Any ideas on a link with an updated installer?

thanks,

Margaret

[Manan Joshi]

Hi @margaretd36077956,

Catalina does not allow apps that are 32 bit in nature. CC2017 depends on pieces of software that are 32 bits and hence there is no way it can be made to run on Catalina and later OS's. You will have to upgrade to CC2020 or later on a Catalina machine.

May I know why do you wanna use 2017 when you have an upgraded computer and are also paying Adobe to use the latest version of the software? Are you using any third party plugin's that are stopping you from upgrading your InDesign version or is there anything else that's stopping you?

-Manan

[margaretd36077956]

Clients that have no moved to the updated versions of software sometimes necessitate the use of older versions.

And yes, they use third party plug ins. 

thanks for your reply.

Margaret

[Richard Groff]

Manan Joshi is right. Older ID apps won't function properly in Catalina and beyond. That's why I've kept one of my Macs at Mojave, so I can have all the earlier apps available when needed.

[margaretd36077956]

thanks, I do have an older laptop with Mojave on it and was able to reinstall 2017 on that. 

[margaretd36077956]

Thanks for all the replies and insight. Yesterday was a painful learning day! 

[Manan Joshi]

Good that you got a working setup. In the future to avoid such issues always refer to the system requirements of the software and make decisions accordingly to either upgrade or keep a backup of an old computer configuration. 

https://helpx.adobe.com/indesign/system-requirements.html

-Manan

[Steve Werner]

Adobe's current policy is to only allow you to the current version and the previous version of an application. So for InDesign that's InDesign 2020 and InDesign CC 2019. If you had previously downloaded earlier versions, you can still use them. Or, I believe you can contact Adobe Customer Support (we can't help you), to get a link to earlier versions.

Here's a Help file:

https://helpx.adobe.com/download-install/kb/download-availability.html?product=Creative%20Cloud%20De...

[Richard Groff]

Thanks Steve, but, yes, I do have all previously downloaded earlier versions, but they're on my old computer. Now I'm trying to get them all onto the new one. I guess I'll have to convince my clients to accept IDML files. They've balked at that in the past. I wish they'd all get with it and upgrade already!

[Test Screen Name]

. IDML is not a good solution, as a client I would utterly reject it because reflow and damage is exactly what I don't want. You will need to keep a machine going without Catalina on it to run old apps. So don't give up on that old one. But meanwhile, make sure to download every installer you can in case you have to reinstall (perhaps on a used Mac).

[Creamer Training]

Glad that worked out.

This is why knowing the specs of the "new" computer, such as the OS version is such citical info. Also, knowing the fact that it as a "new to you" rather than a (brand) new computer is important to know. Knowing about existing backups from the old system is useful info.