InDesign Help

This is the go-to fix with anything Indesign, especially on the Mac. Plus it’s easy. Instead of deleting the preference files, just rename them. That way, if it doesn’t turn out to be the cause of the problem you can restore them by deleting the newly created preference file and re-rename them back to the original name.

The preference files are “InDesign SavedData” and “InDesign Defaults”.

In CS1 and CS2 they were located at [YourHardDrive] > Users > [YourUserName] > Library > Preferences > Adobe Indesign > Version 4 (Version 3 if you’re using CS, Version 5 if you are using CS3)

From here, rename them by adding a numeral or “old” after the original name. Do this while InDesign is CLOSED. When you relaunch InDesign, it will then create new, fresh preference files.

This allows you to check to see if the preference files are the cause of whatever problem you might be having without having to delete them permanently. It might be a bummer to lose all your preferences, but it might save you from a hairy re-install!

In InDesign CS3 adobe changed the location of “InDesign SavedData” It is located at [YourHardDrive] > Users > [YourUserName] > Library > Caches > Adobe InDesign > Version 5.0. The other one is in the location referenced above.

For PC’s:

CS1 and CS2 “InDesign Defaults” and “InDesign SavedData:
C:\Documents and Settings\[YourUserName]\Application Data\Adobe\InDesign\Version 4.0 (or 3.0 for CS)

CS3 “InDesign SavedData”:
C:\Documents and Settings\(user name)\Local Settings\Application Data\Adobe\InDesign\Version 5.0\Caches

If you are having trouble with your workspace, such as a problem “Initializing palettes…” or a missing palette. Try doing this same process with the file “Active Workspace.xml”, which is located in the same locations as referenced above.

Directories like Application Data and Local Settings are hidden by default on the PC, to see these you will need to “Show Hidden Files and Folders”. To do this go to Tools > Folder Options > View > Show Hidden Files and Folders.