Quit InDesign.
Last updated on
May 24, 2023
Resolve issues with third-party plug-ins in InDesign.
Issue
This document can help you troubleshoot the following:
- Problems and errors may occur after you install a third-party plug-in for Adobe InDesign.
- Errors when using certain plug-ins included with InDesign.
- Errors refer to plug-ins that are associated with particular documents.
- Errors indicate that certain plug-ins are missing.
- Problems and errors when a particular plug-in is referenced in a crash log file.
Please search the Adobe Knowledgebase for possible issues with specific third-party plug-ins before you contact Adobe Technical Support or the manufacturer of the third-party plug-in.
Adobe Technical Support can help you isolate problems related to plug-ins. However, if it has been determined that the problem is directly related to a plug-in created by another company, you will need to contact that company for further support.
Before you proceed
If you experience problems after installing a third-party plug-in (for example, a trapping or imposition plug-in), or if a third-party plug-in suddenly causes errors in InDesign, then ask yourself the following questions to narrow down the source of the problem:
- Has the plug-in ever worked properly? If so, what has changed on the system?
- Are other plug-ins and the InDesign application working?
If, after answering these questions, you are convinced the problem is specifically with the plug-in and not the result of broader, system-level issues, then proceed through the steps in this document.
Solution 1: Re-create the InDesign preferences file
macOS
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Drag the "Version [version number]" folder from Users/[user name]/Library/Preferences/Adobe InDesign/ to the desktop.
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Drag the "Version [version number]" folder from Users/[user name]/Library/Caches/Adobe InDesign/ to the desktop.
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Restart InDesign.
Windows
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Quit InDesign
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Drag the "Version [version number]" folder from C:\Users\[user name]\AppData\Local\Adobe\InDesign
to the desktop. -
Drag the "Caches" folder from C:\Users\[user name]\AppData\Local\Adobe\InDesign\Version [version number]\[language version] to the desktop.
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Restart InDesign.
InDesign creates new preference files on the launch of the application.
The folders you moved to the desktop contain InDesign's old preference files, the "InDesign SavedData" file, and "InDesign Defaults." These can be moved back if the issue is not resolved by creating new preference files.
Solution 2: Check the system requirements for InDesign and the plug-in
In some cases, plug-ins or suites designed for complex tasks may require more memory than InDesign.
If you used third-party plug-ins to create an earlier document version, check with the manufacturer to ensure that they are installed correctly for and compatible with the version of InDesign you're using before you convert the document.
Solution 3: Install the latest version of your plugin
The latest version of your plug-in may be more compatible with the operating system and drivers. Before installing an update or upgrade, ensure the system meets the requirements.
To get information on installed third-party plug-ins:
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Select Window > Find Extensions on Exchange.
You'll be redirected to the Adobe Exchange website with the list of plug-ins available for the latest version of InDesign.
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Select Manage on the Adobe Exchange website.
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Scroll through the list and select Manage next to the plug-in you need to uninstall.
You'll be redirected to the Plugins section of the Adobe Creative Cloud Desktop application.
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Select the more options icon and then select Update.
Solution 4: Disable or remove third-party plug-ins
Disable or remove third-party plug-ins from the InDesign Plug-ins folder, and then restart InDesign. If the problem does not occur after you disable or remove third-party plug-ins, reinstall them to ensure they are correctly installed. Otherwise, contact the manufacturer of the plug-ins to inquire about updates.
Follow these steps to manage or disable third-party plugins:
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Select Window > Find Extensions on Exchange.
You'll be redirected to the Adobe Exchange website with the list of plugins available for the latest version of InDesign.
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Select Manage on the Adobe Exchange website.
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Scroll through the list and select Manage next to the plugin you need to uninstall.
You'll be redirected to the Plugins section of the Adobe Creative Cloud Desktop application.
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Select the more options icon and then select Uninstall.
Note:You can choose the set Adobe Plug-ins, and then restart InDesign to disable third-party plug-ins. When you enable or disable plug-ins or choose a different plug-in set, you must restart InDesign so the change can take effect.
To remove the third-party plug-ins:
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Open the Extension Manager dialog box from the InDesign (Mac OS) or Help (Windows) menu.
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Select InDesign from the Product list.
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In the Author tab and search for the plug-in authors other than Adobe Systems Incorporated
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Highlight the third-party plugins.
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Click on the Check mark in the Enabled column to disable the plug-in
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Restart InDesign.
Solution 5: Restart in Safe Boot (macOS) or with Start-up items disabled (Windows)
macOS
To restart your system in Safe Boot, please refer to the following technical document: http://www.adobe.com/go/kb404936
Windows Vista
To restart your Windows Vista with disabled startup items and services, please refer to the following technical document: http://kb2.adobe.com/cps/404/kb404913.html
Solution 6: Check your hard disk for damage and scan for viruses
A damaged disk sector or virus can prevent a plug-in from launching or from working properly. Make sure you scan your disk for errors using a disk utility (for example, Apple Disk Utility, Disk First Aid, or Scandisk) and also scan it using a virus-detection utility that uses the latest virus definitions. For more information on these procedures, refer to the troubleshooting documents listed at the end of this document.
Still facing the issue?
If InDesign functions without the plug-in and none of the solutions help, contact the plug-in developer for further assistance. Most plug-in developers provide a technical support phone number or e-mail address for support questions.
If you would like to try further system-level troubleshooting, then please refer to one or more of the following documents:
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