If Adobe InDesign has started running slowly, freezing, crashing, or taking longer than usual to open, clearing the cache can be a good place to start.
InDesign creates temporary files and recovery data while you work. Most of the time, you never need to worry about them. But if some of these files become corrupted, they can sometimes cause performance problems or other unusual behaviour.
In this guide, I’ll show you how to clear the InDesign cache on Windows and Mac, how to remove recovery data safely, and what else you can try if InDesign is still running slowly.
Before you begin: Save your work and close InDesign completely before deleting any cache or recovery files.
What Is the InDesign Cache?
The InDesign cache contains temporary data that the application creates while you work. This can include cached information, recovery data, logs and other temporary files.
These files help InDesign work efficiently, but they aren’t essential to keep forever. If they become corrupted, clearing the appropriate cache or recovery data can sometimes solve problems.
You may want to clear your InDesign cache if:
- InDesign is running unusually slowly
- The application keeps freezing or becoming unresponsive
- InDesign crashes unexpectedly
- InDesign crashes when starting
- A document keeps opening in recovery mode
- You notice strange behaviour after an InDesign update
- Temporary files are taking up unnecessary storage space
However, cache files aren’t always the cause of slow performance. Fonts, plugins, damaged preferences, GPU settings, large documents and limited system resources can also affect InDesign’s performance.
How to Clear InDesign Cache on Windows
Before doing anything, save your open documents and close Adobe InDesign.
1. Close InDesign completely
Make sure InDesign has completely stopped running.
If the application has frozen, open Task Manager and check that there isn’t still an InDesign process running.
2. Open the InDesign cache location
Open File Explorer and go to:
C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Adobe\InDesign\Replace <username> with your Windows account name.
The AppData folder may be hidden. If you can’t see it, enable Hidden items in File Explorer.
3. Open your InDesign version folder
Inside the InDesign folder, you’ll find folders relating to the version installed on your computer.
Open the folder for your current version.
4. Find the recovery or cache data
Look for the InDesign Recovery folder and other temporary data associated with your InDesign installation.
If you’re troubleshooting a repeated startup crash, Adobe recommends clearing the contents of the InDesign Recovery folder when damaged recovery data is preventing InDesign from launching properly.
Be careful not to delete your actual .indd project files.
5. Start InDesign again
After clearing the appropriate temporary or recovery data, launch InDesign.
If the problem was caused by corrupted temporary data, the application should start normally.
How to Clear InDesign Cache on Mac
The process on Mac is similar.
First, save your work and quit InDesign completely.
1. Open Finder
Open Finder and select:
Go → Go to Folder
Enter:
~/Library/Caches/Adobe InDesign/Press Return.
2. Find your InDesign version
Look for the folder associated with your installed version of InDesign.
3. Remove the appropriate temporary data
If you’re specifically troubleshooting a startup problem caused by damaged recovery information, look for the InDesign Recovery folder and remove the relevant recovery data.
If you’re simply troubleshooting general performance, don’t delete random files or folders. Stick to the cache or recovery data you’re actually trying to clear.
4. Open InDesign
Start InDesign again and check whether the problem has been resolved.
What If Clearing the Cache Doesn’t Fix InDesign?
Sometimes clearing the cache isn’t enough.
If InDesign is still slow, freezing or crashing, try the following solutions.
1. Reset InDesign Preferences
Corrupted preferences can cause all sorts of strange problems in InDesign.
You can reset the preferences by closing InDesign and launching it with the appropriate keyboard shortcut.
Windows:
Hold Shift + Ctrl + Alt while launching InDesign.
Mac:
Hold Shift + Option + Command + Control while launching InDesign.
InDesign will ask whether you want to delete the preference files. Choose Yes if you’re sure you want to reset them.
Keep in mind that resetting preferences removes customised settings, including things such as workspaces and keyboard shortcuts.
2. Check Your Fonts
Fonts can sometimes be responsible for InDesign performance and stability problems.
If InDesign started acting strangely after you installed a new font, try temporarily disabling that font and see whether the problem disappears.
This is particularly worth checking if you have a large number of fonts installed.
3. Check Your Plugins
Third-party plugins can also cause problems, especially after updating InDesign.
If the problem started after installing or updating a plugin, check whether the plugin is compatible with your current version of InDesign.
You can also temporarily disable the plugin to see whether InDesign behaves normally without it.
For more information, see Adobe’s official guide to troubleshooting third-party plugins.
4. Turn Off GPU Performance
If InDesign becomes slow when you’re zooming, scrolling or working with complicated layouts, your GPU settings could be involved.
Try temporarily disabling GPU Performance.
Go to:
InDesign → Preferences → GPU Performance
Turn off GPU Performance and restart InDesign.
If InDesign suddenly works better, the problem may be related to your graphics hardware or driver rather than the cache.
How to Clear InDesign Recovery Files
Cache files and recovery files aren’t exactly the same thing.
InDesign uses recovery data to help restore documents after a crash or unexpected shutdown. This can be extremely useful when you have unsaved work.
However, damaged recovery data can sometimes cause InDesign to crash repeatedly during startup.
If InDesign keeps crashing while trying to recover a document:
- Close InDesign.
- Locate the InDesign Recovery folder.
- Check whether you still need the recovery data.
- If the recovery data is causing the startup problem, remove the relevant recovery files.
- Open InDesign again.
- Try opening the original document manually.
Important: If you have unsaved work that you need to recover, don’t immediately delete the recovery files. They may contain the only recoverable version of your work.
Will Clearing the InDesign Cache Delete My Documents?
No, clearing temporary InDesign cache data should not delete your normal InDesign documents.
Your .indd files are stored wherever you saved them, such as your Documents folder, project folder or external drive.
The main thing you need to be careful with is recovery data.
If InDesign has recently crashed and you’re trying to recover unsaved work, deleting the recovery files could remove the temporary copy that InDesign needs to restore your work.
When in doubt, make a backup before deleting anything.
Should You Clear the InDesign Cache Regularly?
Usually, no.
If InDesign is working normally, there is no real reason to clear its cache every week or every month.
Cache clearing is better treated as a troubleshooting step rather than routine maintenance.
If you constantly need to clear the cache to make InDesign work properly, there may be another underlying issue.
Check your:
- InDesign preferences
- Fonts
- Plugins
- GPU settings
- Available storage
- InDesign version
- Documents and linked files
You can also check Adobe’s guide to fixing slow performance in InDesign.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the InDesign cache located?
The location depends on your operating system and InDesign version.
On Windows, InDesign’s local cached data is stored inside the user’s AppData folder. On Mac, cache data is stored inside the user’s Library folder.
Adobe provides the current locations for InDesign preferences, cached data and other support files in its documentation.
You can check Adobe’s InDesign preferences and support file locations for the latest information.
Does clearing the InDesign cache make it faster?
It can help if corrupted temporary or recovery data is causing a problem, but it isn’t guaranteed to make InDesign faster.
If InDesign is still slow afterwards, check other possible causes such as fonts, plugins, preferences and GPU performance.
How do I reset InDesign?
Close InDesign and relaunch it while holding the appropriate keyboard shortcut for your operating system.
Adobe’s official instructions for resetting InDesign preferences explain the current process.
Why does InDesign keep crashing when I open it?
There are several possible causes, including corrupted preferences, damaged recovery data, problematic plugins, fonts or a damaged document.
If InDesign crashes while trying to recover a document, clearing the damaged recovery data may solve the problem.
Is it safe to delete InDesign cache files?
Generally, temporary cache files can be regenerated by InDesign. However, be careful with recovery files, especially if you have unsaved work.
Always close InDesign first and back up important files before troubleshooting.
Final Thoughts
Knowing how to clear the InDesign cache can be useful when the application suddenly becomes slow, freezes or starts behaving strangely.
The process itself is fairly simple, but you don’t need to clear the cache regularly if InDesign is working normally.
If clearing the cache doesn’t solve the problem, look at the bigger picture. Resetting preferences, checking fonts and plugins, disabling GPU Performance and updating InDesign can often help identify the real cause.
And if you’re working on an important book or print project, always make sure your .indd files and linked assets are backed up before troubleshooting.
A few minutes of preparation can save you from losing hours of work.