InDesign preferences and support file locations

The preference and support files for InDesign CS5, CS4, and CS3 have similar locations. These files are primarily grouped into three locations, though there is data in additional locations as noted below.

Note: You can delete the replaceable InDesign SaveData and InDesign Defaults files by holding down the following keys while InDesign is launching:

• Windows: Shift+Ctrl+Alt
• Mac OS: Shift+Control+Option+Command

Application "roaming data folder:"

/Users/[User Name]/Library/Preferences/Adobe InDesign/Version [#]

Preference files saved into this location include the following:

• Color Settings
• Composite Fonts
• Find-Change Queries
• InDesign Defaults
• Scripts
• Workspaces

Application "local cached data folder:"

/Users/[User Name]/Library/Caches/Adobe InDesign/Version [#]



Preference files saved into this location include the following:

• InDesign Recovery folder (+data)
• Scripting Support folder
• FindChangeData
• FindChangeDataTmp
• FontMaskCache
• idletask log
• InDesign ClipboardScrap
• InDesign DragDropScrap
• InDesign SavedData
• InDesign OSX ServicesScrap

Application "roaming data folder:"

• Win XP: C:\Documents and Settings\[User Name]\Application Data\Adobe\InDesign\Version [#]\en_US
• Win Vista: C:\Users\[User Name]\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\InDesign\Version [#]\en_US
• Win 7: C:\Users\[User Name]\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\InDesign\Version [#]\en_US

Preference files saved into this location include the following:

• Color Settings: Record of the current application Color Settings, used to sync with other Adobe CMS enabled apps
• Composite Fonts folder
• Find-Change Queries folder: Contains user-defined find/change queries
• InDesign Defaults: Record of application defaults, as defined by user modifications
• Menu Sets folder: Contains user-defined Menu Sets
• Scripts folder: Location for user scripts to load into the Scripts panel
• Workspaces folder: Contains user-defined workspaces, as well as a copy of the Current Workspace

Application "local cached data folder:"

• Win XP: C:\Documents and Settings\[User Name]\Local Settings\Application Data\Adobe\InDesign\Version [#]\en_US\Caches
• Win Vista: C:\Users\[User Name]\AppData\Local\Adobe\InDesign\Version [#]\en_US\Cache
• Win 7: C:\Users\[User Name]\AppData\Local\Adobe\InDesign\Version [#]\en_US\Cache

Preference files saved into this location include the following:

• InDesign Recovery folder
• Scripting Support folder
• FindChangeData
• FindChangeDataTmp
• FontMaskCache
• idletask log
• InDesign ClipboardScrap
• InDesign DragDropScrap
• InDesign SavedData

Attached is a PDF document that contains further information of a range of preferences and their functions. This document was written for InDesign CS3 and CS4 and was posted on indesignsecrets.com. Adobe believes that the information in this document is correct. However, Adobe cannot give support on the accuracy of the content. 

ID_Prefs_PDF