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Unable to launch InDesign, InDesign Server, or InCopy

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  1. InDesign User Guide
  2. Get to know InDesign
    1. Introduction to InDesign
      1. What's New in InDesign
      2. System requirements
      3. Common questions
      4. Use Creative Cloud libraries
    2. Workspace
      1. Workspace basics
      2. Customize your workspace in InDesign
      3. Toolbox
      4. Set preferences
      5. Touch workspace
      6. Default keyboard shortcuts
      7. Document recovery and undo
  3. Create and layout documents
    1. Documents and pages
      1. Create documents
      2. Work with parent pages
      3. Work with document pages
      4. Set page size, margins, and bleed
      5. Work with files and templates
      6. Create book files
      7. Add basic page numbering
      8. Number pages, chapters, and sections
      9. Convert QuarkXPress and PageMaker documents
      10. Share content
      11. Understand a basic managed-file workflow
      12. Save documents
    2. Grids
      1. Grids
      2. Format grids
    3. Layout aids
      1. Rulers
      2. Align and distribute objects using rulers
      3. Measure objects using the Measure tool
  4. Add content
    1. Text
      1. Add text to frames
      2. Threading text
      3. Arabic and Hebrew features in InDesign
      4. Create type on a path
      5. Bullets and numbering
      6. Glyphs and special characters
      7. Text composition
      8. Text variables
      9. Generate QR codes
      10. Edit text
      11. Align text
      12. Wrap text around objects
      13. Anchored objects
      14. Linked content
      15. Format paragraphs
      16. Format characters
    2. Typography
      1. Using fonts in InDesign
      2. Kerning and tracking
    3. Format text
      1. Format text
      2. Work with Style Packs
      3. Tabs and indents
    4. Review text
      1. Track and review changes
      2. Add editorial notes in InDesign
      3. Import PDF comments
    5. Spell check and language dictionaries
      1. Check spelling, autocorrect, and dynamic spelling
      2. Create, add, and manage dictionaries and words
      3. Change dictionary preferences
      4. Duden dictionary
    6. Add references
      1. Create a table of contents
      2. Footnotes
      3. Create an index
      4. Endnotes
      5. Captions
    7. Styles
      1. Paragraph and character styles
      2. Map, export, and manage styles
      3. Object styles
      4. Drop caps and nested styles
      5. Work with styles
      6. Leading
    8. Tables
      1. Format tables
      2. Create tables
      3. Table and Cell styles
      4. Select and edit tables
      5. Table strokes and fills
    9. Interactivity
      1. Hyperlinks
      2. Dynamic PDF documents
      3. Bookmarks
      4. Buttons
      5. Forms
      6. Animation
      7. Cross-references
      8. Structure PDFs
      9. Page transitions
      10. Movies and sounds
    10. Graphics
      1. Understand paths and shapes
      2. Draw with the Pencil tool
      3. Draw with the Pen tool
      4. Apply line (stroke) settings 
      5. Compound paths and shapes
      6. Edit paths
      7. Clipping paths
      8. Change corner appearance
      9. Frames and objects
      10. Align and distribute objects
      11. Linked and embedded graphics
      12. Integrate AEM assets
    11. Color and transparency
      1. Apply color
      2. Use colors from imported graphics
      3. Work with swatches
      4. Mix inks
      5. Tints
      6. Understand spot and process colors
      7. Blend colors
      8. Gradients
      9. Flatten transparent artwork
      10. Add transparency effects
  5. Find and replace
    1. Find and replace text
    2. Find and replace fonts
    3. Find and replace glyphs
    4. Find and replace using GREP expressions and queries
    5. Find and replace objects
    6. Find and replace colors
    7. Search options to find and replace
  6. Share
    1. Work with InDesign Cloud documents
    2. InDesign cloud documents | Common questions
    3. Share and collaborate        
    4. Share for Review
    5. Review a shared InDesign document
    6. Manage feedback 
  7. Publish
    1. Place, export, and publish
      1. Publish online
      2. Publish online dashboard
      3. Copy, insert graphics
      4. Export content for EPUB
      5. Adobe PDF options
      6. Export content to HTML
      7. Export to Adobe PDF
      8. Export to JPEG format
      9. Export HTML
      10. DPS and AEM Mobile overview
      11. Supported File Formats
    2. Printing
      1. Print booklets
      2. Printer's marks and bleeds
      3. Print documents
      4. Inks, separation, and screen frequency
      5. Overprinting
      6. Create PostScript and EPS files
      7. Preflight files before handoff
      8. Print thumbnails and oversized documents
      9. Prepare PDFs for service providers
      10. Prepare to print separations
  8. Extend InDesign
    1. Automation
      1. Data merge
      2. Plug-ins
      3. Capture extension in InDesign
      4. Scripting
  9. Troubleshooting
    1. Fixed issues
    2. Crash on launch
    3. Preference folder read-only issue
    4. Troubleshoot file issues
    5. Unable to export PDF
    6. InDesign document recovery

Issue

Sometimes, you may experience some access-related permission issues with the Preferences folder while launching InDesign. Following error messages are displayed indicating that InDesign, InDesign Server, or InCopy cannot be opened because the Preferences folder is read-only.

Permissions issue for InDesign on Windows
InDesign Windows

Permissions issue for InDesign on macOS
InDesign macOS

Permissions issue for InCopy on Windows

InCopy Windows

Permissions issue for InCopy on macOS

InCopy macOS

As the Preferences folder is not writeable, InDesign cannot start with the Preferences folder in a read-only state.

 In folder paths or names listed in the procedures, replace <user> with your account name and <product> with Adobe InDesign or Adobe InDesign Server or Adobe InCopy.

Solution 1: Set read-write permissions for Preferences folder using user interface

Follow the steps below to provide read and write permissions to Adobe folders:

Windows

macOS

Perform this procedure on each of the below folders:

C:\Users\<user>\AppData\Local\<product>
C:\Users\<user>\AppData\Roaming\<product>

  1. Open the File Explorer window. Click the View tab, and then select Hidden items.

  2. Navigate to the folders using the paths listed above.

  3. In File Explorer, right-click the folder InDesign and choose Properties.

  4. Click the Security tab, and then click Edit to set permissions.

  5. In the Permissions dialog, select your user name. In the Permissions area, uncheck the Deny option.

  6. Click OK and launch InDesign.

Perform this procedure on each of the below folders:

/Users/<user>/Library/Preferences/<product>
/Users/<user>/Library/Caches/<product>
/Users/<user>/Library/Application Support

  1. Open Finder and navigate to the path listed above.

  2. Control-click the folder and choose Get Info.

  3. If the item is locked, click the lock icon to enter an administrator’s name and password.

  4. In the Sharing & Permissions section, from the Name column, select your name or a user profile.

  5. From the Privilege column, choose Read & Write.

  6. In any subsequent prompt, choose to apply permission to all subfolders.

  7. Click the lock icon to save your preferences, and launch InDesign.

Solution 2: [macOS only] Set read-write permissions for Preferences folder using terminal

Follow the steps below to resolve the issue:

  • Go to Terminal (Go > Utilities > Terminal.app)
  • Execute the following command on terminal to provide permission:
    • sudo chmod -R 777 /Users/<user>/Library/Preferences/Adobe InDesign
    • sudo chmod -R 777 /Users/<user>/Library/Caches/Adobe InDesign
    • sudo chmod -R 777 /Users/<user>/Library/Application Support

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