How to Speed Up InDesign When Working with Multi-Page Documents
Problem:
If you work with multi-page documents in Adobe InDesign, especially those containing many images, you’ve probably encountered slowdowns, long save times, or even program crashes. These issues can significantly hinder your workflow and waste valuable time.
Why Does InDesign Slow Down?
How to Make InDesign Faster?
One of the most effective solutions is to use the «Books» function (.indb). It allows you to split a large document into several smaller files, which are then combined into a single book. Experience shows that if a single file exceeds 500 MB, InDesign starts to slow down, save times increase, and the program becomes less responsive.
In one project, I had to split a large file into 10 parts and then merge them into a «Book» with unified content and styles. This significantly sped up work, reduced response time, and lowered system load.
Useful Tips for InDesign Optimization:
- Turn off high-quality image display when working on a layout to reduce CPU load.
- Link images instead of embedding them – this keeps file sizes smaller and makes InDesign run faster.
- Be prepared to wait when exporting a book (e.g., to PDF). InDesign does not support background exporting for books, so the process must be completed before you can continue working.
- Save files in .idml format when sharing them with others. These files are smaller but may not support the latest styles and effects, and they also take significantly longer to open in the program.
Conclusion:
To prevent InDesign from slowing down or crashing, it’s essential to manage files properly: break large projects into parts, link images instead of embedding them, and use the .idml format if you need to reduce file size. These simple techniques can help speed up your workflow and make the layout process more efficient.
Keep in mind that InDesign is an outdated program that still primarily relies on a single CPU core. Therefore, for the best performance, prioritize processors with a high single-core clock speed.
