A Script to Avoid the “Delay with Missing Fonts” Bug in InDesign

Users of InDesign 2022 have widely reported a bug that causes a significant delay when opening files with missing fonts. The delay lasts around 30 seconds, during which time the program is inoperable. To me, it seems like the program is trying to contact Adobe’s servers and auto-activate the fonts, even though turning off that preference won’t fix the problem. Whatever the case, the delay is maddening and a huge hit to the productivity (and sanity) of InDesign users everywhere.

Fortunately, as with many InDesign problems, someone has stepped up and written a script to help users. Olav Kvern posted the code for the script in the Adobe InDesign forums, which will bypass all warnings when opening a file, not just ones related to fonts.

To use the script, download it here, install it, and double-click it in the Scripts panel when you want to open a file that you know or suspect has missing fonts. You’ll get a dialog box to navigate to the file, which will then open instantly.

Thanks, Olav. You are a life-saver!