Since Apple introduced the M1 chip, significant compatibility issues between Adobe InDesign and macOS have emerged, often incorrectly attributed to BLOX Total CMS. This documentation clearly outlines these known issues to differentiate between third-party compatibility problems and BLOX Total CMS functionality.
Adobe InDesign and macOS Compatibility Matrix (2025) | InDesign Version | High Sierra | Catalina | Big Sur | Monterey | Ventura | Sonoma | Sequoia |
CC2019 (v14) | Stable | Stable | Limited | Not Supported | Not Supported | Not Supported | Not Supported |
CC2020 (v15) | Stable | Stable | Stable | Limited | Not Supported | Not Supported | Not Supported |
CC2021 (v16) | Not Supported | Stable | Stable | Stable | Limited | Not Supported | Not Supported |
CC2022 (v17) | Not Supported | Limited Support | Stable | Stable | Stable | Crashes | Crashes |
CC2023 (v18) | Not Supported | Not Supported | Some Issues | Stable | Stable | Crashes | Crashes |
CC2024 (v19) | Not Supported | Not Supported | Not Supported | Stable | Stable | Stable | Laggy |
CC2025 (v20.4.0) | Not Supported | Not Supported | Not Supported | Bugs in 20.4.0 | UI & Font Bugs | Numerous Bugs | Major Issues |
CC2025 (v20.4.1) | Not Supported | Not Supported | Not Supported | Stable | Stable | Stable | Mostly Resolved |
CC2025 (v20.5) | Not Supported | Not Supported | Not Supported | Stable | Stable | Stable | Stable |
Key issues noted since M1 chip release
- Performance lags: Frequent slowdowns and instability, especially noted with Adobe InDesign CC 2024 and earlier versions.
- Frequent crashes: Adobe InDesign versions CC 2022 and CC 2023 notably experienced crashes on macOS Sonoma and Sequoia.
- UI & font rendering issues: Adobe InDesign CC 2025 v20.4.0 exhibited extensive UI and font-rendering issues, severely disrupting production.
- General instability: Versions predating CC 2025 (20.5) exhibited significant compatibility and stability issues on newer macOS versions.
- Update Adobe InDesign to the latest stable version as indicated in the compatibility matrix above (currently CC 2025 v20.5).
- Regularly monitor Adobe's official release notes for critical updates or hotfixes related to macOS compatibility.
- When experiencing issues, first refer to this matrix to verify if the underlying problem is related to Adobe or Apple macOS compatibility, rather than BLOX Total CMS directly.
Sites should continue using InDesign CC version 20.5 with the latest BLOX Total CMS client installed. BLOX Digital is actively monitoring and will provide updates as testing continues.
While BLOX Total CMS integrates closely with Adobe InDesign, these documented compatibility issues arise from Adobe and Apple's frequent updates and hardware changes. Clear differentiation facilitates accurate troubleshooting and effective management of user expectations.
