Adobe InDesign 21.6.0 (macOS)

Data Merge with UTF-8 support. That small but useful fix is one reason to check the current build before laying out a yearbook or a school prospectus. Before you do, make sure your Mac can actually run it.

System requirements at a glance

• macOS 13 Ventura or later
• Apple Silicon or Intel processor
• 8 GB RAM minimum
• 4.5 GB free disk space for the install
• Metal-capable GPU for acceptable performance

Multi-column spreads, tables, and fine typographic control

This is the full page layout tool for print and digital documents. Multi-column spreads, tables, and fine typographic control are standard. It handles books, magazines, interactive PDFs, and EPUB exports. The 21.5.1 update cleans up table accessibility in PDF and EPUB output and adds a keyboard shortcut search right inside the Keyboard Shortcuts dialog. HTML previews now work without a separate plugin. You can also push local files up as cloud documents or pull cloud documents down from the home screen.

Keyboard shortcut search saves hunting through panels

A few things in 21.5.1 are easy to overlook but save time once you know they are there.

• The keyboard shortcut search in the Keyboard Shortcuts dialog box. Instead of hunting through menu panels, type what you want and it finds the assignment. Useful when you inherit a machine from someone who remapped everything.
• Data Merge now handles multiline records and UTF-8 encoded data files. If you import a CSV with a field that contains line breaks or accented characters, InDesign keeps them intact rather than splitting them into extra rows or mangling the text.
• Bulk generation or removal of AI-generated Alt Text for multiple images. Select a batch of frames, run the action, and the alt text is filled or cleared across the selection. Speeds up accessibility tagging for a whole document.
• HTML previews no longer need the HTML Preview plugin. That plugin was an extra step to install and maintain; now previews generate directly.
• Local files can be added as cloud documents from the home screen. Similarly, cloud documents can be downloaded back to local storage. Handy if you switch between a school Mac and a home machine.

8 GB RAM minimum struggles with browser open

The installer weighs about 4.5 GB. Plan for that free space before you start. The minimum RAM is 8 GB, so if your machine has 8 GB and you also keep a browser and email open, expect the system to swap. More RAM helps. The GPU needs Metal support for the best performance — on a machine with integrated graphics that lack Metal, previews and scrolling may feel sluggish. Both Apple Silicon and Intel 64-bit Macs are supported, so it runs on the M-series Macs in the art suite and on the older iMacs in the reprographics room.

Installation fails without 4.5 GB free on boot volume

Some problems repeat across installs. Here is what I see most often in a school environment.

• Installation fails or complains about space: Check that you have the full 4.5 GB free on the boot volume. Temporary files during extraction need extra room. Clear out old downloads or move them to a network share.
• Missing fonts on opening a file: InDesign flags missing fonts. The document will open but text may reflow. Collect the font files or substitute from the system. If the school has a central font server, make sure it is mounted before launching the app.
• Export to PDF or EPUB shows broken table layout: The 21.5.1 release addressed table accessibility in exports. If you still see issues, check that the table tags and headers are set correctly in the Table panel rather than relying on automatic assignment.
• HTML preview does not appear: The preview now generates without a plugin, but it still requires a default browser to be set in macOS System Preferences. If nothing happens, check that Safari or another browser is set as the default.
• Data Merge ignores line breaks in CSV fields: Make sure the file is saved as UTF-8, not ANSI or another encoding. The multiline record support in this version works only when the encoding is recognised as UTF-8.
• Slow performance with large documents: 8 GB of RAM is the floor. If you work on 200-page yearbooks with many linked images, consider closing other apps or upgrading RAM. The Metal requirement also means integrated Intel HD graphics may not give smooth scrolling — a machine with a discrete GPU or Apple Silicon is better.
• Activation instructions not obvious: The package includes activation steps. Read the included text file before launching the app. Do not mix releases from different build groups if you install multiple Adobe apps — that can cause conflicts.

Most snags come from ignoring the system requirements or the install notes. A quick check of the readme and available disk space saves a lot of restarting.

• Table accessibility improvements for PDF and EPUB exports
• Keyboard shortcut search added to the Keyboard Shortcuts dialog
• Data Merge now handles multiline records and UTF-8 encoded files
• HTML previews no longer need the separate HTML Preview plugin
• Add local files as cloud documents or download cloud documents from the home screen
• Bulk generate or remove AI Alt Text across multiple images

• macOS 13 Ventura or later
• Intel or Apple Silicon Mac
• 8 GB RAM
• 4.5 GB available disk space
• Metal-capable GPU