InDesign CC 2014 GUI is way too big

[darentsen]

I just upgraded to CC 2014, and am looking forward to getting to know the new features, however there's one thing with InDesign that I'm having trouble getting past... The UI menus, font sizes, and even the cursor are comically large. It's distracting, not to mention it takes up precious workspace. The main toolbar takes up twice as much space as in CC, and it's just because the font size is twice as large.

My screen resolution is at its largest (1920x1080). The issue affects my InDesign and Illustrator, but not Photoshop or Dreamweaver, and it just seems to be on Windows (I also have it for Mac, and there's no problem there).

I can't find any way to change this, and after looking online it seems like this has always been an issue with Adobe. Is there any way to remedy this? I'm sticking with my older version otherwise. I don't want to sound hyperbolic, but the cursor really is distractingly, comically, oversized. Anyone else notice this?

[BobLevine]

Do you have Windows set to large fonts such as 125 or 150%? I also wonder if this is due to the new HiDPI compatibility feature falsely thinking you have a HiDPI display.

[Peter Spier · Accepted solution]

In another thread someone from Adobe (Amy, I think), said this is a new feature that kicks in if you have font scaling set to 125% or more, the (incorrect) presumption being that also need the GUI larger. Hopefully this will become a user prefernce in short order, but if you use a custom value of 124% for the fonts it should work.

Meanwhile, file a feature modification request at Adobe - Feature Request/Bug Report Form

[darentsen]

That did it - after some tweaking everything looks to be correct. What threw me was that only some Adobe programs had the resizing issue, so I wasn't thinking of system-wide preferences. I will file a request - a larger GUI based on your display scaling isn't a bad idea, just not... that large. Thank you! both!

Plus I learned about manually setting display PPI so that's a plus.

[Danowan]

So how do I make a custom scaling? I bumped it down to 100%, and it fixed the oversized UI, but everything is just too small. Can't find the option to custom scale to 124%.

Please advise.

[Danowan]

Nevermind. Found the option under a twirl down menu item on this page - Make the text on your screen larger or smaller

[Andreas_Mob]

Windows 7:

Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Display

"Set custom Text size (DPI)" in the menu to the left.

[Nick-Charles]

There is another way to re-size the cursor, as it does not always change in InDesign when you change Windows text to 124 dpi.

In InDesign, go to Edit, Preferences, UI Scaling and in the options, select Scale to Lower Supported Scale Factor. Click OK.

The scaling of the cursor, splash screen, Welcome screen, interface and cursor will now be back to normal!

[michaelf86479672]

Nick-Charles wrote:

There is another way to re-size the cursor, as it does not always change in InDesign when you change Windows text to 124 dpi.

In InDesign, go to Edit, Preferences, UI Scaling and in the options, select Scale to Lower Supported Scale Factor. Click OK.

The scaling of the cursor, splash screen, Welcome screen, interface and cursor will now be back to normal!

This works great for me Nick-Charles! Thanks for the tip!

[rufinopineda]

GREAT THANKS IT WORKED!

[pravink44664120]

Hi,

I cannot find the UI option in preferences tab. Using Indesign CC 2014.

[BobLevine]

Are you on Windows?

[pravink44664120]

Yes windows 10

[BobLevine]

Screenshot of your preferences. Do you have UI scaling set in Windows?

I imagine you do, so what is it set to?

[tamarah91559575]

THANK YOU Nick-Charles!! I tried the custom 124 setting but it did nothing. Changing the setting in UI scaling fixed it immediately. Phew - back to normal InDesign interface, not a ridiculously large and imposing one . Many thanks!