How do I open InDesign Doc files .Indd?

I have used Adobe InDesign for 10 years but it often stops me and asks to reactivate. After hours of attempts, it doesnt allow me to…I hate Adobe! So now I have 10 years of files I can’t access without spending hundreds of dollars a year to Subscribe. which I absoultly will never ever do!
I installed Libre a few years ago because it would open INDD files. The new version doesnt seem to allow that. So, How do I open those files now?

It’s news for me that LibreOffice could open those files… Could you tell which version had worked for you? I couldn’t get 5.4, 5.3, 5.2, or 5.1 to show me that filetype in its file picker’s filetype list. And I have no such file to experiment.

Also, I found no commits in LibreOffice development history mentioning InDesign.

I’m afraid it’s some misunderstanding. It would be great if we had such filter, but unfortunately we haven’t.

Btw: you can download and use any previous released version of LibreOffice from here:

http://downloadarchive.documentfoundation.org/libreoffice/old/

This thread suggests that Scribus might be able to do what you need.

You cannot just open .indd files in LibreOffice or any other ‘office’ software by my knowledge.
It seem strange to me why you having so much trouble with InDesign wanting to reactivate. if you have an older version CS5 or prior your installation should run like any other program… but obvious it doesn’t.
Also it is clear you don’t want to continue under the new Adobe CC method, in which you are not the only one. >continue>

Frist
Question is why InDesign was chosen for those jobs in the first place. As InDesign is an advanced Lay-out and book making program. You will not find layouting easy in any ‘office’ program existing, as office writer programs are designed to create textual content. Yes you can add lots of bells and whistles, but I the heart it is just an text editor, where Libre is one of the better versions and free. >continue>

So you need to have a good, clear look at those documents, and answer yourself why they are in InDesign, to avoid converting to or building a new set in a program that is not fit for the job. Then you have to decide which solution you want to use. Remember that every choice has advantages and disadvantages!

Before reading this answer, please read my comments.

You cannot open .indd files in any of today’s ‘Office’ programs, you can only open files exported from InDesign in the/a desired file format.

You have to investigate what kind of program you need for you documents.
If general text editing with some design features suit those docs well you can use any ‘office’ writer program, but here we prefer Libre Writer of course. Problem with may ‘office’ files is that the document you made can show/print different on other computers/printers.

If some or many of those documents are layout heavy and when lay-outing has to be precise, you have to use a specialized layout program.
You could use an older install/version of InDesign, chance is you can open all old files without conversion.
There are not many alternatives to InDesign and the professional ones are even more expensive!
Up til now I know and use only one official free program for layout use: https://www.scribus.net/
Any change of program will mean a rebuild of all your actual files in that program.

If you need a quick evaluation on what future work flow to chose you can contact me in a PM.

Henk C. Meerhof - Designer