Hi -- I rarely work in Adobe InDesign, but I had to modify an existing INDD file today and I cannot access some of the text boxes in my spread. For reference, I am using Adobe InDesign 21.6 | 64-bit. I’ve looked at previous posts, and they mentioned to try the following steps:Get your Black Arrow/Selection tool. Place your cursor directly above the text you can see, but not modify. Click the mouse button. Most likely, you'll see a larger element is selected than your mystery line of type. Hold down the Cmd key (Mac) or Ctrl key (Windows), then click again. This lets you select elements beneath the top one in the stacking order. If that doesn't get you there, select the Object>Unlock All on Spread menu command to release any and all locked elements, then try it again.None of the above options worked for me. Here is a screenshot of what I’m working on. The text I need to modify is highlighted in orange: Thank you!

Inspiring

Question

Adobe Indesign: Can't Access Text in Project File

Forum|Forum|15 hours ago
October 7, 2026
4 replies
24 views

Hi --

I rarely work in Adobe InDesign, but I had to modify an existing INDD file today and I cannot access some of the text boxes in my spread.

For reference, I am using Adobe InDesign 21.6 | 64-bit.

I’ve looked at previous posts, and they mentioned to try the following steps:

Get your Black Arrow/Selection tool.
Place your cursor directly above the text you can see, but not modify. Click the mouse button. Most likely, you'll see a larger element is selected than your mystery line of type.
Hold down the Cmd key (Mac) or Ctrl key (Windows), then click again. This lets you select elements beneath the top one in the stacking order.
If that doesn't get you there, select the Object>Unlock All on Spread menu command to release any and all locked elements, then try it again.

None of the above options worked for me.

Here is a screenshot of what I’m working on. The text I need to modify is highlighted in orange:

Thank you!

jmlevy

Community Expert

Do you see that there is a dotted line around the text frame, instead of a solid one? It means that this frame is on a parent page. Click on this frame while holding down the Cmd Mac) or Ctrl (Windows) and Shift keys to override the frame. Then you will be able to select and modify the text.

Bill Silbert

Community Expert

Is it possible that the locked text frames are actually Parent (Master) page items? If so then you can unlock them by Command (Mac)/Control (PC)-Shift clicking on them. You can also unlock all Parent page items on that page by selecting the page in the Pages Panel and using the Pages Panel drop down menu option “Override All Parent Page Items”.