Problem: I am unable to click and drag anything. This pertains to any box in ANY file in indesign. Only InDesign, I have tried this in photoshop as well just to make sure. What I have tried: (I am normally good at trouble shooting. This I cannot seem to figure out)Created a new shape, cannot move it.Added a new picture, cannot move it.I have even tried older indesign files.Tried a new computer mouseLayers / Images are not lockedDouble checked my version is 2024I tried 2025, then uninstalled 2025 to back to the older versionImages: I can not move a photo in the box as normal either I CAN:select the box (ANY box)make the size smaller or larger (by clicking on the white boxes and dragging)edit text with in the boxcopy paste and delete the boxMove the box using my arrow keys I attached a screen shot, although I am unsure it will help.

caseyk66381946

Inspiring

Question

CANNOT move any selected boxes! Indesign

Forum|Forum|1 year ago
November 12, 2024
2 replies
365 views

Problem: I am unable to click and drag anything. This pertains to any box in ANY file in indesign. Only InDesign, I have tried this in photoshop as well just to make sure.

What I have tried: (I am normally good at trouble shooting. This I cannot seem to figure out)

Created a new shape, cannot move it.
Added a new picture, cannot move it.
I have even tried older indesign files.
Tried a new computer mouse
Layers / Images are not locked
Double checked my version is 2024
I tried 2025, then uninstalled 2025 to back to the older version
Images: I can not move a photo in the box as normal either

I CAN:

select the box (ANY box)
make the size smaller or larger (by clicking on the white boxes and dragging)
edit text with in the box
copy paste and delete the box
Move the box using my arrow keys

I attached a screen shot, although I am unsure it will help.

Performance

G

gigiBB

Participant

I am having the same issue. Have you found a fix that worked?

leo.r

Community Expert

I am having the same issue. Have you found a fix that worked?

By @gigiBB

What are your versions of InDesign and operating system? At what point did the problem start? Have you tried all the troubleshooting steps mentioned above?

Abhishek Rao

Community Manager

Hi @caseyk66381946,

Thanks for reaching out! It sounds like you're facing a frustrating issue with not being able to click and drag any boxes in InDesign.

To help narrow this down, could you please confirm:

1. Is this happening with a specific file, or does it occur with all InDesign files?

2. What is the operating system (OS) you are using?
3. Have you tried resetting the InDesign preferences yet? Sometimes, preferences can become corrupted and cause strange behavior. You can reset them by following this guide: [Reset InDesign Preferences](https://adobe.ly/3AFHHLY).

If you haven’t tried resetting the preferences yet, please give that a try and let me know how it goes. If the issue persists after resetting, we can explore further solutions.

Looking forward to your response!

Best,
Abhishek Rao

caseyk66381946Author

Inspiring

Thank you for resonding so quickly.

1. All InDesign files

2. Windows 10 Pro, 64 bit

3. I just tried and opened a whole new file, still am unable to move the boxes.

Abhishek Rao

Community Manager

Hi @caseyk66381946,

Thank you for the update! Since the issue persists across all InDesign files and even after resetting the preferences, I’d like to suggest trying a few more troubleshooting steps to narrow down the cause.

1. Try Running InDesign in Safe Mode: This can help identify if any background processes or third-party software are interfering with InDesign. Please follow this guide to start your PC in Safe Mode: [Start your PC in Safe Mode in Windows](https://adobe.ly/3Z0AnE4). Once in Safe Mode, try using InDesign to see if the issue persists.

2. Create a New Admin User Account: If the issue continues in Safe Mode, I recommend creating a new admin user account on your PC to see if the issue is related to your current user profile. You can follow this guide to create a new user account: [Manage User Accounts in Windows](https://adobe.ly/3YRXmQy). Log into the new account and test InDesign there.

3. If the issue still occurs, could you please share a screen recording demonstrating the problem? This will help us better understand the behavior and assist you further.

Let me know how these steps work out!

Best,
Abhishek Rao

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