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InDesign 21.4 Bug: Unable to Move Multiple Selected Objects When Dragging Over Placed Images

Forum|Forum|1 month ago
May 27, 2026
280 replies
12891 views

In the latest update of InDesign when I have multiple shapes and frames on the page selected, if my cursor is above something like a rectangle with content/picture inside it, I only move the picture that is below it at the time.

Rather than the whole selection of objects as it used to. I tested before and after the update and it was something that only broke with 21.4. If I cursor over a solid shape object while still selecting the entire group (including the photo frame) that then moves the entire section but only if cursor above a placed fill object does it break.

What could possibly be happening?

Correct answer nik.m

Hi, we released InDesign version 21.4.1 today that includes a fix for this issues. Please check out: https://helpx.adobe.com/indesign/desktop/whats-new/release-notes.html

Please update InDesign and let us know how it goes.

If you do not see the update in the Creative Cloud Desktop App, check out: https://helpx.adobe.com/creative-cloud/apps/manage-apps/creative-cloud-apps/update-creative-cloud-apps-manually.html

Thanks,

Nikunj

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agapesmile516

Known Participant

I have the same issue on my MacBook Pro running Tahoe 26.5.1… Adobe InDesign 2026 v21.4

do I have to downgrade to fix this issue??? seems ridiculous to do this… please FIX THIS!!!

cday

Participant

Having the same issue. so frustrating. Shift only works in orthagonal directions. How do they mess this up???

L

Laubender

Community Expert

Shift only works in orthagonal directions.

Hi @cday ,

the trick is, first you use the Shift key, then after dragging a bit you can release the Shift key and still you are able to move the whole selection of objects.

Kind Regards,
Uwe Laubender
( Adobe Community Expert )

agapesmile516

Known Participant

I have same issue… yes, holding SHIFT will move the whole group… but it is not an expected behavior so please fix it….

•

• Erin Hamilton •

Participant

Please fix this. This is slowing me WAY down. This is a basic thing, and totally unacceptable. I second the person above who said please take care of basic functionaliity before launching all these AI tricks that don’t actually work that well yet.

sievish

Participant

following, hopefully for an update.
I wish adobe would focus less on shoving genAI down my throat and more on keeping their programs functional. Why change something so fundamental like this? If I wanted to move one singular object I wouldn’t have selected a whole bunch at once. This function was perfectly fine the way it was.

please fix

D

davids17534265

Participant

Dobes! This is not the time to be dropping these kinda bugs… we all already on the brink. Please fix.
(Hold Shift works - Grouping works - but man, the body memory hates the temporary fixies.)

leo.r

Community Expert

@davids17534265 Just in case you didn’t see all the replies: you can revert to InDesign 21.3 until it’s fixed: Creative Cloud app > InDesign > 3-dot menu > Other Versions.

DarrenStrange

Participant

I have this annoying bug too! Version 21.4. It is so disruptive - it’s such an impulsive thing to do: grab a few pics and move them all at once. But it drops them all apart from one! After years of doing this impulsively and now it just doesn’t work, is just beyond frustrating. Come on Adobe, it must be a real simple fix!! I bet their dev team can fix this within the hour but they just don't listen to people or respond enough.

W

wiking45

Participating Frequently

I knew I shouldn’t have updated.

GRAFOP

Participating Frequently

I reverted to InDesign 21.3. I always save all my documents to .idml format, so I don’t have problems opening them in older versions (or other DTP applications - wink, wink).

leo.r

Community Expert

I reverted to InDesign 21.3. I always save all my documents to .idml format, so I don’t have problems opening them in older versions

Just in case: Opening documents in earlier minor InDesign versions doesn’t require IDML conversion. It only applies to major versions (such as 2026 vs. 2025 etc.)

GRAFOP

Participating Frequently

I have the same problem in InDesign 21.4… This was not the case with the older versions. You almost cannot move multiple objects.

The only way, to move multiple objects is (doesn’t work always):

1.) select all objects you want to move - or you can draw a selection rectangle around the objects

2.) now try to move them by holding SHIFT key

3.) if it did move the selected objects, you can try to release SHIFT but don’t release the mouse key yet. Hold it and try to move.

The problem is, that this only works - sometime…

Very annoying and because of that this version of InDesign is almost unusable.

L

Laubender

Community Expert

Hi @GRAFOP ,

what always should work:

[1] Select all objects you want to move

[2] Switch to the Free Transform tool

Then move the selected objects.

Kind Regards,
Uwe Laubender
( Adobe Community Expert )

GRAFOP

Participating Frequently

@Laubender
Thank you for your reply. For now, I reverted to InDesign 21.3...

snap_printing

Participant

Can’t select multiple filled content boxes and click one of them to set the Key image. Can’t select multiple filled content boxes and hold down Option to duplicate them as I drag them.

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