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

Forum|Forum|25 days ago
May 27, 2026
271 replies
10999 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

Show previous replies

Rsaud

Participant

Same problem - super annoying when doing lots of dragging. Shift key hack works somewhat, but tries to snap when I’m dragging. That might be another setting somewhere.

Fragallo

Participant

They fix one thing and break another. And forget about bringing Illustrator’s “outline stroke” into InDesign… line control has remained severely limited to just a handful of styles for years… table formatting still lacks visual improvements, forcing us to resort to workarounds all the time to make tables look better… sad.

R

robtherich

Participant

This needs fixing ASAP. Absolute joke. How much are we paying for this?

T

TommyTwoBrains

Inspiring

If you carefully select the precise edge of the frame (maybe move off it first), you can select the Key Object and align as before.

Still…

J

JasonCarr

Participating Frequently

Same issue here. Wow. Just wasted 30mins troubleshooting. And I worked on a bunch of files yesterday so I can’t even revert back to previous version. C’mon Adobe. This is JV. Frustrating to be paying a premium subscription fee to work with a company that is obviously prioritizing AI over software dev and creatives. You might as well be herding us over to Affinity, FIGMA and Canva. F O C U S.

L

Laubender

Community Expert

The work-around is to downgrade to 21.3 or else add the Shift key to drag multiple selected objects.

Hi Richard,

after you hold the Shift key and dragged your selection a bit you can release the Shift key to freely drag on with your selection without the constrains the Shift key is doing.

Kind Regards,
Uwe Laubender
( Adobe Community Expert )

L

Laubender

Community Expert

Hi together,

the same issue occurs if you hold the option key to move a duplicate of your selection of images.
Only the one where the cursor hovers above will be moved or duplicated.

The “workaround” with holding the shift key is working.

What’s a better “workaround”:

Use the Free Transform tool for dragging your selection of images.

German InDesign 2026 v21.4.0.74 on macOS.

Kind Regards,
Uwe Laubender
( Adobe Community Expert )