Skip to main content
D
dshannon321
Participant
December 31, 2019
Question

Trouble Renaming Groups/Objects InDesign

  • December 31, 2019
  • 10 replies
  • 4497 views

I am working with the InDesign 15.0.1 and I am having trouble renaming Groups and Objects in my documents.  

I have to click the Group/Object at least 5 times for the option to change the name appears.  It's extremely frustrating.  Is there a way to fix that?  Or a way to create a keyboard shortcut?

 

Thanks!

    10 replies

    E
    Engeljan2442425931jk
    Participant
    September 25, 2024

    I found that it's a bug but not as severe as you might think.

    Try clicking once and then just wait a few seconds.

      R
      Robert30681474y10m
      Participant
      July 25, 2025

      This is the answer. 

      clicking a billion times works too, but...

      A single click then a pause is the way to go. Would be nice if it were consistent between apps. 

      rob day
      Community Expert
      rob dayCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      July 27, 2021

      I’ve noticed that if you hover over the default name and get the hand icon and double click—which I intuitively expect to work—the name doesn’t select.

       

      Try two single clicks with a pause between. Or click once to the right of the default name (the icon is an arrow) then slide to the left until you get the hand icon and click once.

       

      rob day
      Community Expert
      rob dayCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      July 27, 2021

      Sorry, after posting I realized this is the old thread about the 16.1 bug

      L
      Community Expert
      LaubenderCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      July 27, 2021

      Thanks, Melanie, that you posted this solution here.

      Note: We had other threads with the same issue where this was suggested.

      Having a floating panel should work.

       

      Regards,
      Uwe Laubender

      ( CAP )

        L
        Community Expert
        LaubenderCommunity Expert
        Community Expert
        April 16, 2021

        Hi Justine,

        could be a bug with InDesign 16.1 on Mac OS.

        Renaming can be done by scripting when the object is selected on the page.

         

        Rob Day wrote a script for this purpose with a UI to insert the new name.

        You can find the ExtendScript (JavaScript) code here:

        https://community.adobe.com/t5/indesign/can-t-rename-layers-indesign-2021-16-0-also-happened-in-2020/m-p/11613408#M404598

         

        How to make a script file out of copy/pasted code, how to install the script file so that InDesign can see the script in the Scripts Panel and finally how to run the script, follow Marc Autret's description:

        https://www.indiscripts.com/pages/help#hd0sb2

         

        Regards,
        Uwe Laubender

        ( ACP )

        M
        MelanieT123
        Known Participant
        July 27, 2021

        Hi guys,

         

        I know my answer arrives pretty late but I found a solution - which is not really a solution since it doesn't fix the bug but it still allows you to rename your layers - :

        Most of you may have the Layers panel attached to one side of the screen (left, right ...) and when you double click on the layer's name you don't have enough time to rename your layer, correct ? 

        So, simply try to make your layer panel float in your work space and try again to rename you layer. You should now be able to get the rename dialogue box. Don't really know what's going on, some rumors say that Big Sur is responsible of this but I'm pretty sure that I had this bug before Big Sur. 

         

        Well, this is a simple temporary fix that might help some of you 🙂

         

        Best day,

        M

          E
          ethanp37255617
          Inspiring
          November 16, 2021

          this actually helped, thank you for following up and posting a real solution

          J
          Justine 109Lagence
          Participant
          April 16, 2021

          Bonjour, 

          j'ai le même problème, impossible de renommer un groupe (dans mon cas même en cliquant 5/6 fois) 
          je suis sur Indesign 16.1 et Mac OS Big Sur)

          Merci beaucoup

          D
          dannyinformal
          Known Participant
          March 9, 2021

          inDesign is just a horrible piece of software. I have the same problem, you click once and it flashes to indicate you could have changed the name, but only if you're able to write it in a nanosecond. It's ridiculous how often Adobe is dropping the ball recently.

           

          Their software is as unstable as it can get. They discontinued Muse but didn't implement it's features in Dreamweaver, inDesign and XD are convoluted, buggy messes. It's just all garbage.

           

          This year is the last year my faculty is going to use Adobe software, we're switching to the competition, all 1347 of us which will also save us a TON of money, I might add.

            D
            dannyinformal
            Known Participant
            March 9, 2021

            Even their forum is trash; why can't I edit my own post and fix the typos?

             

            Incredible.

            N
            Nathan Klaus
            Participant
            October 22, 2020

            I encountered this issue on a new work PC while adapting from the familiarity of my home Mac. Instead of repeatedly clicking the layer name, which did eventually work, just click the name once and let your cursor hover over it for a second. The name will then open up for edits and save you a lot of clicking.

            Steve Werner
            Community Expert
            Steve WernerCommunity Expert
            Community Expert
            January 1, 2020

            I assumed that you were naming the object/group in the Layers panel. That's what I do successfully, as Manan suggested. Try that.

            D
            dshannon321Author
            Participant
            January 1, 2020
            I am able to change the group/object name by clicking on it within the
            layers panel but only if I double click five or six times. A standard two
            click double click never works. I have to click several times for every
            time and it’s very frustrating when I have many items to rename. Is there a
            way to create a keyboard shortcut for this action?
            --
            Darleen J. Shannon
            Packaging Designer
            Mobile: 406-941-1256
            Web: darleenjshannon.myportfolio.com
            M
            Community Expert
            Manan JoshiCommunity Expert
            Community Expert
            January 1, 2020

            If i remember correctly, you just need to do a single click, try that

             

            -Manan

            -Manan
              M
              Community Expert
              Manan JoshiCommunity Expert
              Community Expert
              January 1, 2020

              You could use the Layer panel to rename your objects. Select the object, and then click over the text on the layer panel to name it. See the movie below

              https://www.dropbox.com/s/c64gnfxz2p5egih/screen%20recording%202020-01-01%20at%206.26.59%20am.mov?dl=0

              -Manan

              -Manan
              Steve Werner
              Community Expert
              Steve WernerCommunity Expert
              Community Expert
              January 1, 2020

              I'm not having that problem on my MacBook Pro with Catalina. Running InDesign 2020 15.0.1.

               

              I'd try restoring your InDesign preferences:

               

              https://helpx.adobe.com/indesign/using/setting-preferences.html

              Terms & ConditionsAccessibility statement
              Using the community Terms of use Privacy Cookie preferences Do not sell or share my personal information ad choicesAdChoices