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StefanD2207
Participant
May 27, 2026
Answered

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

  • May 27, 2026
  • 71 replies
  • 3148 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 Abhishek Rao

    Hi ​@StefanD2207  and everyone,

     

    Thanks for reporting this. I was able to reproduce the same behavior on my end in InDesign 21.4 as well. I noticed that if I keep the Shift key pressed while dragging the selected objects, the selection behaves as expected and the entire group moves correctly instead of only the placed content inside the frame.

    Could you please try this workflow on your end and let us know if it helps as a temporary workaround?

    Additionally, I’ve logged this with the product team as a bug, and they’re currently investigating it further. I’ll keep you posted here as soon as I have any updates to share.

    For those affected by this issue, I’d also encourage you to upvote and add your comments to the related UserVoice request here: https://indesign.uservoice.com/forums/601180/suggestions/51343807. This helps the team better understand the impact on customer workflows and ensures you receive notifications about any updates posted there.

     

    Thanks for your patience and support.

    Thanks,
    Abhishek

     

    <Marking this as correct for now for better visibility to others facing the same issue.>

    71 replies

    Participating Frequently
    June 3, 2026

    The amount of bugs in recent updates have been a joke!

    Participant
    June 3, 2026

    same here. annoying. takes a while to always use the shift key. for a basic and so often used function...

    leo.r
    Community Expert
    Community Expert
    June 3, 2026

    Just in case: you can revert to InDesign 21.3 as described earlier in the thread

    joe_4862
    Participant
    June 3, 2026

    Yes, I experienced the same bug and the shift-key workaround works

    leo.r
    Community Expert
    Community Expert
    June 3, 2026
    Mhairi5E95
    Participant
    June 3, 2026

    same, fingers crossed for speedy fix. I use this function a million times a day (I’ve counted) :)
    Thank you

    Lucky Rabbit Studio
    Participating Frequently
    June 3, 2026

    This was working fine yesterday, then last night I updated OSX to 26.5.1, and now it isn’t. But the Shift key option is working for the moment. Thx.

    leo.r
    Community Expert
    Community Expert
    June 3, 2026

    It wasn't the macOS update but the InDesign 21.4 update. You can revert to 21.3 until it's fixed as described earlier in the thread. 

    kglad
    Community Expert
    Community Expert
    June 3, 2026

    p.s. change your title to avoid a duplicate message problem.

    Resthal
    Participant
    June 3, 2026

    I’m having the exact same issue and as I use Distribute spacing align tool a lot - it’s a real problem...

    colinb1638334
    Participant
    June 3, 2026

    I am having the same issue. It’s really frustrating 😬

    Participant
    June 3, 2026

    I can confirm this issue on macOS Sequoia with InDesign 21.4.

    The bug affects normal magazine/newspaper production workflows when repositioning multiple selected image frames.

    Resetting preferences did not resolve the issue.

    Rolling back to InDesign 21.3 immediately restored normal behaviour.