Arrow Keys Unresponsive After Using Align Options in Control Panel (InDesign 20.3.1)

[k34097905j6ua]

Hi

After latest update align options stopped working like before update. For example:

1. select objects

2. use align option (any of it)

3. try to use arrow keys to move objects - doesn't work

help 🙂

<Title renamed by MOD>

[Joel Cherney]

I tried this a few different ways. 

1)  Using the Align tools on the main Control panel (the panel that appears by default at the top of the screen)

     a) I select objects

     b) I click an Align button

     c) I can't use the arrow key to move objects, because the button I clicked on the Control panel is still highlighted

     d) I hit the Enter key

     e) I can now nudge my selected recently aligned objects with the arrow key

2) Using the Align panel in Window -> Objects Align

     a) I select objects

     b) I click an Align button

     c) I can nudge my selected recently aligned objects with the arrow key without issue

[k34097905j6ua]

THX, this „enter” solution is OK but they should fix it anyway. Have a nice day.

[Abhishek Rao]

Hi @k34097905j6ua,

I just tested this on my end using the 20.3.1 version of InDesign and was able to see it behaving this (see attached recording) way. In the video, I selected the objects, clicked an align option, and then immediately used the arrow keys to nudge them(without pressing Enter), and it worked for me. 

Could you confirm if it doesn't work the same way for you? If you're noticing something different, it'd be super helpful if you could share a short screen recording showing what you're seeing. Also, please let me know the OS you're using and the exact version of InDesign you’ve updated to, so I can take a closer look with the team.

Looking forward to your update.

Abhishek

[k34097905j6ua]

Hi,

It works the same as on video, it only doesn't work (as should be) from the dock bar.

Ventura 13.7.2

INDD 20.3.1

[Abhishek Rao]

Hi @k34097905j6ua,

Thanks for confirming! I just tested this again on Mac and Windows as well, specifically using the alignment options from the dock bar, and it seems to work the same way for me too. No issues with nudging the objects using arrow keys right after alignment.

To help narrow this down further, could you try launching your Mac in Safe Mode and test the same steps there? This will help check if any third-party desktop management tool or extension might be interfering. Reference: https://adobe.ly/3YxyX3j.

Also, just to be sure, if you've only tested this in an existing document, could you give it a try in a newly created file and see if the issue still occurs?

Let me know how it goes.

Looking forward to your update.

Abhishek

[k34097905j6ua]

New and old documents. Safe mode the same.

It worked before INDD update.

[Joel Cherney]

I've only tried it in a brand-new document. Here are a few screen-recording GIFs I captured in 20.3.

From the Align panel:

And from the Control panel:

I can't think of an easy way to represent keyboard state in one of these screen captures, but that blue highlight on the Align to Top button stuck around until I whacked Enter, at which point I could once again nudge my objects. So that button is not receiving the mouseup, I'd imagine; it's acting like I still have the mouse button held down. 

Here's the same action on the Control panel in 19.5:

[k34097905j6ua]

this bug appeared in the last update

[leo.r]

this bug appeared in the last update

By @k34097905j6ua

Yes, I can also confirm this bug. It only happens when using the align buttons in the Controls panel. There's no issue when using the Align panel.

As @Joel Cherney has already mentioned, it appears to have something to do with the fact that the align buttons in the Control panel remain "focused" after clicking until the focus is relinquished by pressing enter or some other action. This doesn't happen with the Align panel buttons.

I can also confirm that it doesn't happen in InDesign 2024. (Don't know about earlier versions of 2025).

[Phoenix15]

Mac OS 15.4.1

InDesign 20.3.1

Something has changed with the align tool. When i highlight a series of text boxes then align them (eg bottom edge), the align button 'sticks' and doesn't allow me to move the boxes with the keyboard arrows.

This is a definite change from the previous edition and is very annoying.

<Title renamed by MOD>

[Eugene Tyson]

I can confirm the same behaviour - the icon sticks and you have to hit Esc or click somewhere. 

Don't see any option to modify the behaviour

https://indesign.uservoice.com/forums/601180-adobe-indesign-bugs

[Abhishek Rao]

Hi @Phoenix15,

Thanks for the confirmation and the details you shared. I tested this on both Mac and Windows using InDesign 20.3.1 but wasn't able to reproduce the issue. The align tool works fine, the button doesn't get stuck (I just see it being highlighted), and I'm able to move the text boxes with the keyboard arrows without any problem.

Could you please share a short screen recording showing exactly what you're experiencing? That way I can make sure I'm not missing any step and help get this checked with the team properly.

Looking forward to your reply!

Abhishek 

[Phoenix15]

2 issues:

1 - screenshot shows the 'align bottom' icon darker when both text boxes selected. then i click 'align top' but the 'align bottom' stays dark grey. could be something to do with the theme color?

2 - if you then try to move these boxes with the arrow keys, they don't move. you have to de-select them, them select both again to allow movement with the arrow kesy. this did not happen in the previous version of InDesign. I use the arrow keys a lot for aligning/moving.

[Eugene Tyson]

Definitely gets stuck for me 

Sonoma 14.4.1 (23E224)

InDesign 20.3

Updating to 20.3.1 now 

And same issue

Interestingly - in the properties panel it works as expected.

It's when I set the workspace to advanced 
Then the Align Tools are on the. top panel
Then it gets stuck

[Laubender]

Hi @Abhishek Rao ,

I can also confirm the issue.

InDesign 2025 v20.3.1 on macOS 12.7.6

Note:

I see this when I am using the Control panel,

Not when I use the Properties panel, not when I use the Align panel.

Regards,
Uwe Laubender
( Adobe Community Expert )

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

@Phoenix15

There was a thread about that recently: 

https://community.adobe.com/t5/indesign-discussions/the-align-option-stopped-working-properly/td-p/1... 

[Abhishek Rao]

Hi @Phoenix15,

Thanks again for sharing the details and the screenshot. I tested this on my end, and one of my colleagues helped verify as well, but we're still not able to reproduce the issue on either macOS or Windows using InDesign 20.3.1. 

That said, I've gone ahead and shared this with the product team for further testing on their end. I'll make sure to keep you updated as soon as I hear anything back.

Really appreciate you, Eugene, and the other experts for helping clarify the behavior and narrowing it down.

Abhishek

[Laubender]

Hi @Abhishek Rao ,

did you notice that we see the issue only with the controls in the Control panel?

Regards,
Uwe Laubender
( Adobe Community Expert )

[Abhishek Rao]

Hi @Laubender,

Yes, I did notice that the issue occurs only when using the alignment options from the Control panel and not when accessing them from the Align panel or Properties panel. Thanks for confirming that.

I've described this behavior clearly to the product team and will keep you all posted once I hear back from them with any updates or findings.

Appreciate your help as always!

Abhishek

[Abhishek Rao]

Hi everyone,

Thank you all for your continued feedback and detailed reports regarding the Align tool issue in InDesign 20.3.1, especially when using the Control panel.

I've connected with the product team, and based on the inputs shared, a bug has now been officially logged for this issue. The team is actively working on a fix.

I'll continue to stay in touch with them and will share any updates here as soon as I receive them.

Appreciate your patience and support!

Abhishek

[Laubender]

Hi @Abhishek Rao ,

I guess you merged two threads into this one.

Was surprised that some posts were added and was not notified by mail.

Regards,
Uwe Laubender
( Adobe Community Expert )

[Abhishek Rao]

Hi @Laubender,

Yes, I did the merging on this. Both threads were related to the same issue, so I combined them for better context and continuity.

Let me know if you're consistently not receiving notifications for merged threads or if it was just this one. I'll be happy to look into it further.

Abhishek 

[Laubender]

Hi @Abhishek Rao ,

I think that the forum software is not able to automatically notify participants of a thread that replies are added through a merge of threads. So it would be good to get a reply by the person who merged threads that something has changed.

Regards,
Uwe Laubender
( Adobe Community Expert )

[HARSHIKA_VERMA]

Thank you, @Laubender, for the note. We will ensure that customers are notified when a thread is merged. However, please note that the notification will be sent to all participants of the thread. We're a bit concerned that this might clutter the inboxes of customers who are no longer actively engaged in the conversation.