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edwardg23747023
Participant
May 18, 2022
Answered

I can no longer click and drag to select text. Everything just moves the box.

  • May 18, 2022
  • 2 replies
  • 2121 views

I've tried restarting InDesign, my computer, but the problem persists.

 

I double-click a text box to select it, then try dragging and clicking to select some text, and instead of selecting the text it drags and moves the whole box.  The text, IS still text and has not been converted to curves.

I also can not resize a text box by clicking the corner handles.. trying to click and drag those resized the WHOLE BOX PROPORTIONALLY.   So if I click a text frame to make it a bit taller (by clicking the middle bottom handle, the whole box resizes with the content.

 

It's NOT a stuck modified key.  No other programs are experiencing this weird behaviour.

The text is most definitely not converted to shapes/curves.

 

VIDEO ATTACHED.

 

 

 

Correct answer edwardg23747023

Here's what I tried:

 

1. Restarting InDesign/Mac

    - no luck


2. Deleting preferences, and cache

    - no luck

 

3. Uninstalling completely and re-installing

    - no luck

 

4. Using Key Codes app to show any and all key presses 

    - no keys being pressed (note this did not affect ANY other programs including other Adobe programs)

 

5. Rolling back to a previous version. 

    - no luck

 

6. Doing ALL the above at once

    - BINGO.

2 replies

A
ali_doucette
Participant
May 30, 2025

Was having this issue — turns out it's a glitch where the click and drag to select doesn't work when using the new "hide spreads" feature. As soon as I unhid the spreads it worked again.

    HARSHIKA_VERMA
    Community Manager
    HARSHIKA_VERMACommunity Manager
    Community Manager
    May 30, 2025

    Glad to hear you were able to resolve the issue and thanks for sharing the solution that worked for you. 

     

    Thanks,

    Harshika

    John Mensinger
    Community Expert
    John MensingerCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    May 18, 2022

    Have you tried resetting preferences?

     

    You might also try—rather than drag-selecting—triple-click or even quadruple-click in text to select,  just to see whether it works. I know you said it's not a stuck modifier key, but it does sort of sound like Shift key function interference. Do you have any keyboard or clipboard enhancement add-ons running? Any web browser(s)?

    E
    edwardg23747023AuthorCorrect answer
    Participant
    May 18, 2022

    Here's what I tried:

     

    1. Restarting InDesign/Mac

        - no luck


    2. Deleting preferences, and cache

        - no luck

     

    3. Uninstalling completely and re-installing

        - no luck

     

    4. Using Key Codes app to show any and all key presses 

        - no keys being pressed (note this did not affect ANY other programs including other Adobe programs)

     

    5. Rolling back to a previous version. 

        - no luck

     

    6. Doing ALL the above at once

        - BINGO.

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