InDesign 2025(version 20.3) Selection not working(mac only)

[Stein99]

I am trying to use the new 2025 version of InDesign - but it is really unusable. Running latest version (20.3) on Macos (15.4). Mac Studio with M2 Max CPU and 32 GB memory.

One major issue I am having is that when I select a text box, it will actually not select the box until I move the mouse again. I click the box and nothing happens. When I start moving the mouse - it suddenly gets selected. If I do not move the mouse - nothing is selected - until I move the mouse. This makes it impossible to use.

I've seen some tip on Document Font folder or Contextual Task Bar or Magnet app - but none of those are relevant for me.

InDesign 2024 version (19.5.2) works fine and it does not have these issues.

I did a test on my Macbook Pro (Apple Silicon) - and no issue there - even using the same mouse as on the Mac Studio.

I see some posts that Adobe has fixed InDesign with latest update - but that is definitely not correct...

I uploaded a video to YouTube showing the issue. In the video one can see the pointer icon changing to the selection symbol when I actually click, but as you can see, the text box is not actually selected until I move the pointer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erPZA0_w7gM

Any ideas?

<Title renmaed by MOD>

[Barb Binder]

Hi @Stein99:

I'm not seeing this. Have you tried rebuilding cache/preferences?

~Barb

M1 Max 64 GB macOS 15.4.1

InDesign 20.3

[Stein99]

@Barb Binder  Yes, tried to rebuild cache/preferences. No help. I think I even tried reinstalling the whole app.

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

Are you using Magnet app? 

[Stein99]

No, I am not using Magnet app

[Stein99]

I see that in preferences under GPU it says: "Compatible GPU and Monitor not detected". Can this be related somehow?

[Abhishek Rao]

Hi @Stein99,

Thanks for the update! Please toggle the 'Automatic graphics switching' option in your system preferences. You can find it under System Preferences > Battery > Automatic graphics switching. This could help with the GPU detection issue and potentially resolve the lag you're seeing when selecting objects in InDesign. Reference: https://adobe.ly/4d4waok.

Once you've had a chance to try this, let me know how it goes.

Abhishek

[Stein99]

The issue is not on my Macbook Pro - there it actually works. The issue is on my Mac Studio - and there are no GPU settings for auto switching there.

And it is not really a lag either - if I select an object - it will never actually select it until I move my mouse. So there seems to be missing a "redraw event" when I click and object, and the mouse moving forces a redraw event.

There must be some difference between 2024 and 2025 versions in how screen drawing are done - since it works fine in 2024 version.

[Abhishek Rao]

Hi @Stein99,

Thanks for the clarification! I initially suggested checking the graphics switching option since you mentioned it works fine on your MacBook Pro (Apple Silicon), so I assumed the issue might be on an Intel-based Mac. Could you please confirm the connection type you're using with the monitor(is it via Type-C or HDMI)? If possible, try switching the connection and let me know if that changes anything. Also, please share the make and model of the monitor.

To help isolate the issue further, does this behavior occur only with a specific file, or are you seeing it across all documents, including newly created ones? It would also be helpful to test InDesign in safe mode and under a new local admin user account to see if the issue still occurs. Here are the steps to try that:

https://adobe.ly/4jYLTYg
https://adobe.ly/4jSYprY

Additionally, could you confirm whether the affected file is stored locally on your system drive or being accessed from an external drive, remote server, or cloud location?

Let me know your observations. 

Looking forward to your update!
Abhishek

[Stein99]

Here is the update:

- Running HDMI connection through Apple USB-C -> HDMI dongle

- Happens to all files - newly created and existing ones

- Did not help running in safe mode - same issue

- Happens whether file is stored locally, on network or even unsaved (newly created)

- Have not tried new local admin - but have tried with preferences deleted and cache folders deleted - which should be exactly the same.

So this is really a mystery. Maybe we could get some developers involved to have a look? Since it works in 2024 - there must be some changes that were done in 2025 in the rendering process that causes this...

[Abhishek Rao]

Hi @Stein99,

Thanks again for the detailed update. Since I haven't been able to reproduce the issue on my end with the same InDesign version and setup, it would be great if you could share a sample file where you're seeing this behavior. This will help us test with your content and get further analyzed. 

Also, could you please try connecting the external display to your Mac Studio using HDMI connection instead of USB-C(if possible) and let me know if the issue still persists? There could be a rendering or scaling difference affecting the UI display.

Looking forward to your file and your observations.

Abhishek

[Stein99]

Thanks for helping out. I tried HDMI directly - but no difference there.

BUT I think I might have found something. I have another external monitor that I tried - and that worked fine. I saw in preferences that it says "Compatible GPU and Monitor detected". So with this monitor it can actually use GPU. But what is even more interesting is that if I disable GPU (remove checkmark in "GPU Performance" - then the bug is back! So it seems that this bug is present if GPU is not used in InDesign - either by having some incompatible monitor (as it seems I have) or by disabling GPU. So maybe you are able to reproduce by disabling GPU Performance in your settings too.

Additionally:

Also, I think I originally wrote that Indesign Preferences stated that it said "Compatible GPU and Monitor not detected" under GPU. But when testing now with original monitor it says "Compatible GPU and Monitor detected". I am not sure if it said that originally also - and that I read wrong. But what is strange is that even if it says that GPU and monitor is compatible now (both with and withough dongle), the "GPU Performance" is disable, but the checkbox is greyed out - so I am not able to turn GPU on! So it is kind of in a "middle state" where it thinks HW is compatible, but I am not allowed to turn it on. And that is probably why it show the same bug as if I turn it off when I tested with the new monitor. But is is really strange that Indesign cannot use GPU properly with this monitor - it is an Eizo CS240 monitor, which works fine with GPU in other Adobe apps.

[Abhishek Rao · Accepted solution]

Hi @Stein99,

Thanks a lot for the detailed follow-up. 

I was actually able to reproduce the issue on my end with InDesign 20.3 on macOS when GPU Performance is disabled. So yes, you're absolutely right, this bug seems to be triggered when GPU is off. 

I'll go ahead and log a bug for this and will keep you posted with any updates I receive from the product team. Really appreciate you sharing all your findings.

Let me know if you come across anything else in the meantime!

Abhishek 

[Stein99]

Thats really good - thanks for quick and agile follow-up!

Could you also log this GPU compability issue as a case? It says that my GPU/monitor is compatible - but still disables the GPU Performance with no way of turning it on. That must also be some bug - since it works fine in other Adobe applications.

[defaulttdqpgd7j97yv]

Just linking my thread to this since I didn't see it as I posted my issue: I see the exact same behavior, clicking boxes will not show the selection until I move the cursor a fair bit. Two different M4 macs on different displays, including Macbook's own. It would be nice to have Indesign at least be usable if for whatever reason GPU support is off. But obviously lack of GPU recognition on brand new Macs is the actual bummer.

https://community.adobe.com/t5/indesign-discussions/gpu-not-utilized-on-m4-macs/m-p/15303592#M623266

[Frans v.d. Geest]

This was already reported in the pre release discussions in November last year by me (second presentation display connected with hdmi disables gpu rendering and does not show selection of frame untill some movement on screen),  so it is a long outstanding bug...

[defaulttdqpgd7j97yv]

That's bad, hopefully something's being done about it.

[cyclopsdx]

Updated to 20.3.1 today and, oh my word, yet another issue. With GPU switched off, when selecting an item (picture box, text box, etc.) it doesn't show up as selected BUT when you move the cursor away from the selected item it immediately shows the item as selected. When GPU switched on, this issue doesn't occur BUT the previous problem does! This version is so, so bad.

[Robert at ID-Tasker]

Updated to 20.3.1 today and, oh my word, yet another issue. With GPU switched off, when selecting an item (picture box, text box, etc.) it doesn't show up as selected BUT when you move the cursor away from the selected item it immediately shows the item as selected. When GPU switched on, this issue doesn't occur BUT the previous problem does! This version is so, so bad.

By @cyclopsdx

There was at least one thread recently, with exactly the same problem.

[Anubhav M]

Hello @cyclopsdx,

Would you mind sharing some more details, like the exact version of the OS, system config (CPU/GPU/Memory), if Illustrator behaves this way with all files, and a screen recording of the problem, so I can better assist you with this?

Also, check if you have any plugins/window managers enabled, and temporarily disable them, and share your observations.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Anubhav

[cyclopsdx]

Hi @Anubhav M 

Here's my system config below. This is actually an InDesign issue, hence posting in this thread.

I've also included a screen recording of the software behaviour.

It's really not great, is it? We're trying to run businesses here and these constant problems aren't helping.

Regards

Eddie

[Frans v.d. Geest]

Please remove the serial number!! It is visible for all!

[cyclopsdx]

Mac Mini

Apple M1 chip

16GB memory

Sequoia 15.4.1

do you need the screen record again?

[Stein99]

I am the original poster of this thread and had the same issue as you. If you read the answers to this thread + the correct answer - Adobe has been able to reproduce this and found that this is a bug when GPU is off.

[cyclopsdx]

For me, this appears to be a bug with GPU on. When switched off, the software is clunky and lags, when it's on, I get the issue that was visible in my screen recording. And it's definitely worse in the latest 20.3.1 update.