InDesign 2025 Update - Shortcuts no longer working

[idunnasgeirs]

Hi. Is anyone else having the issue of shortcuts not working after updating to the 2025 version of InDesign.

Some examples:

Holding down shift key while resizing does not do anything anymore.

Copy elements with the option key doesn't work.

Even switching between tools is laggy and doesn't work each time.

And more.

Everything was working great last time I opened InDesign and there have been no changes on my end.

Solutions I've tried.

- Restarting the program

- Restarting the computer

- Unistalling and reinstalling the program

- Test different keyboards

I can't revert to older versions as the projects I'm working were created on this version.

Please, if anyone has some advice, share it with me.

[Abhishek Rao]

Hi @idunnasgeirs,

Thank you for reaching out and sharing the details of the issue you’re experiencing with InDesign 2025. I’d like to gather a bit more information to help troubleshoot this effectively:

1. Could you please confirm the operating system (OS) and version you’re using?

2. Is this issue happening with a specific file or across all InDesign documents, including new ones?

3. If possible, could you share a screen recording demonstrating the problem? This would help us understand the behavior more clearly.

4. Have you tried resetting InDesign preferences? This step can resolve many common issues. Here’s a guide on how to reset your InDesign preferrences: https://adobe.ly/3P9zsvj

Let me know if resetting the preferences resolves the issue or if there’s anything else you’d like assistance with. Looking forward to your response!

Best,

Abhishek Rao

[idunnasgeirs]

Hi Abhishek and thank you for your reply.

1. I'm using Ventura 13.5 MacOS operating system (I have delayed updating on purpose)

2. It happens with all InDesign documents old and new.

3. Not sure how to take a screen recording of this problem as I can't showcase what buttons I'm pressing when it's not working. But I will try.

4. I tried Shift + Command + Option (Mac) while launching InDesign but it didn't work. Also tried "Reset preferences on Quit" - no success. Not sure what other way I can reset the preferrences. 

[Bill Silbert]

To reset preferences manually on a Mac:

The User Library folder in which InDesign’s preferences are stored is hidden by default on most Macintoshes. To access it make sure that InDesign is closed and click on the desktop to launch a Finder Window (Command-N). With this window in column view follow the path User>Home folder (it’s the folder with an icon that looks like a house—it may have the user’s name rather than “Home”) and click on the Home folder. With the Option Key pressed choose Library from the Finder Go Menu. “Library” will now appear within the Home folder. Within the Library folder find the folder called Preferences and within it find the folder called “Adobe InDesign” and the file called “com.adobe.InDesign.plist” and delete both that folder and that file. When InDesign is next launched it will create new preference files and the program will be restored to its defaults. 

The advantage of manually deleting preference files in this manner is that after you’ve reset up the program (make sure that no document window is open) to your liking, you can create copies of your personalized “mint” preference files (make sure that you quit the program before copying them—that finalizes your customization) and use them in the future to replace any corrupt versions you may need to delete.

Another thing that you can try in regard to your shorcuts not working is to restart your computer and disable any background apps that you might have running and launch only InDesign. If the shortcuts now work then that means that another program or plug-in is co-opting the shortcut. You can then launch the other apps or plug-ins one at a time until the InDesign shortcuts stop working again. Once you've figured out where the interference is coming from you can deal with it accordingly.

[Srishti Bali]

Hi @idunnasgeirs

Apologies for the trouble you're facing. Bill has provided helpful guidance on resetting preferences. If you still need assistance, you can follow the steps in this tutorial: Reset Preferences Tutorial.

From my experience, shortcut key issues are often caused by conflicts with third-party apps. Have there been any recent changes made to your system, such as installing new apps, antivirus software, or updates?

Additionally, you might try booting your system in Safe Mode before resetting preferences. If the issue doesn’t occur in Safe Mode, it’s likely due to a conflict. You can find steps to start your machine in Safe Mode here: Safe Mode Guide.

Regards,

Srishti

[Mike Witherell]

For what it is worth, I have been experiencing intermittent keyboard shortcuts not working in both 2024 and 2025 versions of InDesign on both macOS and Windows. If I make a new copy of keyboard shortcuts, everything wakes up and works again ... for a time. I don't yet have an insight as to why.

[Nebelspecht]

Hi, I have the same Issue with InDesign 2025:
Holding down shift and/or option key while draging Cursor doesn't work as it normaly should.
No proportional skaling, no skaling from center, no copy of Elements in all Dokuments...
It still works in Illustrator and Photoshop as expected.

System: MacBook Pro M4, (Sequia 15.3.1); InDesign 20.2

I've tried also:

• Restart Computer/Programm
• Reinstall InDesign
• closed all other Programms
• Reset Preference on Restart (InDesign)
• Delete Preference-file (com.adobe.InDesign.plist) maually in Libary
• Restart all again

What I've noticed:

• When an Element in InDsign is selected and I press option key, the cursor changed to the "copy-mode-indicator" (doubble arrow) while positined over the selected element as it should, but when start dragging the cursor changed again to the normal one – no effect. After releasing mouse button again, shows double arrow over selected element again while holding down option key.
• when holding down opten key over seletec element clicking mouse and keep position for a second without movement until the coordinates appears, copy of element works as expected, still no effect on shift key for aligning horizontal/vertical positon.

As mentioned, in Illustrator/Photoshop this all works normal all the time.

[Nebelspecht · Accepted solution]

So after all worked normal in macOS save mode, I tested with some apps and could find the app that causes the conflict, In my case it is the VPN-Client, that I need in my Company: Cisco Secure Client (AnyConnect).

Font workaround: Start VPN-Client and establish VPN-Connection, Close VPN-Client, Start CPN-Client again. VPN-Tunnel still active but after starting the VPN-app second time, the shift-/option-key functions work normal allso in InDesign.

Could reproduce the issue/behaviour consistantly.

Still wondering what causes this effect and why only InDesign is affected?

[Savon_H]

Thank you! I've been looking for solutions everywhere and this is the one that finally worked!

[defaulthumr7vittpa6]

I'm having the same issue on indesign 2025. Resizing with shift key doesnt work anymore and it's a pain.

[Jason226212216p3m]

Same lack of keyboard ineteraction. Something as basic as option-select to duplicate an object or holding Shift to limit movement don't work. 

[jordyn_3831]

I am experiencing this issue on Windows. I can't even use the backspace key when editing text. 

[Abhishek Rao]

Hi @jordyn_3831,

Sorry to hear you're running into this. Could you confirm which version of InDesign 2025 and Windows you're on? Also, is the issue happening with all documents or just specific ones? Sometimes shortcut and key issues are caused by conflicts with third-party apps running in the background, so it might help to try restarting your system in Safe Mode and see if the problem still occurs. If it works fine there, it's likely another app interfering.

If possible, please also share a short screen recording, so we can take a closer look.

Let me know how it goes.

Abhishek