Indesign published online file – I've started to get highlighted text

[Iain@Bloc]

A document I have been working on for several weeks has just started to have what appears to ba a glitch.

On different machines and browsers you can move your mouse around the page and next thing the copy is being highlighted for no reason. It doesn't happen all the time and is random when and where.

[Steve Werner]

Does this only happen with one file? Perhaps there is some corruption in the upload.

What happens if you restore your InDesign preferences and caches and upload it again. Here's how to restore InDesign preferences and caches: 

https://www.rockymountaintraining.com/adobe-indesign-rebuilding-preferences-cache/

[Iain@Bloc]

Hi, we've tried clearing cache/preferences, tried another machine to upload and even saved as IDML and re opened with same results.

[Steve Werner]

Is this a publication that could be shared with others for testing?

[Iain@Bloc]

Sadly no.

[Russ W · Accepted solution]

Adobe (without warning) have added an 'Allow viewers to search and copy text' tickbox when you upload publications. This is ticked by default. I would untick and then your text won't highlight. Seems odd they have this turned ON by default without pushing a warning to users first.

[Iain@Bloc]

Thanks for that, made the change and will get someone to check it over.

[Steve Werner]

Here's the way it's now explained in the Publish Online Help:

• Allow viewers to Search and Copy text in the published document: Viewers can search and copy text from the published document. This option is enabled by default with InDesign 18.4 and later. You can search for text within your published documents on any device. However, you can only copy text from published documents on desktops and laptops."

[Steve Werner]

You can always turn that option off when creating a Publish Online document. And if you need to, you can select a previously published document and change its settings. It's up to the document creator to turn the feature on/off. I think allowing the ability to search and copy text should be turned on by default.