Cannot move or edit text boxes in InDesign 2021

[brianw69575587]

I'm working with an InDesign document created by someone else. There is a text box sitting atop a backgraound illustration. I couldn't select the text box to move it, so I moved the background illustration out of the way to get to it. I still was unable to move or edit the text box. I'm not sure why this text box is not movable or editable but it's very frustrating. I've relaunched the application to no avail. Is this a bug? Anyone have any ideas? I'm under deadline, so any responses to this issue would be great. BTW - I can see text edit markings - end of line characters, etc. - so, I know the text is editable and hasn't been converted to a graphic...if I could only get to it!!

[Migintosh · Accepted solution]

A text frame on a document page that can't be edited may be the result of a few things:

1. The frame could be locked (Object menu)
2. The frame could be on a locked layer
3. The frame could be on the master page (master-page objects appear on all document pages that they are applied to, and those objects aren't editible on the document page unless released)

[brianw69575587]

Thanks for the reply. Resolved earlier this evening via chat support. Someone else had created the document and locked down some text box layers. It wasn't immediately evident in the Layers window.

All the best.

[HEAVIOUS]

I suddenly have this same problem (can't move a text frame) within a document I created.
Answer supplied by Migintosh is not complete, obviously, as my text frame is not locked, not on a locked layer, not on a master page, yet it won't move. Not trying to edit the content, trying to move the position of the text frame - that used to freely move (and not all text frames on the various layers have this issue, just a few).
As this is a sudden issue for me, I suspect that it is related to the most recent "upgrades" to Id. The OP was nearly 2 years ago, so this is not something new. What's the real fix???

[Sumo148]

All the possible reasons provided by the other users should be applicable to any file. I haven't seen any bugs regarding this with the new InDesign 2023 18.0 version. You're using the selection tool (black arrow, shortcut V), and not the direct selection tool (white arrow, shortcut A)?

Fastest way would be to share the INDD file so others can take a look. If not, screenshots or a video showcasing the issue would be helpful.

[HEAVIOUS]

Yep, using the black pointer selection tool.
Ended up solving my issue by copy/pasting the text frames that wouldn't move and deleting the misbehaving ones. The copies did move and could be adjusted as normal.
The non-moving text frames, I noticed, had little anchor symbols at the top edge of the frame, but I could find no way to disengage the anchoring effect. The "anchor" function had not been selected for them (by me, and I'm the only one working with this file), and selecting it would not disengage the lock. Nor had the text frames been locked in any of the levels of "layers." Just weird.

[Sumo148]

Ah, if they were anchored you can release them under Object > Anchored Object > Release.

https://helpx.adobe.com/indesign/using/anchored-objects.html

[luukb883304]

I have the same problem, textframes and pictureframe are stuck, I cant move these items

[SaffireP]

Hi all, had the problem recently and thought I'd post on here for anyone with the same issue in the future. For me the text box was locked in one of the masters, I didn't realise we had more than one as the pane displaying them was very small so I had to scroll down to find the master it was hidden on!

[Mon34496859ozv9]

I've just solved the problem, turned out I only need to hold Ctrl+Shift while selecting the elements/textbox I want to edit. Hope that's help someone in the future as well ❤️

[Rishabh_Tiwari]

Hi,

Thank you for reaching out and sharing the solution. I am sure it will help other community members. In addition to this you can also select using the Direct Selection Tool. 

Thanks

Rishabh

[César335057750cm0]

Hi,
Thanks a lot for your solution, you saved me a lot of time and pain !
Have a great day !

[Robyn36190684wo4o]

Thank you so much - I've been rescued!!