hiding the bounding box in InDesign

Report · Sep 23, 2008

I have been using InDesign for years and I remember tearing my hair out a while ago trying to find out how to make the annoying bounding box disappear that shows up around every object. They have shown up again. Can someone please remind me how to get rid of the bloody things!

Report · Sep 23, 2008

Hide frame edges? Under the view menu?

You can also use the 'w' key to toggle in and out of Preview mode (grays out the pasteboard, hides all guides/frame edges etc).

Report · Mar 22, 2014

I'm also looking for this. I want to keep the frame edges and when the objects are slected, I don't want to see the bounding box.

Even when hiding frame edges, once selecting them, you can see the bounding box, same goes to preview mode...

shlomit

Report · Mar 22, 2014

What distinction are you making between the frame edges and the bounding box? I know that InDesign has something called frame edges that could just as easily have been called a bounding box, but I don't know of something specifically called "bounding boxes" in InDesign. If there is, please inform me.

If you do mean frame edges, I'm not sure if there is a solution. Since the frame edges use a color to distinguish between different layers, you could set the layer color to the color of your background, but that will only help on one-color backgrounds, and you will still see the frame handles. The frame edges are very useful for me and many other users. I wonder what makes them so objectionable to you?

Report · Mar 22, 2014

Schlomit,

This is a very old thread. What version of ID are you using? As I recall, showing frame edges on rollover in preview mode became a preference option in CS5.5 or CS6.

Report · Nov 19, 2014

Ok This has to be the most annoying thing ever, all the options in InDesign CC 2014 won't hide the stupid bounding box when I select any object. Can someone please help me understand this and find a fix for me please.

Report · Nov 19, 2014

You can’t hid the bounding box of a selected object.

Report · Nov 19, 2014

Thanks for the quick reply Bob. I hope they update this with an option in the next release. I will put this in their feature request.

Report · Nov 19, 2014

So without a bounding box showing, how would you know what was selected, or if there was a selection?

Report · Dec 02, 2014

I want to second that this should be a feature.

Here is the use case: I want to style parts of an object -- maybe I need a single override of an object style, say the stroke or a drop shadow -- something around the edge. Right now, because the frame edges are always on with the selected object I have to make the change and then deselect it to review it. This means that I have to de- and reselect the object multiple times.

This is not an efficient use of my time.

Illustrator allows the edges of selected objects to be toggled on and off with command-h. If you want to see how you can can still know what is selected -- play with it there. But basically if you hover over the selected object it shows you the edges. Otherwise they are off. It works really nicely.

Report · Dec 02, 2014

Have you tried opening a second window for the document to show you a real-time preview of the changes?

Report · Dec 02, 2014

Thanks for that...

I just tried it -- not bad. And it lets you run one screen high quality/preview and the working copy in low quality/normal mode.

Although having the toggle would still be nice when working on my laptop.

I wish Adobe would standardize some of these things between apps. I haven't used Indesign in 6 months, until today -- and I spent the first couple of hours readjusting.

But . . . that's another discussion entirely. And I know people have been asking for it in various ways for decades.

Many thanks once again, and bye for now.

Ann

Report · Sep 13, 2015

Of COURSE this should be a feature. I use it all the time in AI. When something is selected and you want to edit WITHOUT the interference of the selection marquee it's great.

Report · Nov 19, 2014

I should add that you can go into presentation mode, but that’s about it, AFAIK.

Report · Aug 04, 2015

E, the gif is so helpful! Thanks.

Report · Mar 16, 2016

View > Extras > Show/Hide Frame Edges

Report · Apr 14, 2016

Finally, a simple answer! Thanks!

Report · Jul 19, 2017

My work around is opening a second window and highlight what you want to move in the small window.

use the arrow to move around the box

Report · Mar 30, 2020

This post is quite old now, but incase anyone is still looking for this answer:
View > Extras > Show or Hide Frame Edges.

I often accidentally press shortcut "ctrl h" and can't remember how to show frame edges again.

Report · Apr 09, 2020

Yeah, just to avoid any disappointment or confusion - this isn't what the original poster was asking for. This is still an inconsistency between Adobe products and something you can do in Illustrator but not in inDesign.

Report · Dec 31, 2020

That is NOT what this is about. It's about the frame edges and nothing more. This topic has been answered and I'm going to lock it.

Report · Dec 31, 2020

HEY, ALL. IT'S REALLY EASY.

Simply change the stroke weight of the bounding box from 1 to 0

e.g.:

under "windows", check "properties"

click on the frame you want to be invisible

the properties bar will show the option to change the stroke

change the stroke weight to 0

Report · Dec 31, 2020