I'm using INDD version 21.4. this is happening with multiple people (not everyone) in my company right now (all in the same up-to-date version).

If i try to select multiple objects by either marquis select or shift-click, once i have the objects we want to move, if i click and drag on one of the selected object that has an image in a box and drag, it moves just the box with the image inside it. but if i click on a text box or a simple color box and drag, it drags the entire selection.

in the attached image, A is an image in a graphic box, and the two objects labeled "B" are a text box and a color block. if i select all of them and click on "A" to drag, it only moves the image box A. if i click either the text or the color block labeled "B", it moves all the objects selected (as you would expect it to do either way).

This also applies to latest Windows Version, 21.4
And give your team the information please, that this also breaks the "alignment" workflow, where you select the key/basis element to which other items shall align to (bolded frame). At the moment you can not select the basis-object.

Having the same issue here.

Same issue as everyone else—I select multiple objects, and when I drag to move them, only the object under my cursor moves. I have to either group the objects and then ungroup or move each one separately.

Don't y'all test your software before you release it?

It also affects being able to deselect an object by shift-clicking (select multiple objects; shift-click one to deselect it = still selected).

This is such a basic feature – how something like this happens is beyond me.

How long does to take to fix an absolute basic element of functionality for pretty much any app? How can it be passed as a final candidate if no-one has ever tried moving images on the artboard?

Please Fix!

you gotta quit doing this.
it's exasperating.
amateurs

Indesign 21.4

Since the last update, if you use the direct selection tool to select multiple objects with graphics and try to move them, nothing moves unless you happen to have your cursor over one of containers then it moves only that container and not all of the selected ones.

However, sometimes all of the selected containers will move but more often than not, they do not.

Same here

Same issue here.

Same issue as everyone else. You can select multiple items and it will move all of them if any of them in the selection are grouped. You don’t have to group everything, just one of the items within your selection can be grouped and then everything will move. But if every item is ungrouped, only one item moves. Holding down shift works which is fine if you want to move things orthogonally, but otherwise is useless. 

Possible Bug After Latest InDesign Update – Multi-Object Selection Lost When Dragging from Images

Hello Adobe Support,

I am experiencing a problem that started immediately after installing the latest InDesign update.

Issue Description:
When I select multiple objects on the page (for example, two image frames and two shape objects), the selection behaves unexpectedly when I try to drag the selected items.

Expected Behavior:
When multiple objects are selected, dragging from any selected object should move the entire selection.

Actual Behavior:

If I start dragging from a shape or text object, all selected objects move correctly.
If I start dragging from an image inside an image frame, the multi-selection is immediately canceled and only the image/frame becomes selected.
As a result, only that single image moves instead of the entire selection.

Additional Information:

The problem started immediately after updating InDesign.
The issue occurs even in new documents.
Moving the selected objects with the keyboard arrow keys works correctly and moves the entire selection.
Grouping the objects (Ctrl+G) allows them to move correctly.
The problem only occurs when dragging from image frames.
The issue did not exist before the update.

Troubleshooting Already Attempted:

Restarted InDesign.
Tested with new documents.
Verified that objects and layers are not locked.
Confirmed that the Selection Tool is being used.
Reset workspace.
Tested different object types.

This behavior appears to be related to how image frames or placed images are being handled after the latest update.

Could you please confirm whether this is a known issue or provide a workaround?

Thank you.

Agree, same for me with key object alignment: if I select multiple image frames and say I have ‘align to page’ set in my alignment panel, usually I can still single-click one of those images to make it a key object then use spacing or align the rest of the frames to that one - but now single-clicking one of the image frames deselects them all and just selects that single frame (and not even as a key object). I tested with a new file and it only happens to images or illustrator files placed within frames, normal solid colour boxes and text boxes are still working fine. And no i’m not accidentally clicking the image grabber in the middle. I’m also on InDesign 21.4 in MacOS 25.6.

Same for me + an additional bug I believe is related: if I select multiple image frames and say I have ‘align to page’ set in my alignment panel, usually I can single-click one of those images to make it a key object then use spacing or align the rest of the frames to that one - but now single-clicking one of the image frames deselects them all and just selects that single frame (and not even as a key object). I tested with a new file and it only happens to images or illustrator files placed within frames, normal solid colour boxes and text boxes are still working fine. And no i’m not accidentally clicking the image grabber in the middle. I’m also on InDesign 21.4 in MacOS 25.6.

Need fixed as soon as possible, this is rendering INDD largely useless.

Please fix ASAP—this is a core part of the workflow. It's absolutely insane to use this program and not be able to move multiple linked images/files at once—that's literally what I do all day long on every page to make layouts, decks, moodboards, presentations, etc. Please stop adding additional features when core functionality for professional users is being degraded—these are professional tools that we pay for because I use them to WORK (the thing I am paid to do) and Adobe changing /slowing down workflow is totally unacceptable. I upgraded to the newest version to try and fix a bug in how Illustrator files were appearing (doubling up) and now this insane bug—I'm literally layout out a 100 page deck for a major ad campaign with pages of moodboards and references (all linked files) and I can't move them?!

SHIFT DOES NOT WORK and should revert to what it did previously (lock your dragging along x or y axis, the way it always did).

Please fix ASAP and get it together for professional users—these products are tools that we pay a lot of money for to NOT BREAK.

Deleted my snarky comment here to give a more measured one. I stand by the fact that this is a really annoying change and I'd really prefer if adobe would focus less on genAI/the Labor Theft Machine/the corroding of our creative/critical thinking, and more on making these programs better and worth the insane pricetag we pay. or at least maintain some sort of higher standard, I'm really tired of the glitches in basic functions that slip through with every update. I've used adobe products for almost 15 years now even as they get more powerful they become worse-- bloated and glitchy. updating used to be exciting now it's anxiety inducing and interrupts workflows.

that said-- I've been holding shift while moving a group of objects as suggested as the work around and noticed that it locks the objects to the grid so you can shift them on the Y or X axis accurately; I like it, if only because I used to edit the numeral values in order to make exact & accurate changes like this. And I think maybe this must have been the intended UX purpose? like, holding shift to keep the movements to a grid is genuinely quite helpful. I have no idea if this was in previous versions but I'm discovering it just because of this change. so, cool, I guess.

anyway, that said, it's annoying to change something so fundamental and committed to countless users' muscle memory. selecting multiple objects and not holding shift should still allow all objects selected to move with held down LMB.

hoping the fix happens quickly.

I hope this is fixed asap. Beyond ridiculous

Please fix asap. This is really impacting my workflow efficiency.