Color Picker eyedropper freezes UI — invisible modal dialog blocks all interaction and saving
Version:
Adobe InDesign 21.4.1 / 2026 — macOS Tahoe 26.5.1, Apple Silicon M1 MaxSteps to reproduce:
Select an object with a fill color.
Double-click the Fill color swatch in the Tools panel to open the Color Picker dialog.
Try to sample a color from the document using the eyedropper inside the Color Picker.
Nothing happens (the eyedropper does not pick up any color).
Close the Color Picker dialog.Expected result:
The eyedropper samples the color under the cursor and applies it. After closing the dialog, the UI is fully responsive again.Actual result:
After closing the Color Picker, InDesign becomes unresponsive to all commands. Some UI elements are clickable but no action executes — menu items are greyed out or only trigger a warning beep. Menu commands (Save, Window > Arrange, etc.) do not respond. Attempting to quit triggers the warning "Die Anforderung kann nicht bearbeitet werden, da ein modales Dialogfeld oder eine modale Warnmeldung aktiv ist." ("The request cannot be processed because a modal dialog or modal alert is active."), but no such dialog is visible anywhere on screen or on any connected display. It appears an invisible modal dialog remains active and locks the whole application, blocking even saving.
Workaround found: The document tabs remain clickable — clicking the tab's close (×) triggers the normal "save changes?" prompt, which allows saving the file before force-quitting. Without this, all unsaved progress would be lost.
- Attachment: Screenshot of the modal warning attached.
Greg
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