I received an email from a fellow Captivate developer who had recently upgraded from Captivate Classic (CpC) to Captivate 13. She asked the following questions:
- Unable to select multiple objects at a time and can’t find a way to align them (say align top). I’m looking to select a series of text boxes and have them all align top. In Classic, I was able to select each by holding CTRL and clicking each, then selecting Align to Top.
- Not able to select more than one object a time.
- When selecting an object it doesn’t let it be moved by using the arrows, only via mouse.
- Reading order: I see the options to move the tab order, and I see the reading order pane, but there’s no option to change the reading order itself for screen readers. I searched through all of the Adobe documentation as well as internet and YouTube with no results. Could you confirm that is NOT a feature currently available?
These are excellent questions—and extremely common among developers transitioning from Adobe Captivate Classic.
Selecting and Aligning Multiple Objects
In Captivate Classic, selecting multiple objects was simple: CTRL-clicking or SHIFT-clicking let you select several objects and apply alignment tools such as Align Top, Align Left, and others. In Captivate 13’s responsive projects, that workflow is no longer available:
You cannot select multiple objects via CTRL-click or SHIFT-click
Traditional alignment tools (Align Top, Center, Left, etc.) do not exist.
Every object must be adjusted individually
This limitation is expected behavior in Captivate 13’s new responsive authoring environment.
Why You Can’t Freely Position Objects in Responsive Projects
Classic used a true freeform canvas—objects could be placed anywhere with pixel-perfect precision. Captivate 13’s default workflow uses a block-based responsive layout, meaning objects are no longer truly floating slide items. As a result:
Objects exist inside stacking containers
You can only drag them up or down relative to other blocks
You cannot place items arbitrarily anywhere on the slide
Arrow-key positioning (nudging) does not work
Layout structure—not the developer—determines positioning
So yes—you are absolutely correct: you cannot freely position objects anywhere you want in Captivate 13’s responsive projects.
Exceptions: When Free Positioning Is Possible
There are two project types where Captivate 13 reverts to a fixed-layout workspace that behaves more like Classic:
1. Software Simulations
Captivate automatically uses fixed layout for sims.
This allows:
Free movement of objects
A more Classic-like slide environment
However, CTRL-clicking and SHIFT-clicking for multi-select are still not supported, and alignment tools remain limited.
2. PowerPoint Imports
Projects created by importing PowerPoint also use a fixed layout.
In this workspace:
Objects can be moved more freely
Placement is closer to the Classic experience
But just like software simulations, Multi-select via CTRL-click/SHIFT-click is still not available, and full alignment controls do not exist.
Moving Objects with the Arrow Keys
In Classic, the arrow keys allowed for fine nudging. In Captivate 13, the arrow keys do nothing. Mouse movement is the primary method across all project types.
Reading Order vs. Tab Order
Captivate 13 provides a Reading Order panel and allows full control of tab order, but these two things are not the same.
Currently:
There is no way to manually reorder the true screen-reader reading order
The reading sequence is determined automatically by Captivate
Developers have limited influence beyond grouping or rearranging blocks
So yes—the assumption was correct: Manual editing of screen-reader reading order is not available in Captivate 13.
Final Thoughts
Captivate 13 is powerful, but it represents a dramatic shift from Classic. Understanding the difference between Responsive projects (block-based, constrained layout) and Fixed-layout projects (software simulations and PowerPoint imports) is crucial when learning what you can—and cannot—do with object selection, positioning, alignment, and accessibility structure.
If you’d like hands-on guidance as you transition to the new Captivate, I teach comprehensive live, instructor-led Captivate vILT classes covering both Captivate Classic and Captivate 13. You can view available sessions here: https://www.iconlogic.com/adobe-captivate-training.html
If you have additional questions as you explore Captivate 13, feel free to reach out—I’m always happy to help fellow developers navigate the new workflow.