Editing Modes in a Batch Upload

Summary

Workspace Batch Uploads has three editing modes for working with assets in a batch: Free mode, View mode, and Selection mode. Each mode supports a different editing scope: a quick edit to one cell, a focused edit on a single asset, or a shared edit across multiple assets at once. When you start a new batch upload, Selection mode activates automatically with your uploaded files selected, so you can apply shared values to them at once. Free mode is the default in all other cases, including when you return to an existing batch or refresh the page. The modes are not labeled in the UI, but you can tell which one you're in from visual cues like cell highlights, the inspector, or which assets are selected.

Who?

Batch Uploads in Workspace are available to Publishers with Access Workspace and Upload assets permissions, and Requesters with Access Workspace and Upload assets with mandatory approval permissions.

For more on how to see assets in a batch, see Views in a Batch Upload.

How?

Edit cells in Free mode

Free mode is the default state when you return to an existing batch upload. Use it for quick, one-off edits when you want to change a single field on a single asset, like fixing a typo or updating one value, without opening the inspector or selecting assets. Free mode is available in List view only.

1. Open a batch upload in List view. Free mode is active by default when you return to a batch.
2. Hover any cell. A gray highlight follows your cursor to show what you're about to edit.
3. Click a cell to edit it, then type your change.

While a cell is in focus, the gray highlight stays on that asset's row even if you move your cursor to other cells, so you can see which asset you're editing.

In Grid view, you can hover assets but you can't edit fields directly. Switch to List view to make cell edits.

Edit a Single Asset in View Mode

View mode opens the inspector for one asset, showing its thumbnail, file name, and all of its editable fields in one place. Use it when you want to focus on a single file and review or edit everything about it before moving on.

To enter View mode in List view, do one of the following on the asset's row:

1. Click the asset's file name in the File column.
2. Click the whitespace in the File column.
3. Hover the row and click the inspector icon, the right-pointing arrow that appears in the File column next to the three-dot menu.

To enter View mode in Grid view, click the asset's thumbnail. Click the thumbnail itself, not the three-dot menu in the top left or the selection checkbox in the top right.

When View mode is active:

• In List view, the asset's full row shows a blue highlight. In Grid view, the asset's card shows a blue border.
• The asset's checkbox is not checked. A checked checkbox means you're in Selection mode instead.
• The inspector opens on the right with the asset's thumbnail and file name at the top.

Edit any field in the inspector to update that asset. Changes you make in the inspector also appear in the asset's cells. When you hover over the asset you're editing, the row shows a slightly darker blue highlight.

To exit View mode, close the inspector by clicking the X in the inspector header.

If you toggle between Grid view and List view while View mode is active, the inspected asset stays open in the inspector.

Edit Multiple Assets in Selection Mode

Selection mode lets you select two or more assets and edit shared fields across all of them at once. Use it when several files need the same metadata or values applied, instead of editing each one individually.

Selection mode activates automatically when you start a new batch upload from the Uploads page, with your uploaded files selected. This lets you apply shared values, such as metadata, tags, or a destination, to your uploaded files in one step. You can also enter Selection mode manually at any time.

To enter Selection mode manually:

1. In List view, click the checkbox to the left of any asset's thumbnail.
2. In Grid view, click the selection checkbox in the top right of any asset's thumbnail.

You can also enter Selection mode with keyboard shortcuts. See Select all assets in the batch and Select a range of assets with Shift + click below.

When Selection mode is active:

• Selected rows (List view) or cards (Grid view) show a blue highlight, and their checkboxes are checked.
• A floating toolbar appears at the bottom of the screen.
• The inspector opens on the right with a Multi edit header showing the number of files selected.

Add more assets to the selection by clicking additional checkboxes. Edit a field in the inspector to apply the change to every selected asset. Changes you make in the inspector also appear in the cells, and the cells in the column you're editing show a blue border on each selected asset's row, so you can see where the change will land. When you hover over any selected asset, the row shows a slightly darker blue highlight.

If you toggle between Grid view and List view while Selection mode is active, your selection carries over.

Use the Floating Toolbar

The floating toolbar appears only in Selection mode and includes:

• The number of assets currently selected.
• Select all to add every remaining asset to the selection.
• A trash icon to delete the selected assets from the batch.
• Edit fields (the pencil icon) to reopen the inspector if you've closed it.
• Deselect all (the X) to clear the selection and exit Selection mode.

Closing the inspector does not exit Selection mode. Your selection stays active, and you can reopen the inspector from the toolbar by clicking Edit fields. To fully exit Selection mode, click Deselect all in the toolbar.

Select All Assets in the Batch

To select every asset in a batch, do one of the following:

1. Press Command (⌘) + A (Mac) or Ctrl + A (Windows). This works in both List view and Grid view, and from any mode.
2. In List view, click the checkbox in the File column header.
3. If you're already in Selection mode, click Select all in the floating toolbar.

A few details to be aware of:

• The Select all button in the floating toolbar only adds to the selection. If every asset is already selected, clicking it has no effect.
• The File column header checkbox in List view works as a toggle. Click it once to select every asset, and click it again to deselect everything and exit Selection mode.
• When some but not all assets are selected, the File column header checkbox shows an indeterminate state with a dash icon.

Select a Range of Assets with Shift + Click

Hold Shift and click an asset to select a range of assets in one action. This works in both List view and Grid view.

1. Hold Shift and click an asset

The range that gets selected depends on what's already selected:

• If no assets are selected, the range starts from the first asset in the batch and ends at the asset you clicked.
• If one or more assets are already selected, the range starts from the last asset you selected and ends at the asset you clicked.

Switch from View Mode to Selection Mode

If you're in View mode and want to add more assets to your edit, you can convert your single-asset focus into a multi-asset selection in one click. The asset that was in View mode becomes part of the new selection.

To switch from View mode to Selection mode, do one of the following:

1. To select a range, hold Shift and click another asset. The asset that was in View mode and every asset between it and the one you clicked are selected.
2. To select two specific assets, hold Command (⌘) (Mac) or Ctrl (Windows) and click another asset. Only the asset that was in View mode and the one you clicked are selected.

The inspector switches from showing the single asset to Multi edit for the new selection.

Switch from Selection Mode to View Mode

If you're in Selection mode and want to focus on a single asset instead, you can switch directly to View mode. Switching clears your current selection.

1. In List view, click the asset's file name, the whitespace in its File column, or the inspector icon on its row.
2. In Grid view, click the asset's thumbnail.

The selection clears, Selection mode exits, and View mode opens for the clicked asset.

Related Articles

Enable Batch Uploads in Workspace for a user

Upload Files into a Batch

Updated September 17, 2026 08:12