Windows 10: I have two Win 11 PCs where the mouse is not highlighting text properly and sometimes I...

When I try to highlight text to copy a section of a document, web page, word, pdf, or excel spreadsheet it will work sometimes and other times it will only highlight a portion of the text, the complete paragraph, or move the text to a different location. I have tried multiple mice, and I have gone through the driver update process. One of the PCs is a Surface Pro 7 purchased in 2019 and updated to Win 11 two years ago while the other is a Surface Pro 11 purchased in Oct. 2024. The Pro 11 is an ARM architecture machine.

:)

 

Issue Highlighting and copy Text selection with mouse

Hi DorothyKaltz,



Thank you for posting your concern on Microsoft Answer Community.



I recommend you to follow the below steps, and check if that helps.



Method: Highlighting and copy with mouse.

1. Click on the Windows logo
   
2. Go to Settings
   
3. Open the mouse & touchpad setting
   
4. Turn off Scroll inactive windows
   
5. Click on Advanced Mouse Options
   
6. Adjust double click speed – (turning this setting down will help)
   

We await your response.


Regards,

 

Left Click to Highlight Text Doesn't Work Properly

Hi,

I am a desktop PC user on Windows 10, and just today switched to Windows 11. Recently, I have been experiencing issues related to highlighting text/copy and paste. There are no problems when I'm on my Apple MacBook Pro, but I keep experiencing this issue on PC.

When I left-click once on PC and hold to highlight text (on Microsoft Word or internet browsers such as Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge), it randomly decides to either stop or "skip" over words I've decided to highlight. Another way of putting it is that it is "forgetting" what I already highlighted and starting to highlight a new word. Otherwise, it'll think I'm trying to drag and drop the text.

Have experimented with mouse settings.

Been unable to find a solution so far.

Thanks.

 

Highlighting of text does not work correctly

Back in March of 2023, Robert Twyman reported that highlighting text and the drag and drop features work poorly or not at all. His description of the problem was exemplary:

When I attempt to highlight text and hold down the mouse button at where I want it to start, the following happens:

1. It does not highlight at all

2. It may start to highlight 3 or 4 words in or several lines later then on releasing the mouse button the highlighted text might remain on or turn off.

3. It starts to highlight correctly then turns it off on releasing the mouse button.

4. It starts to highlight correctly but turns off without releasing the mouse button.

5. It does it correctly - this is so rare that it is laughable.

6. Starting at the end of the text it does it correctly more often but may still exhibit the same problems as above.

7. It does this if I use either the wireless mouse or the touchpad on the machine.

8. It happens using all MS Office 365 products and browsers in Windows 11.

I am using a new HP laptop running the latest OS patches and driver updates. Like Robert, I have run device manager and several other third-party software repair utilities, and they all indicate that I have the correct or latest drivers. However, highlighting and drag and drop functions still do not work properly, and it is a tedious affair to use a function that is one of the basics for a highly function OS.

I have also done both virus and malware scans using several different software packages - the OS and software are clean.

Microsoft runs the user community through the ringer fixing a problem that is in the OS. None of the previous suggestions made to this community earlier this year fix the problem as it is not a setting problem, i.e., mouse speed, click-lock, scroll, etc.

Also, creating a new user account or using the Repair function (a compete reimage) do not work, so please do not suggest again.

When will this be fixed?

moved from Windows / Windows 11 / Performance and system failures