Cursor no longer working on Mac to highlight text in Word

Question

Cursor no longer working on Mac to highlight text in Word

Dianne Erlewine 5

My cursor no longer works in Word to highlight a section of text. I have read online for answers to this problem, and the only thing I haven't been able to try is changing the setting as described below, because under "File" I do not have "Options" as a tab to go to. Please help!

Enable Drag-and-Drop: Go to File > Options > Advanced > Editing options and check "Allow text to be dragged and dropped".
Check for Smart Paragraph Selection: In the same Advanced settings, uncheck "Use smart paragraph selection".

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Kevin-5617 0 Reputation points

2025-12-24T16:32:02.3766667+00:00

@Dianne I understand your frustration. I have the same problem. The menus in Microsoft word for MAC are not completely the same as Microsoft word. I have tried to update word with "Check for updates" under 'Help' but I keep getting 'Update error...", "Some apps have encountered errors" in Word. Highlighting/selecting text works in other applications. It worked just fine in the past it only became a problem when Word got an update. It seems to me there is a bug with the patch. There is no “Smart paragraph selection” option under Word > Preferences > Edit.
Dianne Erlewine 5 Reputation points

2025-12-27T18:16:45.1933333+00:00

Yes, this worked fine for me until there was an update.
Warren Faidley 20 Reputation points

2026-04-13T21:55:20.56+00:00

Seems a lot of people are having a problem with this. I'm going to demand a refund. I have projects on deadline and cannot fumble with other techniques to highlight text without losing concentration while typing. This is a joke.
Stefan Blom 338K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator

2026-04-14T07:48:16.75+00:00

Warren, see the reply from Bob Jones.

Answer recommended by moderator

3 additional answers

Kevin-5617 0 Reputation points

2025-12-24T16:32:02.3766667+00:00

@Dianne I understand your frustration. I have the same problem. The menus in Microsoft word for MAC are not completely the same as Microsoft word. I have tried to update word with "Check for updates" under 'Help' but I keep getting 'Update error...", "Some apps have encountered errors" in Word. Highlighting/selecting text works in other applications. It worked just fine in the past it only became a problem when Word got an update. It seems to me there is a bug with the patch. There is no “Smart paragraph selection” option under Word > Preferences > Edit.
Dianne Erlewine 5 Reputation points

2025-12-27T18:16:45.1933333+00:00

Yes, this worked fine for me until there was an update.
Warren Faidley 20 Reputation points

2026-04-13T21:55:20.56+00:00

Seems a lot of people are having a problem with this. I'm going to demand a refund. I have projects on deadline and cannot fumble with other techniques to highlight text without losing concentration while typing. This is a joke.
Stefan Blom 338K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator

2026-04-14T07:48:16.75+00:00

Warren, see the reply from Bob Jones.

Answer 1

Bob Jones AKA CyberTaz MVP 434.7K

This is fairly common for a number of simple reasons. For cause & cure please see: Select Text

Also, follow the link of the same name within that reply to become familiar with io=other selection techniques which are more precise & more efficacious than dragging.

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Answer 2

Bob Jones AKA CyberTaz MVP 434.7K

"While you’re there, uncheck “Smart paragraph selection” because that can mess with highlighting."

For the benefit of those who follow, please explain how you managed to do this... As Kevin5617 noted in an earlier Comment in this thread there is no such Preference in Mac Word. That is a Word for Windows Option.

What resolved the issue for you simply is restarting the Mac which is explained in the linked article included in the original answer here. Restarting often resolves minor operational glitches like this & restating routinely [IMO at least weekly] helps prevent them in the first place. 🙂

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Stefan Blom 338K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator

2026-01-21T19:03:42.6933333+00:00

It should be noted that "Include paragraph mark when selecting paragraphs" is likely the MacWord equivalent to the "Use smart paragraph selection" option in File > Options > Advanced in WinWord, because, in Word for Windows, "smart para selection" means to automatically add the paragraph mark to the selection even in cases when you don't explicitly select the paragraph mark.
Bob Jones AKA CyberTaz MVP 434.7K Reputation points

2026-01-21T20:51:09.1933333+00:00

Thanks, Stefan. You're probably correct but IMO few users are likely to make the connection. The point is that the instruction given is misleading, Even if it is the equivalent, it has no bearing on the core issue voiced by the OP.

Not to get off topic but I've always found that — on a Mac — that preference is effective when dragging to select a paragraph. Other methods [e.g., triple-clicking a paragraph or double-clicking in the left margin] selects the ¶ regardless of whether the box is or is not checked.
Stefan Blom 338K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator

2026-01-22T11:00:08.88+00:00

Bob,

There is no doubt that these options are confusing. In MacWord, at least, you can guess what it means. The "smart" selection which it is called in WinWord is not at all transparent.

Answer 3

It looks like the issue comes down to Word on Mac using a different setup than the Windows version, so the “File > Options” menu you saw online isn’t available here.

On macOS, this usually happens when the edit preferences aren’t set right or Word has a temporary glitch.

The easiest fix is to open Word, go to Word > Preferences > Edit, and make sure “Drag-and-drop text editing” is turned on.

While you’re there, uncheck “Smart paragraph selection” because that can mess with highlighting.

After that, restart Word and, if needed, your Mac to clear any stuck processes.

If it still doesn’t work, does this only happen in Word or do you notice the same problem in other apps too?

That will help figure out if it’s a Word setting or something system wide.

Regards,
Aron

Jim 0 Reputation points

2026-01-21T16:38:55.9166667+00:00

Thank you!! This is the key: While you’re there, uncheck “Smart paragraph selection” because that can mess with highlighting., After that, restart Word and, if needed, your Mac to clear any stuck processes. After above RESTART your entire computer. It worked, my highlight is back....for now. Thank you.

Answer 4

It seems that you are experiencing an issue with your cursor not functioning properly for text highlighting in Word on your Mac. Since you mentioned that you do not see the "Options" tab under "File," it is important to note that the interface may differ slightly on Mac compared to Windows.

Here are a few troubleshooting steps you can try:

Restart Word: Sometimes, simply restarting the application can resolve temporary glitches.
Check for Updates: Ensure that your version of Word is up to date. You can check for updates through the Help menu in Word.
Reset Preferences: If the issue persists, you may want to reset Word preferences. This can often resolve unexpected behavior. To do this, you can rename the Normal.dotm template file, which will force Word to create a new one with default settings. You can find this file in the ~/Library/Group Containers/UBF8T346G9.Office/User Content/Templates directory.
Disable Add-ins: Sometimes, add-ins can interfere with normal functionality. Try disabling any add-ins you may have installed to see if that resolves the issue.
Check System Preferences: Ensure that your Mac's system preferences are not affecting the cursor behavior. Check the mouse or trackpad settings to ensure everything is functioning correctly.

If none of these steps resolve the issue, you may want to consider reinstalling Word or contacting Microsoft support for further assistance.

References:

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Cursor no longer working on Mac to highlight text in Word

3 additional answers