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I can no longer select text in Word

Julie Shimer 20 Reputation points
2026-02-06T23:41:30.2233333+00:00

For the past few days I have not been able to select text in order to edit or move it in Word.

Microsoft 365 and Office | Word | For home | MacOS

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AI answer

2026-02-06T23:41:37.5433333+00:00

If you are unable to select text in Word on your Mac, there are a few troubleshooting steps you can try:

  1. Check for Drag-and-Drop Settings: Ensure that the "Allow text to be dragged and dropped" option is enabled. You can find this setting in the Word preferences.
  2. Smart Paragraph Selection: Sometimes, the "Use smart paragraph selection" option can interfere with text selection. Try unchecking this option in the settings.
  3. Restart Word: A simple restart of the Word application or your computer can sometimes resolve glitches that affect text selection.
  4. Alternative Selection Techniques: If dragging to select text is not working, consider using keyboard shortcuts. Place the cursor at the beginning of the text you want to select, hold down the SHIFT key, and then use the arrow keys to select the text.

If these steps do not resolve the issue, you may want to check for any updates to Word or consider reinstalling the application.

AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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Answer recommended by moderator

Bob Jones AKA CyberTaz MVP 436K Reputation points
2026-02-07T15:59:17.94+00:00

The only pertinent point in the AI bot's reply is #3 - Restarting the program [or restarting the Mac].

Point #1 &#2 are completely unrelated to the problem. Point #4 is valid but is practical only when selecting a few characters. It has to be executed for every character, space & punctuation mark you want to select. That could amount to hundreds of keystrokes.

For more info please see this existing Answer: Select Text The link within it offers a number of selection techniques which are significantly more accurate & efficient — such as selecting an entire sentence with a single click anywhere within it.

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  1. Mark Smith 0 Reputation points
    2026-05-30T22:19:57.2733333+00:00

    I am on Mac osx and found upgrading to MacOS 26.5 and then I was able to do select text properly again

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