Mouse doesn't work in Microsoft Word to select text, or highlight text to copy or add features such as bold/italics/underline.

Question

After pasting an E-mail into a Microsoft Word document (which I do all the time), my mouse stopped working to click anywhere in the document and it won't allow me to use the side scroll bar.  I can still click on tabs and commands up top and the page up and down buttons, but I can't highlight text to underline/bold/italics or to copy or move around in the document.  I use these features all the time and am very frustrated.  I can still do all of these things in other applications such as E-mail, Facebook, Internet but not in Word.  Please help.  I have already checked my mouse settings and drivers and they are all up-to-date without errors.  I have restarted my computer; the only next step I can think of is reinstalling Microsoft Office Professional 2007.  I appreciate any assistance you can provide.  Respectfully, Julie

Answer 1

Hi,

These are the current Support Forums.

Check with the Office Experts here : (re-ask your question in the appropriate groups)

Answers - Office Forums - Word

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/office/default.aspx#tab=2

Answers - Office Forum - Installing, Upgrading, and Activating Microsoft Office Products

http://social.answers.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/officeinstall/threads?lc=1033&filter=answered

Answers - Office Forums

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/office/default.aspx

Hope this helps.

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The below are no longer supported.

Check with the experts here :

Discussions in Word Application Errors

http://www.microsoft.com/office/community/en-us/default.mspx?dg=microsoft.public.word.application.errors&lang=en&cr=US

Office Discussion Groups

http://www.microsoft.com/office/community/en-us/FlyoutOverview.mspx

and here :

Discussions in microsoft.public.word.application.errors

http://www.microsoft.com/communities/newsgroups/list/en-us/default.aspx?dg=microsoft.public.word.application.errors&cat=en\_us\_f09268b3-8479-4cea-8037-d168d96833ac&lang=en&cr=us

Welcome to Microsoft Discussion Groups

http://www.microsoft.com/communities/newsgroups/list/en-us/default.aspx?guid=1A61081E-1F66-5F7F-B5BA-04767E55A63B

Hope this helps.

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Rob - Bicycle - Mark Twain said it right.

Answer 2

Hi Julie,

For the moment, rather than re-installing Office 2007, it might be worth using the Office diagnostic tools which may be able to repair the problem. Launch Microsoft Word and then clcik on the Office logo in the top left hand corner. Next click on the Word Options button (bottom right of logo menu). In the Word Options window clcik on the Resources option and then click the Diagnose button next to the 'run Microsoft Office Diagnostics' option. It may take a while to complete the diagnostic tests so be patient. Also make sure you are connected to the internet in case the diagnostic application has to connect the Microsoft servers.

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John Barnett MVP: Windows XP Associate Expert: Windows Desktop Experience: Web: http://www.winuser.co.uk; Web: http://xphelpandsupport.mvps.org; Web: http://vistasupport.mvps.org;

Answer 3

Hi John,

I am having the same issue as Julie.  I tried your suggestion and it seems that part of the problem includes being unable to select the resources tab in the Word Options window ( I can open the window and navigate within the popular tab but can't select any other tabs).  I have used the install program option for repair, I have used the install program to 'uninstall' (I think, i unselected it to be available) and then reinstalled.  Do you have any additional suggestions?  

Thank you for your time! 

Regards,

Danna

P.S. Another aspect that I find interesting is that I use word as my editor within MS Outlook and all the functions (scolling, selecting text, etc) work fine within outlook.

Answer 4

Hi John,

I am having the same issue as Julie.  I tried your suggestion and it seems that part of the problem includes being unable to select the resources tab in the Word Options window ( I can open the window and navigate within the popular tab but can't select any other tabs).  I have used the install program option for repair, I have used the install program to 'uninstall' (I think, i unselected it to be available) and then reinstalled.  Do you have any additional suggestions?  

Thank you for your time! 

Regards,

Danna

P.S. Another aspect that I find interesting is that I use word as my editor within MS Outlook and all the functions (scolling, selecting text, etc) work fine within outlook. 

I am having the exact same propblem.

Answer 5

Ditto.  I had to switch to using Microsoft Works Word Processor.  But if you are dependent on Microsoft Word, you can scroll using the pg up, pg dn keys (it will not be as smooth a scroll as using the mouse, but it works good enough), and you can highlight using the left or right arrow key + the LEFT shift key.  The right one didn't work for me.  To get the cursor back where it was after an interruption (it will disappear if you use another application and you won't be able to get it back by clicking on the document), click the Microsoft Word tab you have open on the Taskbar to activate it again.  You do not have to restart the program.  I tried to find ways to navigate within the Word Options tab, but after trying Tab, Alt, Space, and a whole bunch of other keys, I couldn't find any that worked.  BUT if you open the Microsoft Office folder in Start, you should be able to find a Sub-folder named Microsoft Office Tools.  In that folder, you should be able to find Microsoft Office Diagnostics.  Assuming that you own the Microsoft Office package, though.

I went through the whole Microsoft Office Diagnostics process, and it said everything was working properly, but I still couldn't use the cursor in the document screen or in the Word Options window.  I fiddled around with my keyboard for a while, and got the scrollbar to work enough to scroll down a whole page (I dragged it with my mouse without letting go), but when I let go, it went back to it's inactive state like before.  I wish I knew what key I pressed to enable that, but I am not sure. 

Well, that said, there has to be an easier way to fix this bug.  I really need it for my schoolwork (I am 16 and I type up ALL my documents on Word), so it would be nice if someone has an answer :)

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