No longer able to select text with my mouse of trackpad since latest Mac Os update

Question

Has anyone else encountered difficulty selecting text with their mouse or trackpad on a mac after the latest Mac Os update? I can select text in every other program, but Office.

Answer 1

I'm not sure why the AI bot referred to the "Select Text guidance" without bothering to provide it but here it is: Select Text

Follow the link within it for additional text selection methods which are far more efficient than dragging, especially when selecting large passages.

Answer 2

Hi @John B

Thank you for reaching out to the Microsoft Q&A forum.

Based on the information you shared, I understand that after the latest macOS update you are unable to select text using the mouse or trackpad in Microsoft Office applications, while text selection works normally in other programs.

I tested this behavior in my environment and the Office apps appear to be functioning normally. As a first step, please try restarting your Mac to see if the behavior still occurs after a clean system restart.

If the issue continues, could you please provide a bit more information so we can narrow it down?

• Which macOS version are you currently using?
• What version of Microsoft Office for Mac is installed? (You can check this in Word/Excel > About.)
• Does the issue occur in all Office apps (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) or only in one application?
• Does it happen with newly created documents as well, or only with specific files?
• If possible, could you describe how you are trying to select the text and what exactly happens when you attempt it?

With a few more details about your environment and the exact behavior, it will be easier to suggest the next troubleshooting steps.

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Answer 3

This behavior is commonly reported when selecting text in Word on macOS, especially after OS or Office updates. Since text selection still works in other apps, the issue is specific to Word rather than the Mac trackpad or mouse.

The moderator guidance for similar Mac/Word cases is:

1. Review known causes and fixes for failed text selection in Word (see the referenced “Select Text” guidance mentioned in the Q&A threads). These cover typical reasons why dragging to select stops working and how to correct them.
2. Use alternative selection techniques that do not rely on dragging. These methods are described as more accurate and efficient than dragging and continue to work even when drag-selection fails. Examples from the referenced answers include:
   • Using keyboard-based selection instead of dragging.
   • Using other built-in selection commands and shortcuts described in the “Select Text” guidance.

Because this is a Word-specific issue on Mac, and selection works elsewhere, the recommended path is to follow the existing “Select Text” troubleshooting and alternative techniques referenced in the related Q&A answers.

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References:

• How do I select text with a trackpad? - Microsoft Q&A
• Cursor no longer working on Mac to highlight text in Word - Microsoft Q&A
• I cannot copy text on word. I have a MacBook and I can highlight and copy on every other platform but Word. Any fix or solution? - Microsoft Q&A
• Block Text - Microsoft Q&A