Not Able to high light text with mouse in MS word

Brendon James Gilroy 0 Reputation points
2026-10-04T19:59:19.3+00:00

Not able to high light text with mouse in MS word. I am able to do this with the rest of my apps

Microsoft 365 and Office | Word | Other | Windows
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  1. Stefan Blom 353.8K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2026-10-04T22:52:49.36+00:00

    Are you able to select a text range if you click where the selection should start and then Shift + click where you want the selection to end?

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  2. John Jefferson Doyon 88,935 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2026-10-04T20:42:49.96+00:00

    Hi, @Brendon James Gilroy

    Since the mouse can highlight/select text normally in other apps, please first check whether this happens in all Word documents or only one document.

    You can also test Word in Safe Mode:

    • Press Windows + R
    • Type winword /safe
    • Press Enter
    • Open a document and try selecting text with the mouse again

    Microsoft recommends Office Safe Mode to help identify whether an add-in or extension is causing the problem:

    https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/lifecycle/open-office-apps-in-safe-mode-on-a-windows-pc

    If the issue still persists, to help narrow down the issue:

    1. Can you select text in Word using Shift + Arrow keys?
    2. Does the mouse fail to select text in a new blank Word document as well?
    3. Which version of Word are you using? In Word, go to File > Account and check the version/build.

    Click "Add comment" to let me know.

    Thanks!

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  3. AI answer

    2026-10-04T19:59:32.1133333+00:00

    If text selection works in other apps but not in Word, try these checks in order:

    1. Make sure Word is not in Read Mode. In Word, go to View and switch to Print Layout or Draft.
    2. Restart Word, then restart the PC, and test again.
    3. Check whether ClickLock is turned on in Windows. This can affect dragging behavior.
      • Go to Start > Settings > Devices > Mouse.
      • Select Additional mouse options.
      • On the Buttons tab, clear Turn on ClickLock if it is enabled, then select OK.
    4. Test with another mouse if available, or test the current mouse on another PC.
    5. If the issue happens only in Word, repair Office:
      • Go to Settings > Apps > Microsoft Office > Modify > Quick Repair.
    6. If Word still cannot visibly select more than one line or paragraph, the issue can match a display/driver rendering problem rather than a Word setting. Update or reinstall the display driver, then test Word again.

    If needed, Windows also has a mouse setting to help locate the pointer:

    • Start > Settings > Devices > Mouse > Additional mouse options > Pointer Options > enable Show location of pointer when I press the CTRL key.
    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

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