Any Microsoft Word experts here?

[Amethyst]

I've been using Word on my mac for years. Yesterday something weird started happening. I've researched online and I'm not finding my answer.

It used to be that if I wanted to rearrange a word or sentence or paragraph, I would highlight the section, and just drag to where I needed it to go. For some reason, I can no longer do this. It's very frustrating and seems like there should be a simple solution, like I accidentally changed a setting somewhere. Any ideas how I can fix this? Thank you, oh might Hive!

 

 

[ieta_cassiopeia]

There is an option to turn dragging-and-dropping on and off, and it's possible the switch somehow got flipped. Here's how to check:

 

• Open Word.
• Click on the File tab, please.
• Next, please click on Options.
• Under Options in the left pane, click on Advanced.
• In the Editing options section, please turn on the Allow text to be dragged and dropped check box (if it's not on already).
• Click on OK.

[Amethyst]

@ieta_cassiopeia thank you so much for replying! Unfortunately, when I click on File, there is no Options. 😞
 

Is there some other way to get to Advanced Options, because it really sounds like you’re on to something. (I have a Mac, if that makes a difference. I installed Word onto my mac). 

[ieta_cassiopeia]

It's not just it being the Mac version that makes a difference, but also the version of it on the Mac. I should have asked before answering...

 

When you click "File", do you have a "More" option? There is at least one version of Word that does, and that version hides its "Options" there for no good reason. (In that version, "Advanced Options" appears to simply be called "Advanced").

[Amethyst]

24 minutes ago, ieta_cassiopeia said:

 

When you click "File", do you have a "More" option? There is at least one version of Word that does, and that version hides its "Options" there for no good reason. (In that version, "Advanced Options" appears to simply be called "Advanced").

No. But I just looked under the Word tab. I clicked Preferences and got to Edit. From there I can see that Drag-and-drop text editing IS clicked. 😞 So I guess that’s not the solution. 

[ieta_cassiopeia]

Great work finding your path to that feature! It's unfortunate that this is not the explanation for the issue. Unfortunately the only other cause I know is an outdated update (that was fixed a couple of years ago), so unless you had updates on at some point but not for the last 2 years (which seems unlikely), all I can do is ask if anyone else in the Hive has any better ideas. Sorry.

[Amethyst]

22 minutes ago, ieta_cassiopeia said:

Great work finding your path to that feature! It's unfortunate that this is not the explanation for the issue. Unfortunately the only other cause I know is an outdated update (that was fixed a couple of years ago), so unless you had updates on at some point but not for the last 2 years (which seems unlikely), all I can do is ask if anyone else in the Hive has any better ideas. Sorry.

Thanks for trying! I appreciate it! 💐 

[Amethyst]

Bumping in case someone just got home from their job as a computer tech support person and is relaxing by scrolling through Well Trained Mind forum. Lol. 

[ikslo]

Last time that happened to me it ended up being an issue with my mouse. I bought a new mouse in the end because I couldn’t figure out how to undo whatever I did!

ETA I only figured I’m out it was my mouse because I was using the same laptop at work and at home, but only having the problem at home. So I brought my mouse from work home with me one day and no drag/drop issue. 

Edited January 11, 2022 by ikslo

[Amethyst]

1 hour ago, ikslo said:

Last time that happened to me it ended up being an issue with my mouse. I bought a new mouse in the end because I couldn’t figure out how to undo whatever I did!

ETA I only figured I’m out it was my mouse because I was using the same laptop at work and at home, but only having the problem at home. So I brought my mouse from work home with me one day and no drag/drop issue. 

Thanks. I read that that can be one cause of this problem. But I’m not using a mouse. I’m using the trackpad (is that what it’s called?) on my laptop. And the laptop is only 6 or 7 months old. 

[domestic_engineer]

Some initial questions that came to mind…….. Is your trackpad working correctly  with other applications on your Mac?  Did you try rebooting your computer?  Do you happen to have a Bluetooth mouse or keyboard connected that might be inadvertently interfering?

 

[Amethyst]

1 hour ago, domestic_engineer said:

Some initial questions that came to mind…….. Is your trackpad working correctly  with other applications on your Mac?  Did you try rebooting your computer?  Do you happen to have a Bluetooth mouse or keyboard connected that might be inadvertently interfering?

 

Yes!!! Why do I never think of that? The old turn-it-off-and-back-on solution!! Worked like a charm! Thanks so much!!!

[ieta_cassiopeia]

On 1/11/2022 at 10:21 PM, Amethyst said:

Bumping in case someone just got home from their job as a computer tech support person and is relaxing by scrolling through Well Trained Mind forum. Lol. 

Ironically that was how I ended up in the forum. Unfortunately, as you probably surmised, I mostly specialise in Windows-based PCs 😞

Congratulations to @Amethyst for fixing the issue, and to @iksloand @domestic_engineerfor supplying better ideas than me 🙂