Drag and Drop confirmation prompt? Accidentally moving files.

Anonymous
2011-03-25T15:44:05+00:00

Ever since upgrading to Windows 7, we have had a problem with people inadvertently moving folders by dragging and dropping when meaning to double click.  Is there a way to turn on a confirmation prompt ("are you sure you want to...") when dragging and dropping files/folders?  It seems that previous versions of Windows had this prompt, but it has since been removed.  This is happening in our office on at least a weekly basis, sometimes daily, and we have to spend time searching for the moved folder.  If MS is unable to help, is there software that we can purchase to accomplish this?

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Files, folders, and storage

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@CmdrKeene 90,631 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
2011-03-25T16:29:55+00:00

Windows 7 made no changes: there has never been a confirmation prompt like you describe.

One workaround is to increase the distance you must move the pointer before it triggers a drag.  Under the following registry key, you'll see DragHeight and DragWidth, which define the number of pixels the mouse must move before the drag is initiated:

Computer\HKEY_CURRENT\USER\Control Panel\Desktop

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  1. Anonymous
    2014-05-25T17:50:38+00:00

    That's the answer.  Thanks, joelkaton!

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  2. Anonymous
    2014-08-30T19:31:46+00:00

    Microsoft, you don't seem to get it. Your customers aren't reporting a break/fix.  They are asking for a much needed feature.  Please add the option to prompt for confirmation when files / directories are moved.

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  3. Anonymous
    2014-08-30T19:42:41+00:00

    On Sat, 30 Aug 2014 19:31:46 +0000, Mike Kirtland wrote:

    Microsoft, you don't seem to get it. Your customers aren't reporting a break/fix.  They are asking for a much needed feature.  Please add the option to prompt for confirmation when files / directories are moved.

    This isn't Microsoft you're addressing here; this is a peer support
    forum. We are all just users of this version of Windows here, helping
    each other if and when we can. We are not Microsoft employees (not
    even those of us with "Microsoft MVP" behind our names; that's an
    honorary title for having provided consistently helpful advice) except
    for an occasional Microsoft contractor or employee.

    If you want to complain to Microsoft about something, please contact
    them directly. Trying to do it here is just a waste of (figurative)
    breath, and clutters up the forum.

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  4. Anonymous
    2014-08-30T22:27:07+00:00

    I fixed this now by installing Teracopy. That gives a prompt asking if I want to use Teracopy or Explorer to copy/move the files, so I can just click Cancel if I accidentally dragged something and didn't actually mean to copy/move anything.

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