Suddenly can't drag or drop files anymore in windows 7 (64 bit)

Anonymous
2011-12-16T23:40:49+00:00

Hi Everyone,

I have a new Windows 7 Home Premium (64 bit) laptop. I've not installed any new programs (auto-updates either) or what I know changed any settings, but suddenly today I can no longer drag and drop files on my laptop... this is everywhere, but most noticeably on the desktop, where I usually put files and group then where I want. If I want to move files from the desktop to My Documents I have to now cut and paste them!!!

What is going on?

Have I inadvertently changed a setting? How do I get this function back as it is vital!!

Sincerely, and with thanks,

Judd

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

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

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Anonymous
2012-07-01T19:10:19+00:00

This sounds too simple to work, but it worked for me:

1)  Find an affected icon.

2)  Click and HOLD the icon with the Left mouse button.

3)  Press Esc while holding the Left mouse button.

That's it!  This was driving me crazy.  It had nothing to do with registry entries or anything else.  Simply a failed Drag & Drop operation that hadn't exited.  Even restarting had only worked temporarily, so I suspect my Esc key may have been stuck down or at least the system thought it was!

My particular variant of this problem seems to stem from either a Virtual Machine taking mouse focus, or a browser window (I was running a VM inside a browser window) then being interrupted during mouse action.

Thanks to @_Nige for the quick fix.

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_7-performance/drag-and-drop-not-working-in-windows-7/f6dcfa11-8c51-e011-8dfc-68b599b31bf5?tm=1341168619214

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  1. Anonymous
    2013-09-20T11:05:20+00:00

    Fantastic - thanks for this - it worked - hoorah - after trawling through complicated instructions, none of them working, finally this!!

    Brilliant - happy teddy bear :-)

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  2. Anonymous
    2013-06-25T14:23:16+00:00

    Thanks for passing on this brilliant fix from @_Nige. Simple, clever and a huge time-saver. Much appreciated!

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  3. Anonymous
    2013-05-29T22:38:07+00:00

    I know this was so long ago but thank you sooo much for finding this fix as well as Nige for the original fix. Strange how something so simple makes you rack your brain trying to find a solution when its something so simple.

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  4. Anonymous
    2012-10-29T00:16:54+00:00

    Mine is almost the same... when i read the answer of Prophet Zarquon i tried to do it but it didnt work, until i accidentally click the left mouse button and pop out the menu and i try to click the undo rename and redo rename option.... after that drag and drop goes back... Still lots of thanks to Prophet Zarquon. ㋡

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