Cursor moves to left or selects all text when renaming files in windows explorer. Windows 11

Anonymous
2022-02-01T15:12:11+00:00

Hi,

I am struggling with a new issue in File Explorer. I have recently updated to Windows 11, but I think this issue has started since this version update.

When I try to rename a file or folder in Windows file explorer, I am unable to place my cursor at a particular point in the filename - eg to insert some letters or numbers.

Instead, wherever I place my cursor, within a second, the whole file name has been selected, which means I start typing a new filename from scratch. This is different to how it has previously behaved, and very annoying.

A related issue - when I am renaming a file saving a file from within a program, a slightly different issue occurs. I put my cursor at the end of a filename, eg,to add a new version number to the filename, but the cursor jumps to the left - to the start of the filename.

Any ideas on how to fix this?

Windows for home | Windows 11 | Performance and system failures

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  1. Anonymous
    2024-02-06T22:38:26+00:00

    This issue was submitted using the Microsoft Feedback Hub (https://aka.ms/AAozgip).  The MS Engineer response was amazingly lame, essentially "Don't try to rename files while OneDrive is syncing. Wait for the OneDrive tray icon to change to some status which indicates sync'ing is done."

    I added a comment to that effect. If the comment doesn't get a response, I'll enter a new issue.

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  2. Anonymous
    2022-08-26T08:47:04+00:00

    Agree - I am having this issue with files in the Sharepoint (Synced to Windows explorer) as well. Really annoying. The only workaround I have found is to right click the file name, select Properties and amend the name there. Please FIX IT Microsoft!

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  3. Anonymous
    2022-05-31T20:56:04+00:00

    I have the same "jump-to-left" File name (naming) issue. I test with OneDrive doing active backups and when stopped; no difference (still error). This sucks!! Best workaround for me, after jump, add any character (this seems to stop the trigger), then rename as expected (like is should do).

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  4. Anonymous
    2022-09-26T16:53:54+00:00

    I am having the same problem - it's taking me a huge amount of time to rename files and it's incredibly frustrating. I repeatedly try to click in the spot I want to type but over and over again it selects all the text in the filename - I try to quickly hit the space bar or a random character so that it will stop selecting all the text and then I lose the entire name and all I have is that 1 character and I have to start from scratch again. This is ridiculous Microsoft! PLEASE FIX THIS!!

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  5. Anonymous
    2022-03-28T09:43:35+00:00

    Your 'extra' issue is mine as well. I have had that bug for years now. So so annoying... Nobody knows what to do.

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