Selecting text no longer working properly in Outlook Web App on MacOS

Anonymous
2024-04-03T01:13:07+00:00

I use the Outlook web app on MacOS, and selecting text word by word no longer works (shift + option + arrow on a Mac keyboard). This stopped working sometime this weekend. I tried multiple browsers (Chrome, Edge, Safari) and multiple Macs (Two different MBAs and one MB Mini). I tried it on a PC and it works fine. It seems that something broken on the web app for Mac users over the weekend.

This is a critical shortcut for things like copying and pasting or deleting. Anyone having the same problem and has an idea of what to do about it?

Outlook | Web | Outlook on the web for business | Email

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  1. Anonymous
    2024-09-04T07:38:30+00:00

    I am really disappointed to say that in the latest days Option key issue appeared.

    Really disturbing and useless while writing an email.

    I wonder if we needed this... :/

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  2. Anonymous
    2024-09-03T20:15:47+00:00

    For me, anywhere in the email web client, those hotkeys are triggered when:

    • I press and release the option key
    • I hold down the option key for about 2 seconds without releasing
    • I continue holding down the option key for about 1 second after letting go of another button (e.g., I press option+arrow, release arrow, but continue holding down option)

    In all cases, pressing the escape key removes focus from the hotkeys and returns focus to the email compose box.

    Overall, this is way less inhibitive than the previous issues between April and June, but I think worth documenting as a potential bug so long as others are experiencing it (unless there are people out there who actually want this to happen when you press the option key).

    These are largely the symptoms I have as well with one key difference: tapping "esc" still keeps me on the menu and doesn't return me to the compose box. I have to click with my mouse to get back to it. This is somehow even more disruptive than the previous bug.

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  3. Anonymous
    2024-09-03T19:52:20+00:00

    For me, anywhere in the email web client, those hotkeys are triggered when:

    • I press and release the option key
    • I hold down the option key for about 2 seconds without releasing
    • I continue holding down the option key for about 1 second after letting go of another button (e.g., I press option+arrow, release arrow, but continue holding down option)

    In all cases, pressing the escape key removes focus from the hotkeys and returns focus to the email compose box.

    Overall, this is way less inhibitive than the previous issues between April and June, but I think worth documenting as a potential bug so long as others are experiencing it (unless there are people out there who actually want this to happen when you press the option key).

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  4. Anonymous
    2024-09-03T18:35:41+00:00

    I suspect it may be happening to you both, but you've not pinned down what you're doing differently:

    For me, I can safely use Option + Arrows (with or without shift) anywhere in the Editor, including the subject line and addressees.

    Ian's screenshot shows text in the search bar. When I try it on a text string in there, it brings up the menu hotkeys.

    If I were to guess, I'd say the fixes put in place after the original April issue have made the Editor safe to work in, and some oversight has meant the rest of the page is still a minefield.

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  5. Anonymous
    2024-08-29T17:07:19+00:00

    Possibly something may change for me soon with a restart or some update update. For now this isn't really happening to me. If I hold down Option or Option + Shift, I can still use the arrow keys to accomplish what I want. Option plus arrow keys still moves cursor to next word and Option + Shift still selects words. If I push Option and then let go without having used any arrow keys then it will trigger the shortcut options and take focus out of the email compose box.

    It would be nice if there were a hotkey to bring focus back to the email compose box. My instinct is to hit the Esc key, but that doesn't do anything.

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