Using MS Word on a MacBook Air, suddenly I cannot select text for copy and paste.

Use the following steps to restore text selection and copy/paste in Word for Mac:

1. Restart Word and macOS
   • Completely quit Word (Word > Quit Word) and reopen it.
   • If the issue persists, restart the MacBook Air and try again.
2. Update macOS and Office
   • Install the latest macOS updates from System Settings.
   • Open any Office app, go to Help > Check for Updates, and install all available Office updates.
   • Several users report that after updating macOS and Office, Word again allows selecting text with the mouse or trackpad.
3. Use keyboard selection as a fallback
   • Place the cursor where selection should start.
   • Hold Shift and use the arrow keys to extend the selection.
   • Once selected, use Command+C to copy and Command+V to paste.
4. Try alternative selection techniques
   • Double-click a word to select it.
   • Triple-click a paragraph to select it.
   • Use these methods to select text, then apply copy (Command+C) and paste (Command+V).

If the problem continues after updates and restart, reinstalling Office or contacting Microsoft Support may be required, but in most reported cases updating macOS and Office resolves the inability to select text.

References:

• Unable to select text in Word for Mac using the mouse or trackpad. - Microsoft Q&A
• I can no longer select text in Word - Microsoft Q&A
• I can't highlight with my mouse cursor in word documents - Microsoft Q&A
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