# URL Drag and Drop **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 19, 2004, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/url-drag-and-drop/275607 "2004-11-19T04:32:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![caymus28](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7bcc69/32.png) [@caymus28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caymus28)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2004, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/url-drag-and-drop/275607/1 "2004-11-19T04:32:57Z")
Is there any way to highlight a URL and drag it to IE’s address bar? (Lazy man’s way of cut and paste). I tried some searching and got millions of hits- none seemed to clue me in-well at least the first 20 or so! ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2004, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/url-drag-and-drop/275607/2 "2004-11-19T04:38:50Z")
Simple. Put your mouse over the url, left click AND HOLD THE LEFT BUTTON DOWN, then drag to the address bar and drop. Voila! I even dragged a url from Firefow to IE doing this. ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2004, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/url-drag-and-drop/275607/3 "2004-11-19T04:45:01Z")
If you have Firefox, there’s an extension that does it for any sort of hyperlink or URL. Just highlight it and drag it a centimeter or two and it will open in a new tab. Very convenient and useful. ---
**Author:** ![Joe\_Random](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Joe\_Random](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joe_Random)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2004, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/url-drag-and-drop/275607/4 "2004-11-19T04:46:02Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > Put your mouse over the url, left click AND HOLD THE LEFT BUTTON DOWN, then drag to the address bar and drop. However, that only seems to work with actual hyperlinks, not with plain text, which is what I suspect that **caymus28** wants to do. Firefox, however, _does_ allow you to drag-and-drop plain text that has been highlighted. The only solution I can think of is to highlight the text, right-click and choose “copy”, then right-click on the address bar and choose “paste”. Or switch to [Firefox](http://www.mozilla.org/products/firefox/) (which is the course of action I’d recommend). ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2004, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/url-drag-and-drop/275607/5 "2004-11-19T04:51:43Z")
> [@Joe Random](#): > > However, that only seems to work with actual hyperlinks, not with plain text, which is what I suspect that **caymus28** wants to do. Ah, i see. Well, if that’s the case, then all i can do is second this recommendation: > [@Joe Random](#): > > Or switch to [Firefox](http://www.mozilla.org/products/firefox/). ---
**Author:** ![caymus28](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7bcc69/32.png) [@caymus28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caymus28)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2004, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/url-drag-and-drop/275607/6 "2004-11-19T04:56:43Z")
> [@Joe Random](#): > > However, that only seems to work with actual hyperlinks, not with plain text, which is what I suspect that **caymus28** wants to do. This IS what I want to do, thanks! ---
**Author:** ![aahala](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a88e4f/32.png) [@aahala](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aahala)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2004, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/url-drag-and-drop/275607/7 "2004-11-19T05:06:47Z")
Here’s a method that’s even more time consuming that copy and paste. Go to [bookmarklets.com](http://bookmarklets.com) and look at the navigation section. You highlite the text URL, access your bookmarklet you saved in our favorites and click. The primary reason I’m posting is there are a lot of interesting and possibly useful things at the site that add functions IE doesn’t have.