# Why can't I highlight and copy text? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 27, 2025, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-highlight-and-copy-text/1026092 "2025-12-27T13:26:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Showing post:** 11
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2025, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-highlight-and-copy-text/1026092/11 "2025-12-27T15:31:34Z")
I use Edge on Win11. Very occasionally text selection and typing simply quits working in the browser and only the browser. Usually after I’ve opened and closed a couple hundred tabs since the last time the browser was restarted. Since a large fraction of my browsing & tabs are here, it usually manifests at the Dope. But I don’t think it’s caused by the Dope. Anyhow closing all the browser(s) you may have open then starting a fresh browser instance solves the problem with 100% reliability for me. As a separate matter to the above … There are reports that the [quote] pop-up sometimes does not appear when text is selected. I’ve seem it myself. Seems to be a random glitch, but it does sometimes happen almost regardless of device, OS, or browser. Suggesting a Discourse glitch. IME if the popup doesn’t appear, select some different text, then re-select the desired text, and the popup will appear after a couple second delay. See here & subsequent for more: > [@Test thread — to test things out. Do not lock!](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/test-thread-to-test-things-out-do-not-lock/956736/945): > > Ignore the quoted post. Trying to figure out how to quote in Chrome on my new NXTPAPER tablet. When I highlight the text I want to quote, the “quote” button does NOT popup as it does on my phone and on my Kindle fire tablet. Apparently I’ve just stumbled on a workaround. If I can remember what I did… I don’t like the Chrome browser. angry --- _[View the full topic](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-highlight-and-copy-text/1026092)._