# Why can't I select and delete text? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [December 15, 2018, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-select-and-delete-text/826179 "2018-12-15T14:57:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2018, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-select-and-delete-text/826179/1 "2018-12-15T14:57:52Z")
Whether I use Firefox or Chrome, if I want to select a block of text by left-click + drag like I can on any other site, this site doesn’t allow me to do so. So if I want to delete a sentence in a reply, I must click at the left end of deletion and hold the delete button until the sentence is gone. Other sites work fine, this site is different. Is there a way to fix it? ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2018, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-select-and-delete-text/826179/2 "2018-12-15T15:06:18Z")
Is it this issue? Sticky: [Can’t highlight text in Chrome? Read this. [also affects Firefox now]](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=857192) ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2018, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-select-and-delete-text/826179/3 "2018-12-15T15:07:14Z")
There is a bug in how this forum is set up. I think it’s the default skin. To fix it, go to User CP (Control Panel) In the panel on the left, select “edit options”. Scroll all the way down the list of options until you find a choice of skins. Select “Straight Dope 3.7.3” and save your work. You will now have tiny annoying text on a cell phone, but all the controls (like selecting text) will work properly. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2018, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-select-and-delete-text/826179/4 "2018-12-15T15:11:02Z")
Yeah, maybe technically it’s a bug in both Chrome and Firefox, but since the only impact of that bug that I’ve ever seen is that it breaks one skin on this message board (and I post on other message boards) I’m thinking this is really a board problem and the powers that be on this board should attempt to fix it. It would be nice to have a mobile-friendly skin that actually worked. But the one they have is so badly broken that it’s not worth it. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2018, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-select-and-delete-text/826179/5 "2018-12-15T15:12:01Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > There is a bug in how this forum is set up. I think it’s the default skin. To fix it, go to User CP (Control Panel) In the panel on the left, select “edit options”. Scroll all the way down the list of options until you find a choice of skins. Select “Straight Dope 3.7.3” and save your work. > > You will now have tiny annoying text on a cell phone, but all the controls (like selecting text) will work properly. Or just scroll to the bottom of this page and do the same thing. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2018, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-select-and-delete-text/826179/6 "2018-12-15T15:44:48Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > There is a bug in how this forum is set up. I think it’s the default skin. To fix it, go to User CP (Control Panel) In the panel on the left, select “edit options”. Scroll all the way down the list of options until you find a choice of skins. Select “Straight Dope 3.7.3” and save your work. > > You will now have tiny annoying text on a cell phone, but all the controls (like selecting text) will work properly. Awesome! Thanks. I assume that doing so in the User CP means that when I sign in I will have the old skin automatically as opposed to having to select it each time I log in. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2018, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-i-select-and-delete-text/826179/7 "2018-12-15T21:34:59Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > Awesome! Thanks. > > I assume that doing so in the User CP means that when I sign in I will have the old skin automatically as opposed to having to select it each time I log in. Correct.