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Drag and drop from firefox to Windows desktop stopped working after updating to Firefox Quantum 68.0 (64-bit)

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After updating to v68 (x64) earlier today, drag and drop of pictures from Firefox to Windows desktop, stopped working

What I tried so far

Tried turning it off and on again didn't work

Started firefox in safemode with no add-ons didn't work

Started windows in safe mode and then started firefox in safemode with no add-ons didn't work

Drag n Drop + holding Ctrl key didn't work Drag n Drop + holding Alt key didn't work

Created a new profile didn't work

Re-installed v68 didn't work

uninstalled and erased ALL firefox files, then installed v68 didn't work

Installed v68 on a fresh install of Windows didn't work

Installed a fresh copy of Windows on a freshly assembled computer and made a fresh installation of v68 Firefox didn't work

Is there something else I can do, in order to fix this problem, besides using Google Chrome

After '''updating to v68 (x64) '''earlier today, drag and drop of pictures from Firefox to Windows desktop, stopped working '''What I tried so far''' Tried turning it off and on again ''didn't work'' Started firefox in safemode with no add-ons ''didn't work'' Started windows in safe mode and then started firefox in safemode with no add-ons ''didn't work'' Drag n Drop + holding Ctrl key ''didn't work'' Drag n Drop + holding Alt key ''didn't work'' Created a new profile ''didn't work'' Re-installed v68 ''didn't work'' uninstalled and erased ALL firefox files, then installed v68 ''didn't work'' Installed v68 on a fresh install of Windows ''didn't work'' Installed a fresh copy of Windows on a freshly assembled computer and made a fresh installation of v68 Firefox ''didn't work'' Is there something else I can do, in order to fix this problem, besides using '''Google Chrome'''

Modified by Wag669

Chosen solution

I'm not sure how to react right now.... Earlier today, dragging and dropping to desktop didn't work, I tried to drag and drop a url on desktop, in order to check if creating a shortcut on desktop would work. It worked So, naturally, I tried to drag a picture and it worked....

I just called a priest, I think my PC is in need of an exorcism

Read this answer in context 👍 0

All Replies (20)

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Works for me.

Does this happen on every website or just certain ones? Are you able to drag and drop the image onto the tab bar? Do you see the image when you are dragging it?

I ask because website developers can stop you from dragging and dropping images if they want to. So if the issue is website-specific, that could be what has happened.

Does this test page work properly for you?

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hi, please try resetting the windows user account control settings to their default and restart the system once to see if this helps with the drag and drop issue: https://support.microsoft.com/help/975787/

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Hi Wag669, as noted in the other thread where you replied, a bug was filed for this earlier today. When I learn anything new, I'll update this thread.

Until then, one of two other methods could help:

Copy/Paste

  • right-click the image > Copy Image
  • right-click the Desktop > Paste

Save Image As

  • right-click the image > Save Image As
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Wesley Branton said

Works for me. Does this happen on every website or just certain ones? Are you able to drag and drop the image onto the tab bar? Do you see the image when you are dragging it? I ask because website developers can stop you from dragging and dropping images if they want to. So if the issue is website-specific, that could be what has happened. Does this test page work properly for you?

Happens on ALL sites I CAN drag and drop the image to the tab bar I DO see the image while dragging it but it has the circle-slash mouse pointer once I start dragging the image see attached image

How do I use the this test page?


philipp said

hi, please try resetting the windows user account control settings to their default and restart the system once to see if this helps with the drag and drop issue: https://support.microsoft.com/help/975787/

If you read carefully my post, you will se that I installed a fresh copy of Windows on a freshly assembled computer and made a fresh installation of v68 Firefox and still could not drag and drop an image from firefox to desktop

jscher2000 said

Hi Wag669, as noted in the other thread where you replied, a bug was filed for this earlier today. When I learn anything new, I'll update this thread. Until then, one of two other methods could help: Copy/Paste
  • right-click the image > Copy Image
  • right-click the Desktop > Paste
Save Image As
  • right-click the image > Save Image As


Right click -> Copy Image -> Paste Image (on desktop) works fine Right click -> Save Image works, but it saves the images in the default location, NOT the last used

I also downloaded the Developer edition of FF 69.0b3 (64-bit) and dragging and dropping appears to have exactly the same behavior


behavior during dragging

Modified by Wag669

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I rolled back to v67.0.4 and drag and drop works fine!

Also I noticed a strange issue when FF68 goes out of focus and back into focus for a couple of times, but can not replicate it. I just see the tab bar change colors (out of focus -> focus ->out of focus -> focus )

Modified by Wag669

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update Firefox decided that despite me having disabled the auto updates, it should go to v68 again, so I'm back to Google Chrome

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It happens exactly the same to me, and also when trying to save a URL link from the address field.

I also tried all the suggestions here and none worked. It only works when dragging any URL to any other tab.

The drag image is always seen, but only inside the browser. As soon as I drag it out of the window it changes to a black and white "no stop" trafic sign.

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Hi Straydog, you mentioned --

It happens exactly the same to me, and also when trying to save a URL link from the address field.

So dragging the URL or the "i" icon to the left of it to the desktop to create a shortcut isn't working either?

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Exactly.

It used to work with any ikon from URL address bar since the dragging changed from the URL text to the ikon years ago. Not anymore now.

I haven't tried anything else apart from what is on my post, or what has been suggested on this thread, but I presume nothing can be dragged out from the browser.

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It's puzzling because a couple users reported a spontaneous remission this afternoon: one didn't mention doing anything special, another created a test profile, deleted it, then restarted in the regular profile. ??

There could be some kind of permission/privilege issue in how Firefox communicates with Windows when doing drag-and-drop, but we just don't have enough information to run it to ground yet.

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I don't believe this would have anything to do with my Firefox profile, even if I have not come back to support for quite same time and I noticed Mozzilla changed it, even the avatar, which I can't find a way to change it back.

However, the bug you mention on your seccond paragraph is plausible. I think this should be reported to Buzilla. Don't you have the same problem wth v 68.0 64-Bit, or maybe you have another version?

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Straydog said

Don't you have the same problem wth v 68.0 64-Bit, or maybe you have another version?

No, all is normal for me. My main profile is heavily customized, but I have some test profiles that I used to verify that drag-and-drop is working normally on my system (Win 10 v1809 x64).

There is a bug on file, but we need more leads on why it affects some systems and not others.

Just to clarify, when I refer to profiles, I mean the ones discussed here: Profiles - Where Firefox stores your bookmarks, passwords and other user data.

Modified by jscher2000 - Support Volunteer

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Chosen Solution

I'm not sure how to react right now.... Earlier today, dragging and dropping to desktop didn't work, I tried to drag and drop a url on desktop, in order to check if creating a shortcut on desktop would work. It worked So, naturally, I tried to drag a picture and it worked....

I just called a priest, I think my PC is in need of an exorcism

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I have the same problem as Wag669 on a Win 7 Pro 64bit computer. On my laptop running Win 10 Pro, drag&drop works fine.

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jscher2000

I have three browser profiles on two separated disks, one very customized on a hard drive, and the other two with just a few add-ons and a couple of extra themes on a new SSD drive. All of them worked smoothly before the v 68.0 64-bit update. After that update, all have the same issue. For me, the update has a bug.

[This reply is from the customized profile on the hard drive, while the other ones before were from the SSd]


philipp

I have not change anything on my computer, except for the Firefox update on this thread.

Modified by Straydog

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Hi Philipp,

the "-no-deelevate" parameter when starting FF did the job for me - drag & Drop is working again.

The question for me remains why it worked with previous FF versions? Thanks anyway JBL

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hi JBL, the launcher process that was referenced in the article is a new security feature that was rolled out to the general public in firefox 68 and that's why you were just starting to experience this problem now...

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philipp said

hi JBL, the launcher process that was referenced in the article is a new security feature that was rolled out to the general public in firefox 68 and that's why you were just starting to experience this problem now...

Does Mozilla believe it has to cut functionality for the sake of supposed security, as in this case? Some of the recent changes have been as silly as with Windows since Bill Gates retired. This article on Forbes, by Kevin Murnane is very clear: Windows 10 Is Doing A Great Job Persuading People To Switch To A Different Operating System. On what concerns Firefox, I would replace "Windows 10" (on the title) with Firefox, and "To A Different Operating System" with To another browser.

As I read on this help forum by a great contributor, [[What Mozilla Giveth, Mozilla Taketh Away|https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1084330]]. This was a few years ago, but it is now worse.

I have been using Firefox since it was simply named Mozilla Browser, with a code editor, but I may give it up because it is losing functionality. With JavaScript it was something similar.

It is good to have options, but not compulsively. USERS MUST BE ALLOWED TO CHOOSE WHAT THEY WANT AT THEIR OWN RESPONSIBILITY.

Modified by Straydog

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Hi Straydog, what happened with JavaScript?

This effort to run the browser seamlessly as a lower integrity process to shield the OS from malicious web content raises a number of challenges. I'm not surprised there are bumps in the road. However, it's not clear what Firefox should do in this situation. For example:

  • Users who encounter the problem can come to a support channel. This doesn't seem to be going so smoothly now, but as the solution becomes better documented and easier to discover, it should be less problematic.
  • Firefox could detect the issue and automatically run less securely. I don't think Mozilla would want to do this.
  • Firefox could detect the issue and open a help article suggesting the user re-enable UAC (assuming this works). But I can't think of a way to do this close in time to when the user experiences the problem, so it might be perceived as spam and ignored.

Anyway, I'm sure it will be discussed in appropriate channels.

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