This site will have limited functionality while we undergo maintenance to improve your experience. If an article doesn't solve your issue and you want to ask a question, we have our support community waiting to help you at @FirefoxSupport on Twitter and/r/firefox on Reddit.

Search Support

Avoid support scams. We will never ask you to call or text a phone number or share personal information. Please report suspicious activity using the “Report Abuse” option.

Learn More

How to restore notepad-like touchscreen highlighting of text?

  • 1 reply
  • 2 have this problem
  • 1 view
  • Last reply by Shadow110

more options

Before the Quantum update, swiping sideways would highlight text in Firefox, and double tapping would highlight a word, pretty much like how a mouse pointer behaves or even the default Windows notepad behaves with touchscreens.

This was great and very convenient for me for browsing lots of sites without having to use a mouse.

I don't know how to restore that (or if its possible even) since disabling the cellphone-like teardrop carets on about:config doesn't change anything.

Any help would be appreciated and if its currently not possible, I would like to know how to request that as a new feature (which really is just restoring old behavior) since many other people using touchscreens seem to miss the old behavior.

Thanks.

Before the Quantum update, swiping sideways would highlight text in Firefox, and double tapping would highlight a word, pretty much like how a mouse pointer behaves or even the default Windows notepad behaves with touchscreens. This was great and very convenient for me for browsing lots of sites without having to use a mouse. I don't know how to restore that (or if its possible even) since disabling the cellphone-like teardrop carets on about:config doesn't change anything. Any help would be appreciated and if its currently not possible, I would like to know how to request that as a new feature (which really is just restoring old behavior) since many other people using touchscreens seem to miss the old behavior. Thanks.

All Replies (1)

more options

Look for what is available : Suggest copy/paste to avoid frustration https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/extensions/

May have to turn on Accessibility Services but is a ram/cpu high usage issue. Firefox 3 Bar Menu --> Options --> Privacy & Security then under Permissions

I should know these things by description when never seen or used.... Please let us know if this solved your issue or if need further assistance.