Join the AMA (Ask Me Anything) with the Firefox leadership team to celebrate Firefox 20th anniversary and discuss Firefox’s future on Mozilla Connect. Mark your calendar on Thursday, November 14, 18:00 - 20:00 UTC!

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

Lolu chungechunge lwabekwa kunqolobane. Uyacelwa ubuze umbuzo omusha uma udinga usizo.

Mouse text highlighting issue

more options

I have a Logitech mouse. I've used it with both Brave and Chrome problem without problems highlighting text. But the highlight function doesn't work properly with the mouse in FF.

I can double click and highlight a paragraph. I can highlight a single word with no problem. But when I try to highlight a series of words or a full sentence, I can't. Either it highlights but when I try to Copy the highlight disappears. Or when I drag the mouse to highlight it won't highlight at all.

Since the issue only occurs in Firefox and not other browsers, there has to be something in Firefox that's causing this; or some conflict causing highlighting not to work.

I'd be grateful for any ideas how to fix this. It's driving me crazy.

I have a Logitech mouse. I've used it with both Brave and Chrome problem without problems highlighting text. But the highlight function doesn't work properly with the mouse in FF. I can double click and highlight a paragraph. I can highlight a single word with no problem. But when I try to highlight a series of words or a full sentence, I can't. Either it highlights but when I try to Copy the highlight disappears. Or when I drag the mouse to highlight it won't highlight at all. Since the issue only occurs in Firefox and not other browsers, there has to be something in Firefox that's causing this; or some conflict causing highlighting not to work. I'd be grateful for any ideas how to fix this. It's driving me crazy.

Isisombululo esikhethiwe

Looks like it was a mouse battery issue. Even though the battery showed it was fine according to the mouse settings, it must have been low. New batteries returned everything to proper behavior.

Funda le mpendulo ngokuhambisana nalesi sihloko 👍 0

All Replies (5)

more options

PS: I just noticed that if I turn off smooth scroll the highlighting feature works better. But is still glitchy.

Okulungisiwe ngu Richard Silverstein

more options

Is this about smooth scroll in the "Settings -> General" settings about a setting in the mouse driver ?

Start Firefox in Troubleshoot Mode to check if one of the extensions ("3-bar" menu button or Tools -> Add-ons -> Extensions) or if hardware acceleration or if userChrome.css/userContent.css is causing the problem.

  • switch to the Default System theme: "3-bar" menu button or Tools -> Add-ons -> Themes
  • do NOT click the "Refresh Firefox" button on the Troubleshoot Mode start window
more options

Richard Silverstein said

but when I try to Copy the highlight disappears.

Is the text still copied if you press Ctrl+C?

more options

zeroknight said

Richard Silverstein said

but when I try to Copy the highlight disappears.

Is the text still copied if you press Ctrl+C?

The issue is that I can't get the mouse to highlight text properly. When I try to drag the mouse to highlight more than one word it is glitchy. Sometimes it higlights the phrase, but as soon as I release the mouse button the highlighting disappears. Sometimes I click on a word and instead of highlighting it it highlights the entire paragraph. Then sometimes it will behave properly and permit me to highlight. THere is never any consistency.

more options

Isisombululo Esikhethiwe

Looks like it was a mouse battery issue. Even though the battery showed it was fine according to the mouse settings, it must have been low. New batteries returned everything to proper behavior.