6 Ways to Fix Drag and Drop Not Working in Windows 11

Abhishek stuck to the Windows operating system ever since he bought the Lenovo G570. As obvious as it is, he loves to write about Windows and Android, the two most common yet fascinating operating systems available to mankind. When he is not drafting a post, he loves to binge OnePiece and whatever Netflix has to offer.

Supreeth is passionate about technology and dedicates himself to helping people figure it out. An engineer by education, his understanding of the inner workings of all types of gadgets and devices ensures he provides top-notch guidance, tips, and recommendations to his readers. When away from the desk, you will find him traveling, playing FIFA, or hunting for a good movie.

Fix 1: Left Click Mouse and Press the ‘Esc’ Key

If you initiated a drag-and-drop action previously and it fails to complete the process, you can’t use the feature again.

You can try aborting it by opening File Explorer,left-clickingandholdingyour mouse on a file/folder, and pressing theEsc key. This will cancel the unfinished drag-and-drop action, and you can use the feature elsewhere.

Fix 2: Restart Windows Explorer

Windows Explorer process enables GUI support for many operating system elements. If you have enabled drag and drop but can’t drag files, restart this process using theTask Manager.

Step 1:OpenTask Manageron your PC. Navigate down and find theWindows Explorer processin the list.

Step 2:Right-click on it and select theRestartoption.

Note:While Windows Explorer restarts, you may notice several menus on your display go missing. Don’t worry; it will only take a few seconds to restore them all.

Fix 3: Use Hardware Troubleshooter

You can use the hardware troubleshooter in Windows 11 to identify anyissues with the mouseor trackpad connected to your PC.

Step 1:Search forPowerShellin the Start menu and tap on theRun as Administratorbutton.

Step 2:The User Account Control window will open. Click on theYesbutton to open PowerShell.

Step 3:Type the following command in the PowerShell window and press Enter to execute it:

Step 4:This will launch the Hardware Troubleshooter. Click on theNextbutton.

Step 5:Wait for the troubleshooter to identify and fix issues with connected hardware devices. Close the Troubleshooter window andrestart your PC.

Fix 4: Reinstall Mouse Drivers

If the drivers installed for your mouse are corrupted, drag and drop may not work on your PC. Hence, you can remove the installed drivers, and your PC will search and install a new one once you restart it.

Step 1:Open theDevice Managerapp from the Start menu.

Step 2:Expand theMice and other pointing devicessection.

Step 3:Find the mouse in the list and right-click on it. Select theUninstall deviceoption.

Step 4:Close the Device Manager and restart your PC. Windows will load the mouse drivers.

Fix 5: Adjust Drag and Drop Sensitivity

The default drag and drop sensitivity is set to 4 on your PC. When you click and hold an object and move your mouse or cursor by approximately 4 pixels or more, Windows will recognize that you intend to initiate a drag-and-drop action.

However, if the default sensitivity settings are altered, you can fix it by changing the registry settings. However, ensure toback up the registrybefore proceeding.

Step 1:Open theRegistry Editorapp from the Start menu.

Step 2:Go to the address bar at the top, paste the following path, and pressEnter.

Step 3:Double-click on theDragHeightvalue to edit it. Type4in the Value Data field and click onOK.

Step 4:Now, double-click on theDragWidthvalue to edit it. Type4in the Value Data field and click onOK.

Step 5:Close the Registry Editor window andrestart your PCto apply the changes.

Fix 6: Run an SFC and DISM Scan

Corrupted system files may cause issues with the drag-and-drop feature on Windows. You can use the in-built command line tools (SFCand DISM) to fix these issues.

Step 1:Search forCommand Promptin the Start menu and tap on theRun as Administratorbutton.

Step 2:Type the following command and press Enter to execute it:

Step 3:After that, typeclsand press Enter to clear the Command Prompt screen.

Step 4:Next, execute the following commands one by one:

Step 5:Wait for the scans to complete. Close the Command Prompt window andrestart your PCto apply the changes.

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Last updated on 04 April, 2024

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