macOS 11.2 Big Sur: Drag and drop not working frequently.

[uandme72]

macOS 11.2 Big Sur: Drag and drop not working frequently.

Frequently when the files are selected and then tried to be dragged, the mouse pointer moves without the files. The files remain as there are even after multiple attempts.

Then out of a sudden the drag and drop starts working for a moment, but immediately thereafter it again stops working.

 

[Leon1das]

I have seen the same on 11.1 on my MBP M1 - and attributed this to my rookie experience with Macs. But it seems it is the case..

 

[uandme72]

I have seen the same on 11.1 on my MBP M1 - and attributed this to my rookie experience with Macs. But it seems it is the case..

It did not happen on earlier macOS Catalina on MacBook Air 2015.

 

[Tagbert]

I noticed something similar, yesterday with 11.2 when I was trying to reorganize my external “misc” drive. When dragging files the files would freeze in place halfway to the drop location. Then I noticed that finder was non-responsive in Activity Monitor. When I force quit Finder and tired to restart it, it would start crash each time. I rebooted and tried it again with the same results. Had to reboot again to fix finder and it seemed to work after that. I did use Disk Utility to test both the internal and external drives with no errors reported. Spooky.

 

[mi7chy]

Does it do it if you enable double-touch to drag which can be turned on in Accessibility > Pointer Control > Trackpad Options > Enable Dragging? That will help narrow down if it's a software or hardware issue with your physical trackpad. Haven't seen this issue using double-touch to drag.

 

[brsilb]

I've had this too, but it seems only when I'm pressing too hard on my Trtackpad 2.

 

[uandme72]

Does it do it if you enable double-touch to drag which can be turned on in Accessibility > Pointer Control > Trackpad Options > Enable Dragging? That will help narrow down if it's a software or hardware issue with your physical trackpad. Haven't seen this issue using double-touch to drag.
View attachment 1726875

So in your case is it concluded to be software issue ?

 

[uandme72]

I've had this too, but it seems only when I'm pressing too hard on my Trtackpad 2.

My machine is Mac 2020 M1. The issue occurs when I click to drag both soft or hard on the trackpad.

 

[mi7chy]

So in your case is it concluded to be software issue ?

In my case on MBA M1, I always use double-touch to drag which is the software way and it's never been an issue. My suggestion for someone having this issue is to rule out a trackpad hardware issue by temporarily switching to software double-touch to drag. It's easier anyway than physical click hold drag plus less wear and tear.

 

[ArPe]

In my case on MBA M1, I always use double-touch to drag which is the software way and it's never been an issue. My suggestion for someone having this issue is to rule out a trackpad hardware issue by temporarily switching to software double-touch to drag. It's easier anyway than physical click hold drag plus less wear and tear.

There shouldn’t be any wear and tear. The trackpad has no moving parts (and thhe force touch feedback is a very solid part)and the surface is very resistant to discoloration.

Anyway I haven’t seen this bug with all the dragging and dropping I’m doing.

 

[heroe9]

There shouldn’t be any wear and tear. The trackpad has no moving parts (and thhe force touch feedback is a very solid part)and the surface is very resistant to discoloration.

Anyway I haven’t seen this bug with all the dragging and dropping I’m doing.

I am working with a new MacBook Air (M1) and 11.2.3 and I can move files by dragging and dropping only very randomly - this is a very big nuisance, I really hate this behaviour!

 

[madonnaragu]

My machine is Mac 2020 M1. The issue occurs when I click to drag both soft or hard on the trackpad.

I've had this too a couple of times.

 

[madonnaragu]

Does it do it if you enable double-touch to drag which can be turned on in Accessibility > Pointer Control > Trackpad Options > Enable Dragging? That will help narrow down if it's a software or hardware issue with your physical trackpad. Haven't seen this issue using double-touch to drag.
View attachment 1726875

How does double touch to drag actually work? Maybe I'm doing it wrong. ?

 

[mi7chy]

How does double touch to drag actually work? Maybe I'm doing it wrong. ?

Enable the feature then, for example, double-touch and hold finger on trackpad on second touch an icon to drag. Once in motion it stays in drag mode even if you release finger from trackpad if you run out of trackpad real estate and need to recenter. To release, touch trackpad once.

 

[heroe9]

Thank you for the exact instruction, after trying and rereading I've got it. But in my eyes this is a BUG (as ArPe said "There shouldn’t be any wear and tear.")

 

[ArPe]

Thank you for the exact instruction, after trying and rereading I've got it. But in my eyes this is a BUG (as ArPe said "There shouldn’t be any wear and tear.")

The Finder has some lag on places. I was renaming a bunch of files yesterday and it took about 15 seconds each time for the new name to show.

 

[mi7chy]

Thank you for the exact instruction, after trying and rereading I've got it. But in my eyes this is a BUG (as ArPe said "There shouldn’t be any wear and tear.")

If you look at a teardown of the trackpad it has capacitive touch and pressure sensors. Capacitive touch doesn't have wear and tear but pressure sensors can. If capacitive touch works then it could be faulty pressure sensors. If both don't work and you've already clean install Big Sur then it could be the ribbon cable or whole trackpad module. People have had to replace the whole trackpad to restore normal operation.

 

[madonnaragu]

Enable the feature then, for example, double-touch and hold finger on trackpad on second touch an icon to drag. Once in motion it stays in drag mode even if you release finger from trackpad if you run out of trackpad real estate and need to recenter. To release, touch trackpad once.

Thank you! I tried but I still could not get it to work. Am I doing it wrong or is it conflicting with some other trackpad settings?

 

[heroe9]

If you look at a teardown of the trackpad it has capacitive touch and pressure sensors. Capacitive touch doesn't have wear and tear but pressure sensors can. If capacitive touch works then it could be faulty pressure sensors. If both don't work and you've already clean install Big Sur then it could be the ribbon cable or whole trackpad module. People have had to replace the whole trackpad to restore normal operation.

OMG! Thank you for your advice (I am Austrian, FYI, therefore my English may sound a liitle weird)

 

[mi7chy]

Thank you! I tried but I still could not get it to work. Am I doing it wrong or is it conflicting with some other trackpad settings?

Make sure to also have 'tap to click' enabled.

 

[madonnaragu]

Make sure to also have 'tap to click' enabled.
View attachment 1755673

Hmm. I've already enabled this. ?

 

[mi7chy]

Hmm. I've already enabled this. ?

When it gets that weird I'd do a clean install of Big Sur with 'erase mac' drop down method from recovery mode. That tends to clear up issues that others don't have unless it's a hardware issue.

 

[Magnethi]

This problem has been going on for ever on all my MacBooks and iMacs (have +10 in my Company) and also now in macOS Monterey 12.0.1, the problems comes and goes and have nothing to do with settings whatsoever, - However... despite that i cant drag and drop the "file names" either singe or in groups, I can ALWAYS select the icons to the right and do the drag and drop, proving its a core system failure, - embarrassing that apple has not fixed this consistent and annoying problem long time ago...

 

[uandme72]

This problem has been going on for ever on all my MacBooks and iMacs (have +10 in my Company) and also now in macOS Monterey 12.0.1, the problems comes and goes and have nothing to do with settings whatsoever, - However... despite that i cant drag and drop the "file names" either singe or in groups, I can ALWAYS select the icons to the right and do the drag and drop, proving its a core system failure, - embarrassing that apple has not fixed this consistent and annoying problem long time ago...

Have you submitted feedback?

 

[Magnethi]

Have you submitted feedback?

Yes, long time ago...