Document Editing Problems

Fix Touchscreen Cannot Highlight Multiple Words in PDF on Surface Devices

Maira Mehtab Sep 22, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user is unable to highlight more than a single word in a PDF document using the touchscreen on a Surface device.

Product: PDF Application
Device & OS: Windows (Surface Device)
Scenario: Reading and annotating a PDF document using touchscreen inputs.
Observed behavior: When attempting to highlight text using the touchscreen, only one word is selected, and the user cannot drag the selection to highlight multiple words. Restarting the device and re-enabling the touchscreen driver did not resolve the issue.

Before you start

Ensure that your Surface screen is clean and free from debris. Before proceeding, connect a physical mouse or use the trackpad to test if you can successfully highlight multiple words in the same PDF document.

Solution 1Recommended

Diagnose the PDF Application and Touch Capabilities

Determine if the highlighting issue is isolated to a specific PDF reader or if it is a broader system-wide touchscreen glitch.

Test with alternative input methods

Use a connected mouse or trackpad to click and drag across multiple words. If this works correctly, the issue is strictly related to touch or stylus input processing in the app.

Test touchscreen in other applications

Open a different program, such as a web browser or a Word document, and try highlighting text with your touchscreen. If you can select multiple words there, your touchscreen hardware is functioning correctly.

Try an alternative PDF reader

Open the same PDF file in a different PDF application (like a web browser or another dedicated PDF editor) to see if the touchscreen highlight feature works normally.

Application Compatibility: Some PDF viewers have poor optimization for touch inputs on Windows devices, interpreting dragging gestures as scrolling instead of text selection.

Solution 2

Update Windows and the PDF Application

Outdated software or operating system versions can cause bugs and compatibility issues with touch inputs.

Advanced PDF Solution

Highlight and Annotate PDFs Easily with WPS Office

If your current PDF reader struggles with touchscreen inputs, WPS Office provides a fully optimized, touch-friendly PDF editing experience. Easily highlight, annotate, and modify text across all your devices.

1. Install WPS Office: Download and install the free version of WPS Office on your Surface device.
2. Open your PDF document: Launch WPS PDF and open the file you wish to read and annotate.
3. Select the Highlight tool: Navigate to the 'Comment' tab on the top ribbon and tap the 'Highlight' icon.
4. Highlight multiple words: Use your finger or stylus to smoothly drag and select multiple words or entire paragraphs without interruption.

Fully optimized for touchscreen devices and stylus inputsHighly compatible with all standard PDF files and Microsoft Office formatsLightweight application that runs smoothly on all Windows devices

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why can't I highlight text in my PDF even with a mouse?

If a PDF is a scanned document or an image-based file, the text is not recognizable by default. You will need to use an OCR (Optical Character Recognition) tool to convert the image into selectable text before you can highlight it.

Does the Surface Pen work better for highlighting than a finger?

Yes, the Surface Pen is specifically designed for precision tasks like selecting and highlighting text. Many PDF applications automatically recognize the stylus for annotation instead of mistaking the input for scrolling.

How do I know if my touchscreen driver is malfunctioning?

If your touchscreen does not respond accurately in any application, or if 'ghost touches' occur, the driver might be malfunctioning. You can update or reinstall the HID-compliant touch screen driver via the Windows Device Manager.

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