'%3e%3cpath%20d='M8%200C12.4183%200%2016%203.58172%2016%208C16%2012.4183%2012.4183%2016%208%2016C3.58172%2016%200%2012.4183%200%208C0%203.58172%203.58172%200%208%200ZM11.6162%204.38379C11.2257%203.99337%2010.5927%203.99338%2010.2021%204.38379L8%206.58594L5.79785%204.38379C5.40732%203.99334%204.77429%203.99329%204.38379%204.38379C3.99331%204.77429%203.99335%205.40733%204.38379%205.79785L6.58594%208L4.38379%2010.2021C3.99348%2010.5927%203.99341%2011.2257%204.38379%2011.6162C4.77426%2012.0066%205.40734%2012.0065%205.79785%2011.6162L8%209.41406L10.2021%2011.6162C10.5927%2012.0066%2011.2257%2012.0067%2011.6162%2011.6162C12.0067%2011.2257%2012.0066%2010.5927%2011.6162%2010.2021L9.41406%208L11.6162%205.79785C12.0066%205.40735%2012.0066%204.77429%2011.6162%204.38379Z'%20fill='%23080E17'%20fill-opacity='0.46'/%3e%3c/g%3e%3cdefs%3e%3cclipPath%20id='clip0_3761_713'%3e%3crect%20width='16'%20height='16'%20fill='white'/%3e%3c/clipPath%3e%3c/defs%3e%3c/svg%3e)
How to Fix Word Online Text Selection Not Working in Firefox on Mac
Question details
Users are unable to select, highlight, or drag text properly in Word Online when accessing SharePoint documents via the Firefox browser on macOS.
- Product
- Word Online
- Device & OS
- macOS
- Scenario
- Attempting to select, edit, or copy text in a Word Online document using Firefox.
- Observed behavior
- Text selection fails to show blue shading, or dragging creates a comment field instead of selecting text, making editing and copy-pasting difficult.
Ensure that your Word Online document is set to 'Editing' mode rather than 'Viewing' mode, and verify that your Firefox browser is updated to the latest version before troubleshooting.
Switch to a Fully Supported Mac Browser
Bypass the Firefox compatibility issue by opening your SharePoint document in a browser that has native support for Word Online's editing scripts.
This bug is primarily caused by a rendering conflict between Microsoft Word Online and the Firefox browser engine on macOS. Safari, Google Chrome, and Microsoft Edge do not typically experience this issue.
In your Firefox browser, click the address bar at the top and press Command + C to copy the URL of your Word Online document.
Launch Apple Safari, Google Chrome, or Microsoft Edge on your Mac.
Paste the copied URL into the new browser's address bar using Command + V. Log in to your Microsoft account if prompted, and resume selecting and editing text normally.
Test for Invisible Text Selection
Sometimes the text is successfully selected but the visual shading is bugged in Firefox. You can test this by attempting a blind copy.
Experience Flawless Document Editing with WPS Office on Mac
Stop struggling with browser compatibility issues and missing text highlights. WPS Office provides a fully featured, lightweight desktop application for Mac that handles Word documents smoothly, eliminating web-based glitches entirely.
- 1. Download the App: Visit the official WPS Office website and click the free download button for macOS.
- 2. Install WPS Office: Open the downloaded installer and follow the quick on-screen instructions to set it up on your Mac.
- 3. Edit Your Documents Locally: Download your document from SharePoint and open it natively in WPS Office to edit without browser restrictions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does dragging my mouse create a comment instead of selecting text in Word Online?
This usually happens if the document defaults to 'Viewing' or 'Reviewing' mode instead of 'Editing' mode. You can change this by clicking the mode selector button in the top ribbon and switching to 'Editing'. If it still persists, it may be due to a browser script conflict.
Are there other Mac browsers that work better with Word Online than Firefox?
Yes. Microsoft Safari, Google Chrome, and Microsoft Edge generally have better compatibility with Microsoft 365 web applications, including Word Online, as they use different rendering engines than Firefox.
Can I fix the Firefox shading bug myself?
Since this is a recognized compatibility issue between Word Online's web scripts and Firefox's rendering engine, it typically requires an update from Mozilla or Microsoft to permanently fix. Using an alternative browser or a desktop application is the best immediate solution.
