Drag & Drop Not Working On Windows – It’s Not What You Think!

Drag and drop is a life-saving feature for many Windows users. It helps finish sharing and move things super fast. However, many cases of this feature malfunctioning on Windows 10 and 11 have surfaced recently. 

Users have shared that the drag and drop is not working on Windows. 

Some believe that the error is due to the latest update on Windows 11, while others take it to be a system error. As usual, people have tried the basic restarts to resolve the issue but had no luck. If you also had an issue with drag-and-drop features on Windows and are thinking along the same lines, we might have a revelation for you!

IT IS NOT WHAT YOU THINK!

That’s right. Whenever a feature starts malfunctioning, we associate it with a system bug or settings error. Multiple issues might cause the drag and drop to stop working on your PC.

This blog will discuss some causes of this feature falling on your system and how to fix it drag and drop not working on Windows 11. 

What Causes Drag & Drop to Stop Working on Windows?

We are not saying it can not be a system error or an issue after the update. However, there can be other causes than these two in particular. The error often becomes a headache for the user because once they have tried their staple fixes, they have no other options.

Hence it is important to understand what might be causing the mouse drag and drop and the drag and drop issues. Some of the prominent causes of Windows drag and drop not working on Windows are – 

• Malware Attack on Your PC
• Misconfigured Registries 
• Unfinished Drag & Drop Processes 
• Program Specific Errors 
• Outdated Mouse Drivers 

Does the list look different from what you thought is causing the error? These issues and the possibility of system errors can cause drag and drop to work on your PC. Now you might be thinking about how to fix these errors. Well, we are here to help! Check out the next section, where we have given some working ways to fix drag and drop not working. 

5 Ways to Fix Cannot Drag & Drop on Windows 11 & 10

Way #1 – Run an SFC & DISM Scan

If the drag-and-drop issue stops working repeatedly, you might require an SFC and DISM scan. With the help of these two scans, you should be able to resolve the issue. These scans also look for issues with the system files, so you are covered for both ends!

Here’s how you use these commands – 

Step 1 – Go to your start menu and search for cmd.
Step 2 – This will fetch the command prompt as a result. Click on the Run as administrator to open the command prompt window.

Step 3 – In the command prompt, use the command sfc/scannow.

Step 4 – Let the scan run and finish. This scan will instantly fix any errors if there will be any.
Step 5 – Try using the drag-and-drop feature once the scan is over.

if the error is fixed, good for you. If not, use the following DISM commands one after the other in the command prompt – 

Dism/Online/Cleanup-Image/ScanHealth
Dism/Online/Cleanup-Image/RestoreHealth

This should do the trick for you and fix the issue with your feature. 

Read Also: Mouse Right Click Not Working & Responding – Fix It Now!

Way #2 – Check Registries for Drag & Drop

Another issue that causes the error is misconfigured registries on your PC. Simply set the values for drag-and-drop registries, and you should be able to drag and drop again on your PC. Here’s how you do it –

Step 1 – Press Windows+R to open the Run search.
Step 2 – Use the command – regedit to open the Registry Editor in the run search.

Step 3 – In the Registry Editor find, navigate to –

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > SOFTWARE > Microsoft > Windows > CurrentVersion > Policies > System

Step 4 – You may find the EnableLUA option on the right side of the window, open EnableLUA., and enable it.
Step 5 – Set the base value to Hexadecimal and the value data to 0. 

Save all the changes you have made. Restart your system for these to enable the changes. Try using drag and drop now; it should work fine on your PC.

Way #3 – Close Previously Started Drag & Drop Processes

You might be thinking, what is this? If you have already dragged and dropped some files from somewhere, how can the process still run?

Well, it usually happens with older PCs with lower RAM and memory to support the latest browser. There are so many processes that the system remembers as running but does not remember closing. The same can be the issue here. We understand it sounds bizarre, but isn’t that what we said initially? Causes of drag and drop not working on Windows are not limited to what you think!

To lose the current process of drag and drop or to make your system realize that the last process is over, you can – 

Step 1 – Go to any file in the File Explorer window.

Step 2 – Click on it. Press and hold the left button of your mouse on it.
Step 3 – Now press Esc, and you have successfully closed the previous drag and drop. 

Try using the feature now, and you should be able to do so. This fix can be extremely helpful if you have lower RAM or use an older processor. Since the latest PCs do not have processing issues like these, you can skip this step if you have one.

Read Also: What to Do If the Enter Key Is Not Working on Windows

Way #4 –  Restart the Current Program

If you can drag and drop on your Desktop but not into an application you have been using, chances are that the error lies in the program. Sometimes, it is not an error but a small glitch that does not allow you to use a certain functionality while using the program.

The easiest way to handle this situation is by restarting your current program. 

Here’s how you do it – 

Step 1 – Press Ctrl+Shift+Esc to open the Task Manager.

Step 2 – In the Processes tab, spot the application causing the error.
Step 3 – Right click on that process and click restart the process.

This will shut the process down and restart it, removing all the glitches that might be causing the error and stopping you from using the drag-and-drop feature. 

Way #5 – Outdated Mouse Drivers

This one has to be the most out of the box cause you might not have thought of. If you use a laptop, and the drag-and-drop works using your trackpad but not an external mouse, the issue lies with your mouse drivers. 

The same can be applied to your PC. If you could drag and drop the night before and cannot do it today, chances are that your drivers have malfunctioned. 

The best way to resolve this issue is to use a dedicated driver updater app that finds the required updates for you. 

We recommend Advanced Driver Updater for its ease of use and extensive driver database. 

Here’s what you have to do – 

Step 1 – Download the Advanced Driver Updater.

Step 2 – Install it on your PC. It hardly takes 2 minutes.
Step 3 – After installing it, run the application and click Start Scan Now.

Step 4 – This will initiate a scan to search for all the outdated drivers on your PC.
Step 5 – Once it finds all of them, it will ask you to update them.
Step 6 – Click on Update all, and processing will be done in the background.

Step 7 – After completing the update, restart your PC.

That’s it!

Don’t Worry About the Causes, We Have the Solution!

Troubleshooting the drag-and-drop issue becomes super easy with these fixes at hand. Use any of them, and you can resolve the error. 

Other than these, make sure you are using the latest version of Windows, as the recent updates have been quite tricky. 

That’ll be all for this post. Thanks for reading the post. Hope you got your solutions. Good luck!

Next Read: How to Fix the Windows Taskbar Not Working Issue