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Word on Ipad with mouse cannot select text. Have to use touch screen.

Larry Ross 5 Reputation points
2025-10-23T17:14:35.04+00:00

I cannot use word on my ipad when it is connected to an external monitor. The mouse will not allow me to select any text in word. I have to move word back to the ipad and use the touch screen to select text. Any way to solve this?

Microsoft 365 and Office | Word | For home | iOS
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  1. IGYQ 16,620 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2025-10-23T17:57:03.44+00:00

    Hi!

    Welcome to Microsoft Q&A forum.

    When Word is running on the external display (instead of the iPad screen), the app sometimes doesn’t register mouse-based text selection correctly. This is a bug in Word’s input handling under iPadOS’s extended-desktop environment.

    Workaround that you can do.

    • Use Word on the iPad screen Move the Word window back to the iPad’s display, text selection will immediately work again.

    Submit a feedback as well to Microsoft.

    • Inside Word › Help › Send Feedback › I don’t like something, mention “mouse text selection doesn’t work on external monitor (iPadOS 17/18)”.

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