drag and drop issues in Monterey

I was having the same problem. I couldn't even select text to copy. Unchecking System Preferences - TrackPad - Force Click and haptic feedback, fixed the problem for me, too. Thanks Robert.

I only got my M1 MacBook Pro yesterday and this bug has made it almost impossible to migrate to it.

I found a solution for me. (I posted in Dec that couldn't "spring open" folders using basic drag and drop with a corded mouse in Monterey 12.1) All this talk about trackpads, which didn't apply to me, prompted me to search. Here's what I found:

Under System Preferences > Accessibility, there is a section for "motor" where I found the options for "Pointer Control".

The "spring-loading delay" was Unchecked. (the setting is for the time delay) When I checked the little box, my MacMini M1 now works like I expected it to. [and I certainly didn't turn that off on purpose]

Conclusion: no matter what your "pointer" method, I suggest you check the accessibility options. I appears to me that my previous settings were not carried forward in one of the system updates. So you may have to re-do some obscure settings that you haven't set in years. Hope this helps others.

Does the file eventually show up, later on?

If so, I think the problem might just be a delay in iCloud.

If you are backing up all your files with iCloud, it might just be a delay syncing with iCloud.

I had a lot of problems with this in Big Sur, but it's fairly rare now, but it still happens from time to time.

My file eventually shows up.

I stoped using Auto Save on my Microsoft files, as well, for the same reason.

macbook pro 16inch Monterey OS. I am having the same problem as many others with drop and drag. Some solvers keep asking for more info. In my case I just tried to highlighted several pictures (using command click) and tried to drag them to Phots app using track pad. They would not go. Strangely when I put them in a folder and drag folder to Photos it was successful. But that was a work around that shouldn't have to be. Any updates on this problem

I have a brand new MacBook Pro with M1.

I can drag and drop on the desktop and in individual folders but ONLY when in icon view.

I can't drag and drop when in list view.

I've gone into safe mode and the results are the same. I have no virus or malware software installed.

I'm going to return this laptop.

Don't return. It's an awesome super fast Mac. Below is a copy of a fix I got from Robert. Going on for a week with no drag and drop issues. Plz see below. Good luck!

The fix from Robert is working for me. On my second day and it's working just great now. Thank you, Robert!!!

RobertPiston

I was able to solve this problem with hints from the Interwebs: I opened System Preferences > Trackpad, and unchecked the box labeled "Force Click and haptic feedback." This solved my problem! Good luck.

https://iboysoft.com/howto/drag-drop-not-working-mac.html

That's a bit drastic Tunawish when you have gone to the trouble to find a community thread that has at least two answers to this issue.

If not happy with either of those provided answers use the warranty provided support with the laptop to talk to Apple support folks.

Thanks, community! A bit more (New 16" MBP, trackpad and mouse available):

As suggested, the mouse worked for me. So did disabling haptic feedback in Trackpad preferences.

But what if you like the haptic feedback or long-press features? The long-press bit was the clue: I had been pressing too long at the start of my drag with the trackpad.

So I tried starting the drag immediately on he press. Et voilà! I got normal drag/drop performance.

This solved my problem also, I still find at times a click will trigger a drag and cause an icon to move unintentionally. I have the tracking strength (on that pane as the click and drag) set to medium, and tracking speed set to a little below medium.

I have password protected a folder with pictures and videos hiding them in disk utility. I want to add other pictures and videos to that hidden folder, but I cannot, even though I have read and write permission. I cannot drag a pic or a vid to the folder when I open it. Very frustrating.

I have no problem with dragging and dropping into regular folders. But I have the same problem with a folder that I password protected and hid in disk utility. When I opened that folder with the password, I cannot drag anything to that folder, even though I have read and write permission.

I have had the same issue as everyone else on my 2015 MBP... I upgraded from a 2011 MBP and was able to "grab" a file(s) and then hover over a folder until it "sprang open" and do that with each level until I got to where I wanted to "drop" the file(s). Could not for the life of me figure out why it wasn't doing it Monterey...just seems like such a logical feature to have by default. Had disabled the "Haptic Feedback" setting that was mentioned early on to no avail. What did it was selecting the "Spring-loading delay" setting and adjusting that to my liking. I don't know why Apple tends to bury settings like that and make it so hard to figure out how to enable such great features. I live by grabbing and dropping files in Finder and am elated that I have figured out how to do it now in Monterey. Thanks all...

After updating to Monterey 12.4 on my Mac mini M1 corded mouse, Drag&Drop is no longer working. I can drag but can't drop. Only way to drop files is to press Escape, and this brings me back to start. It happens trying to move folders on the Desktop, files in Finder as well in Word and other applications.

I've been having dragging issues since upgrading from Catalina to Monterey myself. I tend to drag windows frequently as I have an external monitor which I switch off between laptops, and so I have to drag windows to my external monitor on a regular basis. Since switching to Monterey, I will click and hold to drag the window, but instead of letting me drag, it will expand to the full size of my (laptop) monitor rather than allowing me to drag it like it did under Catalina. Then the other day, I noticed this behavior with files in a Finder window as well, just like the OP said - I clicked to highlight the file I wanted to drag, and instead of dragging, it just started highlighting more files in the list, as if I were dragging to highlight all of them, rather than to move the one individual file.

I'm using Monterey with an external mouse, Logitech, if that makes any difference.

In my case, when I try to move a file from one volume to another I see your behavior (it is copied and the original remains in place). Is this what you are seeing or does that happen even if source and destination are on the same volume?