Level 1

6 points

Cannot drag and drop files in Finder on Yosemite 10.10

This is basically exactly as it sounds. I just discovered that I can't drag and drop files in the Finder anymore for some reason. I've restarted 3 or 4 times since upgrading, and I've reset the SMC and PRAM already. Because of this, I can't update an application I'd like to. Copying the application does not work either; the paste option is greyed out It's not just applications; click-and-drag and three-finger drag simply don't drag the file. It is not happening invisibly either; going through the motions and dropping the file on Applications yields no result.

I searched the Web for this but didn't find anything similar for Yosemite. If anyone has a suggestion or the same problem, I would love to hear it.

MacBook Pro with Retina display, OS X Yosemite (10.10), Late 2013 15-inch 2.7 GHz 512 GB

Posted on Oct 25, 2014 7:53 AM

82 replies

forgione

Level 1

6 points

Dec 14, 2014 9:49 PM in response to kkaland

The solution that worked for me is to create a new itunes file. Save the old one under a different name and transfer the 2 itunes .xml files.

fugnug

Level 1

4 points

Dec 15, 2014 4:08 AM in response to forgione

forgione wrote:

The solution that worked for me is to create a new itunes file. Save the old one under a different name and transfer the 2 itunes .xml files.

Am I presuming correctly that your drag premature drop problem only happens when iTunes was open?

forgione

Level 1

6 points

Dec 15, 2014 5:22 AM in response to fugnug

It happens only in itunes. It works after a restart or logout then after awhile it stops working. I shut off my wi-fi which seemed to help but that was not a good solution. The solution I mentioned transferring .xml files continues to work.

kkaland Author

Level 1

6 points

Dec 22, 2014 7:41 AM in response to kkaland

So resetting the PRAM has helped so far with the newer MacBook, although it's only been a few days. Crossing my fingers.

Dec 25, 2014 10:09 AM in response to kkaland

Had this problem for a month or so now on our Mac Mini and in our case the fix was surprisingly simple: set up a borrowed Microsoft Explorer Touch mouse instead of our usual USB wired Apple mouse, and dragging & dropping etc. immediately began working perfectly with *both* mice and have continued to do so for a few days and counting.

Apologies for the lo-tech terminology, but the remedy was so immediate it was as if setting up the wireless mouse somehow 'reminded' Yosemite what a mouse does when it works properly.

Good luck everyone - hugely frustrating issue.

Dec 25, 2014 10:29 AM in response to m7j7knight

Correction:

The wired USB mouse has stopped working, the wireless Explorer Touch continues to work perfectly.

fraschm

Level 1

0 points

Dec 27, 2014 2:10 PM in response to kkaland

Any news about your PRAM reset? Did it resolve the issue? Thx for a hint about this increasingly annoying topic ...

kkaland Author

Level 1

6 points

Dec 28, 2014 10:09 PM in response to fraschm

Unfortunately not! I think I will have to open a support request with Apple next. I'm somewhat out of ideas.

fraschm

Level 1

0 points

Dec 29, 2014 11:27 AM in response to kkaland

Update from my side:

I had a Magic Mouse, a Track Pad and an USB wired mouse connected to the iMac. I have removed everything and left only the Magic Mouse connected ... and all problems where cured immediately (without deleting the plist file, without restart) ...

Normally it took only a few hours till the problem came back. Up to now it looks good ...

fraschm

Level 1

0 points

Jan 1, 2015 2:10 AM in response to fraschm

Since I have removed the USB mouse the issue is gone. Track pad and magic mouse work without any issues.

kkaland Author

Level 1

6 points

Jan 1, 2015 9:06 AM in response to fraschm

Interesting. My issue is connected intimately with the clipboard. When my drag and drop stops working, so does the clipboard. First it will still work within Chrome. After a while, not even that works anymore. It's some strange kind of degradation.

Jan 2, 2015 6:30 AM in response to kkaland

I like everyone here was dealing with this annoying issue. Wanted to pass along what fixed it for me: TLDR: disable universal copy & paste for pushbullet

http://www.axure.com/c/forum/technical-troubleshooting/12648-cant-drag-widgets-w idget-library-onto-canvas.html#post41357

fugnug

Level 1

4 points

Jan 2, 2015 11:22 AM in response to copland007

copland007 wrote:

I like everyone here was dealing with this annoying issue. Wanted to pass along what fixed it for me: TLDR: disable universal copy & paste for pushbullet

http://www.axure.com/c/forum/technical-troubleshooting/12648-cant-drag-widgets-w idget-library-onto-canvas.html#post41357

We are not sure what push bullet is. Please explain.

For me the culprit was Finder. To fix...

I just copied the Finder app in System > Library > CoreServices

Paste the Finder app onto the desktop (Copy&Pasted! Not Moved!)

Then I use AppCleaner and drag the desktop Finder clone onto it.

It deletes the Finder clone and all the pref files associated with the original Finder

Jan 2, 2015 11:50 AM in response to fugnug

if you follow that link it explains in detail. it's a chrome extension.

Jan 7, 2015 6:39 AM in response to jay42k

Had the same problem and this worked for me. Thanks!

For the un-tech savvy like me, there was no Library folder under User/USERNAME. Instead I went to Macintosh HD (or whatever you named your hard drive)/Library/Preferences/com.apple.finder.plist then restarted. I've been able to drag and drop to my heart's content.

Hope it helps.

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Cannot drag and drop files in Finder on Yosemite 10.10