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How can I mark/select text in an iMessage on Sierra?

Previous to upgrading to OS X 10.12 on my Retina MBP(Late 2013) , I could select a text piece in an Messages by clicking and dragging the cursor. Since the update to OS X 10.12 and Messages 10.0, if I click and drag, I can only tag the message with ridiculous teenage-girl-pictures, but whatever I try, I'm unable to select any text in the message. The only option I could find to copy a specific text sequence is to copy the whole message, paste it in TextEdit and then copy out the sequence I'm interested in. Is that seriously how it's supposed to be? Preferring silly icons over actual productivity?

MacBook Pro (Retina, 13-inch, Late 2013), macOS Sierra (10.12)

Posted on Oct 18, 2016 3:35 AM

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Nov 27, 2017 5:46 PM in response to miditime

miditime wrote:


I don't think so - this was a top google hit - there's no copy option at the bottom of the screen - only the 6 pre-teen emojis above the message

Regardless, of what google told you, this thread is for an older version of the macOS, not iOS. They simply don't work the same way.


You have to press and hold. This is what it should look like:


User uploaded file


If it doesn't look like that, there's possibly something wrong with your phone.

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Nov 27, 2017 5:12 PM in response to TimL.

Yes. I have the $1200 iphone X, and can't copy and paste text from one imessage to another.


I can copy and paste an emoji heart, a thumbs up, a thumbs down, the words ha ha, 2 exclamation marks and a question mark.


Apple evidently has hired a pre-teen intern to program iMessages.

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Nov 27, 2017 5:19 PM in response to miditime

miditime wrote:


Yes. I have the $1200 iphone X, and can't copy and paste text from one imessage to another.

You really should be posting this in the iPhone forum as this forum (and this thread) refer to a completely different OS and different hardware.


However, to copy a message, press and hold the message. A menu will pop up from the very bottom of the screen. One of the options is "Copy". You can then copy the message and paste it where you want. Yes, you have to copy the whole message.

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Nov 27, 2017 5:50 PM in response to miditime

miditime wrote:


Aw man - my bad - I was pressing twice on the message - ONLY PRESS ONCE - then copy comes up at the bottom - I think I must have been looking for the usual select - select all prompt -

Sorry!!!!!!

No worries. Sorry I wasn't clearer initially. Glad you got it figured out.

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Oct 18, 2016 4:27 AM in response to TimL.

Are you right-clicking and dragging? Based on your description, it sounds like you are getting the contextual menu.

I can drag out a selection without any contextual menu popping up.

If I right-click, it select the word I have the cursor over and pops up the contextual menu from which I can choose Copy.

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Oct 18, 2016 4:33 AM in response to Barney-15E

Sorry for missing out some details.

I used to left-click and hold, while dragging the cursor to select a text part. If I do the same now, I get the popup to add an icon in a small bubble on the upper right corner of the message.

If I right-click I get the context menu to Tapback/Forward/Copy/Delete, but Copy only copies the whole message.

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Nov 6, 2016 1:15 AM in response to TimL.

You're not crazy – I had this happen too (on a 2012 rMBP without force touch capabilities).


Attempting to left-click and drag immediately caused the 'heart, thumbs down, thumbs up, ...' bubble to appear (normally this should only happen with a long left click). Right-clicking worked as expected and gave the standard context menu. This happened on iMessage conversations and plain SMS conversations as well, and left me unable to select text.


Quitting and restarting the Messages app resolved the issue, and I could select text normally again. Looks like a bug that may be difficult to reproduce.

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How can I mark/select text in an iMessage on Sierra?

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