3 Fixes: Windows 11 Drag And Drop Taskbar Not Working

User Case: Why Drag And Drop Not Working in Windows 11?

The new taskbar in Windows 11 has sparked a lot of controversy, mainly because it lacks basic functions like drag and drop. This has forced many users to change their daily habits, and some even went back to Windows 10 out of frustration.

Thankfully, Microsoft has finally realized its mistake and started integrating drag and drop functionality into Windows 11. However, it might take a while for this feature to become widely popular. So, if you're eager to use drag and drop in Windows 11 right now, you'll have to resort to some other solutions to fix it.

Tip: Be careful when using the new operating system - Windows 11. Due to unfamiliarity, it is easy to make mistakes, such as deleting valuable data. It's a good idea to back up your Windows 11 before fixing the Windows 11 drag and drop taskbar not working issue. Therefore, you should prepare a professional data backup tool (such as the one released by AOMEI) just in case.

How to Fix Windows 11 Drag And Drop Taskbar Not Working

If you're facing the issue of Windows 11 drag and drop taskbar not working, give these three solutions a shot. They're known to be effective in resolving this problem. It's worth mentioning that these solutions can also be applied to the drag and drop issue on Windows 10.

Way 1. Utilize the ESC Key

If you encounter taskbar drag and drop not working in Windows 11 22h2/10/11, it could be due to the computer still processing a previous drag and drop action, preventing the execution of a new one. To tackle this, you can employ the ESC key to interrupt the previous drag and drop operation, allowing you to initiate a fresh drag and drop action.

Way 2. Harness the Power of Alt + Tab Shortcut Keys

In Windows 10/11, the Alt + Tab is a handy shortcut when it comes to dragging and dropping applications from one location to another, saving you valuable time. For professionals who frequently use software like Photoshop, Illustrator, or Maya, mastering the Alt + Tab shortcut can effectively resolve Windows drag not working. Here's how to do it:

Step 1. Use Windows + E to open the File Explorer and navigate to the file or folder you want to drag and drop.

Step 2. After selecting the file or folder, hold down the left mouse button to enter capture mode. Remember, you can right-click to deselect the file or folder if needed.

Step 3. Press Alt + Tab simultaneously to see a preview of all currently open applications. Now, while holding the Alt key, press the Tab key repeatedly to switch between different applications.

Step 4. Once you've switched to the desired application using the Alt + Tab keys, release both keys simultaneously, this will take you to the desired application. Move the mouse cursor to the window and let go of the left mouse button to initiate the drag and drop action for the file or folder into the respective window.

Way 3. Split Screen for Convenient Drag and Drop

In addition to the Alt + Tab shortcut, you can utilize the split screen feature to open two windows side-by-side, making drag-and-drop tasks easier and fixing Windows 11 drag and drop taskbar not working issue. Here's how to do it:

Step 1. Open the two windows (folders or applications) you want to use for drag and drop.

Step 2. In one of the windows, press the Windows key along with the left or right arrow key (← or →)to automatically resize the window to half its original size.

Step 3. Now, select another previously opened window to automatically fill the remaining space, placing them side by side.

Step 4. Choose the desired file or folder in one window and drag it to the other window by holding down the left mouse button.

Backup Your Windows 11 to Prevent Problems

If you're facing the frustrating issue of Windows 11's drag and drop dysfunction, give the three suggested solutions a try from the article. They can help fix the Windows 11 drag and drop taskbar not working problem and restore your work progress back to normal.

To prevent a future occurrence of this issue, it's recommended to use AOMEI Backupper Standard to create a system backup. This free and professional software offers the following features:

High compatibility with various Windows versions like 11/10/8.1/8/7/Vista/XP, etc.
Ability to back up all Windows 11 system partitions, including system files, boot-related partitions (such as EFI system partition and recovery partition), application and user profile files, and more.
Flexibility to back up your Windows 11 system to different locations like backup files to external hard drives, network shared folders, NAS devices, and more.

If you're new to using AOMEI Backupper Standard, follow the detailed operation steps provided below after downloading and installing the software. It's important to complete these steps before initiating the backup process.

Step 1. Open AOMEI Backupper Standard and choose Backup from the left panel, then select System Backup from the right panel.

Step 2. In the System Backup window, modify the storage path for the system backup, and click the Start Backup button; if you have multiple backup tasks simultaneously, you can also change the task name by selecting the pencil icon in the upper left corner.

Notes:
Before starting the backup, you can access additional settings by clicking Options, Schedule Backup, and Backup Scheme in the lower left corner.
Options allow adding comments and enabling email notifications for free, while the Pro version offers encrypted backups for enhanced security.
Schedule Backup enables free scheduled backups with options for daily, weekly, and monthly or event triggers and USB plug in intervals.
Backup Scheme permits changing the backup method to incremental or full for free, with the Pro version offering differential backup and automatic cleanup backup feature.

To back up specific files or folders, use the File Backup function instead of the System Backup feature, which only backs up data in the Windows 11 system partition. For a complete migration of the Windows 11 system to another hard drive, upgrade to the Pro version and utilize the System Clone feature to ensure a secure boot of the migrated system.

Your Turn

For users experiencing the Windows 11 drag and drop taskbar not working issue, please refer to the provided solutions and try them sequentially to restore the drag-and-drop functionality.

To ensure system security, it is advisable to use AOMEI Backupper Standard to create a system backup before making any changes to login files, preventing potential system issues. In case of any system-related problems arising from login file modifications, you can swiftly restore your computer to a normal state using the System Restore function with the previously created backup image.

To prevent Windows 11 system crashes caused by login file modification errors, creating bootable media is recommended for safe booting and automated execution of AOMEI Backupper Standard for system recovery.