Using Chrome, Firefox, Brave, Samsungs ‘Internet’ app, and every other browser I’ve used/tried on Android:

I’ll go to select some text on a page by long-pressing on it and it’ll select the word I’m touching as well as expand that selection to a somewhat random amount of additional text (usually not following any structure such as selecting a whole sentence for example).

I’ll then go to adjust that selection by grabbing one of the two tabs on either end of it and the moment I do, the opposite tab jumps to a completely random spot on the page vastly expanding the selection, then the whole page scrolls to an entirely different section; Leaving me holding one end of the selection unable to see what was originally selected. I can’t scroll to where I was, and If I let go and just click copy I’ve now copied 90%of the page to my clipboard… Attempting to modify the selection any further yields the same lack of control and just makes things worse.

This doesn’t happen everywhere, but I get these results far far more often than a successful copy+paste. Like just now trying to copy an address from a local transit guide.

I end up having to drop the paste into a notepad app, reselect the bit I actually wanted (if it even made it into the pile of garbage I was forced to grab) then delete the note once I’m done.

This is fucking stupid and I hate it. Rant over. Thank you for listening.

/edit: I don’t have the power to pin a comment, but [email protected] has a great solution: Use the rectangle select tool in androids ‘Edge Panel’ (must be enabled in settings), then press the ‘T’ button to copy text from the area you’ve selected.

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    10 months ago

    So it’s not just my phone? It is android? I’ve had this shit only on my current phone so I thought it was just the hardware. It’s not just websites or browsers; it’s every fucking app, because the selection thing is handled by the OS.

    By God is it infuriating that something so simple straight up doesn’t fucking work in 2023.

    • @[email protected]
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      910 months ago

      I’ve had this issue for years across several devices.

      I have however mostly used Samsung devices so I’m not sure if other brands have the same issue. Probably, but I can’t say for sure.

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        10 months ago

        I’ve had this LG thing (V6 Dual Screen) for years; I don’t upgrade until my stuff is literally broken. Previous phone was a Galaxy S4. I didn’t have the problem when it was new, which is why I figured it was hardware just wearing out. But it could have also just been one of the updates to Android itself.

        • @[email protected]
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          210 months ago

          My last two upgrades have been because of dieing parts. Degrading batteries that I can’t be bothered to have replaced and a wifi adapter that just quit working altogether.

          I miss my Moto Z2 Play with the moto mods. Extra battery, external speakers, even a fully functional projector to share the screen. That thing was the shit.

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            10 months ago

            Fuck yeah. I hella wanted that thing. It sounded neat and the projector has always since made me question why that isn’t a standard thing on every phone the way the camera is? It would be awesome.

            • @[email protected]
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              10 months ago

              Space. The projector just about tripled the thickness of the phone. It was really handy being removable.

              I wish more manufacturers tried out the swappable add-on concept. There was lots of potential there.

              I really really miss that extra battery letting my phone go 3 full days under heavy use without a charge.

      • @[email protected]
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        110 months ago

        I have used motorola, xiaomi, samsung, realme and htc. Every one of them had this issue.