Super Drag and Drop in Microsoft Edge: Enable It

Super Drag and Drop is a built-in Microsoft Edge feature that lets you open a link or search for selected text by dragging it with the mouse and dropping it onto a webpage area. Instead of copying a URL, opening a new tab, pasting it, and pressing Enter, you simply drag a link or a highlighted word sideways and release it. Edge then opens the destination in a new tab or performs a web search automatically. The feature is turned off by default in current stable versions of Edge, but you can enable it through the browser’s settings menu.

What Is Super Drag and Drop Exactly?

Super Drag and Drop is a mouse gesture that combines two common actions—dragging and dropping—with Edge’s tab and search system. When enabled, you can:

Drag a hyperlink to any empty area of the current page to open that link in a new background tab.
Drag selected text (a word or phrase) to the page to run a search for that text in your default search engine.
Drag a link or text to a specific spot on the page to open it in a new foreground tab (if you drop it near the top edge).

The feature is inspired by similar gestures in third-party browsers like Vivaldi and older versions of Opera, where drag gestures were part of the browser’s DNA. In Edge, it was introduced as a hidden experimental flag before being promoted to a standard (but optional) setting. It is not a slang term or informal jargon—it is the official name Microsoft uses in the browser’s settings and documentation.

How Does Super Drag and Drop Work?

When you enable the feature, Edge listens for a specific mouse interaction: pressing the left mouse button on a link or on selected text, moving the mouse (dragging) while holding the button, and then releasing it over the webpage (not over a tab or the address bar). The browser interprets this as a command:

If you dragged a link, Edge opens that URL in a new tab.
If you dragged selected text, Edge performs a search using your default search engine (e.g., Bing, Google, or DuckDuckGo).
If you drop the item near the top of the window (within about 100 pixels), the new tab opens in the foreground (active). If you drop it anywhere else, it opens in the background.

The feature is essentially a shortcut that eliminates the need to right-click, copy, open a new tab, paste, and press Enter. It works with any mouse or trackpad that can perform a standard click-and-drag. It does not work with touchscreens or pen input—only with a mouse or trackpad.

How to Enable Super Drag and Drop in Edge

Enabling the feature takes about 20 seconds and requires no restart. Here are the exact steps for current versions of Edge (version 100 and later, including Edge 120+):

Open Microsoft Edge on your Windows, Mac, or Linux computer.
Click the three-dot menu (⋯) in the top-right corner of the window.
Select Settings from the dropdown menu.
In the left sidebar, click Appearance (or scroll down to the Appearance section if you’re on a narrow window).
Scroll down to the Customize toolbar section.
Find the toggle labeled Super Drag and Drop and turn it on.

That’s it. The setting takes effect immediately. You don’t need to restart the browser or clear any cache. If you don’t see the toggle, make sure your Edge is updated to the latest version—older builds (before Edge 91) may not have it.

Using Super Drag and Drop: Tips and Examples

Once enabled, the feature works on any webpage. Here are a few concrete examples of how you might use it:

Open a link in a background tab: While reading an article, you see a link you want to check later. Press and hold the left mouse button on the link, drag it to an empty area of the page (like the white space below the article), and release. The link opens in a new background tab, so you can keep reading without interruption.
Search for a term: Highlight a word or phrase (e.g., “quantum entanglement”) by double-clicking and dragging the mouse. Then, while still holding the button, drag the selected text to an empty area of the page and release. Edge will open a new tab with a search for that exact phrase using your default search engine.
Open a link in a foreground tab: Drag the link to the very top edge of the window (near the tab bar) and release. The new tab will open and become the active tab.

One common misconception is that you need to drop the item on a specific icon or button—you don’t. Any empty area of the webpage works. If you drop it on a link or image, the browser might interpret that as a different action (like drag-and-drop of an image), so it’s best to aim for blank space.

Common Problems and How to Fix Them

If Super Drag and Drop isn’t working as expected, check these common issues:

Feature not enabled: Double-check that the toggle in Settings > Appearance > Customize toolbar is turned on. Sometimes an Edge update resets settings.
Dragging a link but nothing happens: Make sure you’re dragging the link itself, not the text around it. If you start dragging from a few pixels away from the link, Edge may treat it as a text selection instead.
Text selection not triggering a search: Ensure you’ve selected the text first (highlighted) before dragging. If you just press and drag on unselected text, Edge will try to select it, not search it.
Drop location matters: If you drop the item on a tab, the address bar, or a button, the feature won’t work. Drop it on the main webpage area.
Feature not available in your region or build: Some enterprise-managed versions of Edge may have the feature disabled by policy. If you’re on a work computer, contact your IT admin.

Super Drag and Drop vs. Other Methods

How does Super Drag and Drop compare to other ways of opening links or searching?

Middle-click (mouse wheel button) on a link: This opens a link in a new background tab without dragging. It’s faster if you’re already using a mouse, but it doesn’t work for selected text—you’d have to copy and paste into the search bar.
Ctrl+click on a link: Opens the link in a new background tab. Again, no text search capability.
Right-click > Open link in new tab: Works but requires two clicks and a menu selection.
Copy-paste into address bar: Works for both links and text, but takes several steps.

Super Drag and Drop combines the best of both: it works for links and text, and it’s a single continuous motion. However, it requires a mouse or trackpad—if you’re using a touchscreen or keyboard shortcuts, you won’t benefit from it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Super Drag and Drop available on all versions of Edge?
It’s available on the stable channel of Edge for Windows, Mac, and Linux. It may not be present in older versions (pre-91) or in some enterprise builds where administrators disable it. Mobile versions of Edge do not have this feature because they don’t have a mouse.

Can I change the drop behavior (foreground vs. background tab)?
No. The behavior is fixed: dropping near the top edge opens the tab in the foreground; dropping anywhere else opens it in the background. There is no setting to reverse this.

Does Super Drag and Drop work with any search engine?
Yes. It uses whatever search engine you have set as your default in Edge’s settings. If you use Google, it will search Google; if you use Bing, it will search Bing.

Can I disable Super Drag and Drop after enabling it?
Yes. Go back to Settings > Appearance > Customize toolbar and toggle it off. The change takes effect immediately.

Does it work with images or other elements?
No. It only works with hyperlinks and selected text. Dragging an image will trigger Edge’s built-in image drag behavior (like copying the image or opening it in a new tab if you drop it on the tab bar).

Why doesn’t Super Drag and Drop work when I drag a link to a new window?
The feature is designed to open new tabs within the same window. If you drag a link outside the browser window (e.g., to your desktop), Windows will create a shortcut file instead. That’s standard OS behavior, not a bug.

General steps for current mainstream versions; menus can differ by device and version. See the disclaimer or report an error.

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