Context menu after selecting text doesn't appear

Help
1

Steps to reproduce

Select text inside a note

Expected result

The context menu should appear, like it use to do

Actual result

Nothing is happening

SYSTEM INFO:
Obsidian version: 1.12.7
Installer version: 1.12.7
Operating system: Darwin Kernel Version 24.6.0: Mon Jul 14 11:30:29 PDT 2025; root:xnu-11417.140.69~1/RELEASE_ARM64_T6000 24.6.0
Login status: logged in
Language: en
Catalyst license: none
Insider build toggle: off
Live preview: on
Base theme: dark
Community theme: none
Snippets enabled: 0
Restricted mode: off
Plugins installed: 35
Plugins enabled: 10
1: Tag Wrangler v0.6.4
2: CustomJS v1.0.21
3: Dataview v0.5.68
4: Dataview Publisher v0.3.10
5: Local Backup v0.2.4
6: Style Settings v1.0.9
7: Excalidraw v2.25.3
8: Smart Connections v4.5.3
9: Recent Notes v1.5.5
10: Text Generator v0.8.7
RECOMMENDATIONS:
Community plugins: for bugs, please first try updating all your plugins to latest. If still not fixed, please try to make the issue happen in the Sandbox Vault or disable community plugins.

Additional information

Thanks a lot

2

Please, Try the troubleshooting guide.

3

Hi,

Thanks for your interest. I followed the troubleshooting guide but sadly the issue persist.

Any recommandation ?

Thanks

4

Can you please post a screen recording of this problem happening in the sandbox vault?

5

Sure, here’s the video. The link will only be available 3 days.

Thanks for your help,

Martin

6

This is very strange.

what computer do have exactly?

When did this start happening?

Which mouse/pointing device do you use?

7

Not sure what you mean by “like it used to do”. I have never encountered it on desktop mac. I have to right click trackpad to open context menu.

image
image1782Ă—1576 189 KB

8

I’m not talking about the right-click menu—that one works fine. I’m referring to the small horizontal toolbar that appears after selecting some text. I found it very useful for adding external links because it let me search my vault for the note I wanted to link the selected text to.

9

Apple M1 Pro 2021
MacOS 15.6.1 (24G90)

The issue started happening month ago I think. Don’t know when exactly.

I’m using the trackpad.

10

I don’t think that’s a native Obsidian feature :thinking: (you should be able to test this in the sandbox vault :blush: ) …
Well, it’s not something I don’t think I ever encountered at least :sweat_smile:, as like blue_emperor mentions above, anything I do on text selection is generally done through the right-click context menu…

I mean, you might have used a community plugin providing such feature which you potentially disabled (given that you have 35 plugins installed but only 10 enabled) … and forgot about it :woman_shrugging:

11

I’m going to echo Pch here. I don’t think it’s native Obsidian feature and don’t recall an insta “small horizontal toolbar” popping up after simply selecting text.

Here’s the Sandbox using Obsidian 1.8.9:

CleanShot 2026-07-20 at 15.45.44

I also checked on two later versions, the current public release, and the current beta; no popup.

12

You are all right, it’s not a built-in function. It comes from the plugin Make.md, which I recommand — I find the feature “Link to note” (picture below) is so useful for adding external links because it let you search inside your vault for the note you want to link the selected text to, unlink the built-in command add external link.

image
image724Ă—426 26.9 KB

Thanks for your help everyone !