Home / Is it possible to open files by drag and drop?

I apologize if this has been discussed, but I searched for an answer and I didn’t find one.

Is it possible to open pdf files in SumatraPDF by drag and drop on the main window? When I try to do so the mouse pointer appears to show a plus sign when it’s over the program window, but then no file opens.

I should add, if relevant, that I’m running 64-bit Windows 10 Pro with a Standard user account. I use the install version of SumatraPDF.

EDIT: Is it an issue with the 64-bit version of SumatraPDF? Drag and drop works fine with the 32-bit version.

@SumPDF It may be a user account issue, I can’t emulate your setup at present ( may take a couple of hours as I’m “out of office” ) however using this standard user account on win 7 x64 with portable version I see the plus sign and can open multiple files by drag and drop, can you try the version in 64 bit portable.zip extracted to a folder on your desktop from https://www.sumatrapdfreader.org/download-free-pdf-viewer.html

Check the User name column under the Details tab of Task Manager - is the same user listed for both explorer.exe and SumatraPDF.exe?

@GitHubRulesOK

Thanks; I tried it, but again I couldn’t open any pdf files with drag and drop with the 64-bit version.

@SumatraPeter
It’s the same user in both cases…

However, I was trying drag and drop from Total Commander. My findings are that with the 32-bit version of TC drag and drop does not work with 64-bit Sumatra, but if both programs are 32-bit then it does work.

Sumatra 64bit supports drag&drop.

This is almost certainly a process elevation issue.

Note that the same user account can run an app under regular permissions and as admin i.e. in an elevated state.

A default user account in Windows has admin privileges but is running as non-admin. It can run any process as admin with “Run As Administrator” option (and confirming UAC dialog).

For security reasons an app running in elevated state cannot accept drag&drop events from a non-elevated processes, even if they are the same user.

You can figure out if Sumatra is running as elevated process following those annoying steps:

• launch built-in task manager app
• click “Details” tab
• right-click on column list of the list view
• pick “select columns”
• check “Elevated”

Now there should be “Elevated” column in the process list view. If it says “yes” then process is elevated (running with admin privileges) and if you’re logged in as non-admin, you can’t drag&drop files on Sumatra.

@kjk
Our postings must have crossed. Please see my previous comments about 64-bit v 32-bit Total Commander.

Ah, good to know, thanks for the info.

I would have assumed that Windows would make drag&drop of files between 32 and 64 bit processes work, but I guess not.

@SumPDF
Just tested my old TC 9.0a
can drag and drop multiple files from 32 to 32 or 64 to 64 from TC to an external app

however 32 bit TC has a “helper” app for 64 bit operations to allow opening ONE file at a time
see screenshot below
As you observed you can’t drag and drop multiple files from 32 bit to 64 bit apps direct
HOWEVER if the icon on my desktop is a simple shortcut to SumatraPDF.exe
I CAN drop the files there and they open in running SumatraPDFx64 or if it is not open they will open it

Untitled.png1400×650 85.2 KB

Thank you for the tip. I’ll bear it in mind and may use it as I get more familiar with SumatraPDF.