Question: Drag-to-Select via Icons on Android?

[omdawe]

Quick question is it possible to drag-to-select on Android, like most other file or gallery apps?

I mean the kind where you long-press one file icon, then drag your finger over others to select them - without needing to tap each one individually. Not talking about the filename area, just the icons.

Feels like a natural gesture for touchscreens, and would make batch selection way faster.

[beb]

2omdawe
Had no idea that such a feature existed at all.
Just checked it in vanilla Google 'Files' app, and it works:
I can long-press a file in a list, then swipe downward (or upwards), and it selects all the adjacent files while I keep touching the screen.
Thanks.

No, Total Commander for Android does not support such a gesture, at least currently.

[petermad]

In TC for Android you can first tap on the icon of the first file - thererafter long-tap on the same icon - then a dialog like this pops up

Select range of files
Tap on a second file to select a range of files/remove the selection

Select files

Remove selection from files

Choose "Select files" and tap on the last file of the range.

Moderator message from: petermad » 2025-07-02, 00:48 UTC

Moved to "Total Commander for Android " from "Total Commander (English)"

[omdawe]

In TC for Android you can first tap on the icon of the first file - thererafter long-tap on the same icon - then a dialog like this pops up
Select range of files
Tap on a second file to select a range of files/remove the selection

Dont really help anything, as im trying to select a bunch of photos and the sequence of the photos are almost the same. And also the file name vs selecting the ones you want by looking at them is not really the same.

[ghisler(Author)]

In TC for Android you can first tap on the icon of the first file - thererafter long-tap on the same icon - then a dialog like this pops up

You don't need to first tap on the icon. Just long tap on the first, choose "Select", and then tap on the last. This allows to choose several ranges which don't need to be connected.

[petermad]

You don't need to first tap on the icon

For some reason it doesn't always work for me - the "Select range of files" dialog does not always pop up.


When I long tap, a "label" with the thumbnail and the name of the file pops up. That label often jumps to the right, and when it jumps too far, the "Select range of files" does not pop up when I release my finger.

If I have selected the file first (green check mark) that jump of the "label" does not happen, and the dialog pops up as it should.

It mostly happen with narrow thumbnails as for example images in portrait orientation, or when tapping on the right side of icons in landscape orientation.

[ghisler(Author)]

label often jumps to the right

This means that you initiated a drag&drop operation by moving your finger a bit too much after pressing down. This will happen whether the file is checked or not.

[petermad]

This means that you initiated a drag&drop operation by moving your finger

I am holding my finger as completely still as I can, and still it happens. I just tested it on my older HTC One M1 and Huawei Honor phones 7 (both Android 6) - and here it does not happen, but on my Samsung Galaxy S20 (Android 13) and A54 (Android 15) it happens very easily - not every time, but often enough (maybe 85%) to make it easier just marking the file first with a short tap, before doing the long tap.