Windows explorer bug: renaming files highlights file name while editing, removing entire name

Had to add to this as this has been the bain of my working life as rename copious file names and I have to watch this so carefully as it wipes out the whole file name so often if you are just too quick.

However, I have found a solution... unfortunatley outside Windows Explorer... if you actually open your OneDrive or SharePoint in a browser and change the file names there, then this does not occur!!!

Guess I will just have to use a browser rather than Explorer when doing this... shouldn't have to, but through Explorer is just too time consuming.

Alas, a couple of years on and this is still an issue. I used to experience it occasionally on W10, but on my brand spanking new W11 laptop the issue is far more prevalent.

Right now it is re-highlighting the original text up to 5 or 6 times, causing a nightmare when trying to edit filenames (normally I just append dates to the end of the original). I enter file rename mode > W11 highlights the original filename > I click the end of the filename > within about 1 sec it re-highlights the original filename > so on and so forth 5 or 6 times. It is infuriating (only now after dealing with this the last few weeks do I realise how much file renaming I do!) 

The files in question have no association with Onedrive or Dropbox (I have paused them anyway) and I have also paused Synology Drive... all to no avail.

This is my first W11 PC, and this issue, along with the File Explorer > Navigation Pane > Quick Access vs One Drive issues... constant popups nagging me to engage in MS's other services... and a few other niggling issues, and I must say the user experience has not been an improvement over W10. 

I have 3x desktops and 4x laptops in the household running W10 (all of which I maintain) and I have been resisting the nag popups to move to W11 for the last year now. This was my first trial, I am now questioning whether I let them all go beyond the end of support for W10.

I'm experiencing this same issue since my organization switched to OneDrive. I never experienced this with Google Drive. It's extremely annoying and slows me down. I'm disappointed to see that this issue was posted in November 2022 and it still hasn't been resolved... Classic. 

June 2025 here and using Windows 11, and File Explorer is still producing the same mistake unfortunately on my computer. It occurs when I attempt to rename a existing file (by either clicking inside the file name, or using F2) and File Explorer selects in full ALL CHARACTERS of the file name (i.e. highlights in blue entirely the full name), I try to click left right or center of the file name to remove the full blue highlight of everything, and to start editing the file name by adding the letters I wanted to the file name - but File Explorer (almost immediately, within the same second almost) has already reselected the full name in blue from the first letter of the file name to the last, and as such as I type 1 letter to add to the existing full name, the file name is inadvertently replaced in full suddenly by the single 1 letter I just typed, which is not what I wanted... Help, with any solutions...?

This is an ongoing problem and not only causes wasted time and re-work, it has caused critical business issues and data loss.

In my experience, the problem is primarily when renaming files on OneDrive. I think it may have to do with synchronization, but I'm not sure. To properly rename a file, we have to click inside the filename, wait a second for the cursor to appear, then use the arrow keys to move the cursor (trying to click again with the mouse may cause the whole thing to highlight). Once the cursor is in the right position - WAIT another second, as the full filename will highlight again and typing too soon will overwrite the whole name. After the filename is fully highlighted a second time, use the arrow key and the cursor will be in the right place and then you can start typing. But even then, don't click out of the filename - make sure it is correct as the system may still re-highlight everything as you are typing and if you don't catch it, the change will be permanent. If the name is messed up and you are still typing, you can press <esc> and start over.

Imagine how screwed up this is a company that is trying to digitize and organize thousands of records. Or that relies on flat file processes for critical business functions. It is awful.

As most of the replies, I have been experiencing the problem for years on several versions of Windows. Is the problem as prevalent if you access the file name via right click and option selection?

This has been a problem since Windows 7 (not in XP). It's still happening and I've never seen a good explanation of why and what the benefit could possibly be.

This has been annoying on Windows 11, and I feel like Windows 10 did it too... maybe even back to Windows 8? (https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/re-renaming-files-annoying-automatic-re-selection/dcb71281-f617-4417-8f5c-d33e36835a1a)

Yeah, it is one of the annoying issues to be fixed.

If you keep trying over the course of several seconds, Explorer eventually lets you place the cursor in the filename.  But, yes, this is ridiculous.  I've resorted to right-click > Properties and changing the name in the General tab. 

February 2025 and all is still not well.