PDF Viewer: selected text sometimes cannot be copied

[AxelBoldt]

Using Firefox 138.2 on ipadOS 17.7.6.

When viewing a PDF file in Firefox and selecting some text (using long-press), there is no possibility to copy the selected text.

I seem to remember that in previous versions, upon selecting text, a selection widget would appear, giving the option to 'Copy'. I don't see that widget anymore.

:information_source: Reference Person

@Foxbolts

┆Issue is synchronized with this Jira Task

[Foxbolts]

Hey @AxelBoldt - Thanks for the report! I have not been able to reproduce this issue, would you be able to provide some exact steps to reproduce (including an example PDF), and/or a screen recording of the issue?

[AxelBoldt]

I just noticed that the issue does not always occur; I have edited the title accordingly.

In the attached screen recording, I used the PDF file https://arxiv.org/pdf/2505.21586 . I long-press on various words in the recording. Copying text works fine on the first page, but not on any subsequent pages: the black "Kopieren/Alles" box does not occur.

This is not universal behavior however: I have also seen PDF files where the bug already occurred on the first page.

Screen Recording

[Foxbolts]

@AxelBoldt Thank you for the example pdf and the screen recording 🙌

[data-sync-user]

➤ Andres Furlan commented:

Filippo Zazzeroni is this the issue that we were having on the first PDF refactor? Can you check?

CC: Alina Moldovan

[data-sync-user]

➤ Filippo Zazzeroni commented:

yes Andres Furlan i’m going to check

[data-sync-user]

➤ Alina Moldovan commented:

Able to reproduce this issue using the latest v140 (56716) and iPhone 16 Pro (18.5) intermittently on both cases the PDF Refactor ON/OFF

Also I notices that the copied text can be passed in Notes but not in a new tab addressbar (Filippo Zazzeroni do you want me to log a new issue for this?)

[data-sync-user]

➤ Filippo Zazzeroni commented:

Hi Alina Moldovan thanks so much, yes please it would nice to have also the ticket for Toolbar