diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 6d79886..7c37aa9 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -226,9 +226,14 @@ If you want the exact delta configuration I'm using - [it can be found here](htt
 | <kbd>i</kbd>                | Cycle icon style                 |
 | <kbd>o</kbd>                | Open file in $EDITOR             |
 | <kbd>s</kbd>                | Toggle side-by-side/unified view |
+| <kbd>v</kbd>                | Visual select mode (release mouse for native text selection / copy) |
 | <kbd>Tab</kbd>              | Switch focus between the panes   |
 | <kbd>q</kbd>                | Quit                             |
 
+While mouse capture is on, your terminal can't do its native click-and-drag selection. Press <kbd>v</kbd> to enter visual select mode — this releases the mouse so you can select and copy lines from the diff (the footer shows `visual select`); press <kbd>v</kbd> again to restore mouse scroll/click. Tip: in side-by-side mode the selection spans both columns — switch to unified with <kbd>s</kbd> first, or use your terminal's block-select modifier (Option+drag in iTerm2 / Terminal.app, Alt+drag in many Linux terminals).
+
+Most terminals (iTerm2, Terminal.app, Alacritty, kitty, WezTerm, GNOME Terminal) also let you hold <kbd>Shift</kbd> while dragging to bypass mouse capture without toggling.
+
 ## Discord
 
 Have questions? Join our [Discord community](https://discord.gg/SXNXp9NctV)!
diff --git a/pkg/ui/keys.go b/pkg/ui/keys.go
index 32bb9be..77183a9 100644
--- a/pkg/ui/keys.go
+++ b/pkg/ui/keys.go
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ type KeyMap struct {
 	ToggleIconStyle key.Binding
 	ToggleHelp      key.Binding
 	ToggleMessage   key.Binding
+	ToggleMouse     key.Binding
 }
 
 var keys = &KeyMap{
@@ -111,6 +112,10 @@ var keys = &KeyMap{
 		key.WithKeys("m"),
 		key.WithHelp("m", "commit info"),
 	),
+	ToggleMouse: key.NewBinding(
+		key.WithKeys("v"),
+		key.WithHelp("v", "visual select"),
+	),
 }
 
 func KeyGroups() [][]key.Binding {
@@ -133,6 +138,7 @@ func KeyGroups() [][]key.Binding {
 		keys.ToggleIconStyle,
 	}, {
 		keys.ToggleMessage,
+		keys.ToggleMouse,
 		keys.ToggleHelp,
 		keys.Quit,
 	}}
diff --git a/pkg/ui/tui.go b/pkg/ui/tui.go
index feb7bda..ea35993 100644
--- a/pkg/ui/tui.go
+++ b/pkg/ui/tui.go
@@ -95,6 +95,7 @@ type mainModel struct {
 	pendingCursorPath string
 	watchInFlight     bool
 	repoRoot          string
+	mouseDisabled     bool
 }
 
 func New(input string, cfg config.Config) mainModel {
@@ -255,6 +256,10 @@ func (m mainModel) Update(msg tea.Msg) (tea.Model, tea.Cmd) {
 			m.search.SetWidth(m.searchWidth())
 			dfCmd := m.diffViewer.SetSize(m.width-sidebarWidth, h)
 			cmds = append(cmds, dfCmd)
+		case key.Matches(msg, keys.ToggleMouse):
+			m.mouseDisabled = !m.mouseDisabled
+			m.draggingSidebar = false
+			return m, tea.Batch(cmds...)
 		case key.Matches(msg, keys.ToggleIconStyle):
 			m.cycleIconStyle()
 		case key.Matches(msg, keys.ToggleDiffView):
@@ -488,7 +493,11 @@ func (m mainModel) searchUpdate(msg tea.Msg) (mainModel, []tea.Cmd) {
 func (m mainModel) View() tea.View {
 	var view tea.View
 	view.AltScreen = true
-	view.MouseMode = tea.MouseModeAllMotion
+	if m.mouseDisabled {
+		view.MouseMode = tea.MouseModeNone
+	} else {
+		view.MouseMode = tea.MouseModeAllMotion
+	}
 
 	view.KeyboardEnhancements.ReportEventTypes = true
 	// Determine colors based on active panel.
@@ -826,6 +835,12 @@ func (m mainModel) footerView() string {
 		usedWidth += lipgloss.Width(sep) + lipgloss.Width(watchLabel)
 	}
 
+	if m.mouseDisabled {
+		mouseLabel := base.Foreground(lipgloss.Yellow).Render("visual select")
+		parts = append(parts, sep, mouseLabel)
+		usedWidth += lipgloss.Width(sep) + lipgloss.Width(mouseLabel)
+	}
+
 	spacing := base.Render(strings.Repeat(" ", max(0, m.width-usedWidth)))
 	parts = append(parts, spacing, help)
 	return base.