Shifting to neutral is usually required when switching between low range and high range. Obviously you need to be stopped at a minimum.
Binding in 4wd and particularly in low range is pretty normal, especially if you’re on a hard surface or some wheels had to climb blocks. Switching the knob back and forth usually won’t help, but pulling forward and backward a couple feet while turning the wheels slightly one way or the other helps after switching back to 2wd by changing the runout of the front axle versus the back and loading/unloading the powertrain to unbind it.
I had a Jeep Grand Cherokee that wouldn’t leave part time high range 4wd until I shifted it out, then switched the transmission to neutral. Once in neutral, the 4x4 floor shift lever would thump and knudge forward a bit more as it finished popping out. The electronic shift transfer cases are similar but have solenoids that apply pressure to the shift forks. They often won’t release if there’s any tension on the gears.
Our Tacoma is really picky. It often takes a couple seconds and shifting the transmission out of and back into gear to get it to release, even on our gravel driveway.
You’ll get a range of opinions on using 4wd on hard surfaces. I have no issue with doing it for moving a couple feet up onto blocks. You don’t want to be turning or on the throttle hard.
