To err is human, and deleting in the middle of typing is not unusual. But in case of the delete button not working, you can be in a super mess. If it’s Mac, the virtual keyboard can be of great help here. But in Windows, there are many fixes to try.
You can be a computer programmer or an SEO expert or change the lives of many by sharing your thoughts on social media. And it simply doesn’t matter how organized you are; you have to delete sentences or words or letters from your draft from time to time.
Of course, you can just get a new keyboard. But before doing that, how about learning a few tricks to deal with the issue?
If you want to know the solutions, carry on reading as we’ll show you the fixes for both Mac and Windows devices.
Know Why Delete Button Not Working On Mac
The most obvious reason, however impossible it may seem, is the dust residue. Delete key is one of the most used keys in any laptop. And a Mac isn’t any different. So continuous usage with dust deposited underneath can stop the delete key on Mac or Macbook Pro or Macbook Air from working.
The delete button on Mac works both ways – forward and backward – in conjunction with the ‘fn’ key. So, when you want to delete something that moves forward, you have to press ‘fn’ first before using the delete key. You can’t change this because this is a default setting.
So, if the delete key is not working, maybe the problem is in the ‘fn’ button. If the ‘fn’ key is stuck, or there is dust or something else is underneath, or simply the key malfunctions – the delete key on your Mac will stop working.
If you want to try to fix the problem before calling for help or buying a new one, let me tell you a few ways to deal with the issue of your Mac.
Solution When Delete Key Not Working On Mac
Before going for a replacement, have a look at the following steps to get rid of the problem:
Use Virtual Keyboard to Use the Delete Key
Follow the below steps carefully-
- Go to System Preference by clicking on the Apple logo on Mac.
- From there, find Language & Text. Clicking it will get you into the Input Sources Tab. Put a tick mark in the box to select the box for Keyboard and Character Viewer and your country’s flag as well.
- Go back to System Preferences. From there, go to the Keyboard panel and select the option for showing Keyboard & Character Viewer in the menu bar.
- Now click on the icon flag and choose Show Character Viewer. When the viewer opens up on the screen, check if the iOS recognizes the delete button.
- Use the delete button from the virtual keyboard.
Reset NVRAM
Resetting NVRAM, known as Non-Volatile Random Access Memory, is an effective way to solve the issue. To do it, follow steps:
- Close your Mac down. Turn it back on and promptly keep pressing and holding down the following keys for about 20 seconds:
Option + Command + P + R
- After 20 seconds or so, your computer may appear to restart.
- If your Mac doesn’t have Apple T2 Security Chip, you may release the buttons after the second start-up sound. If you do have the Security Chip, you can leave the keys when the logo of Apple reappears and then vanishes again.
If the Mac has Firmware Password, you need to turn the password off first.
When the Mac comes back to life again, NVRAM is reset, and all the hiccups with the delete key may be gone.
Now let’s get to know about the reasons why your delete button is not working on Windows.
Know Why Delete Key Not Working on Windows
The reasons for a disabled delete button in your Windows are pretty much the same as they are in Apple computers. Except that the delete button in Windows works individually. So another malfunctioning key won’t make it stop working.
If you find the delete key not working on the desktop, the keyboard jack may be disconnected from the CPU, and the entire keyboard will stop working. Let’s look at some of the techniques we can use to solve the delete key unresponsive issue:
Solve Delete Key Issue on Windows 10
Windows 10 comes with some fantastic troubleshooting features. And using that, you can easily solve your problems with the delete key. Who knows, it was just a simple software glitch.
Troubleshoot the Windows
The built-in troubleshooter in Windows 10 is a powerful tool to solve many hiccups. To run troubleshooting successfully, do the following steps:
- From the Windows logo, go to Taskbar and then to Settings.
- Find Update & Security tab in Settings. After clicking the tab, you will get Troubleshoot and click it open.
- From the dropdown menu on the right, choose Keyboard and let the troubleshooter run for the keyboard.
- Restart after the task is finished.
Update the Keyboard Driver
Another fix to try is keyboard driver updating.
To update the Keyboard Driver,
- From the Windows menu, go to Device Manager.
- Expand the window, find the keyboard, and double click.
- Under the Devise Property option, you will get the Update button and click the button.
- Let the computer find the appropriate version. You need to have uninterrupted internet for this.
- Download the right version and follow the instructions to complete the update.
If the Update step doesn’t fix the issue, go for rolling back the driver option.
Uninstall And Reinstall The Keyboard Driver
To uninstall the driver from Device Manager, find Uninstall driver and select the option. After that, as we have mentioned earlier, find another updated version of the keyword driver and reinstall the software.
There will be successive Yes or No options. You need to choose the Yes buttons until you get to the Finish position. Press the button and restart your computer.
Hopefully, the delete button will start working now.
Turn off the Filter Keys & Sticky Keys
Well, sometimes, if you have turned on the filter keys for easy keyboard usage, it might bring some mess with the key being unresponsive.
In that case, turning off them can solve the issue.
To do so,
- From Windows start menu bar, type ease
- Select the Ease of Access Keyboard
- When the Keyboard Window pops up on your screen, turn off the filter keys and sticky keys options.
Fix When Delete Button Is Unresponsive on Windows 7
To resolve the delete key not working issue on Windows 7,
- Go to the Windows Explorer option and select ‘Organize.’
- You will find the Folder & Search Options tab there.
- Go to the View option and select Reset Folders.
- Now, reboot the system.
In most cases, the above process can fix the delete button not working issue for Windows 7.
What to Do When Delete Button Not Working In Excel
Most people use Microsoft Excel applications for their functionality. If the delete button doesn’t work there, you can try the following step to solve the problem by fixing the registry Keys:
As we mentioned above about the Registry Key, fixing them can solve the issue for Excel most of the time.
- Get the Run option by pressing Windows logo + R simultaneously.
- In the box, type ‘Regedit and press open to run the Registry Editor.
- Find the following path – Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\office\16.0\Excel\Options
- In this example, 16 refer to Excel 2016, so you should check for your appropriate version.
- Select the Options folder, and after right-clicking, rename the folder. You can choose ‘Options-2021’ just so that you can remember if you need it to re-use again.
Hopefully, the issue is solved now.
Fix When Delete Button Does Not Work in Outlook
When working on Outlook, if the delete button does not work, follow the below method carefully,
- Close the Outlook application first.
- From the run application, go to the following path:
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\%OfficeVersion%\SCANPST.EXE
- When you get to the destination, start scanning by double-clicking SCANPST.EXE.
- You may need to restart to see if the solution works.
Final Thought
Delete button not working is like any other technical glitches that we face with many other electronic devices. It doesn’t always mean that the device is faulty or we cannot fix it.
We believe applying the above remedies will fix the issue most of the time. But if there is physical damage, you have no other way but to go for a replacement.
Let us know if our suggested ideas help you get the delete button working again.
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