Your Mac laptop’s Delete key might stop working for a manufacturing defect. Dust or dirt particles can accumulate inside the MacBook Pro keyboard over time. These contaminants can make the Del key unresponsive. But you can easily fix the delete key on MacBook Pro without an expert’s help.
If you aren’t tech-savvy, then you must be looking for solutions on how to fix delete key on MacBook Pro. There are many effective ways to troubleshoot the Delete key not working issue. However, you must determine the cause of this glitch before implementing any solution.
Here we have mentioned the possible causes and solutions to fix the Delete key on your MacBook Pro:
Why is Your MacBook Pro’s Delete Key not Responding?
Your Mac laptop’s Delete key can stop working for overheating and continuous usage. This key works both ways – forward and backwards – in conjunction with the MacBook Pro’s Fn key.
Users can’t delete any text if there is a problem with the Fn key. If the Fn key is sticky or there is dust buildup underneath the key, the delete key will stop working.
Thus, you must turn off your Mac laptop and clean the Fn key surface to fix the delete key issue. If that doesn’t work, you might have a faulty Fn key. Replace it as early as possible to use the Delete function on your MacBook Pro.
Easy Troubleshooting Tips on How to Fix Delete Key on MacBook Pro
Don’t replace or repair the MacBook Pro’s Delete key if it has stopped working. Try out the following solutions to fix the unresponsive Delete key instantly:
1. Reset your Mac laptop’s NVRAM
Resetting your MacBook Pro’s NVRAM can help eliminate the Delete key not working issue. NVRAM stores peripheral data like display resolution, volume and keyboard settings. If the NVRAM information becomes corrupted, resetting it will fix the problem.
Access your MacBook Pro’s Apple menu and select “Shutdown” when the startup menu appears. Wait until the Mac device turns off and press and hold the Power key to turn it on after 20 seconds.
Locate the 4 keys on your MacBook Pro – Option, P, Command and R. Press these Mac keys simultaneously and release them after 20 seconds. Your Mac laptop will display the Apple logo, and it will restart automatically.
You will hear a startup sound when pressing the Option, P, Command and R keys. MacBook Pro will play a second startup sound when you release them. Do you use the latest M2-powered MacBook Pro? You must release these 4 keys only after the Apple logo appears and disappears for the second time.
What else should you do?
Disable your MacBook Pro laptop’s lock screen password when prompted. Your MacBook will turn on after resetting the NVRAM. Open any word processor, write a line or paragraph and delete it using the Del key without glitches.
2. Update your MacBook Pro’s Keyboard Driver
Out-of-date keyboard drivers can restrict your Mac laptop’s Delete key from working. Access your MacBook Pro settings by pressing the Apple icon. Select “System Preferences” from the drop-down menu.
You will see a list of icons on the System Preferences window. Double-click on the Keyboard icon and tick the “Modifier Keys” checkbox. If updates are available, your MacBook Pro will show you an Install option.
Select “Install” to get the latest keyboard driver on your Mac laptop. Restart the MacBook Pro and open an app to create a document. Write something in the document and press the Delete key to check if it works.
3. Restore your Mac laptop’s Default Settings
You can fix the unresponsive Delete key by resetting the MacBook Pro’s default keyboard settings. Tap on the Apple icon and choose “System Preferences” when the pop-up menu opens.
Choose “Keyboard” from the preinstalled device list on the System Preferences window. Go to the “Keyboard” tab and locate the Modifier keys in the bottom right corner. Click it, choose “Restore Defaults”, and press the Enter button or click “OK”.
Open the Apple menu and click “Restart” when the drop-down menu opens. Did you save your to-do list on the Mac laptop’s Clipboard? Open it and try to remove a text using the Delete key. If it works, you have fixed the Delete key issue from your MacBook Pro.
4. Uninstall and Reinstall the Keyboard Driver
Uninstalling and reinstalling your MacBook Pro keyboard driver can help you to eliminate the Delete key issue. Do you use an external keyboard on your laptop? Disconnect it from the Mac device, open Finder and tap on “Go”.
Scroll down to the menu to locate the Library option and tap on it to open folders and files. Select all the folders and files connected to your Mac device’s keyboard driver.
Alternatively, you can tap the Preferences folder icon and choose the “com.apple.keyboardtype.plist” file from the list. Drag the selected files to the trash icon and press the Ctrl key to clean the trash.
Your MacBook Pro’s Setup Assistant will open after uninstalling the keyboard driver. Reinstall the latest keyboard driver version from there and open any document. Select a word and press the Fn and Delete keys simultaneously to remove it from the document without encountering problems.
Can You Delete Text when the Delete Key is not Working on MacBook Pro?
Your MacBook Pro’s delete key can stop working for a minor glitch in the software. Restarting the device can help you to fix the issue. But, what if rebooting the laptop doesn’t fix the delete key issues? Don’t worry! There are a few alternatives you can try to delete text without using the Del key.
Here is how you can remove the unwanted lines from the document when the delete key isn’t functioning:
Delete Text using Your MacBook Pro’s Mouse or Trackpad
You can easily remove a line or paragraphs from the word processor using the external mouse or trackpad. Open the app and choose the text you want to delete. Right-click if you are using a mouse and choose “Cut” from the drop-down menu.
Use a two-finger tap to select the word you want to delete using the MacBook Pro’s trackpad. Tap on “Cut” when the pop-up menu appears to remove the word from the paragraph. Alternatively, you can start writing a different text when the current text is selected to delete it automatically.
Use Your Mac laptop’s Virtual Keyboard
You can use your MacBook Pro’s virtual keyboard for the delete key. To proceed, open the laptop’s Apple menu and head towards “System Preferences”. Locate “Language & Text” from the drop-down list and select “Input Sources”.
Tick the “Keyboard and Character Viewer” checkbox and choose your country’s flag. Access the System Preferences window and go to the “Keyboard” panel. Choose the option for showing “Keyboard & Character Viewer” in your laptop’s menu bar.
Tap on the icon flag and select “Show Character Viewer” when the new window opens. A virtual keyboard will appear on your screen. Close the System Preferences window and open the document and select the text you want to delete. Press the Delete key on the virtual keyboard to remove it without using the Delete button.
Create Keyboard Shortcuts to Delete Texts
MacBook Pro users can create keyboard shortcuts to delete the texts when the Del keys stop working. Many keyboard combos can help you to remove a line or specific words from the document.
Place the cursor at the end of the line you want to delete. Press and hold the Control and H keys simultaneously to delete it. Additionally, you can use the Control and D key combos to delete the text. But, you must place the cursor before the text to use this keyboard shortcut.
Alternative Keyboard Shortcuts to Delete Texts without a Del/Fn key
You can also use the Shift and Left/right arrow key combo to delete one word at a time on your laptop. Press the Shift and Left arrow keys simultaneously to remove one character to the left. Hold the Shift and Right arrow keys together to delete a word to the right side.
Do you want to delete the whole text in the line? Place the cursor on the left side of the text and press the Shift, Command and left arrow keys simultaneously to remove it. Press the Shift, Command and right arrow keys simultaneously to delete the whole text on the document’s right side.
Do You need to Replace the Faulty Delete Key? Contact an Expert
Replacing a defective Del on your MacBook Pro can only be possible with adequate knowledge and skill. Thus, connect with MacBook Repair India technicians, and they will help you to fix the broken, missing or damaged Delete key.
Moreover, they have the requisite tool to replace and clean the Del keycap. So, join hands with their professional technicians and replace the unresponsive Delete key with a new one.
