Question DELETE key has a strange problem and it's not in the keyboard

[RangerBobM]

I've got a bizarre problem with the DELETE key in my Windows 11 system: it works correctly in some situations, but not in others. The problem is definitely not with the keyboard itself; I've swapped in several keyboards and the problem occurs with all of them.

Here's what I'm dealing with:

• DEL won't delete text in any program I use- word processors, simple text editors, email clients, anything. I've tried any program I have and it's always the same thing.
• DEL won't delete files in any file manager I've tried.

However,

• CTRL-ALT-DEL works fine.
• Tapping the DEL key when booting gets into the BIOS.
• Strangest of all, when editing text, CTRL-DEL will delete the next word, even though DEL by itself won't delete characters.

Here's what I've tried:

• Tested with three different keyboards.
• Uninstalled every keyboard that showed up in Device Manager, then rebooted.
• Installed the latest keyboard firmware.
• Consulted the keyboard manufacturer's support line and they couldn't help.

None of that helped. The only other step I can think of is reinstalling Windows and hoping that fixes things. Does anyone have an idea what else I can try? Thanks for any help or advice.

System:

• OS: Windows 11
• CPU: AMD Ryzen 9 7950X
• RAM: 64 GB Corsair Vengeance DDR5-5600
• PSU: Corsair RM850X
• MOBO: MSI MagB650 Tomahawk WiFi Gaming
• GPU: Asus DUAL OC GeForce RTX 4070 Ti Super
• Usual Keyboard: Das Keyboard Pro w Cherry MX Blue

 

[Aeacus]

DEL won't delete text in any program I use- word processors, simple text editors, email clients, anything. I've tried any program I have and it's always the same thing.

Just for conformation;

When you have blinking cursor at the end of the text and press Del, nothing will happen since Del deletes stuff right from the blinking cursor. Backspace is the one that deletes text left from the blinking cursor.

So, is your blinking cursor on the correct spot?

Another thing to try;
When in text editor (will not work in TH reply area but does work in Wordpad), is when you have blinking cursor somewhere in the middle of the text and you then press Insert once, and then start typing, the letters right from the text (blinking cursor) are deleted as you type. Letters are essentially replaced with what you're typing.
(Usage of this function feels creepy to me.) Pressing Insert again will disable that strange feature.

DEL won't delete files in any file manager I've tried.

Try this command to delete: Shift + Delete.
Look if it works.

If it does, then something is wrong with Recycle Bin in your Win11.
Delete = Sending files to Recycle Bin.
Shift + Delete = Outright deletion of files (no take backs).

 

[RangerBobM]

Thanks for your help!

Just for conformation;

When you have blinking cursor at the end of the text and press Del, nothing will happen since Del deletes stuff right from the blinking cursor. Backspace is the one that deletes text left from the blinking cursor.

So, is your blinking cursor on the correct spot?

Another thing to try;
When in text editor (will not work in TH reply area but does work in Wordpad), is when you have blinking cursor somewhere in the middle of the text and you then press Insert once, and then start typing, the letters right from the text (blinking cursor) are deleted as you type. Letters are essentially replaced with what you're typing. (Usage of this function feels creepy to me.) Pressing Insert again will disable that strange feature.

Thanks, but I've known the difference between Delete and Backspace since MS-DOS days, same with insert and typeover modes. I wish the answer was simple as that. Same thing with DEL and SHIFT-DEL. (I do understand why you asked, and I appreciate the fact that you did.)

Thanks again.

Bob

 

[Aeacus]

Thanks, but I've known the difference between Delete and Backspace since MS-DOS days, same with insert and typeover modes. I wish the answer was simple as that. Same thing with DEL and SHIFT-DEL. (I do understand why you asked, and I appreciate the fact that you did.)

Well, you described your issue and didn't say what other methods you've tried or if you have more in-depth knowledge than basic user. So, me without knowing that, i tried to help out (since there are people out there who overlook obvious things or doesn't have enough knowledge).

What changed in the system when the issues appeared? Since i don't think this issue was present from the get-go. (Or was it?)
New installed application? Win update? Something else? Because issue is clearly software and not hardware.