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Mac 101: Forward delete on a Mac laptop

by Josh Carr Oct 5th 2009 at 5:00PM

Welcome back to Mac 101, our series of tips for new and novice Mac users.

We've had a few questions about a forward delete functionality on Mac laptops lately, but the question isn't new. We realized that we sometimes take our readers for granted... little tips like this are actually huge news for a lot of the switchers in the audience. So if you know this, awesome! If not, here's a quick way to duplicate the forward delete functionality on a Mac laptop.

It's really simple: find the function key (it is abbreviated as fn) on the bottom left side of the keyboard. Hold down function and hit the delete key (fn+delete).

Yes, we know -- it's an extra step over a PC but your days of using the arrow keys to delete are over. There are a lot of arguments about why there isn't a dedicated key for that function and most of them focus on the aesthetics of the keyboard by keeping it minimal. If that means I hold function to forward delete, well, I'm OK with that. I think my keyboard is sexy.

Thanks, Logan!







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Welcome back to Mac 101, our series of tips for new and novice Mac users. We've had a few questions about a forward delete functionality...
 

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kowsheek

I really find using the fn key pretty intuitive.

Also, the keyboard viewer is the best thing ever!

December 13 2009 at 3:10 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Penfold

OMG - You've just made me the happiest man in this room.

November 04 2009 at 6:36 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
maryann.sansonetti

Thanks for the reminder! I forgot which key it was on the lower left of the keyboard. I kept trying control or command!

October 09 2009 at 8:33 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Johnny

Where it belongs? On the Mac, it belongs on the top-right side of the keyboard where it has been fore quite some time. Before that, the only way to eject a disk was to drag it to the trash, use a paper clip, or hold down the mouse button on startup.... and by golly, that's how we liked it.

October 06 2009 at 11:56 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Thomas

What do people use forward delete for? If I've just typed something I'll just undo or delete back a few spaces, or if it involves moving the position in the document I'll just position myself after what I need to delete rather than before. I've been using a computer for years and never to my memory needed to use forward delete, at least not to the point where I missed it and I've certainly noticed no difference going PC to Mac or vice-versa. I see this raised a lot and I don't understand it, are people using forward delete that much?

October 06 2009 at 10:36 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
4 replies to Thomas's comment
maxo

My god i've had a mac for ***FOUR*** years and i had no idea you could do this, I asked other mac users who said it couldnt be done. Thanks so much. Too bad all my university essay writing days are behind me!

October 06 2009 at 9:26 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Simon

I've been a mac user for 20 users, never used Windows, and I truly hate the lack of a forward delete key. What is Apple thinking?
Here's my solution: I use keyremap4macbook, and I have forward delete set over on the left hand side above the tab and below escape - §. It's the world's most useless key - never used it for anything and I've never even seen that symbol in use.
The guy who created keyremap4macbook created a special instruction for me so I could set this up. He put it under 'For Russian' settings which puzzles me mightily, but it works.
And it's a thing of beauty. Forward delete now mirrors backwards delete: it's on the same row of keys, but performed with the left pinky instead of the right. Logical. Intuitive.
One day, when I rule the world, all keyboards will be made this way.

October 06 2009 at 6:12 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to Simon's comment
Drifter71

So just because "Simon Said" to do this, do we all have to...? LOL

October 06 2009 at 8:21 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
ron

Emacs bindings? How do I enable that, or does it just come with?

Ron C

October 05 2009 at 11:39 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to ron's comment
Paul B

It's a UNIX thing. Since OSX is based on BSD it has a lot of it's integration. Including emacs support which comes built-in. You don't need to do anything to activate it. There's a whole bunch of commands that you can do using ctrl-. If you want to know more open up terminal and type "man emacs"

October 06 2009 at 11:01 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
John.B

Fn-delete ("F"orward-"delete") is easily remembered on a MacBook keyboard, or the little Bluetooth-style keyboard with no number pad.

October 05 2009 at 10:41 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Pete Clark

Most text objects on the mac support some emacs lovin' - try cmd-d.

October 05 2009 at 10:24 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
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