Both the Del or Delete key and Backspace key can delete text. However, when dealing with text, pressing the Del deletes text to the right of the cursor. Pressing Backspace deletes text to the left (backwards) of the cursor. For example, if you click at the end of the example text below and press delete, nothing happens because there’s no text to the right. However, if you press the Backspace key, the end of the text would begin to be deleted.

Practice area

The del and Backspace keys also have other differences. For example, only the del or delete key can delete icons, files, and folders. Pressing Backspace when a file or other object is highlighted does nothing.

On Apple Macintosh computers using an Apple keyboard, the delete key is in the same location as the Backspace key on PC keyboards. Although the key is labeled as the “delete” key, it still functions the same as the “Backspace” key. In other words, with Apple keyboards, there’s no Backspace key, only a delete key that deletes text to the left of the cursor. If you wanted to delete text to the right like a delete key on a PC, press the fn+Delete keys to delete text to the right.

Here is an example textarea box that can be used to test the delete and Backspace keys on your keyboard.

  • See our del and Backspace pages for additional information related pages.
  • Keyboard help and support.