Fn + Delete hotkey changed?

[migrmrz]

So you know this "secret" and almost not used shortcut to "delete" instead of backspace while on a text editor? The Fn+Delete keys would delete words from left to right instead of the other way around with the single delete key. For me it was really useful as "Delete" is missing on my keyboard, but now with macOS Sierra, I can't do it anymore. Now, instead of deleting the following character to the right of the cursor, it starts backspacing nonstop until everything goes away. I'm not sure if it's a bug or this just changed or went gone. Is anyone struggling with the same issue here?

 

[!!!]

So you know this "secret" and almost not used shortcut to "delete" instead of backspace while on a text editor? The Fn+Delete keys would delete words from left to right instead of the other way around with the single delete key. For me it was really useful as "Delete" is missing on my keyboard, but now with macOS Sierra, I can't do it anymore. Now, instead of deleting the following character to the right of the cursor, it starts backspacing nonstop until everything is goes away. I'm not sure if it's a bug or this just changed or went gone. Is anyone struggling with the same issue here?

I always use this on my rMBP, as it doesn't have the delete key. I am not near it right now, but I will test this asap. I truely hope this is a bug and not an intentional change from Apple.

 

[Nermal]

I've just tested this on my MBP and it still works correctly. I did a clean install, not an upgrade.

 

[Kubaton]

My forward delete works as it did previously. I'm on a retina 5K iMac using an Apple Magic Keyboard. I did have the issue of the "stuck" backspace key shortly after upgrading from El Capitan but it only happened once or twice.

 

[dsemf]

I always use this on my rMBP, as it doesn't have the delete key. I am not near it right now, but I will test this asap. I truely hope this is a bug and not an intentional change from Apple.

I just did a quick test using TextEdit, Notes and this reply (to fix typo), and Fn+Delete still works as expected.

DS

 

[MacGizmo]

So you know this "secret" and almost not used shortcut to "delete" instead of backspace while on a text editor? The Fn+Delete keys would delete words from left to right instead of the other way around with the single delete key. For me it was really useful as "Delete" is missing on my keyboard, but now with macOS Sierra, I can't do it anymore. Now, instead of deleting the following character to the right of the cursor, it starts backspacing nonstop until everything goes away. I'm not sure if it's a bug or this just changed or went gone. Is anyone struggling with the same issue here?

Still working for me. I did a straight upgrade from the Sierra betas, skipped the shipping version of Sierra and went right to the Sierra beta 10.12.1.

 

[migrmrz]

So it seems to be then a weird buggy result from upgrading from El Capitan to Sierra on my rMBP, so I'm going to try doing a full clean install from scratch. Meanwhile I found out that if I hold fn and then press delete twice, it (weirdly) does the job. Also moving the cursor while pressing fn to where I want to delete (not backspace) and then pressing delete works fine too.

Thank you all for your replies and validations, they were really helpful. I really appreciate it.

 

[migrmrz]

So I just did a full clean install of this on my computer and the problem has been solved. Wow...

Just wanted to post this if it ever happens to anyone in the future.

Thank you all.

 

[MacGizmo]

So I just did a full clean install of this on my computer and the problem has been solved.

The first things I tell anyone who calls me (usually family) with issues with their Mac:
1. Log out and log back in.
2. Restart
3. Shut down and leave it off for a while
4. Log in as a different/new user
5. Re-install OS (which is not a full clean install, just an overwrite of existing files)
6. Full/clean re-install of OS

I don't recall ever getting past #4, save for a time or two of #5. Never had to do a full/clean install out of necessity since the Mac Store OS update days. Next time you have an issue like this, try just running the installer again right over top of the current install, not a clean install (where you erase the drive, install the whole OS and re-install apps).

 

[mcjiggerlog]

So it seems to be then a weird buggy result from upgrading from El Capitan to Sierra on my rMBP, so I'm going to try doing a full clean install from scratch. Meanwhile I found out that if I hold fn and then press delete twice, it (weirdly) does the job. Also moving the cursor while pressing fn to where I want to delete (not backspace) and then pressing delete works fine too.

Thank you all for your replies and validations, they were really helpful. I really appreciate it.

For anyone else who finds this thread - I had the same problem and it turned out it was caused by USB Overdrive. No reinstall required.

 

[MacGizmo]

For anyone else who finds this thread - I had the same problem and it turned out it was caused by USB Overdrive. No reinstall required.

And that's why #4 on my list above is so important. Logging in as a new user (or you could simply start up in safe mode) would tell you if it's a conflict or problem with software vs. if it's truly a problem with the system itself that requires a re-install.

 

[julianadenauer]

Thank you so much @mcjiggerlog for pointing this out! This bug made me crazy over the last days and I thought my keyboard was broken. But removing USB Overdrive solved it!

 

[Kisil]

FYI, I had this problem, but upgrading USB Overdrive to version 3.3 fixed it. Thanks to @mcjiggerlog for finding the problem!