Where is the delete key on a Mac keyboard?

If you look at the keyboard on a MacBook or another Apple device, you might be stumped. The backspace key is up there in the top right corner, but there’s no delete key. Where is the delete key on a Mac?

The difference between delete and backspace

If you think this article is just being pedantic and that the backspace key is really the delete key, you’re wrong. Backspace does indeed delete the character before the cursor, but a delete key deletes the character in front of the cursor. Both can be very useful. Many of the external keyboards for Macs will have both backspace and delete keys (see our advice on buying Mac keyboards with a dedicated delete button below).

How to delete on a Mac

Luckily, there is a very simple way around this problem. To make the backspace key act like a delete key, you simply have to hold down the fn (function) key in the bottom-left corner of the keyboard at the same time. Sorted!

Can you buy Mac keyboards with a delete button?

Yes, you can. if you’re using an iMac or you’re happy to use an external keyboard with a MacBook or MacBook Pro, you will lots of keyboards that have a dedicated Delete button in addition to the backspace key.

My current favourite external keyboard for Mac is the Vissles V84 mechanical keyboard. It’s a compact wireless keyboard with a lovely typing action, and as you will see from the photos if you click the link above, it has a delete button in the top-right corner of the keyboard.

If you’d prefer a more well-known brand, the Logitech MX Mechanical or the Logitech MX Keys both have dedicated delete keys, too.

Other Mac keyboard shortcuts for deleting text

While we’re on the subject, here are a few more handy text deletion shortcuts you can use on a Mac:

• fn + delete: Deletes the character after the cursor (forward delete).
• option + delete: Deletes the word to the left of the cursor.
• command + delete: Deletes everything from the cursor position to the beginning of the line.
• command + backspace (in Finder): Sends selected files or folders to the Trash.

These are great for quickly tidying up text without needing to constantly reposition the cursor.

Why doesn’t Apple label it ‘Delete’ on MacBooks?

A little background: on older full-size Apple keyboards, the key in the top-right corner was indeed labelled Delete, and it worked like the backspace key. On MacBooks, Apple retained the same functionality but dropped the “Delete” label to avoid confusion with the separate forward delete key that appears on full-size keyboards.

The idea was to streamline the look and reduce clutter on compact laptop keyboards — but it’s one of those quirks that trips up new Mac users.

Can you remap the delete key on a Mac?

If you find yourself wishing for a dedicated delete key without using fn, you can remap keys on your Mac using third-party tools like:

• Karabiner-Elements: A powerful, free utility for remapping keys and customising your Mac’s keyboard behaviour.
• BetterTouchTool: Another versatile app that lets you remap keys, create shortcuts, and tweak trackpad and mouse settings.

With Karabiner-Elements, for example, you could turn an unused key (like Caps Lock) into a forward delete key if you want one-click access.

This article was updated on the 9th of May 2025 with more tips related to the delete key on Mac.