If you have recently bought a Chromebook and surprising why its keyboard doesn’t have a “Delete” button, and you are missing that badly, here is a nice tip for you. Although the Chromebooks don’t have a dedicated Delete key, you can use a preset keys combination to function as the Delete button.
You can use the Alt + Backspace keys to work as Delete. This means that simply hold the ‘Alt’ key and press the Backspace button, it would function as the Delete key. What a relief! Moreover, hold the Control key along with these keys to delete words instead of individual letters. Hence, Ctrl + Alt + Backspace = Delete words.
Although, the users can remap keyboard buttons on Chromebooks by visiting the Settings > Device > Keyboard settings, but this works only for Search, Ctrl and Alt keys. For example, you can remap the ‘Search’ key on Chromebooks to the ‘Caps Lock’ key, which is also missing here.
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Having trouble deleting from a dropdown box
> b October 25, 2016 at 2:02 pm
> Now how do I use the Alt+Shift+Del to bring up the
> “clear browsing data”?
The shortcut in chrome has always been ctrl + shift + delete
On a chromebook, it’s simply ctrl + shift + backspace
> Bob September 6, 2014 at 12:51 pm
> Stupid stuff like the lack of a Delete and Caps Lock key is why
> chromebooks will never be mainstream and beat our Microsoft
The chromebook is DESIGNED to be an internet appliance. Read before you buy.
When one is using the internet primarily, the caps lock and delete keys aren’t really used anyway.
I’m a software developer and have no problem using the keyboard. The chromebook is a handy, lightweight, convenient platform!
> Scott January 5, 2015 at 11:14 am
> Alt-Backspace DELETES my email in Yahoo!
Yes, just like the delete key deletes email in Yahoo on any other computer.
My old HP Chromebook had my favorite keyboard of all time. I loved the feel and it had a Delete, Caps Lock, Pg Up and Pg Dn! I did a ton of word processing on it. Alas, it now has hardware problems. I also use a Macbook and it requires fn-delete as the actual delete key. If I bought a new Chromebook I would have to constantly remember to use Ctlr-backspace on Chromebook and fn-delete on the Macbook. Since the keys are in different locations on the keyboard this would be unworkable. Also I would have to memorize different key combinations for the Pg Up and Pg Dn. No new Chromebook for me!
Why have 2 shift keys that are each so wide? They could be split in to 2 additional keys. Same with other keys – like a 90mm wide space key!
how to delete gallery pictures on craig notebook???
What the hell was google thinking?
This (along with a lack of a caps lock) is the dumbest
omission imaginable. Instead of being clever with their
keyboard layout, why not just go with the keyboard the whole damn
world is familiar with? Jesus!
I tried it when going through emails. It does not delete.
Why can’t I delete multiple files at a time? There is no way I’m clicking on the file, then clicking delete, then clicking, yes please delete. WTH? This would take forever, let alone 90 percent of the time when I try to find a file I just copied or saved, I can’t find it, so have to do it again and put a name on it that I can search for it, so I have multiple of the same damn thing, or that you move a file, but it just copies to another place, doesn’t actually move it anywhere. UGH! Windows, you can open files and work with them in a place that lets you actually do something with them, and you can click a box at the top that says “select all” and delete them all at once, then only have to empty the trash, this Toshiba Chromebook 2 is the worst!
Perfect! Thank you Arpit.
I am glad to see that I am NOT the only one who has buyer’s remorse on my chromebook purchase because of google’s big brother Orwellian determination of what I really do or do not need. The store clerk warned me of the high dissatisfaction and return rate> Now I find this help forum run by “google friends”? who tell me to just “get over” the things Google has decided I don’t need. Little things like no delete key, no cap lock, no end or home button and way bigger things like lack of ease in adding things like printers and useful apps, and no app helpers allowed for private browsing. I have long hated Google for it’s helpful tracking of my every move in order to target me with adds. But it should have been no surprise that they would make decisions that were good for me like the elimination of even little expected things like standard key board buttons.
Doesn’t work for me
Ok, and the right click access sucks too. Too cheap to install a proper touchpad? Christ, you buy them by the thousands. What’s the extra cost? 2 cents per unit?
How bout’ adhering to decades of keyboard layout? If it ain’t broke (and it isn’t)………
I can’t copy and paste with the touchpad on my acer 15″, whats the deal with that, no problem with standard wireless logitech keyboard
I have a huge keyboard and they don’t have space for delete key, everybody needs to delete lots of stuff,dum,dum,dum
use CTRL + SHIFT + BACKSPACE
Now how do I use the Alt+Shift+Del to bring up the “clear browsing data”?
I’m not an expert on Chromebooks, but my book has room for a DEL key and a CAP key. I have a Toshiba Chromebook 2 and the left ctrl key and the left alt key is large. The right keys are small. About half the size of the left keys. Why not make the keys on the left the same as the keys on the right and introduce DEL and CAP keys on the left? Seems like Google designed the keyboard layout with that in mind for the future.
These current shortcuts is whack! I am liking the Chromebook though.
Problem: you want to use DEL-key to erase, let’s say a certain address on the browser’s address bar, but you can’t. Or a suggested log-in name, or e-mail, if the thing learned that this name may be used in logins, but you can’t. No ALT+backspace will do that. So buying one of these things may not be the stupidest thing I’ve done but it gives me the head ache.
I can’t delete a table I put into Docs. I can delete the content with the ALT+backspace but not the table. How do you delete that?
This is upsetting … NO delete, No Capslocks !!!
Is there ANY chromebook having delete button?
There are so many Chromebook manufacturers and this is very disappointing that all of them are following the same design and keyboard layout. No innovation at all. Windows wins here.
I am forced to use an external bluetooth keyboard and mouse pair, but that’s not perfect solution.
https://support.google.com/chromebook/answer/183101?source=genius-rts
I figured out a better way, and that is to highlight (or select) what I want deleted, and click on backspace.
the backspace key is a delete key w t f guys lol…
Maybe I haven’t been paying enough attention, but this is the first sign of sheer stupidity I’ve seen from Google. I was going to spend half my time writing on my Chromebook. Granted, it’s a mediocre word processor, but I was going to use it on the road for its light weight and long battery life. The inefficiency of fumbling for two keys is unacceptable in the back-and-forth typing-deleting-typing of the creative process.
I have never seen such a bunch of cry babies like on this page just because you have to press an additional button.
Alt-Backspace DELETES my email in Yahoo! This sucks. There are a lot of stupid keys along the top row that don’t need to be there, but a Delete key should have been included!
It is great with surfing and worry free on viruses but my docs are on MS word and still not compatible with their Docs software. Biggest down side is printing… Man it is quite technical just to register the printer unlike with windows that printers are plug and play or simply install the cd. Chromebook isn’t user friendly yet. Yes it will be in the near future, but right now, I have to live with it for a year.
Thanks for the tip about the delete button. I just got my Chromebook a week and and I’m loving it!!
This is THE reason for me not to buy a chromebook. I can’t tell my wife to use alt-backspace…..
Recently got a Chromebook and disappointed to know this. No DELETE key … seriously????
Then, I tried to use my USB keyboard and mouse pair with my Chromebook but it failed to worked with them.
Well, had to buy Microsoft’s wireless keyboard and mouse and pair and luckily it is working fine. All this for a f**king delete key, Google!!
This is very bad news to not have a delete key because our work desktop is set up to require this key to re-enter the desk top. Why wouldn’t chromebook have a delete key????????? This is crazy.
Thanks for the tip! I missed this key as I was using my new Chromebook this morning. It’s a solution as good as a dedicated key. Thanks for sharing your knowledge. Happy here and I love the Chromebook.
I don’t understand why they they need to waste space on the keyboard for an on-off button instead of using that key for delete.
how do you clear browsing data on chromebooks then? On Windows Chrome, the command is control (CTRL) + ALT + DELETE keys.
Stupid stuff like the lack of a Delete and Caps Lock key is why chromebooks will never be mainstream and beat our Microsoft
Thanks! I often use the delete key and was most annoyed at not finding it on the Chromebook. However, since I’m also running Ubuntu on it and thinking of using it mostly as an ereader, I might not need it. I really need to explore more on just how to use this thing.
what the **** …. this is a huge drawback of chromebooks. why Google why.
yes get mad at google becuase they make us press two keys insted of one. how could they do that to us.. the inhumanity of them.
Thanks for the tip!! Now I can delete stuff easily.
Really? No del key? No caps lock? Who do you think you are Microsoft doing stupid things like that…
for CAPS LOCK key on Chromebook: press ALT and Search button together. FYI, Search button is just above the left Shift key.