Command-delete shortcut is not working for me

How do you delete a file you have selected in a Finder window, without using the mouse?

delete doesn't do it.
When I looked it up, I was said that command-delete is supposed to do it, but it doesn't work for me.


It should work in Finder by default, but did you press the right delete key?

  • Delete (⌫) is the key that is called backspace on other platforms
  • Forward delete (⌦) is the key that is called delete on other platforms

I had the same problem. Later I discovered that it was my own mistake. But also a mistake from Apple. On the extended keyboard with numeric pad there is a button says DELETE. (It's not on the short wireless keyboard) This is NOT the delete button for the combination Cmd-Delete. You have to use the button with the backarrow! So Cmd-Backarrow.


  1. Look into "System Preferences → Keyboard keys" and make sure Command is enabled and mapped to the Cmd key. Check also custom shortcuts in the "Keyboard Shortcuts" panel.

    Keyboard preference panel of OS X

  2. Go to Finder, select a file, open the "File" menu and see what shortcut is associated to "Move to Trash".

    "File" menu of Finder


tl;dr: If ⌘-delete doesn't work, try ⌘-⌥-delete (command-option-delete) instead.

I had this problem on a new iMac with a standard Apple keyboard running the latest version of OS X (Mavericks 10.9.3 as of this writing). This was driving me crazy because I use ⌘-delete frequently, and I often switch between the iMac and my MacBook Air (running the same version of OS X) on which ⌘-delete works fine. I just discovered by chance and desperation that, for some reason, ⌘-⌥-delete (command-option-delete) does work. It's not as good as having the same keystrokes work on both machines, but at least now there's some keyboard shortcut I can use on the iMac.

UPDATE: For no apparent reason, ⌘-delete has started working.