Outlook 365 delete key on keyboard deletes message rather than text when using Preview Pane feature

Anonymous
2020-07-16T16:45:09+00:00

Recently, when I am drafting an email from the preview pane, if I hit the delete key on my keyboard as I am typing, it will delete the entire message rather than the text I wish to delete. If you hit delete multiple times (as you would if you need to delete a few words) before you realize it the first delete button press deletes your current draft email, puts you back in your inbox. Each subsequent delete key press deletes emails from your inbox before you realize what is going on.

Only mitigation is to pop out the draft email and the delete keyboard function works as designed.

Is there a setting that was added recently for the above use case? This is horrible and pretty much negates the purpose of using the preview pane in Outlook as it was designed.

Outlook | Windows | Classic Outlook for Windows | For home

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

0 comments No comments
Answer accepted by question author
Anonymous
2020-07-23T14:19:27+00:00

The Outlook Team had a bug with this issue previously.  It was fixed in version 16.0.13001.10000.  What version is your Outlook (File, Office Account, under About Outlook)?

If you have a version higher than above it should be fixed.  Its possible there is a new issue though if you are still seeing it.  In case you have the option to open a ticket click Help, Contact Support.  Not everyone has that but please check if you do.

Was this answer helpful?

9 people found this answer helpful.
0 comments No comments

62 additional answers

Sort by: Newest
  1. Anonymous
    2020-10-22T10:58:45+00:00

    A further update - for some unknown reason, it has now gone away again!!  Now I can use the delete key and it actually does delete the character, not the message.  I have gone back to the message that I was replying to this morning, thinking that it may have been a property of the message not my system, but when I start a reply to that message again and then delete some characters, it again is now working.  Can this 'cure' be something that I have done (I have no idea what) or is it something that YOU have done? Or is it simply magic!?

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments No comments
  2. Anonymous
    2020-10-22T10:28:46+00:00

    Hi - This bug has appeared today for the first time.  I am on Semi-Annual Enterprise Channel release, version 2002 Build 12527.21104.  I am typing a reply to an e-mail, at the end read through and see any mis-types, and as I press delete) not backspace, which does still work) to delete an incorrect character, the entire message disappears and can be discovered in the delete box!  Please explain how I can stop this occurring.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments No comments
  3. Anonymous
    2020-09-30T13:06:06+00:00

    We're having the same problem with the Semi-Annual Enterprise Channel release, version 2002 Build 12527.21104.  As far as I can tell, this is the latest version of the semi-annual enterprise release, so I can't upgrade to a newer version.

    The problem, as others have described, is that while typing an email message, hitting the delete key deletes the entire message, not the text at the cursor. 

    This is an absurd bug and is costing lots of lost time as you have to un-learn years of behavior with editing documents and emails.  Every time you try to delete a few characters, you have to go into the Deleted Items folder to find them all and drag them back to the inbox.  So frustrating!

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments No comments
  4. Anonymous
    2020-09-25T15:26:20+00:00

    I just noticed this today for the first time and it has bitten me about a dozen times. I swear that yesterday this problem wasn't there. Very annoying.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments No comments