Ctrl + X Keyboard Shortcut Not Working on Windows 10/11 [Fixed]

Ctrl + X is a keyboard shortcut used to cut a selected item, like text, link, picture, and more. It allows users to paste it from one place to another without leaving the original copy. So, it can save more disk space than the Ctrl + C/V keyboard shortcut. However, lots of users are troubled by the Ctrl + X keyboard shortcut not working on Windows 10/11.

Here’s a topic from the superuser forum in which the Ctrl + X not working issue has been discussed heatedly.

The Ctrl + X keyboard shortcut not working on Windows 10. I have this strange issue of only the Ctrl+X shortcut for cut not working. I did my research and found nothing like this.  What could the problem be?  More importantly, what is the solution?https://superuser.com/questions/1219035/ctrlx-keyboard-shortcut-not-working-on-windows-10

Why Is Keyboard Shortcut Ctrl + X Not Working

According to user reports, the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + X not working can occur with any application, including Word, Excel, or File Explorer. The main reason is that something is conflicting with the keyboard shortcut. Besides, problematic keyboard drivers and improper settings are also responsible for the issue.

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How to Fix Ctrl + X Keyboard Shortcut Not Working on Windows 10/11

How to fix the Ctrl + X shortcut not working on Windows 10/11? Here we summarize 6 feasible ways to fix the problem after analyzing extensive user reports.

Fix 1. Use an Alternative to the Keyboard Shortcut Ctrl + X

The simplest and quickest solution to Ctrl + X not working in File Explorer is to use an alternative shortcut. If other keyboard shortcuts still work, you can right-click the mouse and select Cut from the context menu. Then paste it to another location. If you just want to delete the item, use the Shift + Delete keyboard shortcut.

Fix 2. Boot into Safe Mode

As discussed above, the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + X not working can be caused by software or hardware issues. Safe Mode is a special diagnostic mode in the Windows operating system. It can be used to troubleshoot software and hardware issues on Windows. Here you can boot Windows into Safe Mode and see if the shortcut works. If it is, the issue can be caused by conflicting software or hardware. Then move down to the following fixes.

Fix 3. Uninstall All Recently Installed Software

If the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + X is not working after installing some third-party software, you can uninstall it and see if it works. To do that, right-click the Windows logo, select Apps and Features, locate the conflicting software, and click Uninstall. Then confirm the uninstallation.

Fix 4. Reinstall the Keyboard Driver

An outdated or corrupt keyboard driver is also responsible for the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + X not working in File Explorer. You can follow the guide below to reinstall the driver.

Step 1. Press the Win + X keys to open the context menu and select Device Manager.

Step 2. Expand the Keyboards category, and then right-click the device driver and select Uninstall device > Uninstall.

Step 3. Once uninstalled, restart your PC and Windows will automatically install the default driver for the keyboard. If the Ctrl + X shortcut not working issue persists after that, select Update driver and follow the on-screen instructions to install the latest keyboard driver.

Fix 5. Run Hardware and Devices Troubleshooter

The keyboard shortcut Ctrl + X not working can be caused by hardware issues. The Hardware and Devices troubleshooter can help rule out some common hardware issues. You may have a try.

Step 1. Press the Win + R keys to open the Run dialog box, and then type the following command in it and press Enter.

msdt.exe -id DeviceDiagnostic

Step 2. Click Advanced, tick the checkbox next to Apply repairs automatically, and click on Next to start running the troubleshooter. Then the troubleshooter will start detecting problems with your hardware. Once detected, click on Apply this fix to execute the recommended solutions.

Fix 6. Perform a System Restore

In addition, you can try performing a system restore if your computer has system restore points. This can help undo all changes you recently made and revert your system to an earlier state in which the keyboard shortcut works fine.

How to Recover Deleted Data from Keyboard Shortcut Ctrl + X

Sometimes you may experience data loss after using the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + X unexpectedly. How to recover lost files from Ctrl + X? MiniTool Partition Wizard is a trustworthy data recovery tool that can recover data or partitions from formatted hard drives, SSDs, memory cards, TF cards, etc.  It can recover lost files by improper operations, system crashes, power outages, and more.

Besides, this powerful tool can recover more than 100 types of file formats, including photos, videos, audio, documents, archives, etc. It can also scan a specific location and help you restore data quickly. Let’s have a try.

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Bottom Line

Here comes the end of this post. It focuses on how to fix the Ctrl + X shortcut not working on Windows 10/11. You can try the 6 solutions in the post. Besides, if you suffer from data loss caused by Ctrl + X, recover deleted data using MiniTool Partition Wizard.