How can I press "Insert" on a keyboard without that key?

I have this Dell Dual USB/PS2 Keyboard with built-in Touchpad Mouse P/N 0TH827, but it doesn't have an Insert key.

Is there another way to press the Insert key?

Daniel Gjika

Posted 2017-04-25T14:55:34.740

Reputation: 523

25@theonlygusti ... to toggle insertion mode? – Quentin – 2017-04-27T15:28:38.330

@Quentin when is that useful? – theonlygusti – 2017-04-27T16:26:24.733

2@theonlygusti In my particular case (development), to fill values into a pre-formatted code block. Situational, but not useless -- much like Backspace and Delete. – Quentin – 2017-04-27T16:28:46.190

@Quentin I don't get it. What environment requires you to do that? – theonlygusti – 2017-04-27T16:48:34.563

3@theonlygusti TotalCommander and Altap Salamander use insert key to select-deselect entries. Much more handy use of [Insert] key. And where original Ins toggle is usefull? When you have raw text to edit (source code); it is really easier to just overwrite the letters and delete the rest. For Average Joe the key is uselss, though. – Crowley – 2017-04-27T16:54:32.367

2@theonlygusti overwrite mode is commonly used to fill a text table in the old times. And it's also used for copy/paste (Ctrl+Insert, Shift+Insert). In Linux where there are 2 different clipboards then Ctrl+C and Ctrl+Insert will put text into those clipboards. In Windows the 2 shortcuts are the same – phuclv – 2017-04-27T17:01:08.080

get a real keyboard! :) – Jeff Olson – 2017-04-27T18:45:01.297

1@theonlygusti To create ascii arts, for example. – user23013 – 2017-04-28T08:34:38.220

@JeffOlson It is a real keyboard. Actually, the insert key is on it, visible in the picture here and even centered in the first picture on the linked site. It's not even in an unusual location. I guess the OP didn't see it. It's a strange question that basically boils down to "How do I use the keys on my keyboard?"...

– Jason C – 2017-04-30T13:10:37.987

@JasonC, it really isn't that strange. As a perfect example, my wife is a very intelligent woman and graduated from her university with highest honors. However, when I asked her this same question she readily admitted that she wasn't aware of the purpose of the Ins beneath the 0. Please remember that everyone has their strengths and weaknesses, which also applies computer-related expertise. – Run5k – 2017-05-05T18:11:01.607

1@Run5k I don't understand the story. If your wife wasn't aware of the purpose of the Ins then she didn't need to press the insert key, so it's moot. The OP knows what the insert key is, they specifically need to press it, and Ins is a very typical label for it. If you know insert exists and you understand it enough to know that you need to press it, you wouldn't not know the purpose of a key labelled Ins. Worst case you just didn't see it. Also below the 0 is very typical alternate placement for this key. Also I don't think anything is related to a specific type of intelligence here. – Jason C – 2017-05-05T18:12:36.267

@JasonC, it's relatively simple: my wife has occasionally utilized the Insert key, but didn't realize what the Ins means on the numpad. Based upon the community's reaction to this question, many other people share her perspective. In other words, yes, there are people who may need to utilize the insert function but they don't know the purpose of a key labelled 0 Ins. – Run5k – 2017-05-05T18:20:33.843

@Lưu Vĩnh Phúc: Please use the standard markdown for making an image link to itself. – Scott – 2017-05-18T20:35:37.950

@Run5k: Please use the standard markdown for making an image link to itself. (I would have expected you to know this by now.) – Scott – 2017-05-18T20:35:49.463

@Scott I always appreciate good feedback from the community, but please forgive me if I am being rather clueless. Where did I make this mistake? – Run5k – 2017-05-22T03:29:39.320

@Scott I really do appreciate the advice, but when the recipient is a bit confused it would be nice if you would respond to their request for clarification... especially the third or fourth time. (After 4½ years on Super User, I would have expected you to know this by now.) – Run5k – 2017-05-23T15:45:30.327

Answers

164

The 0 key at the bottom of the numpad on the upper-right of your keyboard will function as an Insert key when Num Lock is turned off. That is why it is labeled with both 0 and Ins on the key itself.

Note that the Shift key acts as a temporary toggle on the Num Lock state when you press one of the keypad keys (just like Shift acts as a toggle on Caps Lock for letters). Therefore, when Num Lock is on, pressing Shift+Numpad-0 will act as Insert.

Run5k

Posted 2017-04-25T14:55:34.740

Reputation: 13 092

2This is the more correct answer I suppose, and should be accepted, but I still like my answer below because I honestly think toggling the Num Lock key will cause havoc when you forget it's off, and also because once you've installed Autohotkey you'll be happy forever haha. All the same, this answer is correct, easier to implement (at first), and a great catch. – mayersdesign – 2017-04-25T18:01:27.580

5I once had a keyboard with broken arrow keys and it actually is possible to learn to switch num lock on and off... after a few weeks. – Goose – 2017-04-25T19:22:21.587

1the 0 key is on the bottom left of the numpad – phuclv – 2017-04-26T02:50:18.180

2@mayersdesign This depends very much on what you use your keyboard for. I do very little numerical work and, although I sit at a computer all day, I really couldn't tell you the last time I used the numeric keypad. – David Richerby – 2017-04-26T08:13:46.963

2Actually, almost all keyboards have functional directional keys, home key, pageup, pagedown, insert, delete and end keys, build into the numpad (when nunlock is off). – Ismael Miguel – 2017-04-26T12:54:22.420

1You can also use shift-0 to get insert with numlock on, but other modifiers cannot be used with it. – Random832 – 2017-04-26T18:05:59.057

@Ismael Miguel: That depends on how you look at it. To me, that rectangular set of keys on the right is the cursor keypad, which has the unfortunate quality of spitting out numbers if you accidentally happened to hit the NumLock key. I actually glued it in place on a few keyboards before discovering that X would let you disable it. – jamesqf – 2017-04-26T18:53:54.543

@IsmaelMiguel: There are lots of keyboards (including the one I'm typing on) which don't have a numeric keypad. (It does have Insert though!) – psmears – 2017-04-27T16:45:37.327

@psmears If it has numpad, it (most likely) has those keys available from there. The existence of a numpad is required. If you don't have a numpad, then you won't have the numeric keys, and their function associated can't exist. Unless you have a software keyboard opened that implements a numpad. – Ismael Miguel – 2017-04-27T18:40:37.417

@IsmaelMiguel: I promise you, my keyboard has no numpad :) It does, however, have a dedicated "Insert" key. – psmears – 2017-04-28T09:32:24.710

@psmears And the point is...? That you don't need a numeric pad, since you have those keys as a separated cluster (above the arrow keys or, in case of a laptop, on the left-side)? I don't get it... – Ismael Miguel – 2017-04-28T12:33:06.673

2I've been reading the text on the numberpad keys for years, finally know how they're supposed to work +1. It's interesting that some applications ignore the "suggested" shift+ buttons, a text editor uses them as labeled, but Chromium ignores or uses them to select text somehow - not the same as the regular home, end, PgUp, etc buttons – Xen2050 – 2017-04-29T01:47:30.717

@Xen2050 Interesting... Google Chrome (on Windows) works perfectly with the shift+<key> shortcut. – Ismael Miguel – 2017-04-30T15:32:56.397

Install AutoHotkey and, apart from all the other amazing uses for it, you can remap the insert key to any key or key-combination you like!

For example this:

^i::insert

... would remap it to Control + I.

Whenever remapping keys, be sure to consider what other programs might be affected by the remapping, and try to keep any custom remapping clear of them. For example, Control + Z would be a very bad idea :)

mayersdesign

Posted 2017-04-25T14:55:34.740

Reputation: 562

4If you're going to remap a key, remap Scroll Lock, which isn't ever used, or Pause|Break, since the only thing it's used for is Windows + Pause|Break, which opens the System Information window. Scroll Lock is already a toggling key, so it would remap really well, since Insert also toggles. – mbomb007 – 2017-04-25T19:38:43.547

8This solution would only work on Windows – Theraot – 2017-04-25T20:09:53.647

@mbomb00 - That's a really nice idea! It'll be my second map after remapping the stinking CAPS-LOCK key to minimise haha. Look at old clever clogs up there! 26, sorry...27 ups! :'( haha but I still bet the key wishes he accepted my answer when he's typing a phone number for the fiftieth time! ;) – mayersdesign – 2017-04-25T20:10:54.980

@Theraot yes it would. But hey, anyone else using a dodgy Dell keyboard on a two grand mac can try the other guys answer ;) – mayersdesign – 2017-04-25T20:11:56.230

5@mbomb007 – insert as toggling key instead of ScrollLock is tricky, because unlike NumLock, CapsLock or ScrollLock, it does not have hardware register for its state and applications handle toggling just by convention, each is handling it separately. (Can be easily tested.) Programmers and technical users will also oppose remapping Pause|Break, because it still works in console and Ctrl+Break is also often used. Windows+I (suggested by the answer) is also already used. Maybe Windows+Ctrl+I is still unused. – miroxlav – 2017-04-25T20:18:31.397

@miroxlav Possibly, but it's unlikely that someone will use all of those shortcuts AND want to remap an Insert key. – mbomb007 – 2017-04-25T20:19:42.013

1@mbomb007 – I just wanted to oppose potentially misleading information. – miroxlav – 2017-04-25T20:21:08.387

7Since this keyboard also lacks a Windows key, I am not sure the example chosen in this answer is appropriate... – TonioElGringo – 2017-04-26T07:57:38.697

1Ctrl+i is used to toggle italics in M$ Office and its derivatives. But in general, "find nonexistent combo and map Ins to it" is good answer. – Crowley – 2017-04-27T17:00:23.197

1Who is "clever clogs"? And whatever those answers are, they are not "above" when tab "oldest" is chosen (unless some answer or answers were deleted in the meantime). – Peter Mortensen – 2017-04-27T17:13:27.590

1@mbomb007 As someone mentioned Pause|Break is still used; I use it daily in Visual Studio to stop a build in progress (CTRL+Break). – Andy – 2017-04-27T17:28:10.330

@mbomb007 ScrollLock has a functionality in Microsoft Excel. – user23013 – 2017-04-28T08:40:21.613

@mbomb007: I'm guessing you're not a big spreadsheet user? Scroll Lock has a valid use there :) – psmears – 2017-04-28T09:36:17.407

It is a terrible idea to map it to <ctrl> + I, since that combination is used on (most) word processors and (some) email clients to make the text italic. But, the idea isn't bad. – Ismael Miguel – 2017-05-01T12:44:53.403

Just pointing out again that I paid no attention at all to what particular key should be mapped, it was merely an example that was supposed to indicate ANY combination could be mapped. Personally I recommend control + S (that's a joke) – mayersdesign – 2017-05-01T18:20:24.107

While it is fine to show it as an example, I have to stress that this site is used by non-tech-savvy persons. Those with similar problems may implement your solution and notice that it breaks everywhere. Just saying "This combination is just an example. It will break some functionalities on some programs (like MS Word, OO Write and others)." is just enough. Or something even shorter. – Ismael Miguel – 2017-05-04T12:58:18.670

1@Ismael Miguel Edited to include a warning :) – mayersdesign – 2017-05-04T13:20:55.390

You can use the On-Screen Keyboard program built into Windows to toggle the Insert key.

In Windows 10: Start > Settings > Ease of Access > Keyboard, then turn on On-Screen Keyboard.
In Windows 8.1: Hit the lower right corner, click Search, type On-Screen Keyboard, then click On-Screen Keyboard.
In Windows 7: Start > All Programs > Accessories > Ease of Access > On-Screen Keyboard

whatever

Posted 2017-04-25T14:55:34.740

Reputation: 201

6Can you explain how to use charmap to generate the insert key? – DavidPostill – 2017-04-26T15:40:15.843

how do you get that right block with all the control keys, this does not show for me – roberto tomás – 2019-08-10T12:05:14.957