Document Editing Problems

How to Prevent Accidental Deletion of Entire Text Sections in Microsoft Sway

Camila Milosovich Oct 1, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user needs to know how to stop an entire text section from being deleted when they only select and attempt to delete a specific portion of text.

How to Prevent Accidental Deletion of Entire Text Sections in Microsoft Sway

Product: Microsoft Sway
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Editing text content and removing specific sentences or words within a Sway presentation card.
Observed behavior: Deleting the highlighted text unexpectedly removes the entire text section or card instead of just the selected words.

Before you start

Before troubleshooting, ensure your web browser is fully updated and create a duplicate of your Sway presentation to avoid losing original content during testing.

Solution 1Recommended

Isolate the Issue Using Browser and File Testing

Test across different browsers and presentations to determine if the deletion glitch is a systemic browser issue or isolated to a specific file.

Because Microsoft Sway is a web-based application, editing anomalies like accidental section deletions are often tied to browser caching issues, extensions, or file-specific corruption. Isolating the variable will help identify the root cause.

Duplicate the affected Sway

Navigate to your Microsoft Sway dashboard, click on the ellipsis (...) on your presentation thumbnail, and select 'Duplicate this Sway' to create a safe testing environment.

Test in an alternative browser

Open the duplicated Sway presentation in a completely different web browser (e.g., if you are using Microsoft Edge, try Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox) and attempt to delete the selected text again.

Create a new blank Sway

Start a new, blank Sway, add a standard text card, type some sample text, and try deleting a selection. If it works normally, the original Sway file might be corrupted.

Record and report the behavior

If the entire section continues to delete across multiple browsers and files, use a screen recording tool to capture the glitch and submit the evidence to Microsoft Support.

Isolate the Issue Using Browser and File Testing

Use Incognito Mode: Running the browser in Incognito or InPrivate mode during testing can quickly rule out interference from third-party browser extensions.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my entire text card delete when I hit backspace in Microsoft Sway?

This usually occurs due to a browser glitch where the focus shifts from the highlighted text to the entire text card container right before you press backspace. It can also be caused by conflicting browser extensions.

Can I recover a deleted text section in Microsoft Sway?

Yes, you can typically undo the accidental deletion immediately by pressing Ctrl+Z on Windows or Cmd+Z on a Mac. However, if you refresh or close the page, the recovery option may be lost.

Does clearing my browser cache fix editing errors in Sway?

Yes, clearing your browser's cache and cookies removes outdated or corrupted scripts that may be causing Sway to misinterpret your text selection and keyboard commands.

Document & File Issues