Help! I can't empty the Trash on my Mac, what should I do?

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Anything you delete on a Mac is first moved to the Trash, and isn't truly deleted until you empty it. In other words, the files in your Trash still live on your Mac and take up storage space. Also, the files in your Trash can be easily recovered by anyone with access to your Mac.

Emptying the Trash on your Mac is a good and necessary habit for both saving space and protecting your privacy. However, there may be times when you're unable to empty the Trash on your Mac due to system or hardware errors. What causes this issue, and how can you fix it? Read on to find out.

Did I do something wrong? Why can't I empty the Trash on my Mac?

In fact, the reason could be more complicated than that. Most of the time, you're not doing anything wrong. One possible reason is that there's a small glitch in your Mac that's preventing the Empty Trash feature from working. Fortunately, there are other ways to empty the trash. In the next section, we'll show you some alternative methods.

Recover Deleted Files after Emptying Trash on Mac

Are you looking for ways to free recover deleted files from Mac's Trash? Follow the 2 Mac Trash recovery methods in this guide to undo emptying Mac Trash to the maximum.

Fix is coming! Alternative ways to empty the Trash on Mac

This article will outline several methods, starting with the simplest and moving to more complex ones. Choose the method that best suits your comfort level with your Mac, and don't worry if the first one you try doesn't work – just move on to the next one.

Fix 1: Basic Attempt - Directly Remove the File from Mac When you encounter an undeletable file on your Mac, you can first try some basic troubleshooting steps to remove it. Here's how to directly delete a file from your Mac: 1. Open Finder. 2. Navigate to the folder containing the file you want to delete. 3. Select the file or folder you wish to remove. 4. Press `Command + Backspace` on your keyboard, or right-click the file and choose "Move to Trash." 5. Empty the Trash: Click on the Trash icon in the Dock, then select "Empty Trash." If these steps don't work, you might need to try more advanced solutions, such as restarting your computer, using Terminal commands, or employing a third-party cleaning tool.

It involves just two steps, and it usually works. Here's what to do.

Step 1: Open the Trash, then drag all the files to your Mac's desktop.

Step 2: Select all the files you want to delete, then press Command + Option + Delete to get rid of them.

This keyboard shortcut will immediately delete the selected file from your Mac without sending it to the Trash.

Solution 2: Restart your Mac

As mentioned, if something on your Mac isn't working as expected, certain actions might fail. Restarting your Mac can help quickly resolve the issue.

How to restart your Mac:
Click the Apple icon in the menu bar, then click “Restart.” Your Mac will begin restarting.

Try emptying the Trash again after you restart your Mac.

Solution 3: Force Empty Trash on Mac Using Terminal

Mac Terminal is a command-line system that allows you to quickly gain control and make changes to your operating system. If you're unable to empty the Trash the normal way, you can use the command line in Terminal to force-empty it.

Step 1: Use Spotlight to search for “Terminal,” or go to Utilities > Terminal and open it.

Step 2: Type sudo rm -R in the Terminal, followed by a space. Do not press Enter yet.

Step 3: Open the Trash, and then drag the file you want to delete into the Terminal window.

Step 4: Press the Enter key. You'll be prompted to enter your administrator password; do so, then press Enter again to see if the trash has been emptied.

Can't Empty the Recycle Bin? File in Use? Solve It Now!

When you try to empty the Trash, you might see a message telling you that the Trash can't be emptied because it contains items that are in use.

This is usually because the system or a particular program has the file you're trying to delete open in the background. Try closing all running programs and attempting to delete it again, or simply restart your Mac and try again.

Facts You Should Know About Mac Trash Bin

1. You can restore any files from the Trash before emptying it. Once you've emptied the Trash, you'll need to use a third-party Mac Data Recovery Software to Recover Deleted Files from Trash on Mac.

Note: You can create a backup of your Mac first by clicking "Disk Backup" on the left. The software will recover the deleted files from the backup image. This prevents further damage to the disk and data, making it safer and more reliable.

Step 1: Choose a location and scan it.

Run the Mac Data Recovery Wizard and select the disk where you lost your data. Then click “Search for Lost Files” to start scanning.

Step 2: Preview and select the lost files to recover

After the scan is complete, you can use the file type filters in the top-left or top-right corner to locate the deleted files you need.

Step 3: Recover Lost Data or Files

You can double-click a file to preview its content or select multiple files for recovery in one go. Click "Recover" to restore your lost data to your local or cloud drive.

2. Starting in 2020, "Trash" was renamed to "Bin." As such, in macOS Big Sur and Monterey, the Trash is referred to as Bin.

3. When deleting files, you can permanently remove them without sending them to the Trash using the keyboard shortcut: Command + Option + Delete.