How to Permanently Delete Files from an External Hard Drive on Mac | 4 Practical Methods

We all know that moving files to the Trash doesn't mean deleting them, as they still remain on the disk. Hence, moving files to the Trash isn't actually freeing up hard drive system storage in the true sense, as it just removes the pathway to these files and marks the space they occupy as invisible within the storage.

Many Mac users look for assistance on how to permanently delete files from an external hard drive.

If you find yourself in a similar situation, don't despair: this article describes four practical remedies.

Permanently delete files from an external hard drive using the Trash on a Mac

Emptying the Trash is the most common way to permanently delete files from an external hard drive, which involves two steps: moving the files from the external hard drive to the Trash and then emptying the Trash. Follow these steps:

Step 1. Connect the external hard drive to your Mac, then choose from three simple methods to move files from the external hard drive to the Trash on your Mac:

• Right-click on the item and select "Move to Trash" from the contextual menu.
• Drag the item to the Trash icon on your Mac's desktop.
• Press and hold the "Command + Delete" keys to send the selected item to the Trash.

Step 2. Open the Trash and click “Empty Trash” to permanently delete files from your Mac.

Step 3. Go to Finder > Preferences > Advanced, and choose “Remove items from the Trash after 30 days.”

Note: Step 3 helps you set up the Empty Trash feature, which permanently deletes files moved to the Trash. If you don't check the contents of the Trash before emptying it, you could lose data.

Emptying the Trash is a safe and effective way to permanently delete files, and they're very difficult to recover unless you use specialist external hard drive data recovery software like the Mac Data Recovery Wizard.

With data recovery software, you can restore data permanently deleted from your Mac external hard drive after emptying the Trash. It's also a user-friendly data recovery tool with an intuitive interface. You can recover your data with just a few clicks:

Step 1: Install tools Data Recovery Wizard for Mac, and then connect the external hard drive to your Mac.

Step 2: Click on “Scan” to display the deleted files from the external hard drive. After the scan is complete, all file types will be shown in the left panel. Select a file type to locate the recoverable files from the external hard drive.

Step 3. Select the files you want to recover and click “Restore” to get them back.

Please share this article on social media to help others learn how to permanently delete files from an external hard drive on Mac and how to recover them using professional data recovery software like Data Recovery Wizard for Mac.

Permanently delete files from an external hard drive using the keyboard shortcut (Mac)

Using keyboard shortcuts on a Mac can make your workflow faster and more efficient. Similarly, there's a shortcut to send files to the Trash: “Command + Delete.”

But, what is the Mac shortcut to delete files? If you want to permanently remove a file from an external hard drive so that no one can view it anymore, you should:

Step 1: Select the files on the external hard drive. Hit “Command + Delete” to send them to the Trash.

Step 2: Press “Shift+Command+Delete” to empty the Trash, or “Option+Shift+Command+Delete” to empty the Trash without displaying a confirmation dialog.

If you're getting an error that says you can't delete files from an external hard drive, don't worry. You can quickly fix this problem by reading the article below.

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2023 Guide: Fixing the Problem of Unable to Delete Files or Folders from External Hard Drive on Mac

This article discusses how to resolve errors when you can't delete files or folders from an external hard drive on your Mac. Read More >>

Permanently Delete Files from an External Hard Drive on a Mac Sometimes on a Mac, you may need to thoroughly remove files from an external hard drive to ensure they can't be recovered. Here's how to do it using Disk Utility: 1. **Connect the External Hard Drive**: Plug in your external hard drive to your Mac via USB, Thunderbolt, or another interface. 2. **Open Disk Utility**: Click on "Finder" in the Dock, then select "Applications" from the sidebar. Find and double-click the "Utilities" folder, and then launch "Disk Utility." 3. **Select the Drive**: In the left-hand panel of Disk Utility, locate and select the external hard drive you want to clean. 4. **Start Disk Utility Function**: Click on "Disk Utility" at the top menu bar, then choose "Erase." 5. **Format the Drive**: In the pop-up window, choose a file system format for the drive (e.g., "Mac OS Extended (Journaled)" or "ExFAT" if you need compatibility with Windows). Optionally, enter a new volume name, and confirm the description and format options. 6. **Warning Prompt**: A warning will appear, informing you that all data will be erased. Make sure you have backed up all important data, then click "Erase" to proceed. 7. **Wait for Completion**: Disk Utility will start formatting the hard drive, which might take some time depending on its size. Be patient until the process is finished. 8. **Reuse the Drive**: Once formatted, all data on the hard drive will be permanently deleted. Now you can use it as a new storage device or readd files. Please note that this process is irreversible, and once you erase the drive, all data will be lost. Therefore, back up any valuable data before proceeding with this operation.

Additionally, you can use the Disk Utility on your Mac to erase data from a Mac internal or external hard drive.

Warning: This will delete all data, not just individual files or folders from the external hard drive.

Step 1: Click on “Tools” and then “Disk Utility.” Select the partition of the external hard drive you want to permanently delete files from.

Click “Erase.” Enter the relevant information and choose a format, such as Mac OS Extended ( HFS+ ) or APFS.

Step 3: Click “Security options…” and move the slider to “High,” then click “OK” to begin erasing the external hard drive.

Normally, the "Erase" option means to completely wipe out all the data, which is irreversible. However, the "Erase" function on Mac Disk Utility is similar to "formatting", and as long as the deleted files are not overwritten by new data, Mac recovery tools support recovering data erased by Disk Utility.

Permanently Delete Files on macOS Using the Terminal

You can use a command in the Mac Terminal to permanently delete files from an external hard drive. Note that using a terminal command will securely wipe the entire disk; it won't just delete specific files from the external hard drive.

Follow these steps to securely erase free space on an external hard drive volume.

Step 1: Open “Applications” > “Utilities,” click on “Terminal,” and then type diskutil list.

Step 2: Type diskutil secureErase 2 disk#, replacing # with the name of your external drive.

Conclusions

You can empty the Trash on your Mac, use keyboard shortcuts, use Disk Utility, or use a Terminal command to permanently delete files from an external hard drive. However, note that Disk Utility and the Terminal command won't let you delete individual files from an external hard drive.

If you have accidentally deleted some important files, then do not worry; Mac data recovery tool can retrieve permanently deleted files from your external hard drive.

How to Permanently Delete Files from an External Hard Drive on Mac: FAQ

Below are some common questions from people searching how to permanently delete files from an external hard drive on a Mac:

**1. Why can't I delete files from an external hard drive on my Mac?** There could be several reasons for this issue: 1. **Permission Issues**: You might not have sufficient permissions to delete the files. Right-click the file, choose "Get Info," and check if you have the permission to delete it. If not, log in with an administrator account and try again. 2. **File in Use**: If the file is currently open or being used by an application, you won't be able to remove it. Close any related apps and retry. 3. **Disk Protection**: If your external hard drive has protection against accidental modification (like on a Time Machine backup disk), you'll need to disable that protection first to delete files. 4. **File System Incompatibility**: Ensure your external drive uses a file system compatible with Mac, such as FAT32, ExFAT, or APFS. If it's not, you might need to reformat the drive, but be aware that this will erase all data. 5. **Software Conflict**: Certain antivirus or backup software may block file deletion. Check and temporarily disable these programs. 6. **Hardware Issues**: The hard drive might have physical damage or a malfunction, preventing normal operation. Try connecting the drive to another Mac to see if you can delete the files. 7. **Using Terminal Commands**: If all else fails, you can attempt to delete the file using the `rm` command in the Mac's Terminal app. However, this requires technical knowledge, as incorrect usage can lead to data loss. If the problem persists, it might be advisable to seek professional help to check for more serious issues with the hard drive.

Here are some possible reasons why you might not be able to delete files from an external hard drive on your Mac:

• Permission issues on Mac.
• The external hard drive has an unsupported file system, such as NTFS.
• Connection problems with the external hard drive.
• Viruses and malware.

How do I permanently delete an external hard drive on a Mac?

You can erase an external hard drive on your Mac using Disk Utility. Follow these steps:

Step 1: Click on “Tools” and then “Disk Utility.” Select the external hard drive volume from which you want to permanently delete the files.

Step 2. Click “Erase.” Input the relevant information and select a “Format” such as Mac OS Extended (e.g., HFS+) or APFS.

Step 3: Click on “Security Options…” and move the slider to “Most Secure,” then click “OK” to begin erasing the external hard drive.

III. How to securely wipe my Mac before selling it?

Disk Utility can erase all the data from both your Mac's built-in drive and external drives. You can also use the `diskutil` command in Terminal to wipe a whole disk.

How do I permanently delete a folder from an external hard drive?

To completely delete a folder, right-click (or Control-click) it and choose Move to Trash, or drag the folder to the Trash on your Mac, then empty the Trash.