I attempted to delete a bunch of old backup files from Time Machine by dropping them into the Trash. It mostly worked, but now I have 10 folders in my Trash that refuse to be deleted. What do I do?

There are a few ways to remove stubborn files that refuse to be thrown away. These Trash items may be sticking around for a few different reasons, but usually it’s because they are locked due to being in use, or due to permissions.

The simplest way to empty your Trash is by holding down the Option key when you choose Finder > Empty Trash. This will force any locked items to be deleted. But be careful—using this method, the Empty Trash confirmation dialog will not be displayed. If that doesn’t work, try Finder > Secure Empty Trash. This method of taking out the garbage will make the trashed items completely unrecoverable, but can also sometimes help with stubborn files that refuse to take a hike.

If you’ve still got stubborn files hanging around, you can fire up Terminal. Type in the following command and hit the Enter key:

sudo rm -rf ~/.Trash

You will be prompted for your administrator password, and then items in your Trash will be forcibly removed. This method should be used only as a last resort if your files cannot be emptied by any of the other methods.

After typing the command and your admin password, press Enter to remove those pesky files.

GOT A TECH QUESTION OR A HELPFUL TIP TO SHARE?

Email ask@maclife.com or write to Mac|Life, 
4000 Shoreline Ct, Suite 400, South San Francisco, CA 94080