iCreate - UK (2019-08)

Theremaybetimeswhenspecificfiles
cannot be removed from trash because
they are being used by another process
or app. It can be difficult to know what
is causing the issue, but there is a
quick way to override this and empty
the trash anyway. It’s a good idea to
move the files to a separate folder and
then see if your Mac can cope without
them before deleting them permanently.

1

Restart your Mac

It may be that simply restarting your Mac

will untether the files from whatever app or

process was using them. When it restarts,

check if the trash empties.

2

Move to a folder

Before deleting any files that may be

important, create a new folder on your

desktop, drag the files there and restart your

Mac. If all seems fine, drag them back to trash.

4

Type in command

3

OpenTerminal Type incommand

Nowtype: rm-rf~/.Trash/*andhitthe

Enterkey.Youwillseenodiscernible changein

Terminalbutyouwillnowhaveanemptytrash

can as thesystem will have clearedit.

OpenTerminal

Go toApplications>Utilitiesandopen

theTerminalapporpressCmd+spacebarand

type‘Terminal’into Spotlight to find and launch

theappquickly.

Why

can’t I

empty my

Mac’s trash?

Steve Conway