#Mac force empty trash terminal how to
#Mac force empty trash terminal mac os
#Mac force empty trash terminal password

I’d empty as many of the files as you can using the above method before attempting this trick to save time. This deletes each file in the Trash folder so, if you’ve got a lot of files in there, then it might take a long time. Hit Enter/Return again and then type Y for Yes when prompted. Also, there’s a single space after the command sudo, rm and -ri.Īfter typing the proper command hit the Enter/Return key and type your Admin account password. You might just want to copy and paste them from your brewer into Terminal. Keep in mind that you must use the above commands exactly as typed. For example my account uses the name Kevin so I would type: Substitute the user name in the above line. To work on an account other than your Admin account, like a family member or co-worker’s account, type the following: Type the following, if you’re working on your Admin account: Type Terminal and select the app from the menu that drops down from the upper right corner of the screen. Once you log into the Admin account open Terminal via your Applications folder under Utilities or by using the COMMAND+SHIFT key combo to open Spotlight. However, if you follow the steps exactly, then you can do this.įirst, log into an Admin account to make this work. Get someone who likes mucking around in the OS X Terminal app to help you.

Since it requires typing commands in Terminal, be careful. It involves deleting the folder and recreating it. I found another trick that involves a little more advanced work in OS X Terminal, but might come in handy if your Trash folder gets really messed up. It forces OS X to get rid of pesky files even if they’re locked or corrupted. This will remove all the files in the Trash no matter what. Now hold down the OPTION key and slide the mouse pointer up to the Empty Trash item in the menu without releasing the mouse button. Optionally you can use use the CONTROL+CLICK if you don’t have a right mouse button.Ī context menu appears.

Start by pressing and holding the right mouse button on your trash icon on the dock or in finder. This hint involves a simple keyboard shortcut that you use as you empty the Trash.

#Mac force empty trash terminal how to

I previously showed you how to empty your trash in OS X even if some of the files or folders are locked, but that trick couldn’t remove some troublesome files.

#Mac force empty trash terminal mac os

In this way you can force empty trash on Mac with ease.Emptying the trash in OS X is easy, but if stubborn files refuse to delete with the rest of the trash a keyboard shortcut can force empty trash in Mac OS X. Repeat the process by adding space after R. Try it and let us know whether it worked for you or not, if the process is not executed like it is supposed to be, you might have forgotten to add space after R. The process might take a little bit more time if there are large files in Trash. Thus, you can force empty into the trash bin.

#Mac force empty trash terminal password

Note: when you will enter the password into Terminal, you will not see the password being typed. To execute the command, enter your admin password. Select all the files present in the Trash bin folder.ĭrag and drop the files into Terminal Window. Now Control-click on Trash icon to launch it. Type Terminal to launch Terminal on your Mac.Įnter the below-mentioned command on Terminal without pressing Enter afterward Sudo rm -R While typing the command, make sure there should be space after R to make the command work. On your desktop, look for a magnifying glass at the top right-hand side corner to bring up Spotlight. How to Force Empty Trash Bin on a Mac Using Terminal? # If none of the above methods works, we can always use Terminal to force the trash to empty on Mac. You can hold down the Option key while you try emptying Trash. Go to Trash and select the item that you want to delete by Control-click and select Delete. If you are using a higher version such as El Capitan or Sierra, follow through: Keyboard Shortcuts: #īefore using the terminal, you can use force empty Mac Trash bin with shortcuts. Note: For older versions, you can force the items in the trash bin to delete permanently by using sudo Ek-rf ~/.Trash/*. You can force empty trash on Mac for good with the help of Terminal.