How to Fix Trash Won’t Empty on Mac

What Causes This?

Trash may not empty on a Mac when one or more files are still in use by an app or background process. It can also happen because of locked files, permission problems, damaged Trash data, or external drive items that macOS cannot remove normally. In some cases, low disk space or Finder glitches prevent the Trash from clearing completely.

Common Symptoms

• You see a message saying the item is in use and cannot be deleted
• Trash looks full even after you click Empty Trash
• Certain files keep coming back or refuse to disappear
• Finder freezes or hangs while trying to empty Trash
• You get permission or error code messages during deletion

How to Fix It Manually

1. Close apps that may be using the files

   • Save your work and close open apps.
   • If a file in Trash came from Photos, Preview, Word, or another app, make sure that app is fully closed.
   • To force-close stuck apps, press Option + Command + Esc, select the app, then click Force Quit.

2. Try emptying Trash again

   • Click the Trash icon in the Dock.
   • In Finder, click Finder > Empty Trash.
   • If it still fails, hold Option and click Finder > Empty Trash again. This can force macOS to skip some warnings.

3. Restart your Mac

   • Click Apple menu > Restart.
   • After restarting, do not reopen all your apps right away.
   • Try emptying Trash before launching anything else. This helps if a background process was locking the files.

4. Remove locked status from files in Trash

   • Open Trash from the Dock.
   • Right-click the file that will not delete and choose Get Info.
   • If Locked is checked, uncheck it.
   • Repeat for any other stubborn files, then try Empty Trash again.

5. Delete the files from Terminal

   • Open Applications > Utilities > Terminal.
   • Type:

     sudo rm -rf ~/.Trash/*

   • Press Return, enter your Mac password, and press Return again.
   • Be careful: this permanently deletes the contents of your Trash.
   • If the problem is on an external drive, the Trash may be stored on that drive instead of your main Trash folder.

6. Check the disk with Disk Utility

   • Open Applications > Utilities > Disk Utility.
   • Select your Mac’s startup disk in the sidebar.
   • Click First Aid, then Run.
   • If the issue involves an external drive, run First Aid on that drive too.
   • When it finishes, try emptying Trash again.

7. Boot into Safe Mode if Trash still won’t empty

   • Shut down your Mac.
   • Start in Safe Mode:
     • On Apple silicon Macs: press and hold the power button, choose your startup disk, hold Shift, then click Continue in Safe Mode.
     • On Intel Macs: turn it on and immediately hold Shift until you see the login screen.
   • Log in, empty Trash, then restart normally.

Fix It Automatically with Kudu

If Trash will not empty because of leftover junk files, broken temp data, or storage clutter, Kudu can help clean up the files macOS leaves behind and free disk space fast. It gives you an easier way to remove unnecessary data without digging through folders or Terminal commands yourself.

Download Kudu Free →