Delete On Mac Air



Nov 16, 2020 • Filed to: Solve Mac Problems • Proven solutions

First, locate any files or folders that you want to delete. You just click to highlight file and drag it into the handy trash can at the dock at the bottom of the screen. If you change your mind or make a mistake, you can type Command + Z at the same time to undo the last action. Dec 03, 2020 Turn on your Mac, then immediately press and hold these two keys until you see an Apple logo or other image: Command (⌘) and R. You may then be asked to select a user you know the password for. Select the user, then click Next and enter their administrator password. Use Disk Utility to erase your disk.

'Agh! Why I can't delete a file?' is a common frustration with most Mac users. Usually, you find yourself having no clue on what to do next. Well, this article will guide you to your next and final step.

There are various reasons to delete a file. However, whatever reason you might have, your Mac might not agree with you.

Since the creation of on-screen technologies, terms such as 'delete', 'erase', and 'format' has been the go-to options in situations where somebody wanted to get rid of a file or application. Also, to safeguard a system in terms of freeing up space or easy removal of malware, the delete key has been beneficial.

However, in recent versions of operating systems, we have been unable in some cases to delete files from our computers. You have probably faced warnings such as 'folder in use, cannot delete.'

So, how to delete files that won't delete in Mac?

Well, we shall explain why you can't delete a file and also the solutions in the sections below:

Part 1. Why I Can't Delete File on Mac?

You have often wondered why you can't delete an app on Mac. The presence of a Trash bin on Mac has always made it easy to sort out what you don't need. However, this is not true.

There are underlying obstacles that can hinder you from clearing your system of specific files. At times these hindrances save us from deleting sensitive data, probably those required by the system to run.

However, the obstacles can, at times, go overboard. It is when you are unable to get rid of the average local files that you know are not useful to you and the system.

So why would the system or anything else keep you from doing so?

Well, some of the reasons include:

Delete An App On Mac Air

  • Your Mac system locks the file: Mac locks sensitive system files that are a must for its operations. When deleted, their absence can cause your Mac OS to 'break.' It might not even be able to boot up.
  • The file or folder is in use and can't be deleted: Mostly happens when a file, e.g., a word document is opened and is in use. It prevents the disruption of your ongoing work. You might have wanted to delete the data accidentally.
  • An app has locked the file: When an application is developed such that its files cannot be tampered with, e.g., to prevent them from being edited or copied, they might be locked. It is thus a security measure for the program with regards to copyright restrictions.
  • The file is not available: Sometimes files are visible but cannot be accessed for one reason or the other. These could be music, documents, or a folder. Usually, they are 'ghost files.' You can't delete such files because they are not there in the first place. It could be a thumbnail left behind.
  • Presence of a Finder bug: A bug, in this case, is a glitch of some sort that prevents the system or an app from carrying out its normal operations.

Part 2. Can't Delete Files? Go to the Finder

Usually, the most natural solution to cannot delete files is by dragging them to the Trash. In case you'd want the data back, command + Z would automatically undo your action. To empty Trash, you can access Finder by either double-clicking the Trash icon on your dock or go to the top left section on your Mac and select 'Finder.'

From the Finder menu, you can click on Empty Trash. Also, from the Trash icon at your dock, you can right-click and select Empty Trash.

But that doesn't always work. An error 'file can't be deleted' may pop-up to alert you of this. In such a scenario, you can do the following:

Solution 1. Relaunch Finder

  1. Simultaneously press Command + Shift + Escape.
  2. On the menu that pops up select Relaunch

Make sure that the Finder loading is complete before you can start deleting.

Solution 2. Force quit Finder

There are several ways to force quit Finder. From the Apple logo at the top right.

  1. Click the Apple logo.
  2. From the menu, click on 'Force Quit Finder'.

It is the general way of doing it.

Solution 3. Secure Empty Trash

If you are familiar with the Terminal, you can use the 'killall' command to force quit Finder. After the successful deletion of a file, you may not be able to empty Trash as the file can't be deleted from the Trash.

  1. Go to Finder on the top left.
  2. If Empty Trash didn't work for you, select secure Empty Trash under it.

You can also press command and right-click the Trash icon to secure empty Trash.

Part 3. Cannot Delete Files? Fixes Without Finder

Where the Finder method of deleting apps has not worked out for you, try the following:

Where the item is a folder, delete each file manually to isolate the single erroneous file. If all files get deleted such that the folder is empty, try Trashing it.

Change permissions to empty the Trash. This method makes use of the Terminal using the command 'chflags'.

  1. Go to Finder on the top left.
  2. If Empty Trash didn't work for you, select secure Empty Trash under it.
  3. Change the folder to that of the Trash. Type 'cd ~/.Trash' without the quotes.
  4. Change permissions by using 'chflags -R nouchg ' without the quotes.

The command line can also be used to forcibly empty the Trash using the command 'sudo rm -rf'. Beware, this command erases everything in the Trash without warning.

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  1. Open the Terminal as described above. Also, you can use the spotlight to search for Terminal
  2. In the Terminal, change to the Trash folder as described above.
  3. Type 'ls 'to get a list of files in the Trash.
  4. Remove the specific stubborn file by typing 'rm file.png,' where the data is the item of your choice.

Using the sudo command erases everything in the Trash. Thus, you should only use it if you know what you are doing. You can also do a workaround.

  1. Create a file or folder with the same name as the file that can't be deleted but in a separate location.
  2. Move this newly created file to the same location as the stubborn one and allow it to replace.
  3. The previous one automatically disappears. Now you can quickly delete the new one.
  4. Create a folder into which you then move the items you want to delete. The newly created folder will hopefully have permissions different from the previous one.
  5. Lastly, try to log in using an admin account. It will give you more power over your content.

If you accidentally deleted important files, just jump to Part 5 for the solutions or directly download Recoverit Data Recovery. It will help you recover all deleted files.

Part 4. Can't Delete File Because File Is in Use on Mac

When MacOS thinks the file you are trying to delete is in use by another process, emptying the Trash will not work. Glyphs 2 4 2 mods. Therefore, the first thing to do is to quit all other programs to ensure no other application could use any of the files on your Mac.

To force quit apps on the dock:

  1. While pressing option on your keyboard, right-click on the app.
  2. On the menu that appears, click on force quit.

With this method, you'll have to quit all apps one by one.

Using the Apple menu:

  1. Click on the logo on the top left.
  2. On the drop-down menu, select Force Quit.
  3. On the next menu of available apps, select the app, you would want to quit and click on the Force Quit button.

After force quitting all apps, now try deleting the file or folder.

If force quitting all programs doesn't work for you, you can try restarting your Mac or even shutting it down then power it on.

Part 5. How to Retrieve Deleted Files on Mac

In the process of trying to delete one file, you can end up deleting several of them, and in extreme cases, you might get frustrated and accidentally format your drive.

However, that is not the end of the road. Wondershare offers you Recoverit Data Recovery Mac version 8.0. Recoverit data recovery software is a suitable comprehensive way to cater for recovery options irrespective of how data was lost.

The software has access to various storage devices including a corrupted Mac Hard drive, USB drive, iPod, SD card, etc. featuring compatibility with FAT 16/32, NTFS, and HFS+ file systems.

  • A more organized main menu page: The main menu now displays drives that are both internal and external, including lost partitions.
  • Enhanced precision: You can now choose the specific location on which to run a scan.
  • Enhanced retrieval of files: Recoverit can now retrieve raw files from internal drives and other external devices that even the computer cannot recognize.
  • Better preview of images: When scanning for images, recoverit data recovery software offers a sneak preview of images, videos, and documents in a larger window to enhance the experience.
  • Allows for recovery of data from Drone camera and GoPro
  • It's able to recover files from more than ten drives.

So, how do you use Recoverit to recover lost files?

Step 1. Select a location where files are deleted

Launch the software and select the drive from where the data files are lost. If you don't know which drive to search, tap on the 'I can't find my partition' option and hit the Start button.

Step 2. Scan the selected location

Typically, the software will run an all-around scan and search for the lost and deleted files on the entire drive.

Step 3. Preview and recover deleted Mac files

When the scan completes, the files will be listed on the screen. The software will sort out the files according to format to make the search easier. You can select multiple files at a time and have a preview at them.

You also have the option of doing a deep scan of the files at the bottom.

Part 6. Tips Against 'Can't Delete Files on Mac'

Some of the issues that you face with deleting files on your Mac and end up believing that they can't be deleted is false. 'Why so?' You ask.

  • 1. Settle your mind

First things, first, you needed to relax. Frustrations often lead to irrational behavior. When you feel like it's becoming impossible and you have done everything don't start throwing tantrums. Realize that some files can't be deleted for a reason or you probably are yet to find out.

  • 2. Research online on various methods

To find out what kind of files you should or shouldn't get rid of, check on sites and articles such as this one. You can look at various methods of troubleshooting for an easy time.

  • 3. Use past experiences

As a Mac user, you must have heard of similar cases from friends. Ask yourself what they did differently and try to follow their footsteps.

  • 4. Seek assistance

When memory fails you, and you can't remember what to do, call the right people. Reach out to online experts who can assist.

  • 5. Be cautious

Finally, with all that you do, be cautious. While struggling to delete a file, you can quickly end up getting rid of something as important as a system file. Double-check on stubborn files when clearing your Hard drive.

Conclusion

Clearing your system is as vital as deleting files and emptying the Trash on your Mac since, with everyday use, your device accumulates unnecessary files. So, when a file error such as 'file in use, cannot be deleted' pops up, be careful. Usa best casinos. Also, you should double-check the kind of files you install, especially third-party apps.

However, when you or anybody else is stuck on how to delete files that won't be deleted, direct them to check out this article. I am sure you have significantly benefited from it so, help others too.

Deleting photos from Mac is easy, but there are some confusions. For example, does deleting photos in Photos or iPhoto removes the photos from hard drive space on Mac? Is there a convenient way to delete photos to release disk space on Mac?

This post will explain everything you want to know about deleting photos on Mac and introduce a convenient way to clean up Mac hard drive to release sapce - FonePaw MacMaster, which can delete photos cache, duplicate photos, photos or videos of large size and more to free up Mac space.

How to Delete Photos from Photos/iPhoto on Mac

Apple discontinued iPhoto for Mac OS X since 2014. Most users have migrated from iPhoto to Photos app. After importing your photos into the Photos app, don't forget to delete the old iPhoto library to regain your storage space.

Deleting photos from Photos on Mac is similar to deleting them from iPhoto. Since there are more users using Photos app on macOS, here is how to delete photos from Photos on Mac.

Delete photo(s) on Mac

Step 1 Open Photos.

Step 2 Select the photo(s) you want to delete. To delete multiple photos, press Shift and select the photos.

Step 3 To delete the selected pictures/videos, press the Delete button on the keyboard or right click Select XX Photos.

Step 4 Click Delete to confirm the deletion.

Note: Select photos and press Command + Delete. This will enable macOS to directly delete the photos without asking for your confirmation.

Another point to note is that deleting photos or videos from Albums doesn't necessarily mean that the photos are deleted from Photos library or the Mac hard drive. When you select a image in a album and press Delete button, the photo is merely removed from the album but still remain in the Photos library. To delete a photo from both the album and the Photos library, use Command + Delete or the Delete option in the right-click menu.

Permanently delete photos on Mac

Photos for macOS has Recently Deleted library to save the deleted photos for 30 days before the photos are permanently deleted. This is thoughtful and allows you to undelete the deleted photos if you are regret. But if you need to regain the free disk space from the deleted photos right away, you don't want to wait 30 days. Here is how to permanently delete photos on Photos from Mac.

Step 1 On Photos, go to Recently Deleted.

Step 2 Tick the photos you want to delete for good.

Step 3 Click Delete XX Items.

Delete Photos library on Mac

When MacBook Air/Pro is having low disk space, some users choose to delete the Photos library to reclaim disk space. If the photos are important to you, make sure you have uploaded the photos to iCloud Photos Library or saved them in a external hard drive before cleaning up the entire library. To delete Photos library on Mac:

Step 1 Go to Finder.

Step 2 Open your system disk > Users > Pictures.

Step 3 Drag the Photos Library you want to delete to the Trash.

Step 4 Empty the Trash.

Some users reported after deleting the Photos library, there is no significant change in the storage when checking About this Mac. If this happen to you, too, don't worry. It takes time for the macOS to delete the entire Photos library. Give it some time and check the storage later. You'll see the free space is regained.


How to Delete Photos from Mac Hard Drive

Deleting pictures from Photos only remove the pictures in the Masters folder of Photos Library. There are more pictures in the disk drive that are not imported into Photos. To delete photos from Mac, you can go through all the folders that have images and videos and delete those that you don't need. Or you can use FonePaw MacMaster, which can detect duplicate images and large photos/videos on Mac to free up your disk space. If you need more free space, MacMaster can also clean system junks such as cache, logs, mail attchments, app data, etc. to give you more free space.

Remove duplicate photos on Mac

Step 1 Run MacMaster.

Step 2 Select Similar Image Finder.

Step 3 Select a location to search for duplicate photos. To delete duplicate photos in the whole hard drive, select your system drive.

Step 4 Click Scan. After scanning, select all the duplicated photos you want to delete and click Clean.

Step 5 The photos will be deleted from the disk.

Delete photos/videos of large size

One of the most effective way to free up space on Mac is to delete photos or videos that are large in size. MacMaster can help you with that.

Step 1 Click Large & Old Files.

Step 2 Click Scan.

Step 3 All the large files on your Mac, including photos and videos will be found.

Step 4 Select those you don't need and click Clean to remove them.

Clean photo cache of Photos/iPhoto Library

Photos or iPhoto library create caches over time. You can delete the photo cache with MacMaster.

Step 1 Open MacMaster.

Step 2 Click Photo Cache > Scan.

Step 3 Select all items and click Clean.

That's how to delete photos on Mac. If you have any question, let us know in the comments.

Here’s a quick guide on how to clean junk files on Mac. We’ll go over types of junk you might have on your Mac and why it’s there, as well as ways of getting it removed. Why would you want it removed (apart from the desire to keep your Mac clean)? Because junk not only takes up space, it slows your Mac down, and it’s usually the reason behind system glitches and errors. In other words, getting rid of it is all around a great idea.

This guide will help you to clean all the extra junk on your Mac’s operating system and breathe new life into your Mac.

What are user cache files and how to remove them?

The user cache files are usually app files that are stored on your Mac. These are various temporary files that are meant to speed the performance of the Apple software. Caching data is essential for Macs that use wired internet connection. But, by caching for a long time, your Mac accumulates lots of files, which can affect its performance. So, it’s better to clean your Mac of them and help it run faster.

Delete

Here’s how to clean junk files on Mac and remove user cache:

  1. Open Finder.
  2. Press Command+Shift+G.
  3. Enter the following command into the field and select Go: ~/Library/Caches.
  4. In the window that appears, you will see all your cache files.
  5. Press Command+A to select all files and delete them. Press Command and click on the folders you want to delete if you don’t want to remove all files at once.
  6. In the pop-up that appears, you’ll need to enter your user name and password.

If you still see folders in Caches, maybe you have some windows open. In other cases, there will be no cache files left.

What are system log files and how to remove them?

Every Mac has system log files stored deep inside its memory. Mac saves and stores system log files mainly for developers to diagnose errors and problems with macOS and system applications when they occur. These logs are plain text files, so they usually don’t take up a lot of storage. But, when you’re running out of free space, deleting even such small files may help you declutter your Mac.

It’s important to note, though, that cleaning system log files manually, you may accidentally delete some essential data. So, make sure to back up your data to avoid heartache when you delete something important. Using safe cleaning tools notarized by Apple, like CleanMyMac X, can help you prevent the risks of removing valuable data.

So, to clean system junk on your Mac, do the following:

  1. Open Finder.
  2. From the Go menu, select Go to folder.
  3. Enter the /var/log in the field and select Go.
  4. You will see all the system log files. Select the files you want to remove and drag them to the Bin.

You can also find system log files in /Library/Logs. This folder contains system application logs that aren’t essential to store.
If you go to /Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports, you will find system reports. Safely delete the files to keep your Mac clean and free of clutter.

How to remove user log files?

When your app crashes, you usually are asked to submit a bug report. The system gathers your user logs and includes them in a report. The user log files don’t contain information on user activity as it may seem. They only deal with app-level functionality.

If your Mac is old, you probably have a lot of user logs. So, it’s time to clean your machine of them.

Follow the instructions to delete user log files on your Mac:

  1. Open Finder.
  2. Press Command+Shift+G.
  3. Enter the following command in the field and press Go:
    ~/Library/Logs.
  4. You will see all the system log files. You can manually move the files from folders to Bin.

If you want to declutter your Mac fully, select all user log files and delete them.

How to delete language files?

Thanks to localization and language files, you can set your apps to the language you prefer. But once you determined the language of the app, you may delete other language files. These files are usually stored inside application packages, so many users don’t even have the faintest idea they exist on their Macs.

If you wonder how to delete junk files on Mac, you may start by removing the language files:

  1. Open Finder and go to the Applications folder.
  2. Right-click any application icon and select Show Package Contents.
  3. Find the Resources folder and open it.
  4. All subfolders ending with “lproj” are language files. Each folder contains localization information on a particular language. For example, the folder named en.lproj comprises English language files.
  5. Select the language folders and move them to Bin.

Don’t forget to empty the Bin, when you’re done removing junk files from your Mac.

How to remove Xcode junk?

Shortcut For Delete On Mac

If you use Xcode, tons of your disk space gets hogged with old cache and junk that Xcode consumes. You might not even notice it until it impacts your Mac’s performance. In case you would like to go over all the libraries to remove Xcode junk manually, here’s a list of paths you need:

~/Library/Developer/Xcode/DerivedData
~/Library/Developer/Xcode/Archives
~/Library/Developer/Xcode/iOS DeviceSupport
~/Library/Developer/CoreSimulator
~/Library/Caches/com.apple.dt.Xcode
~/Library/Application Support/MobileSync/Backup

Important notice: we do not assume responsibility for the possible damage or loss of data that might occur when you manually clean Xcode libraries. Thus, venture this path on your own risk. Or use CleanMyMac X, because it knows exactly how to clean Xcode cache, traces, and leftovers and does it neatly, leaving all the important files intact.

How to remove junk files on your Mac with CleanMyMac X?

We already mentioned CleanMyMac X as a universal cleaning solution for your Mac. So how to clean system junk on your Mac with CleanMyMac X's System Junk module?

  1. Download CleanMyMac X for free here.
  2. Launch it and select System Junk from the list of features on the left.
  3. Click Scan.
  4. After the scan is done, click Review Details.
  5. Check the boxes opposite to User Cache Files, System Cache Files, Language Files, and other items you want to delete.
  6. Hit Clean.

Now your Mac is as good as new! CleanMyMac X deletes junk files, including user cache, system logs, downloads, and even Xcode junk files all at once to speed up your Mac and free it from clutter.

Although each system file or user log doesn’t seem to take much of your Mac’s storage, together, they can make it difficult for your Mac to perform well. That’s why it’s better to scan your machine for junk files and get rid of them once in a while.

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