How to delete files on Mac
To delete files on Mac for good, moving them to the Trash isn’t enough: they wait there and can still be put back, and the space comes back only when the Trash is emptied. This guide covers every way to delete files, how to skip the Trash, what to do when a file won’t delete and which files are worth deleting to free up space.
- Open MacWashing and choose Storage in the sidebar.
- Open folders to see what takes the space: each file and folder shows its size.
- Select what you no longer need and click Remove; in the Trash, click Empty Trash.
Free trial · macOS 14 or later
How to delete files on Mac with Move to Trash
- In Finder, select the file or folder. To select several, hold Command and click each one.
- Press Command-Delete, or choose File › Move to Trash. You can also Control-click the item and choose Move to Trash, or drag it to the Trash in the Dock.
The item is not deleted yet: it waits in the Trash, and you can get it back. If you change your mind right away, press Command-Z. Later, open the Trash, select the item and choose File › Put Back.
More ways to pick many files at once are in how to select multiple files on Mac.
Empty the Trash to free the space
- Click the Trash in the Dock.
- Click Empty in the upper-right corner of the window, or choose Finder › Empty Trash (Shift-Command-Delete), and confirm.
Emptied items are deleted for good. More about the Trash, including emptying it automatically after 30 days, is in how to empty Trash on Mac.
Delete a file right away, without the Trash
- In Finder, select the item.
- Hold Option and open the File menu: Move to Trash turns into Delete Immediately. Choose it, or press Option-Command-Delete.
- Click Delete in the warning.
This can’t be undone, and the item can’t be put back. Only a backup, such as Time Machine, still has it.
To delete one item that is already in the Trash, open the Trash, Control-click the item and choose Delete Immediately.
What to do if a file won’t delete
- The file is in use. An app still has it open. Quit that app and try again. If you can’t tell which app it is, restart your Mac.
- The file is locked. Select it, choose File › Get Info (Command-I) and deselect Locked. Or click Continue when Finder asks whether to move the locked item to the Trash.
- You don’t have permission. Files of other users and of macOS itself ask for an administrator name and password. Don’t delete anything in
/Systemor the Library folders unless you know what it is.
Which files to delete to free up space
A few big files free more space than hundreds of small ones. Start with videos, disk images and archives you no longer need: how to find large files on Mac shows how to find them. The Downloads folder is the usual place where they pile up, see how to clean Downloads on Mac.
With MacWashing, it’s one click
Storage in MacWashing shows how much space every folder takes, so you see what is worth deleting. Select files and folders right there and remove them in one step.
Free trial · macOS 14 or later
Questions and answers
Will MacWashing delete anything on its own?
No. Storage only shows sizes; it removes what you select, after you confirm, and moves it to the Trash by default.
Can I delete something macOS needs?
No. macOS files, the standard folders (Library, Documents, Downloads and the like) and MacWashing itself can’t be removed there.
Is it free?
Yes. Storage doesn’t count toward the free trial’s limit, with no account or card needed.
How do I delete files on Mac permanently?
Move them to the Trash and empty it, or select them, hold Option and choose File › Delete Immediately. Either way they can be restored only from a backup.
Why didn’t free space grow after I deleted files?
They are still in the Trash. Empty it, and the space comes back. Files from an external drive go to that drive’s own Trash and are removed when you empty the Trash with the drive connected.
Can I get a file back after emptying the Trash?
Only from a backup. If you use Time Machine, open the folder the file was in and restore it from there.