How to Delete Files and Folders on Mac

Hello!

Over time, your Mac can accumulate a large number of files and folders, and you may want to remove some of them to free up space on your hard drive. To help you with this digital spring cleaning, here are practical tips on how to delete files on Mac efficiently.

Ways to Delete Files on Mac

You can remove unneeded files and folders at any moment. If you are wondering how to tidy up your Mac and boost its performance, the following methods will help.

There are three main ways to delete files in macOS:

• Click a file and drag it straight into the Trash
• Right-click the selected file and choose Move to Bin
• Use keyboard shortcuts

Whichever method you prefer, remember that items moved to the Trash continue to occupy storage space until you empty the folder. You can clear it manually right away or let macOS remove the contents automatically after 30 days. To enable automatic deletion, open Finder, go to Finder > Preferences, click Advanced, and select the appropriate option.

Empty the Trash Manually

If you prefer not to wait, you can permanently delete files yourself.

Follow these steps to remove a file or folder permanently:

• Click the Trash icon on the Dock to open it.
• Control-click the item you want to delete and select Delete Immediately.
• Confirm your choice in the warning dialog by clicking Delete.
• To clear everything from the Trash, click the Empty button located in the upper-right corner of the Finder window.
• Confirm once more by selecting Empty Trash when prompted.

Delete Unnecessary Files with Mac Storage Manager

Another convenient option is the built-in Storage Manager. This tool helps you quickly identify large files, apps, documents, books, movies, backups, and other items that may be taking up valuable space.

You can view items organized by category and see exactly how much storage each group consumes before deciding what to remove.

To locate and delete files using Storage Manager:

• Click the Apple menu and choose About This Mac.
• Switch to the Storage tab and click the Manage button.
• Browse the categories in the sidebar, select any items you no longer need, and click Delete.

How to Delete Locked Files

If you see a “file is locked” message, you must unlock the file before deleting it.

Here is the quickest way to proceed: open Finder, locate the file, select it, and choose Get Info. Then simply deselect the Locked checkbox.

Note that you need administrator privileges to change this setting. If the checkbox appears grayed out, enter your admin username and password when prompted to gain permission to modify or delete the locked file.

We hope these straightforward tips will help you keep your Mac organized and running smoothly.

Thank you!
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