Fix ‘Can’t Empty Trash Item in Use’ Error Quickly

It’s really annoying when your Mac keeps saying ‘Can’t Empty Trash Item in Use’. This stops you from removing files you don’t need anymore. The cause is often adware such as Mycouponsmart, MyMacUpdater, and MyMacUpToDate that won’t go away. You might have tried to fix it by using ‘Delete Immediately’ or pressing option, command, and delete all at once, but sometimes these steps don’t work.

Fixing this issue fast is key to make your Mac work better and get rid of bad software. We’re going to show you how to take care of it. You can try restarting in Safe Mode or holding down the Option key to empty the Trash forcefully. This can make your Mac clean and run smoothly. Let’s go through these steps to fix your Mac without any hassle.

Why Can’t You Empty the Trash on Your Mac?

Having trouble with Mac Trash can be annoying. Yet, knowing why can help fix it. One main reason is that files you’re trying to delete are still in use. They might be open in an app or a background process, blocking their removal.

Another issue is invisible Trash bins created by apps. Over time, these can fill up and take up space. It’s easy to miss, but it really impacts your Mac’s performance. Also, if your macOS is old, you might face Trash errors because it’s not up to date.

Sometimes, apps leave files behind even after you try to delete them. These leftovers include preference files or application support files. They can stop you from emptying the Trash even if the app is gone. Cleaning these out can solve the problem.

Apple gives advice on how to fix the error saying an item is in use. Using Terminal’s lsof command is one way to find and deal with these files. There’s also a “Delete Immediately” option in macOS El Capitan for tough files.

Getting to know these problems and how to tackle them will make your Mac run better. With the right steps, you can get rid of Mac Trash issues for good.

Restart Your Mac to Fix the Issue

Restarting your Mac can solve the problem of a full Trash bin that won’t empty. It ends all running applications and processes. This gives your system a fresh start.

Steps to Restart Your Mac

Follow these easy steps to restart your Mac:

1. Click on the Apple menu located in the top-left corner of your screen.
2. Select ‘Restart’ from the dropdown menu.
3. Confirm your choice if prompted, and allow your Mac to shut down and reboot.

This process can help fix the ‘Can’t Empty Trash Item in Use’ error. Restarting might be the answer you need.

Benefits of Restarting

Restarting your Mac offers many benefits. Here are a few key ones:

• Free Up Memory: It can clear memory used by unseen apps and processes.
• Close Unused Applications: Restarting helps shut down all apps, especially those running in the background unnoticed.
• Reset System State: It resets your Mac’s system, fixing performance and functionality issues.
• Improve Mac Performance: Overall, your Mac will work better and faster after a restart.

Making restarts part of your routine keeps your system efficient and reliable. It’s a simple yet effective way to boost performance.

How to Use Safe Mode to Empty Trash

Having trouble emptying your Trash on a Mac? Safe Mode might help. It starts your Mac with only the necessary parts. This mode stops software and services that aren’t needed. It’s perfect for solving Trash problems.

Booting in Safe Mode

To start Safe Mode on a Mac, follow these steps:

• Intel-based Macs: Restart your Mac and immediately press the Shift key. Keep it down until the login window shows up. This begins the Safe Boot process.
• Apple silicon Macs: Turn your Mac off, then press and hold the power button. Wait for the startup options to show. Choose your startup disk, press the Shift key, and select “Continue in Safe Mode.”

Steps to Empty Trash in Safe Mode

After entering Safe Mode on your Mac, here’s how to empty the Trash:

1. Login to your Mac if it asks.
2. Find the Trash icon in your Dock.
3. Right-click the Trash and choose “Empty Trash.”
4. When asked, confirm to delete the items forever.

Safe Mode helps by stopping other apps and processes. This makes getting rid of stubborn Trash easier.

Using the Option Key to Force Empty Trash

Having trouble emptying your trash on a Mac? The Option key can help immensely. It allows you to force empty the Trash. This is great for dealing with locked or stubborn files that won’t delete normally.

Steps to Use the Option Key

Just follow these easy steps to use the Option key:

1. Locate the Trash icon in your Dock.
2. Press and hold the Option key on your keyboard.
3. While holding the Option key, click on the Empty Trash option from the Finder menu or right-click the Trash icon and select Empty Trash.
4. Confirm your action if prompted by the system.
5. Release the Option key once the trash starts to empty.

This trick helps you quickly delete files by bypassing locks. If you can’t remove files the normal way, using the Option key can keep your Mac clean and fast.

Repair Disk Permissions with CleanMyMac X

Running into constant permission error messages when trying to clear your Mac’s Trash is annoying. CleanMyMac X provides a solution for these problems with its disk permission repairs feature. It’s a detailed Mac maintenance tool.

Using CleanMyMac X

CleanMyMac X is a strong tool with many features to improve your Mac’s operation. If your Trash won’t empty because of permission issues, this tool can help. Its Repair Disk Permissions feature fixes file permissions, allowing you to remove stubborn files easily.

Follow this guide to fix disk permissions with CleanMyMac X:

1. Download and install CleanMyMac X from the official website or use Setapp for a 7-day trial.
2. Open CleanMyMac X and go to the Maintenance tab.
3. Pick Repair Disk Permissions from the tasks list.
4. Hit Run. CleanMyMac X will then find and correct any permission issues on your Mac.

MacBook Pro (Early 2015) users running OS X Yosemite 10.10.5 will find CleanMyMac X especially useful. It’s perfect for those with a 3.1 GHz Intel Core i7 and 16GB RAM. This tool doesn’t just fix permission issues; it also frees up RAM, removes cache files, and boosts overall system performance.

Using the Repair Disk Permissions tool is smart if you’ve recently deleted numerous files. For example, after removing about 900,000 files in three weeks, some may remain in the Trash because of permission errors. CleanMyMac X solves these problems, keeping your Mac clean.

CleanMyMac X does more than fix disk issues; it cleans every trash folder on your Mac, including those in Mail and Photos. This ensures no leftover files clog your system. It’s an all-in-one tool for fixing permission problems and optimizing your Mac’s performance.

Removing Items in Use from Trash

It can be really annoying to see the error message, “The operation can’t be completed because the item is in use”, when trying to empty Trash on macOS. This usually happens because some apps or processes are using those files. You can try two methods to fix this: checking for files in use and using Terminal commands on your Mac.

Checking Files in Use

To fix issues with Trash, first figure out which files are being used. Close all applications and try to empty the Trash again. If you still have trouble, do the following:

• Use Activity Monitor to see any background apps or services and stop them if needed.
• Restarting your Mac might also help fix the problem with files.

This method makes it easier to find and deal with those files, quickly fixing Trash issues.

Using the Terminal

If closing apps doesn’t help, Terminal commands offer another way to handle the issue. Terminal lets you get to the core of your system’s functions. Here’s what to do:

1. Find the Terminal app in Applications > Utilities.
2. Enter lsof, add a space, drag the file from Trash to Terminal, and hit Enter.
3. This shows which processes are using the file. You can then close those apps or processes.
4. Once you’ve done that, try emptying the Trash again.

Using Terminal commands, you can tackle Trash troubles effectively, leading to a neater, more organized Mac.

Unlock Files in Trash for Deception

If you’re having trouble clearing your Trash folder, unlocking the files might help. This is an important step for effectively managing and deleting unwanted files.

Unlocking Files

To unlock files in the Trash on a Mac, here’s what to do. Select the file in the Trash first. Then, right-click and choose ‘Get Info’. In the window that opens, find the ‘Locked’ checkbox and uncheck it. This action should make it possible to delete the file using the standard Empty Trash option.

Delete Immediately Option

To delete files right away on a Mac, try the ‘Delete Immediately’ option. Control-click the file and pick ‘Delete Immediately’ from the menu that appears. This method is great for removing stubborn files that don’t go away with the usual Empty Trash method.

These steps help you delete files right away and free up disk space on your Mac. By unlocking files or using the ‘Delete Immediately’ option, you can boost your Mac’s performance. It also helps keep your space tidy.

Conclusion

Solving the “Can’t Empty Trash Item in Use” error on your Mac requires understanding a few troubleshooting tips. We’ve looked at restarting your Mac, using Safe Mode, utilizing the Option key method, and using CleanMyMac X to fix disk permissions. These strategies help fix Trash errors, keeping your Mac working well.

If your Trash is blocked by files from a Time Capsile, erasing and resetting it might help. We’ve also covered checking for files in use with Terminal and turning off login items, which takes around 2 minutes. Tools like Intego Washing Machine can also help in these situations.

The key point is that many methods exist to fix Trash problems on your Mac. By using the steps we’ve detailed, you can keep your Mac running smoothly. This guide aims to give you useful solutions to ensure your Mac stays in excellent condition.