How to Permanently Delete Trash from Mac?

As a Mac user, you probably know that the Trash on your computer works similarly to the Recycle Bin on a Windows PC. When you delete a file or folder, it goes straight to the Trash, where it remains until you decide to empty it. However, emptying the trash on your Mac isn’t always enough to get rid of all the files you don’t want anymore. What if you want to permanently delete trash from your Mac without any chance of recovery? In this blog post, we’ll cover the steps you need to take to ensure that your trash is deleted permanently, as well as some extra tips to keep your Mac running smoothly and securely.

Does Emptying Trash Permanently Delete?

No, emptying the Trash does not permanently delete files. When you empty the Trash, the files are removed from the Trash folder, but they are still present on your Mac’s hard drive. To permanently delete files, you need to use a third-party tool like Secure Eraser to overwrite the files with zeros. This makes them impossible to recover.

Why Permanently Deleted Files can Be Recovered?

When you delete a file, the operating system removes the reference to that file from the file system, but the actual data of the file remains on the storage device until it is overwritten by new data.

As new data is written to the storage device, the space that was occupied by the deleted file may be overwritten, and the data of the deleted file will gradually become more and more difficult to recover. Eventually, if enough time passes and the space is repeatedly overwritten, the data of the deleted file will be completely overwritten and lost forever.

As a result, it is often possible to recover deleted files using specialized data recovery software. The software can scan the storage device and attempt to locate the remnants of the deleted file, and then piece together the data to recover the file.

It’s important to note that the longer you wait before attempting to recover a deleted file, the more likely it is that the file will be overwritten and become unrecoverable. So, if you need to recover a deleted file, it’s best to do it as soon as possible.

How to Permanently Delete Files on Mac so They cannot be Recovered?

Method 1. Using Secure Empty Trash.

To permanently delete files on a Mac so that they cannot be recovered, you can use a secure deletion method such as "Secure Empty Trash". This feature is built into the Mac operating system and allows you to securely delete the contents of the trash by overwriting the data multiple times to prevent recovery.

Here’s how to use Secure Empty Trash:

1. Open the Finder and select the file or files you want to delete.
2. Right-click on the selected files and choose "Move to Trash" or simply drag the files to the Trash.
3. Control-click (or right-click) on the Trash icon in the Dock and select "Secure Empty Trash".
4. A confirmation dialog will appear, asking if you’re sure you want to securely empty the trash. Click "Empty Trash".

Once you have securely emptied the trash, the data of the deleted files will be overwritten multiple times, making it extremely difficult to recover the files using data recovery software.

It’s important to note that this method of secure deletion is not foolproof and there is still a small chance that the data could be recovered by a highly skilled individual using specialized data recovery equipment. However, for most purposes, securely emptying the trash on a Mac will provide an acceptable level of security for permanently deleting files.

• Pros: Easy to use, built into the operating system, and provides an acceptable level of security for most purposes.
• Cons: Not foolproof and there is still a small chance that the data could be recovered by a highly skilled individual using specialized data recovery equipment.
• When to use: For general purposes, such as securely deleting personal or sensitive files.

Method 2. Using Terminal

The Terminal is a command-line interface for Mac that provides a powerful way to securely delete files. To use the Terminal to securely delete a file, you can use the srm command.

Here’s how to use the Terminal to securely delete a file:

1. Open the Terminal application. You can find it in the Utilities folder within the Applications folder.
2. Navigate to the directory containing the file you want to delete. You can use the cd command to change directories. For example, cd ~/Documents will change the current directory to the Documents folder in your home directory.
3. Use the srm command to securely delete the file. The syntax for the srm command is as follows: srm [options] file.... For example, to securely delete a file called "important.txt", you would run the following command: srm important.txt.
4. The srm command will securely delete the file by overwriting the data multiple times to prevent recovery. The exact number of times the data is overwritten depends on the options you specify, but by default, srm will overwrite the data 7 times.

It’s important to note that the srm command is a secure deletion tool and should be used with caution. Once a file has been securely deleted using the srm command, it cannot be recovered. Additionally, you should make sure to backup important data before securely deleting it to avoid accidental loss.

• Pros: Provides a high level of security, as the data is overwritten multiple times to prevent recovery.
• Cons: Not user-friendly and requires some knowledge of the command line to use effectively.
• When to use: For users who require a high level of security and are comfortable with the command line.

Method 3. Use a third-party file shredding tool

Using a third-party file shredding tool is another method for securely deleting files on a Mac so that they cannot be recovered. There are many third-party file shredding tools available for Mac, including both free and paid options.

Here’s how to use a third-party file shredding tool:

1. Download and install a file shredding tool. Some popular options include CleanMyMac X, CCleaner, and Disk Drill.
2. Launch the file shredding tool and select the file or files you want to delete.
3. Choose the secure deletion method. Many file shredding tools offer multiple methods for securely deleting files, including overwriting the data multiple times, wiping the data with random data, or using government-approved data destruction methods.
4. Confirm the deletion. The file shredding tool will then securely delete the selected files, making it extremely difficult to recover the data using data recovery software.

It’s important to note that not all file shredding tools are created equal, and it’s important to choose a reputable tool with a proven track record for securely deleting data. Additionally, you should make sure to backup important data before securely deleting it to avoid accidental loss.

Method 4. Overwrite the free space on the hard drive

Overwriting the free space on your hard drive is another method for securely deleting files on a Mac so that they cannot be recovered. This method involves overwriting any remnants of previously deleted files, making it much more difficult to recover the data using data recovery software.

Here’s how to overwrite the free space on your hard drive:

1. Download and install a disk utility tool, such as Disk Utility or CCleaner.
2. Launch the disk utility tool and select the option to erase free space.
3. Choose the secure deletion method. Many disk utility tools offer multiple methods for securely erasing free space, including overwriting the data multiple times with random data, wiping the data with a specific pattern, or using government-approved data destruction methods.
4. Confirm the deletion. The disk utility tool will then securely erase the free space on your hard drive, making it much more difficult to recover any remnants of previously deleted files using data recovery software.

It’s important to note that overwriting the free space on your hard drive can take a long time, especially on large hard drives

The Importance of Securely Deleting Files on a Mac

Securely deleting files on a Mac is an important task that should not be overlooked. When you delete a file using the standard file deletion method in the Mac operating system, the data of the file remains on the storage device and can potentially be recovered by someone with the right tools and knowledge. This can pose a serious risk to your personal or sensitive information.

Using traditional file deletion methods can also leave behind metadata that can be used to identify the type of file and when it was created or modified. This metadata can be used by cybercriminals to gain unauthorized access to your personal or sensitive information, or it can be used by investigators to build a profile of your activities.

Here are 5 FAQs about securely deleting files on a Mac: