Mac Treat #7: Empty Your Trash Super Fast!

ByMike Moffit

Emptying the trash in OS X can be a pain. It’s simply one of those easy-to-do-but-ever-so-arduous tasks that devour microseconds of life (actually, many computer-related tasks do that.)

Here are two ways to empty the trash moderately fast, and a third way to empty the trash in a flash.

Method one: make sure you are in the Finder. Then hold down Command-Shift-Delete (the Command key is the one with the Apple on it on Mac keyboards.) A warning will pop up before you can empty the Trash.

You can also click on the Trash icon in the Dock, hold down your mouse button down until a menu pops up with an “Empty Trash” message, and then choose “Empty Trash.” Your files will be deleted without a warning.

If you want to empty the Trash even faster, again without a warning, make sure you are in the Finder, then hold down Command-Option-Shift-Delete (the Command key is the one with the Apple on it on Mac keyboards.) Again, if you use this command, the Trash will empty immediately, with no warning. Even large files stored in the Trash will be deleted immediately.

To quickly move a file into the Trash, click on the file once to highlight it, and then hold down Command-delete. The file will immediately jump into the Trash.

I wish I could take out the trash at home this fast!

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