Trash

Example: "When you want to delete a file on a Macintosh, drag it to the Trash."

The Trash is used by Macintosh computers to store deleted items. It serves as a safety net, which provides an extra step before items are permanently deleted from the computer. Items can be moved to the Trash by dragging them to the Trash icon in the Dock or by selecting them and pressing Command-Delete.

You can view the items in the Trash by clicking the Trash icon. If you wish to save any of the items, you can drag them out of the Trash folder. If you are sure you no longer need the items in the Trash, you can select "Empty Trash..." from the Finder menu. This will permanently delete all the items stored in the Trash and will free up the disk space the items had been using.

First Published: 2009
Last Updated: July 14, 2009