How to Delete and Manage Documents on Mac

Sue Wayne

Dec 16, 2024 • Filed to: Solve Mac Problems • Proven solutions

Apple was the first one to introduce the concept of the Trash folder on their Mac computers. Instead of deleting files immediately, the user would put them in the Trash folder, where the deleted files would sit until the user either restore them to its original location or remove them completely by emptying the Trash. Sometimes, it can be difficult to remove a document from your computer. Deleting a Word document is no different from deleting other kinds of documents or files, but if you're having trouble, the methods below should do the trick.

Part 1. Tips Before Deleting Documents on Mac

It is significant for your computer to have some free space to avoid slow performance that might affect your work. After operating a system for a while, it gets filled with loads of files whether you use them or not. You might realize that all those files together have formed a mess, which makes searching crucial documents or deleting them extremely difficult. Here are some tips you can follow before deleting documents on your Mac.

1. A Document is Being used by another App

If you're receiving a 'File in use' message whenever you delete or drag a file to the Trash, that means an app is currently using the file. Make sure to close all documents and apps before deleting them.

2. View all Files on Mac

Sometimes you want to delete certain temporary files to free up some space in your computer, but Apple keeps those files hidden away from the grasps of the finder application. The files that are hidden by default are typically preceded by a full stop, for example, .htaccess file, .bash_profile, and .svn directory. Folders like /usr and /bin are also hidden. An easy way to find files by pressing "CMD + SHIFT + ." simultaneously.

3. How to delete the files immediately?

When you delete documents on the Mac, a Finder warning pop up appears to confirm the deletion. Follow the steps below to disable the confirmation pop-up.

• Open Finder Window.
• Click on Preferences.
• Click on Advanced.
• Uncheck the Show warning before emptying the Trash option.

Part 2. How to Delete Documents on Mac?:

If you have many documents and folders on your Mac, you should clean up your system every once in a while. It is will help you stay organized and make it easier to retrieve specific items. There are several ways to delete documents on Mac, here we will discuss some of them:

1. How to Find Documents on Mac?

Before deleting your documents, it is important to know the source location of those files. Mac's Finder app is used to locate the files stored in the system. Here are the steps to find documents on Mac:

• From the Finder menu, click on File.
• Click on New Finder Window or press Command+N.
• Type the file name in the Search Bar of the window.

• The file will be displayed.

2. Move to Trash Can:

The most basic method to delete data is selecting the files and moving them to the Trash folder. Here are the steps:

• Open the folder containing the files.
• Select all the files that you wish to erase.

• Drag the files into the Trash Can.

3. Delete Files on Mac with a Keyboard Shortcut:

You can easily delete your files permanently by pressing few keys on your keyboard. Here is the method to permanently remove the files from the computer without sending them to the trash can.

• Select all the files that you wish to erase.
• Press Shift+Command+Delete on your keyboard.

• A Pop-up will appear.
• Click on Delete.

This will delete your files permanently from your Mac.

4. Delete Files on Mac by using the Menu Option:

You can instantly delete a file is by following another method, that is using the menu bar to delete the files. Here are the steps to delete files on Mac using this method:

• Select the file that you want to erase.
• Click on File from the menu bar at the top of the screen.
• Hold the Option key from the keyboard.

• Click on Delete Immediately from the drop-down menu.
• A pop-up will appear, Click on Delete to finish the process.

5. Delete using Terminal:

The terminal is the default gateway to the command line on a Mac. It is just like the Command Prompt feature works for MS Windows. If you're struggling to delete the files with the conventional method, then you can force-delete it by using Terminal commands. When you force-delete something, it gets permanently deleted as soon as you hit the 'Return' key. You can find Terminal in the Applications>Utilities folder.

• After opening the Terminal window, enter the command: " rm –"
• Do not press the Enter key.
• Drag the file you want to delete into the Terminal Window, it will automatically add the path and filename to the command.

• If you want to delete the entire folder then, use the command "rm –rf".
• Add the path to the folder by following the method mentioned above.

Part 3. How to Manage Documents on Mac?

Managing documents on Mac is reasonably simple but time-consuming. If you know certain tricks and shortcuts to manage your files, then that can help you in finding all of your files much more quickly. Here are some tips for managing your documents on Mac:

1. Know your Shortcuts:

Shortcuts make your search faster at locating certain documents. You can use the following keyboard shortcuts to open folders in Finder window:

• Command-Shift-C -- top-level Computer folder.
• Command-Shift-D -- Desktop folder.
• Command-Shift-F -- All My Files folder.
• Command-Shift-G -- Go to Folder window.
• Command-Shift-H -- Home folder for your account.
• Command-Shift-I -- iCloud Drive folder.
• Command-Shift-O -- Documents folder.
• Command-Shift-R -- AirDrop folder.
• Command-Shift-U -- Utilities folder.
• Command-Option-L -- Downloads folder.

2. Set files into groups:

It is recommended you arrange your files into certain groups. Here are the steps:

• Click on View.
• Click on Use Groups.
• You can click on Sort By and arrange your documents.

3. Set default views for a folder:

It is recommended that you set your folder preference. If you want to set a preference, follow the below-mentioned steps:

• click on Command+J.
• Check the Always Open option.

4. Add Folders to the Toolbar:

If there is a certain folder that you frequently use, then you can add the folder to the Finder toolbar to gain instant access to that folder. Here are the steps to add folders to the Finder toolbar:

• Hold the Command key from the keyboard.
• Click and Drag the folder to the toolbar.

5. Create a Smart Folder:

Smart folders are search results that are constantly updated. Here are the steps to create a smart folder:

• Click on File from the Finder menu.
• Click on New smart folder.
• Click on the + sign to add attributes to the new window, for example: set folder by kind, date, and name.

6. Use Stacks Feature:

macOS Mojave has introduced a new Stacks feature which allows the user to organize the files on the computer quickly. You can open stacks by just pressing Control-Command-0 from the keyboard. This feature sorts the files by its kind and its dates.

7. Set up Finder Tags:

Finder tag makes it easy to find documents and files from any Finder window you open. It saves you from the stress of moving files around to different folders. Here are the steps to set up finder tags:

• Right-click on a file or folder.
• Click on Tags.
• Type the name of your new Finder Tag.
• Press Return on your keyboard.
• New Tag will be created.

8. How to Lock Files on Mojave:

macOS provides a built-in way to protect your files and folders. It is called the Lock feature. Once you lock your file or folder, it can not be changed or deleted in any way. Here are the steps to Lock the files:

• Click on the File or Folder you want to lock.
• Click on File from the Finder menu.
• Click on Get Info.

• Check the Locked option from the pop-up.
• Your file will be locked.

Part 4. How to Retrieve Deleted Files on Mac?

If by mistake your document gets deleted or lost, then you can recover that data by using recovery software. Recoverit Mac Data Recovery tool remains the most convenient option to recover all the lost files and documents in Mac. Developed by Wondershare, provides an instant preview of what is recovered after a thorough scan. It allows you to connect almost every type of portable devices like the memory card or USB and recovers data from them. It offers a high recovery rate of more than 95%.

After successfully following the procedure and installing the software, run the program, and follow the step-by-step guide on how to recover lost data.

1. Choose the Location:

After launching the Recoverit Mac data recovery software, select the location where data was deleted or lost after the update. Click the "Start" button to initiate the process.

2. Scanning for Lost Data:

Data scanning will start in Recoverit, depending on the size of the data lost the scanning will take time to finish the scan and the result will be displayed on the program window.

3. Recover the Lost Data:

The recovered files will be displayed on the Recoverit window. You can select the data by selecting the File path. You can view the file by using the preview feature, whether it be images, videos, or a word document. Click on the "Recover" option after following the procedure to get the files back. The restored data will be saved back to the source location.

Conclusion:

Excessive storage on your computer can slow down its working ability. It is important to delete useless clutter to ease up the load. Deleting files and documents is an easy task. There are many ways to delete data immediately and permanently. Now you know how to delete and manage documents on Mac. If in case you require the deleted files back, then you can always retrieve the erased data by using Recoverit Data Recovery Software.