How to Permanently Delete Files from External Hard Drive Mac | 4 Practical Methods

We know moving an item to Trash doesn't mean deleting it as it remains on your disk. Therefore, moving files to the Trash is not really a way to clear system storage on a hard drive because it only removes the access paths to these files and marks them as invisible in the storage space.

Many Mac users ask for help with how to permanently deleted files from external hard drives Mac.

Don't worry if you face the same situation; this article will introduce 4 practical methods.

🗑️Empty Mac Trash	This is the most common way: move files to Trash, then empty Trash. But this method is suitable for deleting a limited number of files; the process will be extremely slow if the files are too big/many.
💻Use Mac Shortcut	Using Mac shortcuts is the fastest way to permanently delete files. However, note that the possibility of accidental deletion is higher than emptying the Trash.
💽Use Disk Utility	Using Disk Utility to permanently delete files is slow, and it can only wipe all data from an internal or external hard drive on your Mac. This method can't be used for the deletion of a single file/folder.
🪧Use Terminal Command	Using the command to permanently delete files can only wipe the entire disk securely. It can't be used to delete a single file. Be careful using this method so as not to cause data loss.

Permanently Delete Files from External Hard Drive Using Mac Trash

Emptying Trash is the most common way to permanently delete files from external hard drives, and this method includes two processes: moving files from the external hard drive to Trash and emptying Trash. Refer to the steps here:

Step 1. Connect the external hard drive to your Mac, and choose one of the three simple ways to move items from external hard drives to Mac Trash:

• Right-click the item, and select the "Move to Trash" option from the menu.
• Drag the item to Trash on your Mac's Desktop.
• Press "Command + Delete" at the same time to move the selected item to Trash.

Step 2. Open the Trash and click "Empty Trash" to permanently delete files on Mac.

Step 3. Go to "Finder > Settings > Advanced" and select the option "Remove items from the Trash after 30 days".

Note: Step 3 can help you set up automatic emptying of the Trash to permanently delete the files you moved to the Trash, which may cause data loss if you didn't check the Trash files before emptying them.

Emptying the Trash is a safe and effective way to permanently delete files, and it is difficult to recover them unless you use professional external hard drive data recovery software, such as EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard for Mac.

With the EaseUS data recovery software, you can recover data from external hard drive Mac, which is permanently deleted due to emptying Trash. It's also a user-friendly data recovery tool with an easy-to-use interface. Recover your data with a few clicks:

Step 1. Install EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard for Mac, and connect the external hard drive to your Mac.

Step 2. Click "Scan" to display the deleted files from the external hard drive. After the scan, all file types will be displayed in the left panel. Select the file type to locate the recoverable files from your external hard drive.

Step 3. Select files that need to be restored, and click "Recovery" to get them back.

Share this article on social media to help others learn how to permanently delete files from Mac external hard drives and how to recover them using professional data recovery software: EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard for Mac.

Use Shortcut to Permanently Delete Files from External Hard Drive Mac

Using Mac shortcut keys will make your work process faster and more efficient. Likewise, there are moving to Trash shortcuts on Mac for deleting files "Command + Delete".

But what are the Mac shortcuts to permanently delete a file? If you want to permanently delete a file from an external hard drive so that anyone can't view the file anymore, you should:

Step 1. Select the file on the external hard drive. Press "Command + Delete" to move the selected item to the Trash.

Step 2. Press "Shift + Command + Delete" to empty the Trash or "Option + Shift + Command + Delete" to empty the Trash without a confirmation dialog.

Suppose the error prompt occurs, which says "Unable to Delete Files from External Hard Drive", don't worry. Reading the article below can quickly solve this problem.

Use Disk Utility to Permanently Delete Files on Mac External Hard Drive

In addition, you can use Disk Utility on Mac to wipe data on your Mac's internal or external hard drives.

Note: This method will erase all data rather than deleting individual files or folders from the external hard drive.

Step 1. Click "Disk Utility" under Utilities. Choose the external hard drive volume that contains files that you want to delete permanently.

Step 2. Click "Erase". Enter the required information, and choose a "Format" like Mac OS Extended (HFS+), APFS, etc.

Step 3. Click "Security Options…", move the slider to "Most Secure", and click "OK" to start erasing the external hard drive.

Generally, the "Erase" option means completely wiping all data, which is unrecoverable. However, the "Erase" function on Mac Disk Utility, which is similar to "Format", and the EaseUS Mac recovery tool supports recovering Disk Utility erase as long as new data do not overwrite the deleted files.

Permanently Delete Files on macOS Using Terminal

Use the command in Mac Terminal to permanently delete files from the external hard drive. You should notice that using the Terminal command will wipe the entire disk securely; it can't delete a particular file from an external hard drive.

Follow the steps below to securely wipe empty storage space on an external hard drive volume.

Step 1. Go to "Application > Utilities", click "Terminal", and type diskutil list.

Step 2. Type diskutil secureErase 2 disk#, and replace # with the external hard drive's name.

Conclusion

You can empty Mac Trash, use shortcuts, use Disk Utility, and use the Terminal command to permanently delete files from external hard drives. Pay attention that using Disk Utility or Terminal command can't delete a single file on the external hard drive.

Once you misoperate the deletion, causing losing essential files, don't worry; EaseUS Data Recovery for Mac can help you recover the permanently deleted files from your external hard drives.

How to Permanently Delete Files from External Hard Drive Mac FAQ

Here are questions frequently asked by people who search for how to permanently delete files from an external hard drive on Mac:

1. Why can't I delete files from my external hard drive on Mac?

Here are the possible causes why you can't delete files from external hard drives on Mac:

• Permission Issue of Mac.
• The external hard drive contains an unsupported file system, like NTFS.
• External Hard Drive Connection Issues.
• Viruses and Malware.

2. How do I permanently erase an external hard drive on a Mac?

You can use Disk Utility to erase an external hard drive on Mac. Follow the steps:

Step 1. Click "Disk Utility" under Utilities. Choose the external hard drive volume containing files you want to delete permanently.

Step 2. Click "Erase". Enter the required information, and choose a "Format" like Mac OS Extended (HFS+), APFS, etc.

Step 3. Click "Security Options…", move the slider to "Most Secure", and click "OK" to start erasing the external hard drive.

3. How do I securely wipe my Mac before selling it?

Disk Utility can erase all data on your Mac's internal and external hard drives. Or you can use the Terminal diskutil command to wipe the entire disk.

4. How do I permanently delete folders from my external hard drive?

Right-click or drag the folders to Mac Trash, and then empty your Trash. It can permanently delete the folders.