How to: Delete Files Immediately in El Capitan

OS X El Capitan now lets you delete files immediately from your Mac instead of putting them in the Trash. You can also immediately delete a file that is already in your Trash.

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Here’s how you can immediately delete a file in the Finder in OS X El Capitan:

1. Open a Finder window.
2. Select the file you want to immediately delete.
3. Hold down the Option key on your keyboard.
4. Click on the File menu at the top of your screen.
5. Click on Delete Immediately.
6. A confirmation box will appear asking if you want to delete the file and reminding you that the deletion cannot be undone.
7. Click the Delete button on the confirmation box to delete your file.

If you prefer you can skip using the file menu and simply use this keyboard command:

Option-Command-Delete

Here’s how you can immediately delete a file in the Trash in OS X El Capitan:

1. Open the Trash.
2. Select the file you want to immediately delete.
3. Right-click the file.
4. Click on Delete Immediately.
5. The delete confirmation box will appear and you can click Delete to remove your file.

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