Disable the Empty Trash warning
Written by Brent Sheets
Oct 28
The venerable Trash can has been around since the very first Mac. So why do so many Mac users add an extra step when they empty the Trash? Mac OS X will dutifully ask for confirmation each time but it is easy to bypass the warning dialog to save time. Here’s how.
To empty the Trash from the Dock, Click+Hold the Trash icon and select Empty Trash when the menu appears. Or if you prefer, select from the Finder menu instead. Either way, Mac OS X will warn, “Are you sure you want to remove the items in the Trash permanently?”
To avoid having to view this confirmation dialog on your Mac every time you empty the Trash, simply hold down Option when you select Empty Trash and the Trash contents will empty instantly without ever displaying the confirmation dialog.
With the Finder menu open, note that pressing Option toggles off the ellipses after the menu items and , making them direct commands.
If you wish to turn off the confirmation dialog completely, go to , select the button and uncheck “Show warning before emptying the Trash.” You may also wish to check the “Empty Trash securely” while you’re there.
