If you’re like most people, you probably have a trash can in your home that you use to automatically empty your trash when it’s full. But if you’re using a Mac, there are a few things you can do to make this process easier and more efficient. First, make sure your Trash can is set up to automatically empty when it’s full. This means that the Trash can will turn off when it becomes full, and will then automatically empty into the garbage bag. If this isn’t set up, you’ll need to manually empty your Trash every time it becomes full. Next, make sure that your Mac is configured to recognize and open the trash can when it’s opened. This means that the Trash can will be found in the System Preferences under “Organization.” If this isn’t set up, you’ll need to open System Preferences and select “Trash Can” under “Appearance.” Finally, make sure that your Mac is configured to recognize and open the garbage bag when it’s opened. This means that the garbage bag will be found in the System Preferences under “Organization.” If this isn’t set up, you’ll need to open System Preferences and select “Garbage Bag” under “Appearance.”
Since macOS 10.12 Sierra, Apple has included a way to automatically remove items from your Trash after 30 days, which can free up disk space and reduce mental clutter. Enabling it is easy, but the option takes some digging to find. Here’s the quickest way to turn it on.
First, switch to “Finder” by clicking on the Mac desktop. In the menu bar at the top of the screen, click the “Finder” menu, and select “Preferences.”
In the “Finder Preferences” window that pops up, click the “Advanced” button.
In the “Advanced” options, locate the option that says “Remove items from the Trash after 30 days” and check the box beside it.
Once set, macOS will automatically delete any file or folder you place in Trash after 30 days. If you ever want to disable the option, visit Finder > Preferences again, and uncheck the “Remove items from the Trash after 30 days” box.
If you need other ideas about how to free up disk space on a Mac, you can try removing duplicate files, deleting cache files, or even using third-party utilities. Have fun cleaning up!
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