Can’t Be Moved to Trash Because It Is Open

What “can’t be moved to trash because it is open” error mean, and why does it happen?

If you keep getting the item can’t be moved to Trash because it is open, this is your Mac’s way of letting you know the app you’re trying to delete is still running somewhere in the background. This issue can occur if a Mac application isn’t responding and fails to quit, leaving background processes still running. In this instance, macOS will not let you remove the app until every process has been quit to protect your system files from damage..

A note from our experts: 

 

If you’d rather skip the headache of trial-and-error and fix your app removal restriction right away, why not let us help? With MacKeeper’s Premium Services, a software product of Clario Tech, you can connect with one of our macOS experts in minutes. Our team of specialists is trained to provide personalized guidance—whether it’s unresponsive apps, failed commands, or system errors slowing you down. With our support, you’ll get back to your daily activities in no time.

 

Here’s how to access our MacKeeper’s Premium Services:

1. Download MacKeeper.
2. Open the app and go to Premium Services.
3. Click on Chat Now.
4. In the chat, tell our advisor about the app removal issue you're facing, and they’ll walk you through personalized steps to troubleshoot your device.

How to delete an app on Mac that says it's open?

If you can’t delete an app because it says it’s still open, there are several ways to close and remove it safely.

We’ll walk you through our recommended solutions to get you back on track:

• Force stop app with Apple Menu
• Close app from Mac Dock
• Try via Activity Monitor
• Restart your Mac
• Kill app process with Terminal
• Delete app via third-party uninstallers

ATTENTION! 

 

Before we proceed, we first urge you to check your permissions. If you don’t have permission to open applications on Mac it can stop you from troubleshooting them altogether. Full access might be required to kill background processes and uninstall applications.

1. Force stop app with Apple Menu

For an app that will not close normally, you can try executing the Force Quit via the Apple menu—it’s quick and effective.

Here’s how to bring up the Force Stop Menu to quit an app:

1. Click on the Apple icon.
2. Choose Force Quit…
3. In the table, click on the app you want to quit and press Force Quit.

2. Close app from Mac Dock

One of the quickest ways to quit an application is from your Dock—it can close an app and all its processes, making it safe to delete.

Here’s how to close an app from your Dock:

1. Go to your Dock.
2. Right-click on the open app you want to close.
3. Press Quit from the list.

3. Try via Activity Monitor

Another troubleshooting method you can try in case you’re still getting the item can't be moved to Trash because it's open error, is to quit the app in Activity Monitor and then uninstall it.

Here’s how to use Activity Monitor to quit an app:

1. In Finder, go to Applications > Utilities > Activity Monitor.
2. Open Activity Monitor and click on CPU.
3. Look through the list of processes relating to your unwanted app, right-click, and press Quit.
4. Confirm by pressing Quit again.
5. Re-open your Applications Folder, right-click the unwanted app, and choose Move to Bin.

4. Restart your Mac

When an application keeps resisting deletion, a simple restart could be the trick to resolving your issue. The reboot stops all running processes and background apps safely.

Here’s how to restart your Mac:

1. Click on the Apple icon.
2. Press Restart…
3. Allow your Mac to turn off and power back up on its own.

5. Kill app process with Terminal

Another solution you can try, if you want to remove a stubborn app, is to use Terminal commands, as they can overpower limitations on apps that are preventing you from manually uninstalling them.

Here’s how to kill app processes with Terminal:

1. In Finder, go to Applications > Utilities > Terminal.
2. Type in the following command: killall AppName, replacing [AppName] with your chosen application, and then press Enter.
3. Check if the app is closed and then drag it to your Trash.

A friendly hint from the MacKeeper team: 

 

Sometimes deleting apps can be trickier than usual, especially with OS applications. For guidance, check out our supporting blog on macOS remove default apps. It’ll walk you through step-by-step removal to ensure you remove these applications safely without affecting the integrity of your Mac.

6. Delete app via third-party uninstallers

If you’re still having no luck at uninstalling those stubborn apps, it might be time to get some extra help. If you’re unfamiliar with how to uninstall apps on Mac, a third-party uninstaller like MacKeeper’s Smart Uninstaller is a great tool to familiarize yourself with for quick and reliable app removals.

Here’s how to use MacKeeper’s Smart Uninstaller to remove unwanted apps:

1. Open the MacKeeper app.
2. Go to Smart Uninstaller.
3. Click on Start Scan.
4. Tick which Applications, Plugins, or Leftovers you want to remove.
5. Press Remove Selected and Remove again to confirm deletion.

Fixing your app-removal troubles together

When you keep seeing the same error message that an app ‘can’t be moved to Trash because it is open,’ usually the quickest fixes are the simplest, like force-quitting the app or restarting your Mac to close all processes. Once the application has fully stopped running, you should be able to easily delete or uninstall it.

If the problem persists, even after trying all the troubleshooting methods above, we recommend connecting with one of our Apple-certified tech experts. Open the chat function in MacKeeper’s Premium Services and describe the problem you’re facing. We’ll share tips tailored to your issues to help you resolve nuisances promptly.