"Bin" can't be opened right now issue

[bingefeller]

i've been having this issue with the Bin on macOS 15.6.1. It doesn't matter what file I put in there, when I go to empty it I get the "Bin can't be opened right now" message. If I press "skip" the bin will empty. If I reboot the issue will go away, but then reappear after I have deleted a few files.

I don't have any usb drives attached to my MacBook. The only peripheral is a MX Master 3S mouse. It still happens when this is disconnected.

Any help is appreciated. It's not a big issue, but it's kind of annoying. I have an iCloud account with files stored in it as well, if that makes any difference.

 

[!!!]

Bug has been a thing for many years now (in addition to the numerous other bugs in macOS). The good news is that there's a graphics-heavy redesign coming, so in the future you'll have some glass buttons you can hit when it bugs out (and your battery will die sooner, effectively fixing the problem by way of forced reboot!)

 

[Slartibart]

Bug has been a thing for many years now (in addition to the numerous other bugs in macOS).

Your assessment is wrong - this is in the majority of occurrences not a macOS bug.

@bingefeller : One possibility is that a file you moved into the bin is still open in a program, or such program does not release a file properly after closing - e.g., a Quicklook plugin displayed a file and did not release it and you moved it manually into the bin after closing the QL preview.
Files in the Time Machine backup set(s) are deliberately protected from deleting - you have to use the TM program for that.

If you want to see which programs are using currently which files run e.g. the free Sloth - a GUI for lsof.

Forcing emptying the bin without restart first:
You could hold down the Ctrl-key while selecting to empty the bin to force it.
Or use use the terminal and run: sudo rm -rf ~/.Trash to get rid of trashed files without restart.

TDLR; While you can, do not force emptying the bin, instead use Sloth to identify open files and quit the identified program/end the task, then empty the macOS bin. ​

 

[bingefeller]

Your assessment is wrong - this is in the majority of occurrences not a macOS bug.

@bingefeller : One possibility is that a file you moved into the bin is still open in a program, or such program does not release a file properly after closing - e.g., a Quicklook plugin displayed a file and did not release it and you moved it manually into the bin after closing the QL preview.
Files in the Time Machine backup set(s) are deliberately protected from deleting - you have to use the TM program for that.

If you want to see which programs are using currently which files run e.g. the free Sloth - a GUI for lsof.

Forcing emptying the bin without restart first:
You could hold down the Ctrl-key while selecting to empty the bin to force it.
Or use use the terminal and run: sudo rm -rf ~/.Trash to get rid of trashed files without restart.

TDLR; While you can, do not force emptying the bin, instead use Sloth to identify open files and quit the identified program/end the task, then empty the macOS bin. ​

Thanks. I downloaded Sloth, but I'm not sure what I'm looking for. I put a test file in the bin, tried to empty the bin and got the error, but nothing seems to change in the Sloth GUI.

 

[!!!]

Your assessment is wrong - this is in the majority of occurrences not a macOS bug.

No, it is.

One possibility is that a file you moved into the bin is still open in a program, or such program does not release a file properly after closing - e.g., a Quicklook plugin displayed a file and did not release it and you moved it manually into the bin after closing the QL preview.

This is wrong, there is no open file. Not that it matters anyways, you can open a file, put it in the trash, then empty the trash just fine. macOS is not like windows, there are no file locks. Additionally, deleting a file does not imply that the file is gone, as long as the application has the file handle open, you can continue using the file in the application.

Recall that the error message does not state that a file inside of the trash is open, rather it is complaining about the trash folder itself.

Or use use the terminal and run: sudo rm -rf ~/.Trash to get rid of trashed files without restart.

This will not fix the issue, because there are no files in the trash. You can open trash, select all, right click, delete immediately and they will all delete just fine. You can then go and `ls -la` the .Trash folder, there is nothing in there. Now, create an empty folder and drag it to the can, then try to empty the trash. You get an error. How? The only things you used were Finder (to create the folder) Dock (dragging to the trash) then Finder (to empty the trash). All of these are macOS components, ergo, the bug must be from macOS.

You can even get this bug to occur when another bug, where the Dock displays the trash as incorrectly being full when there's nothing inside (again, verified by `ls -lal`), then trying to empty the trash. If the error bug is present, you will get the error, despite there being literally nothing in the trash can. (if the error does not occur, the trash instantly become emptied)