We’ve all been there: you try to drag an application to the Trash, only to be met with a frustrating alert: “The item can’t be moved to the Trash because it’s open,” or worse, “You don’t have permission to perform this action.”

This is common with remote desktop agents, security software, or buggy apps that refuse to quit. When the standard "Drag to Trash" method fails, it’s time to use the Terminal.

In this guide, we’ll walk through how to use the sudo rm command to force-delete any stubborn software on macOS.

⚠️ A Word of Caution

Using the Terminal is the "nuclear option." The commands below bypass the Trash and delete files permanently and instantly. There is no "Undo" button here, so ensure you have targeted the correct file path before hitting Enter.

Step 1: Open the Terminal

You can find the Terminal in two ways:

 * Launchpad: Open Launchpad, go to the Other folder, and click Terminal.

 * Spotlight: Press Command + Space, type "Terminal," and hit Enter.

Step 2: Type the "Force Remove" Command

Type the following command into your Terminal window, but do not press Enter yet. Make sure you include the space after the f.

sudo rm -rf 

What does this command actually do?

 * sudo: Stands for "SuperUser Do." It gives you temporary "root" or administrative powers to override file restrictions.

 * rm: The command for "remove."

 * -rf: The r stands for recursive (deletes the folder and everything inside), and the f stands for "force" (tells the system not to ask you for permission for every individual file).

Step

3: Drag and Drop the Application

To avoid any typos (which can be dangerous in Terminal), let the Mac do the typing for you:

 * Open a Finder window and go to your Applications folder.

 * Find the stubborn app.

 * Click and drag the app icon directly into your Terminal window.

 * Terminal will automatically paste the exact file path (e.g., /Applications/StubbornApp.app).

Step 4: Confirm and Authenticate

Now that the command looks something like sudo rm -rf /Applications/AppName.app, follow these steps:

 * Press Enter.

 * Terminal will ask for your Password.

 * Important: As you type your Mac login password, no characters will appear on the screen. This is a normal security feature. Just type it blindly and press Enter.

The app is now gone.

Pro Tip: Hunting Down Leftovers

Apps often hide "background agents" or "daemons" that make them reappear after a restart. To truly clean your system, use these commands to check for leftover configuration files:

 * Check Launch Agents: ls /Library/LaunchAgents/

 * Check Launch Daemons: ls /Library/LaunchDaemons/

If you see a file belonging to the app you just deleted (e.g., com.stubbornapp.plist), you can use the same sudo rm -rf command followed by the path to that specific file to delete it.

Conclusion

The Terminal is a powerful ally when macOS's graphical interface hits a wall.

By using sudo rm -rf, you can regain control over your Applications folder and remove software that has overstayed its welcome.