PartitionAssistant NTFS for Mac
How to Force Delete Files for a NTFS Drive on Mac that Won’t Delete
This guide provides simple, step-by-step instructions to force delete files from your NTFS external hard drive on a Mac, resolving the common issue of files that can't be deleted.
By Irene / Updated on December 15, 2025
User case: How to force delete NTFS read-only files?
Unaware of Mac specificities, I copied files from an external NTFS drive on my HD2. They appear as read only. Of course they won’t move to trash. I would like to get rid of them but I have no clue about how to do it. Make a clean re-install? Any way to re format HD2 only?
- Question from discussions.apple.com
When you try to delete files on your Mac, it's typically a simple drag-and-drop action to the Trash. However, there are times when files refuse to delete. If you find yourself in this situation, it’s important to understand what might be causing the issue.
Several factors can prevent files from being deleted:
🔶 The file is locked – Some files are set to “read-only” or locked to avoid accidental deletion.
🔶 Permission issues – Lack of appropriate permissions may stop you from modifying or deleting the file.
🔶 System bugs – macOS Finder can sometimes run into bugs that interfere with file deletion.
🔶 Corruption issues – Corrupt files may be resistant to standard deletion methods.
In these cases, force-deleting the file becomes necessary. However, caution is required as force-deleting can sometimes result in the loss of important data.
When dealing with NTFS drives on Mac, the issue often stems from the incompatibility between macOS’s file system (APFS) and Windows’ NTFS. macOS can read files from NTFS drives but lacks the built-in capability to write to them, including deleting files. This means that when you try to delete a file from an NTFS drive, macOS often faces a permissions conflict, leading to error messages or prompts for administrator authentication.
NTFS permissions are another complication. NTFS drives have a detailed permission system that restricts access to files, including read, write, and execute permissions. These permissions can prevent macOS from deleting files as expected.
Common reasons for files refusing to delete include:
🔷Corrupted files: Corrupt files might resist deletion attempts and cause issues with other files.
🔷macOS security features: Features like System Integrity Protection (SIP) may prevent system-critical files from being deleted.
🔷Files stuck in Trash: Occasionally, files remain in the Trash and require force-deletion to be removed.
This article provides methods to force-delete problematic files and help manage your Mac’s storage while minimizing risks of data loss.
How to fix can't delete files from external hard drive on Mac?
If you have a Seagate external hard drive that uses the Windows format (NTFS) and you can't delete files on your Mac, here is a simple and safe fix: PartitionAssistant NTFS for Mac.
This tool is a special driver that fixes the common problem where your Mac can only read the files on an NTFS drive but can't change or delete them.
1. Easy to Use: It works just like a natural part of your Mac. Once installed, you can read, write, delete, rename, and move files on your Seagate NTFS drive without any hassle, just like a regular Mac disk.
2. Safe Alternative: You do not need to use confusing or risky Terminal commands. This dedicated program solves the problem in a simple and safe way.
3. Wide Support: This software works with many kinds of storage, including HDDs, SSDs, and USB drives. It supports all versions of NTFS (Windows format) and also works with FAT32 and exFAT formats.
4. Great Compatibility: It is made to work best with macOS 12 and newer, and it runs smoothly on both older Intel Macs and the newer Apple Silicon Macs (M1/M2). You might need to make a quick, simple change to your Mac's security settings to turn on full disk access, and then the driver works securely and stably.
With PartitionAssistant NTFS for Mac, you get full control. You can open files, save your changes, organize folders, and move data between your Mac and Seagate NTFS drives with simple, smooth performance. It is a very useful and easy solution for full NTFS access on your Mac.
Before we start, you need to configure Security Policy in iOS Recovery Mode.
Step 1. Run Partition Assistant NTFS for Mac and connect your NTFS hard drive or USB flash drive.
Step 2. The connected, removable, and external USB drives will be mounted and listed.
Step 3. Select the drive you want to operate and click "Open".
Step 4. Now you can copy files on your Mac and click "Paste Item" to copy the files to USB drive.
Step 5. You can also copy, delete, and rename files on the USB drive.
Step 6. After all operations are complete, please click "Eject" to disconnect the USB drive from your Mac.
Conclusion
Files that cannot be deleted on a Mac are often caused by permission limits, locked files, or file system conflicts, especially when using NTFS drives. Since macOS does not support full write access to NTFS by default, force deleting files can be frustrating and risky. Instead of using complex commands or reformatting your drive, a dedicated NTFS solution offers a safer and more reliable approach. With the right NTFS software like PartitionAssistant NTFS for Mac, you can delete, edit, and manage files normally on your external drive while avoiding data loss and system issues. This ensures smooth file control and a better experience when using NTFS storage on macOS.
