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What is the keyboard shortcut for emptying the trash? I've tried "command-click on the trash folder", but nothing happens.

  • 5 replies
  • 1 has this problem
  • 3 views
  • Last reply by christ1

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I've looked at the articles on keyboard/mouse click shortcuts; and the only reference I saw for emptying the trash said that right clicking on the trash folder would bring up a menu of options and that one of these would be to empty the trash.

Not the case.

I'm using Thunderbird 24.3.0 on an mac running OS 10.9.2 . When I use the mac version of right click (that is -- control click) I get the following menu options: Open in New tab * Open in New Window * Rename * Favorite Folder * Properties

Empty the trash is not among the options. Since this is such a fundamental operation, I would think a keyboard or mouse-click shortcut would be obvious. What am I missing?

I should add that we manage several email accounts and that they all use "Trash on Local Folders".

I've looked at the articles on keyboard/mouse click shortcuts; and the only reference I saw for emptying the trash said that right clicking on the trash folder would bring up a menu of options and that one of these would be to empty the trash. Not the case. I'm using Thunderbird 24.3.0 on an mac running OS 10.9.2 . When I use the mac version of right click (that is -- control click) I get the following menu options: Open in New tab * Open in New Window * Rename * Favorite Folder * Properties Empty the trash is not among the options. Since this is such a fundamental operation, I would think a keyboard or mouse-click shortcut would be obvious. What am I missing? I should add that we manage several email accounts and that they all use "Trash on Local Folders".

All Replies (5)

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Select the trash folder in the folder pane. Then press alt-f, y.

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Thank you for the reply. Sadly, it didn't work.

On a mac, alt and option share the same key. I tried using option/alt in combination with command, control and shift (+f) -- but none worked. None of these combinations did anything at all. Is that a clue? Could a plugin be causing the problem? In search of a resolution, I deactivated most of my Plugins. Those left are:

  • Adobe Acrobat NPAPi Plug-in
  • AdobeExManDetect 1.1.0
  • Flip4Mac Windows Media Plugin
  • Jave Applet Plug-in Java 7 Update 51
  • QuickTime Plug-in 7.7.3
  • Sharepoint Browser Plug-in 14.3.1.
  • Shockwave Flash 12.0.0.70

Don't know what they do exactly. I have no extensions.

Does this help?

Modified by dubbermcdo

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I don't know about MacOS. What you need to do is to open the Thunderbird File menu. This site may help.

http://www.math.harvard.edu/computing/macintro/keys.html

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Very nice chart of universal keyboard shortcuts, but it doesn't address the issue.

And yes, I know about Empty the Trash under the File menu. What I'm looking for is a keyboard shortcut to empty the trash.

Keyboard shortcuts are helpful for those who would like a more seamless experience. The idea is to keep one's hands on the keyboard and not have to:

  1. reach for the mouse
  2. move the pointer to the menu bar
  3. click and hold on the file button, and
  4. release on Empty the Trash

This may seem trivial. But to those who use Thunderbird several hours a day, this can be very helpful. Those are four steps that could easily be reduced to one shortcut.

Modified by dubbermcdo

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Well, the keyboard shortcut to empty the trash for the selected account is 'y', you just need to open the 'File' menu for that. But I don't know how to do that on a Mac with a shortcut.