Unlock a locked file on your Mac so you can edit or delete it

Why it happens

Finder lets you lock a file so it can't be changed or deleted by mistake, and a small padlock appears on its icon. A file copied from another Mac or a drive keeps its lock, so it can arrive already locked. The lock is a single tick box, so it's quick to undo.

How to fix it

1. Click the locked file once to select it in Finder or on your desktop.

2. Press Command-I to open Get Info. In the General section, untick Locked.

   Finder›File›Get Info›General›Locked

3. Close the Get Info window. The padlock disappears from the icon and you can edit, rename or delete the file.

4. If a document is already open and its title bar says Locked, click the document's name in the title bar and untick Locked there.

Still not fixed?

1. If the Locked box won't untick, you may not have permission to change the file. At the bottom of Get Info, open Sharing & Permissions, click the lock, type your password and set your name to Read & Write. Do this only for your own files, never for system folders.

   Finder›File›Get Info›Sharing & Permissions

2. If the file is on an external drive, the drive itself may be read-only. Some drives formatted for other kinds of computers can be read but not changed on a Mac. Copy the file to your Mac and edit the copy.

3. If opening the file always gives you a copy instead of the original, untick Stationery pad in the same General section of Get Info.

4. If you move a locked file to the Trash, Finder asks whether to move it anyway. You can say yes if you're sure you don't need it.

5. If no file on a drive can be changed and permissions look right, the drive may have a problem. Back up what you can and contact Apple Support, or a repair shop for an external drive.