How to Remove a Non-Empty Directory in Linux [2 Methods]

Monira Akter Munny
Written by Monira Akter Munny
Last updated: Aug 30, 2023

In Linux, removing directories is a straightforward task, but what if the directory is not empty? It can be challenging sometimes to delete a directory as the system tends to prevent it by default. Moreover, the output could have some other errors even if you are using the correct command syntax. In this article, I will discuss how you can remove a non-empty directory in Linux using CLI & GUI. Also, I will explain some possible causes that may create failures in removing a non-empty directory & give solutions with examples.

Table of Contents Expand

Key Takeaways

  • Learning to remove non-empty directories using both CLI & GUI.
  • Getting solutions for the problems that may cause the failure in removing non-empty directories.

Requirements

  • To change or remove a directory in Ubuntu, you must have root/sudo privileges.
  • Also, you need the necessary permissions to modify a directory along with its contained files & sub-folders to remove it.

Process Flow Chart

[Distro Used Throughout the Tutorial: Ubuntu 22.04.1 LTS]Flowchart to remove non empty directory in linux

Downloads

Removing a directory using CLI is a permanent action. For practice purposes, you can either create a test directory or download the one I used in this article:

Download the contents used in this Article

Watch 2 Methods to Remove Non-Empty Directory in Linux

2 Methods to Remove Non-Empty Directory in Linux

In Linux, deleting an empty directory is an easy task using the rmdir command. However, if you try to remove a non-empty directory using that command it shows the following error:rmdir directory can't remove non empty directory in linux In the following article, I will discuss how you can delete a directory that is not empty using both Command Line Interface (CLI) & Graphical User Interface (GUI).

Anyway, you can read our Comparative Analysis of Methods to distinguish between these two methods and best pick one for your need.

Method 01: Using Terminal to Remove Non-Empty Directory in Linux

In Linux, you can easily & quickly remove any non-empty directory using the Command Line Interface (CLI). The command that removes a non-empty directory recursively is the rm command with the command option –recursive.

Moreover, you can use some other command options to modify the directory removal. Read the following examples for detailed information on the cases.

Example 01: Using the rm Command to Recursively Remove Non-empty Directory in Linux

You can simply remove any directory that’s not empty along with its contents using the rm (stands for remove) command with the command option –recursive or -r. Follow the below steps to remove a non-empty directory.

Warning: Removing any non-empty directory using CLI will permanently remove that directory along with all of its contents from your system. So be careful while executing the command, and check before removing.

Steps to Follow >

➊ At first, open your Ubuntu terminal application.

➋ Then, type the following command in the command prompt to view the long list of contents in the home directory:

ls -l
EXPLANATION
  • ls: Lists directory contents
  • -l or –long: Option of the ls command where -l gives long lists.

➌ Press the ENTER key.Contennts list in home directory The command output is listing out all the directories present in my system.

➍ Afterward, let’s dive inside the directory you want to delete & view its contents:

tree schedule
EXPLANATION
  • tree: Prints directory contents recursively in-depth tree-like format.
  • schedule: One of the system directory names.

Contents inside the schedule directory The tree command is presenting all directory contents in a tree-like format. You can see there are 2 sub-directories & 10 files inside the ‘schedule’ directory.

➎ Next, search for the ‘directory’ that you want to remove, in this case, I will remove the ‘schedule’ directory:

ls -l | grep schedule
EXPLANATION
  • grep: Looks for a specific pattern given to it as an argument.
  • schedule: One of the system directory names.

➏ Subsequently, type the following command to remove the directory & all of its contents:

rm -r schedule
EXPLANATION
  • rm: Removes files & directories in Linux.
  • –recursive or -r: Command option to recursively remove directory & its contents.
  • schedule: One of the system directory names.

➐ Press the ENTER button.

➑ At this point, check if the directory has been removed successfully by searching the directory again:

ls -l | grep schedule

➒ Finally, press the ENTER key again.Recursively remove non empty directory in linux

Output Analysis

First, the grep command searches & prints the ‘schedule’ directory information. Next, the rm command removes the entire directory. Subsequently, you can check if the directory has been removed successfully by running the grep command again to search for its name. Since you can see the command is returning an empty command prompt, that means it is no longer available on your system.

Read More: 2 Cases of Recursive Remove of Directory in Linux

Example 02: Use the rm Command to Interactively Remove a Non-Empty Directory in Linux

So far, you now know that the rm command permanently removes an entire directory. As a result, sometimes it is a bit risky to use the command. Moreover, you may not want to remove all files & sub-directories. In that case, you can use the command with the interactive option. This will interact with each action before executing them & will ask for confirmation. Go through the following steps to interactively delete a directory:

Steps to Follow >

➊  First, open your Ubuntu terminal application.

➋ Then, type the following command in the command prompt to interactively remove the directory along with each & every file & sub-directory of it:

rm -ri schedule
EXPLANATION
  • rm: Removes files & directories in Linux.
  • –recursive or -r & –interactive or -i: –recursive or -r: Command options to recursively & interactively remove directory & its contents.
  • schedule: One of the system directory names.

➌ Tap the ENTER key.Interactively remove non empty directory in linux

Output Analysis
  • At first, the command asks whether it will enter inside the directory.
  • Next, It asks for permission before deleting each & every file & sub-directory by mentioning its name. You can type ‘Y’ for yes & ‘N’ for no.
  • Moreover, the command asks for confirmation to even descend into the sub-directory. You can skip any interaction just by pressing the ENTER button & the command will skip that action & move to the next one.
  • Finally, if you think you don’t need to delete any other files or just want to end the command execution, just type ‘CTRL+C’ & a prompt will appear.

Read More: 3 Ways to Remove Write Protected Regular File Using the rm command

Example 03: Print the rm Command Output in Verbose Mode

In this case, when you don’t want any command interaction but the detailed output messages about what the command is doing, you can use the rm command option –verbose or -v. Act according to the following steps to check:

Steps to Follow >

➊ Start by opening your Ubuntu terminal application.

➋ Then, type the following command in the command prompt to remove the directory along with each & every file & sub-directory of it & print the verbose output of command actions:

rm -vr schedule
EXPLANATION
  • rm: Removes files & directories in Linux.
  • –verbose or -v & –recursive or -r: Command options to recursively remove the directory & its contents & print the verbose
  • schedule: One of the system directory names.

➌ Finally, hit the ENTER button.remove non empty directory with verbose output in linux From the output image, see the command is displaying the output message of each action after executing & performing.

Method 02: Using GUI to Remove Non-Empty Directory in Linux

When you are not sure which command to use or getting unexpected errors while using CLI to remove a directory recursively that’s not empty, you can always use the Graphical User Interface (GUI). Even though it could be a little more time-consuming, it is handy for beginners without CLI knowledge.

Steps to Follow >

➊ First, go to your file manager. Select the directory you want to delete along with its contents. Next, right-click on it & select the ‘Move to Trash’ option from the menu. And the directory will be deleted. Check the following image, where I am deleting my “schedule” directory.remove non empty directory using GUI in linux ➋ Afterward, you can check the deleted directory in the “Trash” folder. As you can see from the following image, I have my deleted “schedule” directory & it’s listed inside the trash folder.Deleted directory inside the trash folder With these two simple steps, you can remove any directory recursively on your system using GUI. Moreover, you do not need any separate task to confirm directory deletion as it is visible in the trash folder that you can see simply by using GUI.

Comparative Analysis of Methods

In this article, I showed you how to remove a directory using GUI & CLI. Anyway, check the following table where I have comparatively analyzed the pros & cons of both methods.

Methods Pros Cons

Method 1
  • Faster process.
  • Can be displayed verbose output of each action performed by the command.
  • Can be used to remove the files interactively.
  • Requires knowledge of commands.
  • Has to run a separate command to check if the directory has been removed successfully.

Method 2
  • Does not require any knowledge of commands.
  • Does not need any separate task to confirm the deletion as it vanishes & the whole process is visible in the GUI.
  • Deleted files can be retrieved from the trash folder.
  • Time-consuming.
  • It is not possible to remove each file interactively at a time without opening them one by one.

In summary, both methods have their pros and cons. If you have good CLI knowledge and feel more comfortable using it over GUI, use method 1. On the other hand, if you are unsure about some commands or facing unknown errors, use method 2.

Complementary Information

Besides, knowing how to remove non-empty directories recursively, you will find the below information helpful.

Solutions For “Failed to Remove a Directory Not-Empty” in Linux

There could be several reasons for not being able to remove a non-empty directory using the rm command with the –recursive option. For instance,

A. Lack of Permissions to Remove a Non-Empty Directory

Sometimes when you try to remove a read-only directory the command output shows an error. See the following image as an example, where I tried to remove a write-protected directory.remove non empty read-only directory in linux As a solution, you can change the permission of the directory using the chmod command. Check out the following picture:Changed directory ermission to remove it. After changing the permissions, the non-empty directory is removable.

B. Not an Owner of the Non-Empty Directory

When you try to remove a directory that you are not the owner of, for instance, belongs to another user. There will be an error. In that case, if you are a member of the sudo group, then use the sudo command before the rm command. Like this:Remove another user's directory The sudo command grants superuser privileges & let you remove a directory of another user.

C. Incorrect Directory Location Path

While you are removing a directory that is inside your current working directory, you don’t need to mention the directory location path. However, when the directory is situated in another directory, in that case, give the current location path as an argument with the rm command.

D. The Directory that is Currently Being Used

In cases, where you are trying to remove a directory that is open somewhere or being used by any program in your system, won’t be removed. Such as mounted directories.Mounted device is busy & can't be removed. Hence, before removing the directory, try to unmount it first. Also, make sure to close all the opened tabs that are using the directory.Unmounted the directory to remove it. From the image, you can see, after unmounting the directory, I am able to remove it.

E. Hidden Files Inside the Directory that is Being Used

Another problem could be engaged hidden files. You can check all files including hidden ones using the ‘ls -la’ command & which program is using them with the lsof command.

How to Remove an Empty Directory in Ubuntu

Along with the rmdir command, you can also use the rm command to remove an empty directory. For that, just use the command option –dir or -d. Check out the following steps to see how it works.

Steps to Follow >

➊ At first, open your Ubuntu terminal application.

➋ Then, type the following command in the command prompt to view the empty directory:

tree null
EXPLANATION
  • tree: Prints directory contents recursively in-depth tree-like format.
  • null: One of the system directory names.

➌ Now, tap the ENTER key & type the below command to remove the empty directory:

rm --dir null
EXPLANATION
  • rm: Removes files & directories in Linux.
  • –dir: Command option that removes the empty directories.
  • null: One of the system directory names.

➍ Press ENTER & afterward search for the deleted directory t check the succession of directory deletion:

ls -l | grep null
EXPLANATION
  • ls: Lists directory contents
  • -l or –long: Option of the ls command where -l gives long lists.
  • Pipe (|): Redirects the standard output.
  • grep: Looks for a specific pattern given to it as an argument.
  • null: One of the system directory names.

➎ Finally, hit the ENTER button again.removed empty directory in linux First, the tree command is showing inside the ‘null’ directory, which is empty.  Next, the rm command removes the empty directory. Since it has been removed, therefore the grep command can not find the directory in the database & returns a new command prompt.

Read More: How to Find and Delete Directory in Linux [3 Methods]

Conclusion

To sum up, removing a non-empty directory in Linux can be a tricky task, but with the right command and command options, it can be done safely & efficiently. Throughout the article, I discussed some possible ways, you can use to remove non-empty as well as empty directories from your system. Hope this guide helps you!

People Also Ask

How do I force delete a directory in Linux?
In Linux, to force delete a directory use the rm command with the options –recursively or -r & –force or -f. Hence, use the command syntax “rm -rf /location/path/to/directory”.

How do I delete a non empty directory in the command prompt?
You can delete a non-empty directory using the rm command with the option –recursively or -r. It will permanently delete your directory, along with all the directory contents. Therefore, be careful while using the command.

What is the function to remove a non empty directory?
In Linux, the command to remove a non-empty directory is the rm command, which stands for ‘remove’. Use the command option –recursive with the command to delete the directory along with inside contents, for instance, all files & sub-directories, whether they are empty or non-empty.

How do I find non empty files in a directory Linux?
You can find non-empty files in a directory, using the find command in Linux. Make sure to use command options -type f to specify that you want to search for files, and -size option with added operand +0 to search for files greater than zero. Hence, use the command syntax “find /path/to/directory -type f -size +0”.

Why I Cannot remove a directory in Linux?
When you have no permission or you are trying to delete a non-empty directory, you will see an error message. Moreover, if the directory is a mount point & is currently being used or is mounted as read-only, could lead to the fact that you can’t remove it. Try to find out the real reason & solve it accordingly.

Why can't you remove the directory Linux?
There could be several reasons why you are unable to remove a directory in Linux, for instance, no permission, non-empty, the directory is a mount point, file-system is read-only, special characters in the filename, and other processes are currently using files in the directory.

How to delete directory in Linux using find command?
You can delete a directory using the find command in combination with the rm command. For that, search the directory path & then pipe or use the exec command to send the output to the rm command to execute. Hence, use the command syntax, “find /path/to/directory -depth -type d -name ‘directory-name’ -exec rm -r {} /; ”.

How to remove write protected file in Linux?
To delete a write-protected directory, first, you have to change the directory permission. You can do that using the “sudo chmod a+w /path/to/directory” command syntax. Then use the rm command with the –recursive option. If it still fails then use the –force option too. Use command syntax, “rm -rf /path/to/directory”.

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Monira Akter Munny

Hello!! This is Monira Akter Munny. I'm a Linux content developer executive here, at SOFTEKO company. I have completed my B.Sc. in Engineering from Rajshahi University of Engineering & Technology in the Electrical & Electronics department. I'm more of an online gaming person who also loves to read blogs & write. As an open-minded person ready to learn & adapt to new territory, I'm always excited to explore the Linux world & share it with you! Read Full Bio

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