MacOS – How to delete a file marked as backup item

errormacostrash

I'm trying to delete a file, but I get a message from Trash saying:
"The operation can’t be completed because backup items can’t be modified."

The operation can’t be completed because backup items can’t be modified.

What does that mean and how can I delete it?

Best Answer

According to this thread at Apple, this is a bug. This means it will hopefully be fixed in a coming update to OS X.

In the meantime, you have to relaunch the Finder, which you can do either through force quit (⎇⌘⎋, or through the  menu), or by less violent means by quitting it normally, which you must first activate through the following command issued in the Terminal:

defaults write com.apple.Finder QuitMenuItem 1
Related Question