Cannot Delete app from trash after deleting associated files in system.

Are you greeted with any sort of error message when the Trash fails to empty?

Reboot your computer and try to empty the trash again.

If unsuccessful:

Launch the Terminal app.

In the Terminal window type sudo rm -rf  (with a trailing space)

From the Trash, drag that troublesome app onto the Terminal window after the trailing space.

The command will now look something like sudo rm -rf /Users/username/.Trash/<appfilename>.app

Press the return key and type your user password – it won't be shown onscreen – and press Return again.

The fact that Teams is already in the Trash but refuses to be removed points more toward a file-system/process issue than leftover Teams permissions. Before deleting anything else inside the app bundle, check whether macOS still has a Teams process, helper, or file operation holding the bundle open.

Quit Teams completely, then in Terminal run lsof | grep -i "Microsoft Teams" and see whether anything still has files open inside the app. If you get a PID, terminate that process and try emptying the Trash again. If nothing is holding it open, try moving the app back out of the Trash to /Applications, then delete it again... this can clear a stuck Trash reference.

I would avoid sudo rm -rf as the first choice here because it bypasses the normal file-system protections and doesn't tell you what is actually preventing deletion.

pleazexplain wrote:

I cannot delete Teams app from the trash. I followed the instructions for completely deleting teams app. Went through appropriate folders Containers, App Support, Permissions etc as listed in the community forum. The app itself cannot be deleted from the trash. I deleted things directly from the cloud also, but the app would not. I opened the appt to see contents and tried to delete individual components of it-- the ones I thought most critical to its operation. It has hijacked my microphone in the system settings, as well as camera. I used the "tccutil reset CATEGORY” wild card (i.e., category that applies and reset microphone and camera settings) to reset microphone and camera successfuly. I still cannot delete this app from trash. I right clicked trying to delete it immediately. It will not delete. I reset permissions, renamed it. Nothing worked. You will probably advise me to upgrade, which is another issue. I have Tbytes on iCloud but they won't sync. Checked settings. Cannot sync until I upgrade, cannot upgrade until I sync! Thanks in advance for your assistance.

Did you try from a SafeBoot ?

pleazexplain wrote:

I reset permissions, renamed it. Nothing worked.

How did you reset permissions here and what permissions did you give it?

You will probably advise me to upgrade,

No reason to upgrade at all, nor even install a minor update patch. It won't solve your particular issue here. The other contributors are taking good care of you here.

which is another issue. I have Tbytes on iCloud but they won't sync. Checked settings. Cannot sync until I upgrade, cannot upgrade until I sync! Thanks in advance for your assistance.

FYI, if you decide you need help with this issue as well, then you should start a new thread for it and make sure to provide details such as the exact version of macOS involved as well as whether the syncing is from the Mac to the cloud or from the cloud to the Mac.

Plus how much Free storage space is on the Mac (use Disk Utility to get this information) and the storage information for your iCloud account which can be located in System Settings ("Apple Account" --> "iCloud").

Please try to format your posts a bit by utilizing paragraphs such I am doing here in order to make everything a bit easier to read.