Files on an external hard drive that were moved to the Recycle Bin by another device cannot be seen or deleted by the device to which the drive is currently connected.
External hard drives use their own hidden trash folders. If the file was moved to the trash by another device—such as a Mac, another Windows PC, or a router—specific restrictions apply depending on your operating system. The reasons why you cannot see or delete them Hidden folders The file is located in a hidden folder on the external drive (for example, .$Trash on a Mac or a #recycle folder on a NAS). Permission structure The other device has locked the files. You are not the 'owner' of those specific files on your current device, causing your local computer to deny access. OS-specific Each operating system has its own hidden trash folder. Windows or macOS often ignores the specific trash folder of the other system. How do you solve this? Show hidden files Make sure that hidden files and folders are visible in your File Explorer (Windows) or Finder (Mac). In Windows, you can find this under View > Show > Hidden items. In macOS, use the shortcut Command + Shift + Period....