To eject a disc from a Mac, select the disc icon on your desktop and choose File > Eject, or click its Eject icon in the Finder sidebar.
It is one of those tiny friction moments that can stop a workflow cold: a CD, DVD, or external media disc stubbornly sitting inside the drive, refusing to pop out. The good news is that a Mac offers several fast ways to eject a disc, plus a set of reliable fallback steps when the normal methods fail. Below is every working route, from the simple to the nuclear.
Eject a Disc From Mac Normally
The fastest route to ejecting a disc depends on where your cursor is, but all standard methods are simple and take one click or keystroke.
- Desktop icon. Click the disc icon on your desktop to select it, then choose File > Eject from the menu bar.
- Finder sidebar. Open a Finder window and locate the disc under Locations or Devices. Click the small Eject icon (▶) next to its name.
- Keyboard shortcut. Select the disc on the desktop or in a Finder window and press Command (⌘) + E.
- Right-click or Control-click. Click the disc icon while holding the Control key, or use a two-finger tap on a trackpad, then choose Eject.
- Eject key. If your Mac has a physical keyboard with the Eject key (⏏), simply press it.
- Drag to Trash. Drag the disc icon into the Trash in your Dock. The Trash icon changes to an Eject symbol when you hover over it.
Getting a Stuck Disc Out: What to Try First
When your Mac refuses to spit out a disc, the culprit is often a locked app or another user. Apple’s official documentation outlines a clear sequence to follow before trying force methods.
Quit the app using the disc
If a program is reading from the disc, the system holds the media in place. Quit the app normally. If it will not quit, choose > Force Quit, select the app, and click Force Quit.
Close any open files on the disc
A single open document, image, or video file is enough to keep the disc locked. Close every file that came from the disc and try again.
Log out other users
If your Mac has multiple user accounts, a different user may be accessing the disc simultaneously. Log them out via > Log Out [User Name].
Restart your Mac
A standard restart clears most temporary locks on removable media. When the screen goes black, listen for the optical drive. Many users find the disc ejects during the chime, before the login screen appears.
| Problem | Standard Fix | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| A specific app is using the disc | Quit or force quit the app | Software installers, media players |
| An open file is on the disc | Close the file from the disc | Documents, images, videos |
| Another user is logged in | Log out the user | Shared or family Macs |
| General system error | Restart your Mac | Any persistent lock after trying the above |
Force Eject: Recovery Mode and the Terminal
If the standard steps do not work, you can use a force-eject method. Start with the physical approach, then move to command-line tools. Apple’s official documentation for ejecting discs recommends these next steps.
Hold the mouse or trackpad button while restarting
Choose > Restart. Immediately after clicking Restart, press and hold the mouse button or trackpad button. Keep holding it until the disc ejects. This works on most modern Macs and is the safest force method available.
Use the hidden menu bar eject icon
If you have a connected optical drive, you can enable a persistent eject control. Go to > System Settings > CDs & DVDs and toggle on Show eject in menu bar. The icon appears on the right side of the menu bar for instant access.
Terminal commands as a last resort
When the system refuses to cooperate on a deeper level, the Terminal offers direct communication with the drive. Open Terminal from Applications > Utilities.
Type /usr/bin/drutil eject and press Return. This command sends the eject signal directly to the optical drive, bypassing the Finder. For external media drives, the command diskutil eject /dev/diskN (where N is the disk number from diskutil list) can work for ejecting external volumes that are not optical discs.
| Force Method | Action | When It Works |
|---|---|---|
| Mouse/trackpad hold during restart | Hold the mouse button while clicking Restart | System-level lock |
| Menu bar eject icon | Go to CDs & DVDs in System Settings and enable the option | Drive is visible but other methods fail |
/usr/bin/drutil eject |
Run this Terminal command | Frozen Finder or driver issue |
diskutil eject |
Run this Terminal command for external media drives | External HD or SD card is unmountable |
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Ejecting a Disc
Knowing what not to do is just as important as the steps above. Avoid these errors to keep your data safe and your drive healthy.
Do not pull a disc out before the icon disappears. Your Mac may still be writing data. Removing media prematurely can corrupt files. Wait for the disc icon to vanish from the desktop and Finder sidebar before touching the drive.
Do not skip the app check. Most stuck discs are not jammed physically; they are held by a background process. Quit all open apps before assuming hardware failure. This step alone solves the majority of stuck-disc cases for typical users.
Do not default to Terminal first. Terminal commands are effective but unnecessary for most situations. Starting with a simple restart or hold-mouse-button trick is faster and carries no risk of mistyping a command.
References & Sources
- Apple Support. “Eject CDs and DVDs from your Mac.” Provides the official steps for normal and stuck disc ejection.