How can I delete a Container Disk that is not the last Container Disk using Disk Utility?

I have a 2TB SDD that is currently set up as 2 Container Disks (partitions). When I call up the pie chart in Disk Utility and select the last container, the '-' is active to let me remove it. However if I select the first container, the '-' is greyed out (not selectable). The second container has data in it so I don't want to delete it. The larger, first container is empty and I want to get back to just the one container (partition) on the SDD. How can I do that?



I can drag around the resize bubbles but that only makes things worse!! I end up with more partitions, not fewer:

MacBook Air 13″, macOS 12.7

Posted on Mar 20, 2025 8:13 PM

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Mar 23, 2025 12:54 AM in response to keriah

Try the suggestion from @ K Shaffer - first


If successful - great


If Not, as this is an External SSD Drive.


I stand to be corrected but the First Partition which not the same as a Container


Copy all the Important Data Off the Second Partition to a safe location


Erase and reformat a storage device in Disk Utility on Mac




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Mar 22, 2025 7:23 PM in response to PRP_53

PRP_53 wrote:
Suggest reading this from Apple regarding Containers versus Partitions
Partition a physical disk in Disk Utility on Mac

Indeed - that's one of the articles I've read. Basically, under the "Delete a Partition" heading, Step 3 says, "If the Delete button is dimmed, you can’t delete the selected partition."


That is the situation I have. And my question here is, What can I do??

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Mar 22, 2025 8:15 PM in response to keriah


keriah (Author)

Perhaps in the MacBook Air screen that shows these disk/containers

..IF there is a Revert button, that may remove this newer partition and

return that to an original configuration; with 100% inside one container.


Another option would be if you have an external Time Machine backup

of Mac, use that (given info to restore a System) after erasure. Try & see

if there is a Revert button, in the MacBook Air screen, first. ~ IF the image

you show, is a screenshot of your Mac, then it may work. Or use Backups.

Be ready to restore from backups, if possible; include any clones you made.


If you cannot 'revert' within the screen as shown, you

may not use Recovery -- unless it's live from Internet.


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How can I delete a Container Disk that is not the last Container Disk using Disk Utility?

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