Securely delete Windows files
YOU’LL NEED THIS
WINDOWS 11
An up-to-date installation
ERASER GPARTED ISO
READERS WHO FOLLOWED OUR TUTORIAL on recovering deleted files using PhotoRec and TestDisk (August 2024, page 68) will know that they can be easy to recover.
The one exception is devices using an SSD with TRIM enabled. In this case, when data is deleted, it’s overwritten immediately, so is almost impossible to recover.
If this isn’t true for your device, it’s possible that your sensitive personal files could be salvaged even after you empty the Recycle Bin. This has huge privacy implications if your machine falls into the wrong hands, or even if you just want to recycle your PC.
Fortunately, there are specialist tools that can help to wipe files from your device securely. In this guide, you’ll learn how to use Windows’ own built-in utilities to securely erase files and folders. You’ll also discover how to use specialist third-party tools like Eraser and GParted to securely wipe free space on your drive, or erase the contents altogether.