How to Permanently Delete Files so They Can't Be Recovered? - 4 Easy Ways

In daily computer use, we may delete some sensitive or private files, such as personal photos, financial statements, or business secrets. However, regular deletion methods do not truly make the files disappear; they can still be recovered using professional data recovery tools. So, how can you permanently delete files so they can't be recovered? This article will introduce several reliable methods.

Part 1. How to Permanently Delete Files on Windows 10/11 by Setting Recycle Bin

By default, Windows stores deleted files in the Recycle Bin, and you need to manually empty the Recycle Bin to permanently delete them. However, even after emptying it, the data may still be recoverable. Therefore, you can configure the Recycle Bin to immediately remove files from the disk after deletion.

Here is how to permanently delete files on Windows 10/11:

Step 1. Right-click on the Recycle Bin and select "Properties".

Step 2. In the "Recycle Bin Location", choose the disk you want to modify.

Step 3. Select "Don't move files to the Recycle Bin. Remove files immediately when deleted".

Step 4. Click "OK" to save the settings.

With this method, deleted files will not go to the Recycle Bin but will be removed directly from the disk. However, they can still be recovered using recovery software. If you need a more secure method, please continue reading.

Part 2. How to Permanently Delete Files so They Can't Be Recovered via Coolmuster Data Erasure

If you want to completely destroy files so they can't be recovered by any recovery tool, using professional file erasure software is the best option. Coolmuster Data Erasure is a powerful data-wiping tool that can overwrite storage areas, making deleted files unrecoverable. It allows you to select the desired files and folders from your computer before erasing the data. If you want to erase an entire disk, you can use its Drive Wiper feature.

Main features of Coolmuster Data Erasure:

• Upload and permanently erase any personal files or folders to ensure they are unrecoverable.
• Enable you to erase files stored on your Windows PC, hard drive, and external devices.
• Wipe all data and traces from entire hard drives or external devices, including existing, deleted, formatted, broken, and inaccessible files.
• Permanently erase deleted data and free space on any hard drive or external device without affecting existing files.
• Completely erase all types of files from various storage devices, such as photos, videos, audio files, documents, emails, and more.
• Completely erase an entire USB drive, SSD, hard drive, or other external storage devices.
• Support Windows 11/10/8/7.

Free Download for PC

Here is how to permanently delete files so that it cannot be recovered:

Video Tutorial:

Part 3. How to Permanently Delete Files on PC Without Recovery Using Windows PowerShell

PowerShell is a built-in command-line tool in Windows that can directly execute file deletion operations and clear unused disk space to prevent file recovery.

Here is how to permanently delete files on PC without recovery using PowerShell:

Step 1. Type "PowerShell" in the Windows search bar, right-click, and select "Run as Administrator".

Step 2. Enter the command "Remove-Item C:\Path\To\File.txt -Force" to forcefully delete the specified file (replace C:\Path\To\File.txt with your actual file path).

Step 3. To prevent recovery, you can enter "cipher /w:C:\" to wipe the free space where deleted files were stored.

Part 4. How to Permanently Delete Files on PC Without Recovery with the Reset This PC Feature

If you want to completely delete all data on your computer to make it unrecoverable, you can use Windows' "Reset this PC" feature. This is useful for thoroughly clearing data before selling or donating your computer.

Here is how to permanently delete files so they can't be recovered:

Step 1. Open "Settings" > "Update & Security" > "Recovery".

Step 2. Under "Reset this PC", click "Get Started".

Step 3. Select the "Remove everything" option.

Step 4. In "Change settings", turn on the "Clean data" option to completely erase the hard drive data.

Step 5. Once confirmed, click "Next" and follow the prompts to complete the process.

Words in the End

That's all about how to permanently delete files so they can't be recovered. We have introduced a total of 4 methods. If you're looking for the simplest and most efficient option, Coolmuster Data Erasure is definitely the best choice. It uses advanced data erasure technology to completely destroy files, ensuring data security.

Try Coolmuster Data Erasure now to make your sensitive data disappear completely and avoid privacy leaks!

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