Open Command Prompt or PowerShell with Administrator privileges.Ģa.
You can use either program to perform a full format of any drive connected to your Windows 10 and Windows 11 PC. Method 2: Wipe your drive using Command Prompt or PowerShellĪnother method that might not be known to everyone is that you can use Command Prompt or PowerShell. In Windows XP and earlier, the format command didn't write zeros to the whole disk when performing a full format. Click OK to confirm that you know you will be completely erasing everything on the drive.Īccording to Microsoft's documentation, since Windows Vista, Windows always writes zeros to the whole disk when performing a full format. Be sure to uncheck Quick Format under Format Options, so that Windows 10 and Windows 11 perform a full format and click Start.ĥ. Right click the drive you want to eraseĤ. This method is ideal for internal drives where you do not have your operating system installed, USB flash drives, and other external storage devices. Of course, there are other available methods to securely wipe your data from your internal, external and USB hard drives. Method 1: Wipe your hard drive using File Explorer If you want to completely wipe your hard drive, whether it be an internal, external, or USB flash drive, follow this guide to several methods to wipe your hard drive. Without the key, files on the drive will look like complete nonsense. When you encrypt your hard drive, a mathematical process is used to muddle up the data using a passkey that only you have.
If you purchased a new Windows PC in the last few years, you likely have a solid-state hard drive. SSDs are faster than traditional mechanical hard drives and use flash memory instead of magnetic platters to store data. If you have a solid-state drive (SSD), it's best to start with encryption. When you delete content anywhere, you want to make sure that no one can ever recover it. Traditionally, if you ever wanted to quickly erase a USB flash drive, there is the trusty, built-in Windows tool to quickly format a hard drive. Windows 10 and Windows 11 have built-in tools to help create, copy, and securely wipe your hard drive, USB devices, external hard drives, and SD cards.