Forum Discussion

Copper Contributor

Oct 25, 2024

Solved

how to completely wipe usb drive on Windows 11 or Windows 10 PC?

Hi all, I have dozens of important and sensitive files stored on my USB drive, and I’d like to ensure they’re permanently deleted so they can’t be recovered. I know that simply deleting files fro...

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Yeungkkaopem
Oct 28, 2024
I’ve used DrWiper myself to wipe old USB drives before selling them—it’s dead simple and nukes everything beyond recovery. Definitely give it a shot if you want peace of mind!
Check: https://www.ulitewin.com/how-to-completely-wipe-usb-drive
Worth a try!

peticsbsmat

Copper Contributor

Oct 25, 2024

Windows offers a built-in tool to format USB drives. While a "Quick Format" only removes the file index, a "Full Format" will overwrite the drive with zeros, which is more secure.

To completely wipe usb drive windows 10, please insert the USB drive, open File Explorer, and right-click the drive. Select Format > uncheck Quick Format > click Start. This method is simple and effective for regular use.

Cjay13
Copper Contributor
Aug 19, 2025
This did not work for my USB drive. I still see 512KB used under "System & reserved" and 256KB under "Other". How do I get those to 0?