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!

Mialusu

Copper Contributor

Oct 25, 2024

Costa_Rica Quick format only removes the file system’s index, which means the actual data remains on the USB drive until it’s overwritten by new files. As a result, file recovery software can often scan the drive and restore files that haven’t been overwritten.

A full format goes further by overwriting the data with zeros, which makes recovery significantly more difficult and it is an secure way to wipe a USB drive on Windows 11 PC as far as I know, though not always impossible. Specialized recovery tools or professional services may still retrieve some data, but chances of success are far lower than with a quick format.