Forum Discussion
How to wipe a hard drive completely on Windows 11?
Hi everyone, I'm planning to sell my Windows 11 device and want to securely wipe the hard drive to ensure none of my personal data is recoverable. I've heard that just deleting files or even rese...
If you want to wipe a hard drive without deleting Windows 11, you can format or securely erase data from specific partitions or drives other than the one where Windows 11 is installed. Use Disk Management to Format a Non-System Drive This method allows you to format a secondary drive or partition while leaving Windows 11 untouched.
- Press Windows + X and select Disk Management.
- Locate the drive or partition you want to wipe.
- Right-click on the drive and select Format.
- Choose the file system (e.g., NTFS) and check the box for a Quick Format if you want a faster, but
- less secure, format. For a more thorough wipe, uncheck Quick Format.
- Click OK to begin the process.
This is the best free way to completely wipe a hard drive without deleting Windows 11 OS. In addition, none of these methods will erase the system drive or interfere with Windows 11, ensuring your operating system remains functional while securely wiping other data from non-system drives or partitions.