How to Delete All Data from Laptop Permanently before Selling? [Comprehensive Guide]
How to erase personal information from a laptop can be a question, which bothers various individuals. Why did people want to know how to delete all data from laptop permanently before selling? There are a lot of reasons. Many of them include:
- People will no longer utilize the laptop or PC, either for charitable giving or for resale. On the laptop, there is personal information everywhere.
- People want to restart the laptop and improve its performance since the storage is empty.
- In order to prevent any private disclosure, people want to completely remove something from computers.
- Some folks simply wish the erased files to disappear and stop showing up.
For your reference, here are 6 methods to permanently erase personal information from laptop, regardless of the situation. Pick the way that is best for you.
#Technique 1- How to Delete All Data from Laptop Permanently before Selling it (Never Recoverable)
If you mean “permanently remove” as never recoverable, then you must utilize an expert and certified Data Eraser Software to completely remove all data from laptop/PC. One excellent and right option is CubexSoft Data Erasure Tool. After utilizing it, nobody can retrieve the removed data since it utilized the zero-fill method to delete all data from the laptop permanently.
First of all, download the Data Wipe Tool and launch it on your machine the first screen will be shown as follows –
Select the option you want to use to wipe your important Files or Folders, then press the Next tab.
The program will show you the Files’ exact folder hierarchy. Select the necessary Data Items to erase from your laptop.
Moreover, one can use the Filter Options button to apply the necessary Filters. Click the Next when all of the options have been made.
Select the Data Wiping Option you want, then hit on the Wipe tab.
A warning message will show up in a new window. To begin, tap on the Yes button.
A new message window with the words “Data Wipe Process Successfully Completed” appears following successful completion.
It is simple to know how to erase personal information from laptop completely. One can try CubexSoft Data Recovery Software to scan the laptop after erasing files. In most cases, the recovery tool cannot find the deleted files at all if you utilized this Data Eraser Tool to remove files on a laptop.
#Technique 2- How Do I Permanently Delete Everything off My Computer (Remove Complete Data on Laptop)
If you are going to donate or sell your laptop, the first and most crucial step is completely wiping all files from your laptop that will get all your personal data deleted. By doing this, only the original Windows OS data will be preserved. Anybody who gets the laptop will not be able to access any of your personal information, including software tools and data. The simple steps are listed below.
If your Windows Operating System is Win 11 or 10, do the following instructions-
- Press on the Start Menu and pick Settings.
- Find and press Update & Security.
- In the Left-Hand, hit the Recovery.
- Choose Get Started from Reset this PC. Make sure of the action.
- A prompt will give you dual options, Keep My Files and Remove Everything. Please select Remove Everything because you wish to erase all files from your laptop.
- When it appears, delete files and clean the drive. The recovery of files will be more challenging as a result, which could take hours. Press on the Next.
- At last, click the Reset tab.
For Win 7, follow the steps listed below-
- Press & hold the key F8.
- Select Repair Your Computer in the “Advanced Boot Options” and then hit Enter.
- Click the Next after selecting a keyboard language. Utilize your admin account to log in.
- Select System Restore or Startup Repair from the System Recovery Options. To complete the entire procedure, follow the built-in wizard.
Reset the factory Everything on your laptop will be deleted, including all apps, games, and personal data as well as any settings modifications. Your PC will appear neat and new as a result.
Factory resetting your PC will delete everything, including all apps, personal data, games, and any settings modifications. Your laptop will appear clean and new as a result.
#Technique 3- How to Set Up the Recycle Bin on a Laptop to Permanently Remove Files (Remove Files Once and for All)
The erased file will be kept in the recycle bin for a few days (some are 30 days) after you erase it by pressing the Delete key. This means that in order to remove a file from your laptop permanently, you must first delete it before emptying the recycle bin. It is a waste of time. You must configure “do not move data to the recycle bin, erase files immediately when removed” in order to change it.
- On your laptop, pick Properties by performing a right-click on the recycle bin.
- Select “Don’t move files to the recycle bin, remove files immediately when deleted” under Settings for the specified location.
The erased files will be permanently removed from your laptop if you do this. They won’t be placed in the recycle bin at all, saving you time when it comes to clearing the trash.
#Technique 4- How to Remove Data Permanently using Shortcuts on Laptop (Remove Data Quickly)
Do you know that clicking Shift + Delete simultaneously wipes data completely on a PC? Simply press the file you wish to wipe from your laptop, click on the Shift + Delete, and then confirm the removal when a pop-up window displays. That’s it!
#Technique 5- How to Completely Delete Data with File Explorer Ribbon (Erase Data in a Click)
In File Explorer, one can simply locate the file you wish to erase. Then, use the Windows File Explorer Ribbon to erase the data permanently.
- The File Explorer window will appear when you click on the Windows key and E on the keyboard.
- Clicking the target file(s) will choose it after you open the folder containing it.
- Hit the “Permanently Delete” from the “Delete” drop-down list in the menu.
#Technique 6- How Do I Permanently Delete Everything off My Computer Using Powershell (Remove Erased Data)
Target folders and all deleted files can both be deleted using the Powershell command line. Depending on how you employ it.
- Run PowerShell as administrator by typing “PowerShell” into the search bar.
- Click the Enter after entering Remove-Item -path c:[Filename] -recurse. (Doing so will eliminate the target folder and all of its contents).
- To use cipher, use cipher /w:filepath>. (This will remove all erased data, even overwritten erased data, from the file path.)
Let’s Conclude
When you decide to sell or give away your laptop, you must delete any personal data from it. A simple removal is not enough because any data recovery software can effortlessly retrieve these “deleted” data. For the data to be permanently erased, they must be overwritten. This article describes five manual techniques for erasing data from storage devices or laptops. These techniques don’t ensure the complete destruction of personal data since they lack advanced data encryption ways. For this reason, you should only rely on advanced file erasure tool alternatives like CubexSoft Data Erase Tool for deleting any sensitive files that could cause chaos if they ended up in the wrong hands.
