Deleting a file permanently in Windows is not as straightforward as it may seem. The standard practice of deleting a file through the File Explorer involves deleting the file and sending it to the Recycle Bin. This means that the file still exists on the computer and can be recovered if needed. In certain cases, users may want to delete the file more permanently and make sure that it cannot be recovered at a later time.
The best way to permanently delete a file in Windows is to use a specialized third-party program designed for securely erasing data from a hard drive. These programs overwrite the contents of the deleted file multiple times, making it impossible to recover the original file. There are several third-party programs available for this purpose, such as CCleaner, DBAN, and Eraser.
If you do not wish to use a third-party program, there is another way to permanently delete files from Windows. This method involves using the Command Prompt, which is a feature built into Windows that allows users to execute specific commands and tasks through text-based commands. To permanently delete a file using Command Prompt, users will need to open the Command Prompt window, navigate to the folder where the file is stored, and enter the command “del” followed by the name of the file they wish to delete. Doing this will send the file to the Recycle Bin and make it inaccessible to Windows, but the file can still be recovered.
To make sure the file is permanently deleted, users need to enter the “sdelete” command, followed by the file name. This command overwrites the content of the file multiple times and makes it unrecoverable.
In conclusion, the best way to permanently delete a file in Windows is to use a third-party program designed for secure data deletion or use the Command Prompt and the “sdelete” command. Doing so ensures that the file is completely and irreversibly erased from the computer and cannot be recovered.