If you are planning to sell, donate, or recycle your computer, a simply deleting your files isn’t enough. To protect your privacy, you need to wipe your computer hard drive and factory reset Windows so that your personal files can’t be recovered by the next owner.
In this guide, I’ll walk you through how to securely erase your data from your computer and perform a clean install of Windows 10 or 11.
Why You Need To Securely Wipe Your PC
Just deleting files and emptying the Recycle Bin doesn’t actually remove data from a hard drive, it just hides it from Windows. And if Windows can’t “see” it, then neither can you, it appears to have gone. But it isn’t, data remains on your hard drive until it is overwritten by fresh data.
Identity thieves often use file recovery software to retrieve “deleted” photos, documents, passwords, and banking info. Recovery software is designed to simply “ignore” Windows and scans the physical drive instead.
Computers store data, your documents, pictures etc, as 1s and 0s on the hard drive How Does A Computer Store Data?, the “Clean Data” setting writes 1s all across the entire drive. Overwriting everything to make data recovery virtually impossible.
Back Up Your Important Files
Before you erase your computer please be sure that you have backups of your data, your important files. Once the wipe begins, your data is gone forever.
- You could simply copy and paste your files onto an external hard drive. If you’re using a USB flash drive, test it or use 2 of them because they’re not that reliable these days.
- If you use cloud storage such as OneDrive or Google Drive, make sure you can still access those accounts. You’ll need to know your Microsoft and Google passwords as well as having access to any 2FA that you set up.
- Pro Tip – Create a system image of your PC. That way if something goes wrong you can restore the computer. If you’re not sure how then these guides will help – Windows 10 System Image, Windows 11 System Image.
How To Factory Reset Windows 10 Or 11
Windows has a built in tool that can both securely wipe all data from your computer and then re-install Windows.
Click the Start button and type “reset this pc“. On the search results, click on Reset This PC (system settings).
Windows Recovery Screen
The Windows System Recovery screen will open. You can use Windows own recovery options to erase all the data from your computer hard drive. It’ll remove all your files and folders, all your programs and apps and even the installed version of Windows itself. After that the recovery will re-install whichever version of Windows you’re using (Windows 10 or Windows 11).
For Windows 10 users – In the Recovery section, click the Get Started button.
And for Windows 11 users – In the Recovery Options section, click the Reset PC button.
Choose the “Remove Everything” Option
Windows will ask you what you want to do with your files.
Select “Remove Everything.” This ensures all apps, settings, and personal files are marked for deletion. This is the only way to truly wipe a laptop or desktop for a new user.
How Would You Like To Re-Install Windows
Everything on your computer will be erased including your version of Windows. There are two ways in which you can have recovery re-install Windows on to your PC.
- Cloud Download – Downloads a fresh version of Windows from Microsoft. Use this option for a “clean” install of Windows. Slower and you’ll need an internet connection.
- Local Reinstall – Uses the files already on your PC. This is the standard factory reset option. It should also install any programs/apps that came with the PC.
Cloud Vs Local Reinstall
PC manufacturers such as Acer, Dell, Lenovo and HP bundle extra software on to their computers. If you’re looking to do a factory reset, return the PC to how it was when you first bought it, then opt for Local Reinstall.
The Cloud Download option will only reinstall Windows itself. Any software that came pre-installed on the computer won’t be reinstalled.
The “Secret” To A Secure Wipe
This is the step that many users miss when trying to securely reset a computer. By default, Windows does a “quick” reset. To securely erase your hard drive, you must change the settings to clean the hard drive.
On the “Additional Settings” screen, click Change Settings.
Toggle the “Clean Data?” option to Yes. This wipes the drive by overwriting all the sectors on it. It takes longer but is necessary for to make sure that everything on the drive has been erased. Click Confirm and then Next.
You’ll see a final confirmation screen, click the Reset button to start the process.
Windows will restart and then you’ll see the Resetting this PC screen. This part of the process could take quite a while because Windows is wiping the hard drive.
Mechanical HDDs are much slower than the newer SSDs, so be prepared for a long wait. If you’re doing this on a laptop make sure that it’s plugged in to the mains. You really don’t want the battery to die.
Eventually Windows will start to install itself.
Finalizing for the New Owner
When the hard drive’s been wiped clean and Windows has been installed your computer will reboot to the “Select Your Region” screen. At this point you have 2 options –
- If you are selling the PC, turn it off now. The new owner can finish the setup with their own Microsoft account.
- Or if you need to set it up you can either continue using your own MS account or follow this guide on How To Install Windows Without A Microsoft Account
Summary
Regardless of whether you’re selling or simply passing the computer on, you should protect yourself by properly erasing all your data from it.
Common Questions About Wiping A PC
Does a factory reset delete everything?
Yes, if you choose “Remove Everything” and “Clean Data,” it erases all personal files, apps, and accounts by overwriting the hard drive.
How long does it take to wipe a computer?
A standard Windows reset takes around 30-60 minutes. A secure wipe (cleaning the data) can take many hours depending on the size and type of your hard drive.
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