Overview – Deleting Files Permanently in Windows
You might be aware that using Ctrl + Shift + Esc Key Combination delete files, programs, and other media permanently. But the reality is that these files can be restored simply by using any file restoration software.
I will tell you how to delete files permanently in windows without any chances of file restoration even by using the File Restoration Software.
We will not be downloading and using any 3rd Party Applications to delete files permanently in Windows.
By the end of this article, you will be able to Delete Files, Folders, apps, etc, in Windows without any chances of restoring them.
Steps to Delete Files Permanently in Windows without any chances of Recovery
Step #1: Select the File or Folder that you want to delete permanently.
Step #2: Press the Shift + Delete Key Combination on your Keyboard. Select the “Yes” option.
Wait!
Your Folder is not Deleted Permanently yet, it can be Restored Easily using any File Restore Software.
To delete it permanently, let’s follow the steps below.
Step #3: Press “Windows Key + R” Key Combination to open the Windows RUN.
Step #4: Now, we will delete the temporary files, cache, and cookies stored in your device.
- Type temp and delete all the files using Shift + Delete Key Combination.
- Type %temp% and delete the files” using Shift + Delete Key Combination.
- Type prefetch and delete all the folders using Shift + Delete Key Combination.
Step #5: Delete All the Temporary Files from the Folders.
Step #6: Now search for “Defragment and Optimize Drives” in the start menu.
Step #7: Click on the “Optimize” button.
Step #8: Search for Disk Cleanup in Start Menu and run it as administrator.
Step #9: Click on the “More options” tab
Step #10: Click on the “Clean Up” option in System Restore and Shadow Copies section.
There you go, now the files, folders, media, etc, deleted by you cannot be restored even by using Windows File Restore Software.
PRO TIPS
(1) Make sure that you don’t have any active File or Windows backups otherwise the files can be restored.
(2) Make sure that you have not copied the file in an external hard drive, pen drive or any other cloud storage.
FAQ’s Related to Deleting Files Permanently in Windows
Can Files be Restored After Following the Steps above?
No, after following the method above, the files cannot be restored. After following the method above, we tried restoring the files using File Restore Software (Restoro and Disk Drill Software), but none of the files were able to restore.
What Files can be deleted Permanently in Windows?
All files except the in-built Windows Files can be deleted permanently.
Can we delete files permanently in Hard Drive?
Yes, you can delete files permanently on an external hard drive in Windows. In step 7, select the External Hard Drive and click on the Optimize button.
Conclusion
I wish I could tell you that using Ctrl + Shift + Delete Key Combination, the files will be deleted permanently, but actually, they won’t, instead, they can be restored easily. We have explained how to delete files permanently without any possibility of restoring them.
We have deleted files permanently without downloading any app in windows.
We’ve addressed 10 small and simple steps in this article that will help you to delete files in Windows Permanently.
Using this method you can slightly increase the storage in your Laptop or PC as well.
Have we missed something in the steps above?
Take a minute to tell in the Comment Section.
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