5 Easy Ways to Wipe a Hard Drive

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Simple options for wiping an internal or external drive on Windows and Mac

Written by Travis Boylls

Last Updated: April 1, 2026 Fact Checked

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• Resetting a Windows PC
|
• Formatting a Hard Drive in Windows
|
• Resetting a Mac
|
• Format a Hard Drive on Mac
|
• Securely Wiping a Hard Drive
|
• Video

|Show more |Show less

Wiping a hard drive means permanently erasing all the data on a storage device. You might need to do this in several scenarios, such as when you want to recycle or sell the hard drive, protect the privacy information, or get rid of damaged hard drives. There are different methods you can use depending on the type of hard drive you want to wipe and how securely you want to erase the data. This wikiHow article teaches you how to wipe a hard drive.

Wipe a Hard Drive

• You can find the option to factory reset a computer in the Settings menu on Windows and Mac. This will wipe the hard drive and reinstall your operating system.
• You can use the built-in Disk Management on Windows or Disk Utility on Mac to format and wipe an internal or external hard drive.
• For a more secure and thorough disk wipe option, you can use third-party software like DBAN, KillDisk, DiskWipe, or BitRaser.

Steps

Section 1 of 5:

Resetting a Windows PC

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1. 
   1
   Press ⊞ Win+i to open Settings. Use the keyboard shortcut to open Windows. Alternatively, you can click the Windows Start menu and click Settings.

   • If you are planning on selling or recycling your computer or laptop, you can use this method to completely wipe the hard drive and reinstall Windows. This will erase all data on your computer's main hard drive. Be sure to back up any data you want to keep before resetting your computer.
2. 
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   Click System or Update & Security. If you are using Windows 11, click System in the menu bar to the left. If you are using Windows 10, click the Update & Security icon.
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3. 
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   Click Recovery. On Windows 11, it’s about halfway down the main menu panel in the center of the screen. On Windows 10, it’s in the menu bar to the left.
4. 
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   Click Reset PC or Get Started. If you are using Windows 11, click Reset PC. If you are using Windows 10, click Get Started below “Reset this PC.”
5. 
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   Click Remove all files. This is the option you want to select if you want to completely wipe the hard drive on your computer.

   • Alternatively, you can select Keep my files if you are having issues with your Windows installation and you want to reinstall Windows, but keep your files.
6. 
   6
   Select Cloud download or Local reinstall. This selects the method for reinstalling Windows. “Cloud download” downloads the latest version of Windows and installs it. “Local reinstall” reinstalls the version of Windows that came with your computer.

   • If you have an internet connection, it is recommended you do a cloud download.
7. 
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   Select Just remove the files or Remove files and clean the drive. Selecting Remove files and clean the drive will completely sanitize the hard drive by wiping the data with a couple of passes to reduce the chances that any data can be recovered. This may take a while. Selecting Just remove the files will wipe the hard drive with a quick pass. This may leave some residual data that can be recovered.
8. 
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   Review the information and click Next. You’ll see a screen explaining what data is going to be erased and what settings will be reset. Review the information and click Next.
9. 
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   Click Reset. This will begin the process of resetting your computer. This may take a while, and your computer may restart several times. When the process is complete, you will need to go through the Windows setup process again.
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Section 2 of 5:

Formatting a Hard Drive in Windows

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1. 
   1
   Connect your hard drive to your computer. You can use this method to wipe an external or internal hard drive on your computer. If you are using an external hard drive, connect it to a free USB port on your computer.

   • You can format a USB thumb drive or an external drive.
   • If you have an internal hard drive from an old computer, you can use a hard drive enclosure to connect the internal hard drive to a computer and use it as an external hard drive.
   • This will erase all data on your hard drive. Be sure to back up any data you want to keep before proceeding.
2. 
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   Open Disk Management. To do so, right-click the Windows Start menu, and click Disk Management.
3. 
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   Right-click your hard drive and click Format. You will see the hard drive listed in the list of connected drives as well as in the grid at the bottom of the app. This will open the Format options menu.

   • You may be prompted with a warning informing you that this will erase all data on your hard drive. Click Yes to continue.
   • Be careful which hard drive you select. You don’t want to select a hard drive you don’t mean to wipe.
4. 
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   Enter a new name for the hard drive. This will be the name given to the hard drive after it has been wiped and formatted. Enter the name you want to give your hard drive next to “Volume Label.”
5. 
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   Select a file system. Depending on how you intend to use your hard drive, you’ll need to select the proper file system. Use the drop-down menu next to “File system” to select one of the following options:

   • NTFS: Select this option if you only intend to use your hard drive with a Windows computer.
   • FAT32: Select this option if you need your hard drive to work with a variety of devices, including older versions of Windows, Mac, Linux, and other devices, such as game consoles. FAT32 supports up to 2 TB of data, and file sizes up to 4 GB.
   • EXFAT: Select this option if you need your hard drive to work with a variety of newer devices, or you have files that are larger than 4GB.
6. 
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   Select if you want to do a quick format. Check or uncheck the box next to “Perform a quick format” to determine how thoroughly you want to wipe your hard drive.

   • Performing a quick format will remove the data tables on the hard drive, which will allow the hard drive to be written over. However, the data will still remain on the hard drive, which can be recovered with data recovery tools and forensic software.
7. 
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   Click Ok. It’s at the bottom of the format menu. This displays a confirmation pop-up.
8. 
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   Click Ok to confirm. This will start formatting the hard drive. This may take a few minutes. Do not disconnect your hard drive until the process is finished.
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Section 3 of 5:

Resetting a Mac

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1. 
   1
   Open the System Settings or System Preferences menu. To do so, click the Apple icon in the menu bar at the top. Then click System Settings on new versions of macOS, or System Preferences on older versions of macOS.

   • If you are planning on selling or recycling your Mac, you can use this method to completely wipe the hard drive and reinstall macOS. This will erase all data on your main computer's hard drive. Be sure to back up any data you want to keep before resetting your computer.
2. 
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   Click General (macOS 13 Ventura or higher only). It’s in the left menu bar on the side of the System Settings menu.
3. 
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   Click Transfer or reset (macOS 13 Ventura or higher only). It’s at the bottom of the General menu.
4. 
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   Click Erase All Content and Settings. On macOS 13 Ventura or higher, you’ll find this option at the bottom of the “Transfer or reset” menu. If you are using an older version of macOS, you’ll find this in the System Preferences menu at the top.

   • For macOS 11 Big Sur and earlier, you’ll need to boot your Mac into Recovery Mode and reset your Mac from there.
5. 
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   Enter your password and click Unlock. Make sure you are signed in with an administrative account. Enter the password you use to log into your Mac and click Unlock.
6. 
   6
   Back up your Mac to Time Machine (optional). You may receive an alert asking if you want to back up your Mac to Time Machine before continuing. If you haven’t backed up your computer recently, make sure your Time Machine is connected and click the option to back up your computer. Then follow the prompts.
7. 
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   Review the information and click Continue. You will see a summary of all the data that will be erased and all the settings that will be reset. Review the data and click Continue.
8. 
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   Sign out of your Mac. If you haven’t already done so, you’ll need to sign out of your Apple account. To do so, enter your password and click Continue.
9. 
   9
   Click Erase All Content & Settings. This confirms that you want to reset your Mac and begins the process. This will wipe your hard drive and reinstall macOS.
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Section 4 of 5:

Format a Hard Drive on Mac

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1. 
   1
   Connect your hard drive to your Mac. You can use this method to wipe an external or internal hard drive on your Mac. If you are using an external hard drive, connect it to a free USB port on your Mac.

   • You can format a USB thumb drive or an external drive.
   • If you have an internal hard drive taken from an old computer, you can use a hard drive enclosure to connect the internal hard drive to a computer and use it as an external hard drive.
   • This will erase all data on your hard drive. Be sure to back up any data you want to keep before proceeding.
2. 
   2
   Open Disk Utility. To do so, click the magnifying glass/Spotlight icon in the menu bar at the top. Type “Disk Utility” in the search bar. Click the Disk Utility app. Alternatively, you can find Disk Utility in the Utilities folder in your Applications folder.
3. 
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   Make sure all devices are showing. To do so, click View in the menu bar at the top. Then click Show All Devices.
4. 
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   Select your hard drive. You should see your hard drive listed in the menu bar to the left.

   • Be sure to select the top part of the drive and not the partition on the drive listed below the drive name.
   • Be careful which hard drive you select. You don’t want to select a hard drive you don’t mean to wipe.
5. 
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   Click Erase. It’s the icon that resembles a hard drive with an “x” next to it. It’s at the top of the Disk Utility app.
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   Enter a new name for the hard drive. This will be the name that will be given to the hard drive after it has been wiped and formatted. Enter the name you want to give your hard drive next to “Name.”
7. 
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   Select a file format. You’ll need to select the correct file format for what you intend to use the hard drive for. Use the drop-down menu next to format to select one of the following options:

   • Apple File System: Select this option if you only intend to use your hard drive with a Mac running macOS 10.13 or later, and/or your hard drive is an SSD. You can also select “Encrypted” to password-protect the hard drive or “Case Sensitive” to allow for case-sensitive files and folders.
   • Mac-OS Extended: Select this option if you need your hard drive to work with an older version of macOS and/or your hard drive is an HDD. This option also has the option to select “Encrypted” or “Case-Sensitive.”
   • EXFAT: Select this option if you need your hard drive to work with a wide variety of newer devices, including Windows, Mac, Linux, and external devices, such as game consoles. This format may not be compatible with some older devices.
   • MS-DOS (FAT): This is the same as FAT32. Select this option if you need your hard drive to work with a variety of devices, including older devices. This format supports hard drives up to 2 TB with file sizes up to 4 GB.
8. 
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   Choose a partition scheme. In most cases, you are going to leave the drop-down menu next to “Scheme” as “GUID Partition Map.” The only exception is if you need your hard drive to work on a very old computer. In that case, you may want to select “Master Boot Record” instead.
9. 
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   Click Erase. This will begin formatting and wiping your hard drive. This may take a few minutes. Do not disconnect your hard drive until the process is done.

   • If the process fails to format your hard drive, just run the process again.
10. 
    10
    Click Done. When the process is finished, click Done to close the progress bar. Your hard drive has now been wiped.
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Section 5 of 5:

Securely Wiping a Hard Drive

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1. 1
   Download hard drive wiping software. Normally, when you wipe a hard drive, some of the data may be left behind, which can be recovered using data recovery software. While a standard wipe from your computer may be able to beat standard data recovery tools, it may not be enough to beat more sophisticated forensic tools. If the hard drive you want to erase has sensitive data on it, you may want to use a secure erasure method. Some of these tools are paid, and some of these tools are free. Some are designed to work with HDDs and some work with SSDs or both. The following are some tools you can choose from:

   • DBAN: DBAN is an open-source and free disk erasure tool. It is only designed to work with HDD (not SSDs). You can download the basic version of DBAN for free. For an even more secure option, you can sign up for a free trial of the Blancco Drive Eraser, which is recommended for businesses and organizations. It works with HDDs and SSD and does a more thorough job of wiping hard drives.
   • KillDisk: KillDisk is another disk erasure program that comes with a freeware version for personal use. You can also purchase a more advanced version for industrial use. KillDisk works with both SSDs, HDDs, and USB drives.
   • DiskWipe: DiskWipe is another free option for erasing HDDs, as well as USB drives and other portable storage devices. While it can wipe SSDs, it may not be as efficient and it may reduce the lifespan of the drive.
   • BitRaser: BitRaser is a professional-grade disk erasure tool. It works with PC, Mac, and mobile devices. It can wipe SSDs and HDDs.
2. 2
   Create a bootable USB drive. Most hard drive erasure tools require you to create a bootable flash drive that you can boot a PC from. Some of these programs may come with a tool you can use to create a bootable USB drive. If they do not, you can download Rufus on Windows or Balena Etcher for Windows and Mac for free. Both programs can be used to create a bootable USB drive.
3. 3
   Boot your computer from the USB drive. If your computer is not set to boot from a USB drive, you’ll need to boot into the BIOS and set it to boot from a USB drive first. Then you will need to power off your computer and insert the USB drive. Then power on your computer to boot from the USB drive using the disk erasure program.
4. 4
   Select the drive you want to erase. If you have more than one drive connected to the computer, select the one you want to erase. Be careful not to accidentally select a drive you don’t want to erase.
5. 5
   Select a data erasure method. There may be different options for wiping the drive that offer a different number of passes. The more passes, the more secure the sanitization method will be. At least 3 passes should do a pretty good job. The more passes it takes, the longer it will take to wipe the hard drive.
6. 6
   Select the option to wipe the hard drive. Review all the settings and select the option to erase the hard drive. This process may take a while, depending on the method you selected.
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