Summary

No, just deleting files won’t truly erase your data. After you delete a file, and empty the Recycle Bin (Windows) or Trash (Mac), the deleted files will still likely be intact on your hard drive, and recoverable by forensic recovery programs. True data removal is only possible if you securely delete the file; being secure means overwriting or destroying the original file.

The Dangers of Simply Deleting Files

When you delete a file, your computer does not take that file off the hard drive right away. It only deletes the reference link to that file, marking it as available space. Unless it is overwritten with new data, your deleted files still exist on the storage device — which means they can still be recovered.

This is why files that you delete does not destroy your data - it only hides it from view. Anyone who has access to data recovery software can recover these files, even months later.

What Happens When You Delete a File

Let's break it down step by step:

You delete a file by sending it to the Recycle Bin or hitting “Delete.”

You empty the Recycle Bin; the file is gone, right? Not visually.

The pointer to the file has been deleted, and that space has been marked available.

The one file is still sitting there, intact, until written over by new files.

That’s why deleted files can be easily recovered, and that poses a serious risk to privacy when running personal, financial, or business data.

Risks Associated with Not Properly Deleting Files

If you are not canceling files properly, then you may be facing some consequences:

Data theft through the misuse of recovery tools.

Identity theft regarding old financial or personal documents.

Legal consequences for violating consumer data protection law.

Storage space wasted to slow down your system’s performance.

If you are getting rid of an old computer, drive, or SSD, and not erasing the data properly, then you could be giving a stranger access to everything you ever had saved.

Delete vs. Destroy — What’s The Difference

Deleting only removes the shortcut to your data.
Destroying means erasing it so thoroughly that it can't be recovered.

A good way to think about it is tearing a page out of a book (deleting) versus burning it (destroying). You can hide all the text on that page, or you can destroy it completely.

To truly protect yourself, you need to have the data permanently deleted with a secure method.

How to Permanently Delete Files (Step-by-step)

1. Use Built-in Tools

Most operating systems have built-in secure options:

Windows: If you are using BitLocker to encrypt the files, the files won’t be readable even if the file is recovered after deletion.

Mac: In older OS’s, you could use the Secure Empty Trash option, or, you can use FileVault to encrypt to an entire drive for files in recovery.

Linux: The shred command can also be used to delete and overwrite files after a multiple number of over-write time.

2. Use Secure File Deletion / File Shredding Software

Some file shredders will overwrite any deleted file a multiple number of times in a randomized order. This will allow for the deleted files to be unrecoverable. There are professional grade software programs specifically built for shredding purposes, such as BitRecover Data Wipe Tool. They allow you to:

Erase and wipe the data using government-grade algorithms

Wipe the data from a drive, a partition, or a folder in mass

Verify report on what was wiped for compliance

Tip: Make sure you have all your data before ever hitting wipe, erasing, destroy or any similar terminology. Once you wipe a file, it is impossible to recover.

3. Encrypt Before Deleting

Encryption scrambles the data on your computer so that even if it is recovered it would be unreadable. You can add another layer of security to the information on your computer systems by using encryption protocols before deleting sensitive files - especially around laptops and portable external drives.

4. Physically Destroy Storage Devices

In the case of extremely sensitive information, like a financial or legal file, then physical destruction - shredding the drive or using a degausser device - is the only way to guarantee the data cannot and will not be recovered.

5. Follow Professional Data Erasure Standards

Simply follow available standards like:

DoD 5220.22-M (Department of Defense)

NIST 800-88 (National Institute of Standards and Technology)

These standards assure the data is not only overwritten, but also verified as unrecoverable.

Why Do People Delete Their Computer Files

The most common reasons individuals get rid of files is to create more space, to manage files and organize them, or to keep their information private. However, most individuals are unaware of how easily deleted files can be recovered, especially by cybercriminals or forensics experts.

If your goal is to protect your private and sensitive data, you must go beyond merely deleting files, and adopt ways to securely delete files from your system.

Consequences of Improper File Deletion

Consequences of not properly deleting files include the following:

Sensitive business or client information can leak out

Emails, reports, or contracts that you've deleted can resurface in the future

Competitors or hackers can recover old hard drives

Compliance violation with GDPR or HIPAA

Pressing delete does not equal safe. The only true protection is proper erasure.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. If I delete a file does that mean I've deleted everything that's in it?
No. When you delete a file you remove the file's reference, but the file is still there until it is rewritten.

2. If I delete a file does it really delete it?
Not entirely. Deleted files can almost always be recovered using data recovery software unless you've securely wiped them clean.

3. Does deleting files free up storage space?
It may appear however, the deleted data has not been restored until other files are placed over the data. That is why using secure file deletion tools is a better option.

4. How do I permanently erase data so that it is unrecoverable?
You may use file shredding software, or data wiping tools that overwrite the file location multiple times with nonsense information.

5. Can BitLocker delete files securely?
BitLocker does not delete files, but securely encrypts your entire drive. Therefore, even if deleted files are recovered, they cannot be retrieved without your encryption key.

Final Thoughts

When you delete a file, it doesn't mean that it is deleted - it is only hidden from your view. The actual data persists and can easily be restored, which threatens your privacy and security. It doesn't matter if it's personal photographs, business records, or financial data; secure deleting is the only way to ensure that your data is destroyed.

If you want data destroyed such that it cannot be recovered, consider an established vendor like BitRecover Data Wipe Tool. They use reputable, secure methods of erasure that ensure that no one can access your deleted files in the future.

Defend your digital footprint: Deleting a file does not destroy your data - but wiping does.