When it's time to donate or ditch an old flash-memory drive that stored sensitive information, deleting those files isn't enough. The safest way to wipe the slate clean is actually to encrypt it. After choosing the wiping method, simply click on ' Wipe ' and the program will automatically start erasing everything from the USB flash drive. Wait for few minutes until the data are securely removed from the disk drive. Now, you can audit the USB flash drive and everything will be permanently erased. To remove the USB Flash Drive safely, locate the 'Safely Remove Hardware' icon in the system tray located on the bottom right of the screen, on the taskbar (next to the clock);right-click it and choose the USB Flash Drive from the list of devices. Cannot delete partition on USB flash drive “I’m using a Dell computer with Windows 10 installed on. I insert a 32GB USB flash drive with two partitions into the computer and want to restore it to single partition.
How To Delete A Flash Drive
You’re here mostly because you know that deleted files can be recovered and you do not know how to delete files on flash drive permanently, right? Deletion is a way to move files from the computer and make them invisible. However, with some kind of software, like iBeesoft Data Recovery, they will be visible. Do not worry, with iBeesoft File Shredder, you can permanently delete files from flash drive. Try it now.
When we search about erasing and formatting data from any storage and media, people usually refer to format and delete the folders from the storage media. The data erasure specifically refers to delete the data with the overwriting patterns of 1s and 0s. No overwriting is usually performed when formatting the drive as it could destroy your storage media. Let me put it in a word, formatting does not delete files on flash drive permanently. It only delete files on a flash drive. With unformat flash drive software, they’re recoverable. Here are the 2 examples for the so-called how to permanently delete files on a flash drive.
Example #1. How to delete a selected file on a flash drive
1. Click on the Start button at the bottom left of the screen
2. Click on 'Computer' in the right side column of the menu
3. Click double on the flash drive at the window center. It will be under hard disk drives or device with removable storage
4. You need to hold on the Ctrl key, click the file that needs to be deleted.
5. Click right on the selected files and click the Delete option
6. Confirm by click on Yes to delete the files
The files will be deleted from the flash drive. But, the way cannot be permanently removed.
Example #2. How to delete files from flash drive by formatting it
With the disk management, one could easily permanently delete files from a flash drive. Following are the steps you need to follow.
- Press Windows plus R correspondingly and press Enter to access disk management
- Locate USB flash drive partition and right-click in the FORMAT option
- Choose the proper system for the drive and click OK
- After the click, the USB flash drive will be formatted and all the saved data will be deleted
They’re the common steps for you to delete files from a thumb drive, right? The fact is if you try iBeesoft data recovery software to scan the flash drive, it’s very likely you can find them still exist on your flash drive. And of course, you can recover them. If you really want to permanently delete files from a USB stick, you need iBeesoft File Shredder. The use of this tool could provide a secure and easy data erasure and could also help you to permanently wipe your disk without any chance of recovery. By implying this tool, you could permanently destroy the data in the flash drive and leave no chance of recovery without giving effect to the device service life.
How to Permanently Delete Files from Flash Drive with iBeesoft File Shredder
iBeesoft File Shredder provides a secure and easy data erasure and could also help you to permanently wipe your disk without any chance of recovery. By implying this tool, you could permanently destroy the data in the flash drive and leave no chance of recovery without giving effect to the device service life. To make it easy for the people to use and operate it, the steps have been illustrated. It has made the user interface to be simple. How to play android games in windows. With the idea of built-in wizards, one could navigate to the file deletion success in an easy manner. The main features of the tool include.
![How To Delete A Flash Drive How To Delete A Flash Drive](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/1/1c/Clear-a-Flash-Drive-on-PC-or-Mac-Step-3.jpg/v4-460px-Clear-a-Flash-Drive-on-PC-or-Mac-Step-3.jpg.webp)
Your Safe & Computer Flash Drive Permanently Delete File Tool
- Supports permanent files destruction on hard drive, SSD, external disk, USB flash drive, SD card and more.
- This tool is developed for people who want to delete the folders and files permanently on hard drives. By relying on the advanced technology, it works like the shredder or destroying agent that destructs the files and makes it unrecoverable.
Here are the steps that will definitely guide you to completely and permanently delete the files from hard drive with iBeesoft File Shredder. First of all, download it in your system. Double click on .exe to install it easily in the system. It would be more compatible to download in Windows 10/7/8/XP/Vista.
1. In the window, click the + sign to select the folders or files you need to permanently delete in the hard drive. You will need to supposed to set the required time to delete the folder and files. Usually, it is 3 times but you can set it accordingly.
2. Navigate to the file or directory on the hard drive to select a folder or files to be removed. After selection, Click 'Shred now' to delete the files permanently on your hard disk.
It will take a few seconds to complete the procedure. Free online photo editing programs like photoshop. You will see 'All files would be deleted'. To ensure that there is no recovery, you should try to recover it to check.
Ensure that target files are permanently deleted
After using iBeesoft file shredder, you should ensure that the data recovery is not possible. The shredded files are hard to be restored as the tool permanently deletes the entire drive. Sometimes, you cannot recover it by recycle bin and AVG folder. And even the professional data recovery software, like iBeesoft Data Recovery can’t do it.
Deleting files permanently could not be done by using the short cut of shift + delete as they could be easily recovered from the recycle bin. No one could erase files permanently from the flash drive without using some important steps. People usually take granted that the files are permanently deleted from the hard drive by emptying the recycle bin. But, this is not the right way and you need to follow some steps to make permanently deletion of files. Files that are being completely deleted and permanently erased is somewhere in the computer that is invisible. The place where it exists is usually marked as empty and waits for new data to be filled. Only the recovery programs and software could help in obtaining those files and recovering but it imprints effect on the system. Delete files on flash drive permanently with iBeesoft File Shredder, the professional software never let you down.
Do you have a USB flash drive and saved some data on it which is no longer in use and so you want to delete it but unable to do so? If you want to get the perfect solution for this, then do not worry because I will mention here the best ways to delete files from flash drives that cannot be deleted.
So, just go through this blog and see what can be done when you get an issue like ‘flash drive won’t delete files’. Let’s get started…
How To Delete Flash Drive Files That Won’t Delete
Before we proceed to the ways to delete files from flash drives, it is important to check that the file you want to delete is already closed and is not used by a running application. Now, after checking this, you can try the following ways when ‘flash drive won’t delete files’ issue takes place:
#1: Delete The File With Command Prompt
Deleting files using command prompt is sometimes more effective and you should once definitely it a try. Below you can see what steps you should have to perform with command prompt when ‘no delete option on USB drive’ is found:
For this, you have to press ‘Windows + R’ keys together and type there cmd to open the command prompt or just search for Command Prompt at the Start option.
Now, in the command prompt, enter del and also the location of the file you wish to delete and then simply press ‘Enter’.
This will simply delete files from flash drive that won’t delete.
#2: Clear Randomly Attributes Using Diskpart Utility
If you do not receive any error message and you don’t find delete option there then it is possible that it is write-protected. So, in such a condition, you can easily turn to remove write protection from an external hard drive with the use of Diskpart. You can try the following steps if you cannot delete files from flash drive write protected:
- First of all, you have to run Diskpart as administrator. You can do this by pressing Windows + R and then type ‘diskpart’ and then hit ‘Enter’ key.
- Now, in the next step, you have to run the commands as follows:
list disk
select disk n (Here, ‘n’ is the external hard drive’s disk number)
attributes disk clear readonly
After seeing the ‘Disk attributes cleared successfully’, you can close the window and then try to delete the unwanted files from the USB flash drive.
#3: Enter Safe Mode To Unlock And Delete Files
Generally, it happens that when you come across a locked file, you simply restart the device you are using to unlock it. However, if it doesn’t work then you can boot the device in Safe Mode to unlock and delete the file you want. And, to do so, you have to follow the below steps:
- First of all, you have to open Settings and then click on the option ‘Update & Security’ and then you have to click ‘Recovery’. You will get this option under ‘Advanced Startup’ and then simply click the ‘Restart Now’ button.
- Next, you have to click on the option ‘Troubleshoot’ and then go to ‘Advanced Options’ and then ‘Startup Settings’.
- Now, on ‘Startup Settings’, you have to press F4 to enable the Safe Mode.
- While in Safe Mode, you can use the File Explorer in order to locate and delete the files that were previously locked. You can then simply Restart the device as you would be used to exit the Safe Mode.
#4: Run Check Disk Tool To Fix ‘Flash Drive Won’t Delete Files’
It is possible that the file is unreadable or corrupted due to which flash drive won’t delete files error occurs. So, in this case, you can run disk checking utility to fix this issue and delete the files from pen drive easily. To do so, follow the below steps:
- For this, you have to first open File Explorer and then locate the drive that you want to fix or you can say where your files are saved that you want to delete. You can simply make a right-click on the drive and then choose Properties among the option that are listed there.
- Next, in the pop up window, you have to select Check under the option Tool.
After you complete the checking the files and fix the errors, you can simply delete the unwanted files again.
#5: Get The Permissions From Windows Explorer
Sometimes you have to get permission from the Windows Explorer to delete the files from flash drives. To do so, you have to follow the below steps:
- In the first step, you have to locate the file that you want to delete and right-click on it and then choose Properties option on the pop-up menu.
- Next, in the appearing window, you have to click Security and then go to Edit
- Now, permission for XYZ (here, XYZ is the name of the file that you want to delete) dialogue will prompt. After this, you have to click Add button to enter Select Users or Group screen.
- After this, you have to add a user named ‘Authenticated User’ and then click ‘OK’ button to continue.
- You will now go to the permission window, there you can give full control and then click ‘OK’ and then ‘Continue’.
After you complete all these steps, you will be able to overcome the issue stated as ‘flash drive won’t delete files’.
Why One Can’t Delete The Files From USB Flash Drive?
There are several situations where you may encounter flash drive won’t delete files issue. The major reason that causes this issue to occur are the following:
- USB flash drive holding file is write protected
- File is opening or occupied by a running program
- Disk’s file system is corrupted
- USB flash drive is under virus attack
- Have no permission to manage the files on the flash drive
People Also Ask
How Do You Force Delete A File On A USB Flash Drive?
When you wish to delete all the files from the USB flash drive and regain the full storage capacity then it is better if you format the USB flash drive. So, to do so, follow the steps below:
- First of all, you have to connect the USB flash drive to the Windows PC or laptop.
- Now, open This PC or Computer to find the USB flash drive and then right-click on it and choose ‘Format’ option.
- After this, you have to change the file system to FAT32 or NTFS. You can then simply click the option ‘Start’ to format the drive and delete all the data from it.
If I Format A USB Flash Drive, Will It Erase Data?
YES, of course, because formatting operation is a process to prepare a storage device available for initial use and create new file systems. If you try to format USB flash drive either using low-level formatting or partitioning process, it will delete the files from pen drive or other flash drives. Download file manager app for android phone.
How To Delete Files From Flash Drive Permanently
Without using any third-party tool, if you want to delete files from USB flash drive permanently then you can try cipher. It is an inbuilt secure detection tool that is present in Windows PC. It will securely overwrite the files in a specific drive which has been deleted just once but was not deleted permanently.
So, before running Cipher, make sure that you delete the files already. Now, follow the below steps and delete files from flash drives permanently.
- Firstly, connect the USB flash drive and then type the below command in the CMD where suppose E: is the USB flash drive:
Cipher /w:E:
- After this, press Enter key.
- Now let it completely wipe the USB drive’s data and provide you a complete space on the flash drive.
Recover Deleted Files From USB Flash Drive If Required
Sometimes what happens is users delete the files in a bulk even without knowing that there could be any important files that can be required. So, in that case, recovery becomes an important agenda for the users.
However, to recover those accidentally deleted files from flash drive, you can try USB Flash Drive Data Recovery Tool. This tool will help you get back lost media files from USB flash drive in no time. To use this tool, you have to first download and install this recovery tool and then follow the steps.
* Free version of the program only scans and previews recoverable objects.
This USB flash drive recovery tool will recover all file formats of photos, videos and audio files in just three simple steps.
Here is the step by step guide you need to follow to recover data from USB flash drive in no time.
Final Verdict
Well, it is clear that ‘flash drive won’t delete files’ can be occurred due to many reasons. So there is no need to worry if it happens. I am saying so because I have provided some easy ways with the help of which you will be able to delete files from flash drives. So, just try them and make your USB flash drive completely free from capturing space.
However, if you ever want to recover deleted files from USB flash drive then you can try USB Flash Drive Data Recovery Tool. This will definitely help you to recover the files that you don’t want to delete permanently from the USB flash drive.
How To Completely Wipe Usb Drive
That’s it.
How To Delete A Flash Drives Info
Alex is an expert technical writer with 7+ years of experience. His in-depth knowledge about data recovery and fascination to explore new DIY tools & technologies have helped many. Alex has a great interest in photography and loves to share photography tips and tricks with others.