Sending files into a Windows computer is the easiest thing to do. But removing these files from the hard drive so that you leave no trace requires a deeper understanding of how the operating system works in the first place. Or you can use a third-party file shredder software application to permanently delete files from Windows, making them irrecoverable.

This article provides some of the answers to questions you may have about how to permanently delete files from computers, especially in Windows 10 and 11. If you follow through with the 4 suggestions outlined in the article, you should be able to remove unwanted files from your computer’s hard drive. In other words, not even the most sophisticated File Shredder Windows Method would be able to return those files from your hard drive.

How to Permanently Delete Files in Windows 10 or 11

Deleting files from Windows computers is no big deal. You can simply tap on the ‘delete’ key on your keyboard and off it goes. But Windows users with a basic grasp of the OS features know that removing files by tapping the delete key or right-clicking the file to bring up the delete option does not remove the file from your hard drive. Instead, it moves it to the Recycle Bin.

1. Moving Your Files to Recycle Bin

The Windows Recycle Bin is a storage space that collects files that you have deleted or have no use for. The space becomes a valuable asset when you want to get files out of sight. But if you intend to free up disk space, the Recycle Bin is not very useful.

This is because the Recycle Bin operates like a program on your hard drive. It is located on the disk and so are the files it collects when you delete them. The usual way around this is to use the ‘shift-delete’ option. In other words, if your goal in deleting files is to relieve your hard drive of that bit of storage space occupied by the file, you can shift-delete the file and it will not be relocated to the Recycle Bin.

2. Shift-Deleting Your Files

The Shift-Delete method of Windows file removal is a simple way of getting rid of files so they don’t hang around in the Recycle Bin. This method of file deletion is a shortcut: it saves you the time you would use to first delete a file, locate the file in the Recycle Bin and delete it again. With Shift-Delete, the file is automatically deleted from your user folder and the Recycle Bin.

To use the Shift-Delete option to get rid of files, follow the steps below:

  1. Select the file(s) you want to delete.
  2. Tap both the “Shift” and “Delete” keys on your keyboard.
  3. Select “Yes” in response to the Delete File prompt.

Note that once you shift-delete a file, you cannot undo the action and recover the file. If you want to recover the file, you would have to use a good file retrieval software application like Auslogics File Recovery.

3. Reconfigure Recycle Bin

Another way you can delete files from your computer is to reconfigure the Recycle Bin system folder to prevent it from collecting deleted files. To reconfigure the Recycle Bin this way, do the following:

  1. Open the Recycle Bin folder. To save time, you can use the combination of “Windows + R” keys to start the “Run” command and then enter shell:RecycleBinFolder to locate the Recycle Bin folder.
  2. Right-click anywhere in the folder to bring up the options.
  3. Select “Properties” and choose “Don’t move files to the Recycle Bin”. Remove files immediately when deleted” option.
  4. Click “OK” to close the Properties window and implement the changes.

File Shredder

4. Third-Party Software Applications

You can also use third-party software to delete files from Windows computers. These specialized file shredder Windows applications can remove files from your computer’s hard drive such that the files become irrecoverable. They are also referred to as data shredders and have varying levels of effectiveness depending on the developer. Thus, with file deletion software applications like Auslogics File Shredder, you can delete files from your Windows computer permanently.

The typical steps to using third-party software applications for file deletion are as follows:

  1. Start the software and choose the function for deleting files.
  2. Locate the file(s) on your computer via the software and select the delete function.
  3. Confirm the file deletion process.

How to Use Auslogics File Shredder to Delete Files Permanently

The Auslogics File Shredder application is one of the leading file deletion solutions in the market. The application is special because it was developed by Auslogics, the innovative software company behind PC optimization tools like Disk Defrag Ultimate and Registry Cleaner.

Another reason to consider Auslogics File Shredder is that it is a utility function that is part of the more extensive Windows BoostSpeed optimization software. Thus, getting BoostSpeed gives you access to many tools for your computer’s health and smooth processing.

To use Auslogics File Shredder, follow the steps below:

  1. Download the BoostSpeed software by clicking this link.
  2. Move your cursor to the “Tools” menu and select “Security Tools” from the drop-down options.
  3. Among the list of utility functions that emerge, choose File Shredder.
  4. On the Auslogics File Shredder page, move your cursor to the Add drop-down menu and choose the “Add Files…” option or the “Add Folders…” option depending on what you want to delete. You can also open your Windows Explorer program (Ctrl + E), locate the file(s) or folder(s) you want to delete permanently, and drag them into the Auslogics File Shredder page.
  5. After locating or dragging in the file(s) or folder(s) to be deleted, highlight them and click the Shred option to execute the file deletion command.

File Shredder

As a bonus, you can also check the “Also Erase Files in the Recycle Bin” option that is located at the lower end of the Auslogics File Shredder page.

Conclusion

Permanently deleting a file from your Windows computer means that you will never be able to access that file on the same hard drive you deleted it from. This is especially the case when you use effective file deletion software applications like Auslogics File Shredder. But if you have second thoughts about the value of the files you want to delete, you can use any of the other file deletion options outlined in this article.