Drive Wiper & Secure Erase
Deleting a file doesn't really remove it — the data lingers until overwritten. This is the built-in, no-extra-software way to wipe free space, securely erase files, and fully sanitize a drive on your OS (the safe equivalent of CCleaner's Drive Wiper).
💾 SSD vs HDD
On SSDs, don't multi-pass overwrite (it wears the drive and may miss remapped blocks). Use the drive's ATA Secure Erase / TRIM or full-disk encryption instead. Multi-pass wiping is for HDDs.
🔐 Easiest safe method
Turn on full-disk encryption (BitLocker / FileVault / LUKS) from day one. Then 'erasing' is just discarding the key — instant and unrecoverable, no wiping needed.
✅ When you actually need this
Selling/returning a device, disposing of a drive, or clearing sensitive files. For everyday privacy, the Privacy Cleaner is enough.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does wiping work on SSDs?
Multi-pass overwriting doesn't reliably work on SSDs because of wear-leveling and remapped blocks — and it shortens drive life. Use the drive's ATA Secure Erase, TRIM, or full-disk encryption (BitLocker/FileVault/LUKS) instead, which the guide recommends per OS.
Can a website wipe my drive?
No — and that's a good thing. Browsers have no access to your filesystem. This tool gives you the exact built-in OS commands to run yourself, so you stay in control and nothing is uploaded.