Sometimes it is possible to recover files after deleting them. Here’s how you can erase your junk data permanently.
When you delete a file from your Android phone, it actually stays in your device’s storage until it is overwritten by new data. This was previously a major privacy concern, as it meant that deleted files could be recovered using data recovery software.
Since Android 6 (Marshmallow), all Android phones are encrypted by default, which prevents recovery tools from accessing their contents. But if you are still worried about sensitive files falling into the wrong hands, we are going to tell you how to permanently erase your deleted data.
Delete items using a file manager
The worst way to delete a private file from your Android phone is to do it from the associated app. This is because the item may be moved to a folder in the Recycle Bin or Trash can instead of being permanently deleted or continuing to exist as a synchronized copy on the cloud.
The Google Photos app, for example, keeps deleted pictures and videos for 60 days unless you manually empty its Recycle Bin. Even if you override by choosing Remove from device, the items will remain in your Google Account.
It is best to use a file explorer or file manager to permanently delete sensitive items. There are many free file explorers for Android, including Google’s excellent Files app.
Select the item in your file explorer. Then, tap on the trash button or the three-dot menu and choose Delete. Confirm that you understand that the deletion cannot be undone and tap Delete again. This is how you need to delete your files on Android.
Removing File
ManagerDeleting Google PhotosFile
Manager Confirm Deletion
Erase data with a file shredder
If your phone’s encryption doesn’t reassure you that you can’t recover deleted files, or if you’re using an older version of Android, consider installing a file shredder. This will safely erase the “free” space of your device which may still contain deleted data.
File shredders such as iShredder, Shreddit, and Data Eraser offer a choice of destruction algorithms. This allows you to decide how often the data is overwritten by random characters. Each overwrite is called a “pass” or “cycle”, and the higher the number of passes, the lower the chances of recovering the deleted data.
You’ll need to allow these apps to access your files (and possibly your contacts, which we don’t recommend), but they won’t destroy anything without asking you for confirmation.
Clear free space with Data Eraser
Here’s how to make deleted data unrecoverable using the ad-free File Shredder Data Eraser. The app itself is called Android Eraser, which can be confusing.
Tap Free Space on the home screen (be careful not to choose Full Erase!) and select Internal Storage. The application will calculate the amount of free space to clear.
Tap Continue and choose a destruction algorithm. The NATO Standard and BSU TL-0342 algorithms, which perform seven and eight passes respectively, are the most comprehensive. However, they also take a lot of time.
Confirm that you want to continue and Data Eraser will erase all the free space available on your phone so that the files you deleted cannot be recovered.
Your phone will be slow while the erasing process is in progress. You can drop it at any time by opening the notification at the top of your screen and tapping Cancel.
Calculating Data
ErasureData ErasureData
Erasure MethodData Erasure with Data EraserAlthough Data Eraser
doesn’t charge for cleaning your phone’s free space, you can only destroy 100 MB of individual files per day for free. Upgrading to the paid version for $4.99 removes this limit.
Shreddit is a completely free alternative, but its ads can be annoying, and it doesn’t work on Android 11.
Delete Android files from your PC
If you don’t want to install an app to delete a file permanently, you can connect your Android phone to your PC and erase the data through Windows. This method makes it easier to find and confidently delete specific items by quickly using File Explorer.
Connect your phone using a USB cable and choose Open Device to view files from AutoPlay options. Otherwise, open File Explorer, select This PC, and double-click your phone’s drive icon.
If the drive looks empty, move down the notification tray to the top of your phone’s screen, tap USB charging from this device, and then select File Transfer or File Transfer. You can also go to Settings > Devices connected > USB and activate the option there.
Browse your phone’s folders to locate the file you want to delete. If it’s a photo or video, it’s probably in the DCIM folder > Camera.
Delete a file in WindowsRe-click
the item, choose Delete, and then confirm that you want to delete it permanently. Note that the file will not be sent to the Windows Recycle Bin, but it will be permanently deleted. If you are wondering how to erase all data on your phone safely, this is a solid option.
Erase sensitive files from SD cards
If the private file you want to get rid of is on an SD memory card rather than in your phone’s internal storage, there are several ways to delete it.
First, go to Settings > Storage > SD Card. Locate the file and delete it from there. However, this will not make it unrecoverable, so you can format the card as well. This will completely erase its contents, so make sure to move the files you want to keep on your phone first.
Tap the three-dot menu in the upper-right corner and choose Storage Settings. Select Format, and then tap Erase & Format or Format SD Card to erase and format the card.
SD Card StorageSD
Card Format SD
Card
ActivationYou can also connect your phone to your PC, as described above, or insert the SD card into your computer’s card reader. You will first need to “disassemble” the card by choosing Disassemble or Eject before removing it from your device.
Browse the contents of the SD card in File Explorer, locate the file, right-click it and choose Delete.
Also, some Android file destruction apps can delete and overwrite data stored on SD cards, including Data Eraser (see tip 2 above).
Restore your phone to factory settings
The most radical way to permanently delete private files is to perform a factory reset. This operation erases all the data on your phone. So it’s best to do this before selling or recycling your device. You need to backup all the Android data you want to keep beforehand.
Double-check that your phone is encrypted to make sure that the data cannot be recovered after a factory reset. Go to > Advanced > Security Settings and tap Encryption & Authentication. Select Encrypt phone if the option is not already enabled.
Then, go to > System Settings > Advanced and tap on Reset Options. Select Erase all data (factory reset), and then tap Delete all data.
Encrypt Phone CheckBlock
Factory
ResetClear Data ConfirmWhen
prompted, enter your security code or reason, and then tap Delete All Data to factory reset your phone. You can clear its free space with the help of a file shredder if you are still paranoid about recovering your data. But that’s pretty much the way you can delete all your data from your phone.
Delete your data permanently
No one wants their private files to fall into the hands of snoopers and hackers. While Android’s built-in encryption should make your deleted data unrecoverable, the other methods we’ve outlined will give you complete peace of mind.
Of course, all of this works both ways. Sometimes you delete files by mistake. If you act fast enough and use the right tools, you will still be able to recover those deleted photos and other data.
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