7 Best Data Shredder Software To Erase Files on Windows PC

What is data shredder software?

Suppose you are selling your laptop or PC or there could be other situations when you hand over your personal computer to someone else. Then you always make sure to delete all the sensitive data that you don’t want anyone to access.

But there are methods available to recover deleted data from your PC. Here comes data shredder software or also called file shredder software, these tools can erase your data permanently and make it next to impossible to recover.

Shredder tools basically overwrite data multiple times which makes it next to impossible to recover.

Author’s Tip: 

1. Even Shift+Delete doesn’t delete your files permanently but a shredder tool does.
2. You can attach an external device like a USB, memory card, phone, or external drive to erase data.

There is a lot of software available to shred your data permanently, which makes it difficult to choose the best. So, to solve your problem I am going to list the best file shredder software to erase data permanently.

 

7 Best Data Shredder Software for Windows PC

1. BitRaser File Eraser – 5.0
2. CCleaner
3. Remo File Eraser Software
4. Easy File Shredder
5. WinOptimizer 25
6. TurboShredder
7. Securely File Shredder

 

1. BitRaser File Eraser – 5.0

Available For: Windows & Mac

Free Download: No

Paid Version: $39.99

Reviews:

• Filehorse: 7.8/10
• Softpedia: 3.4/5
• Amazon: 2.7/5
• SpiceWorks: 4.3/5

Developed by Stellar, BitRaser is an efficient software to shred data on Windows and Mac. The software has a very nice reputation and it supports 17 Global standards for data erasure. 

Steller is a very popular name in the data recovery industry.

Here are the main features of this file shredder software:

• Erase any type of data.
• Completely remove traces of any application.
• Wipe internet history from your system.
• If there is any unused space you can erase that too.
• If files and folders are stored on the server you can erase them too.
• You can schedule data shredding on your PC and local servers.
• Lock the software with a password to prevent unauthorized access.
• You can also get certificates and reports for data erasure.

Pros

• Secure data wiping.
• Password protection feature so no one else could use the software.
• Good choice for advanced users.

Cons

• Online ratings are not as good as expected.

2. CCleaner

Available For: Windows & Mac

Free Download: Yes

Paid Version: 

Reviews:

• TechRadar: 4.5/5
• PCMag: 3.5/5
• G2: 4.5/5
• CNet: 4.5/5

CCleaner is a complete PC cleaning and optimization suite, which is one of the best data shredder software for Windows and Mac. The software has multiple versions e.g. Free, Professional, Professional Plus, and other versions for Business use. Here we will discuss the features of CCleaner Professional because the free version has limited features.

The software also has a data recovery feature so, you can test if the files you have shredded with this tool are recoverable or not.

 

Here are the main features of data erasure software:

• Data Shredding: Permanently delete files.
• Check PC health.
• Update outdated drivers.
• Find and remove duplicate data i.e. duplicate videos, Images, Audio, etc.
• Clean the junk out of your computer.
• This can clean the browser history automatically.
• Option to recover deleted files (which are not shredded).

Pros:

• Very easy-to-use software.
• Cost-effective pricing model.
• Data recovery feature so you can test.

Cons: 

• Not a dedicated data shredder tool.

3. Remo File Eraser Software

Available For: Windows & Android

Free Download: Yes

Paid Version: $ 49

Reviews:

• Softpedia: 4/5

This is a dedicated file shredder software for Windows PC. The developer also has an app for Android users available in Google Play Store. Here in this article, we will discuss the Windows version of this data eraser software.

Here are the main features of this shredder:

• Wipe out the recycle bin completely.
• Select a specific drive or partition to erase.
• Also, shred data from USB drives and memory cards.
• Simple drag and drop feature to shred files and folders.
• High-security shredding technology in the pro version.

Pros:

• A free version is available to download.
• A Mobile version is also available

Cons:

• Costlier than its peers.

4. Easy File Shredder

Available For: Windows

Free Download: Yes

Paid Version: $29.95

Reviews:

• No reviews were found.

Developed by Webminds, this is another in the list of the best data shredder software for Windows PC. Webminds has also developed a very popular duplicate file finder software. This software is another gem from the developer.

 

Here are the main features of this data shredder tool:

• Wipe out Memory cards or USB drives.
• Shred data from SSD.
• Permanently clean the free space on the hard drive.

Pros:

• The software is easy to use.
• Had good customer support.
• Shred up to 100 files in the free trial version.

Cons:

• No online ratings were found.

5. WinOptimizer 25

Available For: Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 7

Free Download: Yes

Paid Version: $29.99

Reviews:

• PCMag: 3/5
• FileHorse: 6.4/10
• CNet: 3.4/5
• TechRadar: 4/5

WinOptimizer is another PC optimization suite that also has the capability of data shredding. Along with shredding files on Windows PC, it has plenty of other useful features.

Here are the main features of this data eraser:

• File Wipe feature– to securely delete data and make it unrecoverable.
• Clean your system from junk files.
• Automatically empty recycle bin.
• Feature to defrag disk space.
• Remove browser traces and history automatically.
• Optimize Windows registry. 
• Encrypt and decrypt files for security.

Pros:

• A trial version is available.
• Multiple other useful features.
• File encryption features.

Cons:

• Online reviews are not as good as expected.

6. Turbo Shredder

Available For: Windows, Mac, Linux

Free Download: Yes

Reviews:

• SourceForge: 4/5

This is another data shredder software for Windows, Mac, and Linux. The software is available to download on SourceForge.net.

Here are the main features of this software:

• Securely delete files.
• Overwrite names of files.
• Overwrite names of directories.
• Permanently delete time stamps on files.
• Easily drag and drop files and folders to shred data.

Pros:

• It is easy-to-use software.
• Free to download.

Cons:

• Does not have good customer support.
• Not many online ratings were found.

7. Securely File Shredder

Available For: Windows

Free Download: Yes

Reviews:

• No reviews were found.

This is another in the list of the best file shredder software for Windows. This is the only tool in the list which is available on the Microsoft App Store.

Here are the main features of this software to shred data securely:

• Use the free version with limitations.
• Use the full version with no limitations.
• The full version does not have any ads.

Other Tools To Shred Data Permanently:

• File Shredder
• Free File Shredder 4.1.2- kakasoft
• Hard Disk Scrubber
• PC Shredder
• Hardwipe
• WipeFile

So, these were the best data shredder software for Windows users to erase files permanently.

Some of these file shredder tools are available for free.

If you have any other data eraser software in your mind that deserves a place in the list then please mention it in the comment section. 

FAQs

Does Windows 10 have a file shredder?

Answer: No, Windows 10 doesn’t have an in-built shredder. You need to download a third-party tool to shred data on your PC.

Is CCleaner a data eraser?

Answer: Yes, Ccleaner has a function to shred files on a PC.

Does Norton have a shredder?

Answer: Yes, along with many other functions Norton can remove files permanently.

How do I permanently delete files from my external hard drive?

Answer: Download any of the shredder tools explained above in the article and then connect your external hard drive. Now, The software will show you an option to permanently delete the external hard drive.