Deleting files on your devices, specifically desktop and laptop PCs, isn’t like taking out the trash. Trash is put in bags, placed in cans and put on the curb where it is picked up and whisked away, never to be seen again.
When you delete files on Windows PCs, the files are moved to the Recycle Bin. When the Recycle Bin is emptied, the files that were placed there – old documents, scans and photos for example – aren’t deleted, never to be seen again. Instead, what is deleted from the system are the pointers that tell the system where the files were stored. Until this space is overwritten, it’s often possible for someone with recovery software to retrieve the files or portions of them. Long story short, the name “Recycle Bin” is appropriate. When files are placed there and then the bin is emptied, the space where the files resided can be recycled or reused to store new files.
Today’s Tip is that if you want to delete files from your system, you need to overwrite or wipe the free space on your system rather than just empty the Recycle Bin. For many end users this extra step isn’t necessary. However, if you are dealing with consumer data that requires you to comply with any data protection laws like GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) or HIPAA ( Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) , your organization probably has data retention policies that address appropriate steps for deleting data that are more involved than emptying the Recycle Bin.