When you replace your old but still functional Windows PC with a shiny new model, you have several options for that gently used device. You can give it away to a friend or family member. You can donate it to a charitable organization like Goodwill (which partners with Dell Reconnect). You can even trade it in for credit or sell it on a third-party site. Whichever course of action you take, though, your most important task is to permanently delete all your personal files from that PC before you pass it along.
The simplest route is to reset the PC, choosing the option to remove personal files and reinstall Windows. On Windows 10, this is under Settings > Update & Security > Recovery, while on Windows 11, it’s found under Settings > System > Recovery. Make sure you choose the Remove Everything option, which is key to protecting your personal data.
Microsoft's documentation cautions that "the data erasure functionality is targeted at consumers and does not meet government and industry data erasure standards." As a result, while methods like resetting the PC may remove existing files, someone with advanced skills could use forensic tools or recovery software to recover deleted data.
Collection
[
|
...
]