If you store documents that contain private information on your computer, then you need to make sure they are well protected.Usually your antivirus software will do the main part of the job. However, it’s always good to add an extra layer of protection and encrypt your bank statements, tax returns and similar documents. This will protect your existing files. But what about your deleted files? They are still there and can be recovered by anyone who has access to your computer, external hard drive or USB thumb drive. If used properly, a file shredding application will help you prevent your confidential information from ever being recovered. Here are some file shredder usage tips that will help you keep your private information really private.
Choosing a File Shredder
There are a lot of different file shredder apps that you can download online. All of them claim to protect your privacy, but quite a few of them lack some essential features. When you are looking for a file shredder, you should make sure that:
- The file shredder has at least three shredding algorithms, so that you can choose between basic and advanced security.
- The file shredder has a feature to clean-wipe free disk space. This will allows you to erase traces of already deleted files.
- The file shredder protects your system files from being deleted by accident.
These features are essential for effective and secure file deletion. Once you find a file wiper that meets these criteria, you can start shredding files and folders.
How to Use a File Shredder
Many file shredders have a complicated user interface and require expert computer knowledge. If you are a computer expert, then good for you. But if you are finding the program of your choice difficult to use, then you should simply look for an alternative – there are plenty of good file shredders and disk wipers around. A lot of them are user-friendly and intuitive.
Once you have a file shredder installed on your computer, you can start using it to delete files. Usually you can do that by adding files and folders to the program, selecting a shredding algorithm and clicking on Start Shredding (or something similar). Some file wipers integrate into the Windows right-click menu, which means that you can right-click on a file you want to shred and have it deleted in a secure way. This method is really great because it allows you to shred files really quickly without having to open the program.
When shedding files, it’s important to choose the right shredding algorithm for your needs. Basically, the thing you should look at is the number of passes. A one-pass shredding method is the most basic one, providing minimal security. However, a 35-pass algorithm is really strong and will protect your files from being recovered by professional file recovery software.
As you can see, using a file shredder is not that hard. The key thing is to find a reliable and easy to use software that will do a good job protective your private information.
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