How to add Secure Delete to the context menu in Windows 10

While using our systems in day to day life, we end up creating and deleting files. Since adding or creating new files and deleting is the natural flow, recycling or permanently deleting files is all we know. Have you ever wondered why the disk space keeps on decreasing over the time period? What if I tell you that even permanently deleted files are recoverable? But there is a way using the Sysinternals SDelete tool, which ensures that the files are never coming back. In this article, we will tell you how to add Secure Delete to the context menu in Windows 10.

Secure Delete makes sure to overwrite the file or folder while deleting them. The method makes sure that all the unallocated portions belonging to the file are freed-up and available to use.

It is true that Secure Delete can completely erase anything, but there is something it can’t. Certain folders that help in running the Windows system are excluded from the list. The list includes folders like:

C:\Program Files,

C:\Program Files (x86),

C:\ProgramData,

C:\Users,

C:\Windows, and

C:\Windows.old.

The program will still work as it should inside the above-mentioned folders. The above folders are marked as exceptions because deleting them can lead to a fresh Windows installation.

Add Secure Delete to the context menu in Windows 10

To be able to perform the permanent deletion of files, download SDelete from Microsoft and these Registry files from our servers.

Now create a system restore point first and then follow the steps given below carefully:

1. Unzip the SDelete.zip file and open the unzipped folder.
2. Copy the sdelete.exe file to C:\Windows\System32 folder.
3. Click on Continue when prompted.
4. Unzip the ARSDCM.zip file to a folder and navigate to it.
5. Double click on the Add_Secure_Delete_to_context_menu.reg file.
6. Click on Yes when UAC prompts and then click on OK when the registry prompts.

Restart your system once. Now navigate to any folder in your system, select the file/folder you want to delete.

Right-click on it and click on Secure Delete. It is as simple as the regular deleting process.

How to remove Secure Delete from the context menu

1. Navigate to the folder where unzipped registries are stored.
2. Double click on the Remove_Secure_Delete_from_context_menu.reg file.
3. Click on Yes when UAC prompts and then click on OK when the registry prompts.

Once again restart your system and the option for Secure Delete is gone.

As soon as you remove the option and plan not to use it again in the near future, you can delete the sdelete.exe from C:\Windows\System32 folder.

Read next: How to delete undeletable & locked files and folders.