How to Delete All Files from a Rewritable CD

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Quickly erase everything from a CD-RW on any computer

Written by Jack Lloyd

Last Updated: April 21, 2023 Tested

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On Windows

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On Mac

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Q&A

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Tips

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Warnings

Do you want to delete all of the files from a rewritable CD? As long as your PC or Mac has a CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive, it's easy to erase a CD-RW. This wikiHow teaches you how to erase a readable and writable CD—or "CD-RW"—using your Windows or Mac computer. You cannot erase a read-only CD (CD-R).

Things You Should Know

On Windows, open File Explorer, select your CD drive, and go to Manage > Erase this disc.
On a Mac, open Disk Utility, select your CD, and then click Erase.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

On Windows

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It should go into your computer's disc tray label side-up.
Click the folder-shaped icon in the lower-left side of the Start menu, or press Windows key + E.

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This computer-shaped option is on the left side of the File Explorer window, though you may have to scroll up or down in the left-hand sidebar to see it.
Click the CD drive icon, which looks like a grey hard drive with a CD behind it.
It's in the upper-left side of the window. A toolbar will appear below it.
This option is in the "Media" section of the Manage toolbar. A window will appear.
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Click Next. It's in the bottom-right corner of the window. Doing so will prompt your CD to begin erasing.
- You can track the erasing progress by watching the bar in the middle of the window.
It's at the bottom of the window. Your CD has now been erased.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

On Mac

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Unless you have a pre-2012 Mac that has a built-in CD drive, you will need to use an external CD reader to erase your CD.
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Click Go. It's a menu item in the upper-left side of your Mac's screen. A drop-down menu will appear.
- If you don't see Go in the menu bar, click Finder or the desktop first to make it appear.
This option is near the bottom of the drop-down menu. Doing so opens a folder.
You'll find this grey, hard drive-shaped app in the Utilities folder.
Click the CD's name on the left side of the window under the "Devices" heading.
It's at the top of the Disk Utility window. The CD's properties window will open.
This option lets you completely erase the CD.
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Click Erase. Doing so begins erasing your CD. This may take several minutes depending on how large the CD is.
- Once the process is complete, you'll receive a pop-up that says "You have inserted a blank CD", signifying that the CD is erased.

Community Q&A

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Question

What if my CD was formatted to be compatible with a CD player? I can't delete the data on the disc, and I tried the steps above, but it won't work.

Community Answer

When you "finalize" the CD to use in other players, it is no longer re-writable.

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Question

Can I rewrite on a CD that I purchased with content on it?

Community Answer

Depends on what type of CD you have purchased. CD-R can't be rewritten while CD-RW can be rewritten.

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Question

My "erase this disc" prompt has turned gray. How can I fix this?

Community Answer

If you have a CD-R, it doesn't work. You need a CD-RW in order for this to be re-written.

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Tips

If you don't have a CD drive for your Mac, you can buy an official one from Apple, or a third-party one online or in most tech stores.

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Erasing a CD in this manner will not render the files on it completely unreadable—someone with advanced enough file retrieval software could feasibly find and view the erased files.

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Warnings

CD-RWs will deteriorate over time as they are erased and rewritten. Check the packaging to find the CDs' estimated lifespan.

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