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How To Erase Usb Drive On Mac
These instructions apply only to Mac computers with an Intel processor.
Erasing your Mac permanently deletes all of its files, so make sure that you make a backup of any files that you want to keep. If you're attempting to restore your Mac to factory settings, first learn what to do before you sell, give away, or trade in your Mac.
Start up from macOS Recovery
Turn on your Mac, then immediately press and hold these two keys until you see an Apple logo or other image: Command (⌘) and R. You may then be asked to select a user you know the password for. Select the user, then click Next and enter their administrator password.
Following is step-by-step tutorial to erase unreadable USB flash drive on Mac: Step 1: Launch Disk Utility from Utilities. Step 2: Click the icon for unreadable USB flash drive in the sidebar on the left.
Create a backup. Make sure that you have a current backup of your important files. How to Erase USB Flash Drive on Mac. A USB Flash Drive is the generic term for a small, self-powered data storage device that connects to a computer directly through a USB port. It’s about the size of a pack of chewing gum, and is both Mac and Windows compatible. USB Flash drives are often called a brand name such as key drive, thumb drive. Jun 04, 2018 To proceed further, you can select the USB Drive from External sub-menu. In the upcoming page, there will be a toolbar on top position. From the menu, choose the button named Erase.
Use Disk Utility to erase your disk
- From the utilities window in macOS Recovery, select Disk Utility and click Continue.
- Select Macintosh HD in the sidebar of Disk Utility. Don't see Macintosh HD?
- Click the Erase button in the toolbar, then enter the requested details:
- Name: Continue to use Macintosh HD as the name, or enter a different name.
- Format: Continue to use APFS or Mac OS Extended (Journaled), as recommended by Disk Utility.
- Click Erase Volume Group. If you don't see this button, click Erase instead.
- If Find My is turned on for this Mac, you may be asked to enter your Apple ID to authorize the erase. Forgot your Apple ID?
- After the erase is done, select any other internal volumes that may be listed in the sidebar, then click the delete volume (–) button in the toolbar to delete each volume.
You don't need to delete the Macintosh HD volume you just erased, or any external volumes or disk images. - Quit Disk Utility to return to the utilities window.
- If you want to start up again from the disk you erased, you should now reinstall macOS on that disk.
If you don’t see Macintosh HD in Disk Utility
Your built-in startup disk should be the first item listed in the Disk Utility sidebar. It's named Macintosh HD, unless you changed its name. If you don't see it there, choose Apple menu > Shut Down, then unplug all nonessential devices from your Mac and try again.
If your disk still doesn't appear in Disk Utility, or Disk Utility reports that the erase process failed, your Mac might need service. If you need help, please contact Apple Support.
Learn more
For more information about using Disk Utility, see the Disk Utility User Guide.
by Shirly Chen, updated on 2018-04-08 to Mac Data Wipe
If at any time we no longer need a USB stick and for any reason, such as selling it, giving it away or simply discarding it, we have the concern that someone may have access to the information that we eventually stored in it despite the fact that have formatted it one or several times (anyone can recover deleted or formatted data from USB stick with free data recovery software), for this reason there are ways to permanently erase data from USB stick on Mac.
Although Disk Utility can format a USB stick quickly, this task is not enough, since there may be traces of information within the free space that, any data recovery software can bring back, so the need to have a more effective option when it comes to permanently deleting data on a USB stick before getting rid of it.
Best way to permanently erase data from USB stick on Mac
As said above, data recovery software can easily recover deleted/formatted data from USB stick, so you need special data erasure tool for Mac to help you permanently erase data from USB stick under Mac OS. Here, we recommend DoYourData Super Eraser for Mac. It is a famous data erasure software for Mac and it can securely and permanently erase data from any kind of USB stick on Mac.
DoYourData Super Eraser for Mac remove all traces of information contained in USB sticks thanks to powerful data erasure algorithms to ensure that all information has been permanently removed so that no data recovery software can try to recover anything that has been inside the unit, so you can get rid of that USB stick without any concern. So, if you want to permanently erase data from USB stick on Mac, DoYourData Super Eraser for Mac is your best choice.
Three modes to permanently erase data from USB stick
DoYourData Super Eraser for Mac is a fairly simple software to use. So you can permanently and safely delete all the data you've previously stored on any USB stick without fear that someone can recover that data (just connect your USB stick with your Mac and run DoYourData Super Eraser for Mac to erase your data from the USB stick). It offers three data erasure modes, just choose the best one for you.
Mode 1: Erase files and folders from USB stick on Mac
This mode allows you to permanently erase existing files and folders from USB stick under Mac OS. Just add files/folders from the USB stick and click on 'Erase Now' button, all the selected files/folders will be permanently erased.
Mode 2: Wipe the entire USB stick on Mac
In the main interface of DoYourData Super Eraser for Mac choose the second option of the menu located on the left side 'Wipe Hard Drive', then select the USB stick to which you want to permanently delete the information and click on the button 'Wipe Now'. Then DoYourData Super Eraser for Mac will begin to format and erase the USB stick to wipe all data.
Step 3: Wipe already deleted/lost data from the USB stick under Mac OS
How To Erase Usb Drive On Mac Terminal
Choose the option 'Wipe Free Space' to clean all available space of the USB stick to permanently erase already deleted/lost data on the USB stick. It will not affect the existing data on the USB stick.
Now, you have known how to permanently erase your data from USB stick on Mac. Just quickly install DoYourData Super Eraser for Mac, and run it to wipe your sensitive data before you sell or donate your USB stick. You also can use it to format and erase damaged or inaccessible USB stick on Mac to fix logical errors.
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