Factory resetting isn’t enough to fully eradicate the data on your device and here is why:
If you have an old device you’re looking to resell or recycle, you may be concerned about data security. Whether you’re legally required to keep customer data safe or you’re simply interested in maximizing the security of your organization, data eradication is crucial for your business.
The trouble is, there are different types of data eradication, and not all of them will keep your data protected from would-be cybercriminals.
Factory Resets and Data Eradication
As a first line of defense, you might delete every file on your machine. But “deleting” files doesn’t truly delete them. Data is stored in the form of 1’s and 0’s on your device’s hard drive. The files you see on your desktop function like shortcuts, making it convenient for you to find where those 1’s and 0’s are located. Removing the file gets rid of the shortcut, but the leftover data will remain physically intact on your hard drive. Factory resets are often seen as a quick way to prepare devices for resale or reuse—whether it’s a factory reset iPhone, factory reset laptop, factory reset Chromebook, or factory reset iPad. In each case, the process restores the device to its original factory settings, removing user accounts, apps, and visible files. Similarly, a factory reset will completely erase your hard drive and reset all settings to the default condition they were in when the device was originally manufactured. This is a good step, but it still isn’t enough to completely render your device’s data inaccessible.
While factory resetting may seem like a quick way to protect your information, it often gives a false sense of security. In reality, most devices still contain recoverable data even after being reset.
The Hidden Risks of Factory Resets
Even after a device has been factory reset, traces of personal or business data can remain on the storage media. Advanced recovery tools can often retrieve files, emails, and credentials that users believe were deleted. This is why organizations focused on data security and IT asset disposition (ITAD) rely on certified data destruction methods rather than basic resets. Proper data eradication follows internationally recognized standards like DoD 5220.22-M, ensuring that sensitive information cannot be reconstructed or accessed after disposal.
Why Certified Data Eradication Matters
When decommissioning IT assets, companies need more than a simple reset—they need documented proof that data was completely destroyed. Certified data eradication not only protects customer and employee information but also helps businesses maintain compliance with privacy laws such as GDPR, HIPAA, and SOX. As an R2v3-certified provider, eWaste ensures that every device is wiped or physically destroyed following the industry’s most rigorous environmental and data security standards. This certification demonstrates our commitment to responsible recycling, verified data destruction, and sustainable IT lifecycle management—reducing risk while supporting your organization’s compliance goals.
Full Data Eradication
If you want to completely eradicate the data on your device, you’ll need to take additional measures. Fully rewriting the hard drive will randomize the 1’s and 0’s on the device, eliminating any trace of the data previously held by it. Multiple rewrites will increase the security of this process even further. If you’re interested in even further protection, you can physically destroy the hard drive.
Note that there are several viable strategies for data eradication, and you may be required to follow a certain set of methods, or methods that adhere to certain technical standards.
Managing data security on your old devices can be challenging, but it’s much easier with the right data eradication partner. If you’re in need of a data eradication partner, or if you need help determining your needs, contact e-Waste today!
FAQS: Is Factory Reset Safe?
Many people assume a factory reset guarantees their data is gone for good, but that’s not always true. While a reset removes visible files and user settings, sensitive information can still remain on the device and be recovered with the right tools. If you’re asking yourself is factory reset safe, the honest answer is that it’s not the most reliable way to protect your data. The safest option is to have your devices processed by certified professionals, like our team at e-Waste: who use verified data destruction methods that meet strict compliance and security standards.
A factory reset can remove most files and settings from a PC, but it doesn’t always make your data completely unrecoverable. While it’s generally safe for fixing software issues or preparing a personal device for reuse, it’s not a secure way to wipe sensitive data. Data fragments often remain on the drive and can be restored with advanced recovery tools.
Restore factory keys are generally safe to use, but they only reset your device to its original software state. They don’t guarantee full data removal. These keys are meant to reinstall the operating system and restore default settings, not to securely erase stored files. If the device contained sensitive information, traces of that data could still be recovered even after using a restore key.
