Programs to delete unnecessary files
Let's start this excursus among the resources to delete files from the computer by software for the removal of unnecessary elements. Below, therefore, you will find those that in my humble opinion are the best programs to delete unnecessary files on Windows and macOS: try them and you won't regret it.
Disk Cleanup (Windows)
To get rid of unnecessary files on your PC Windows, you can first resort to the use of a tool included "steard" in all versions of the operating system from Microsoft: Cleaning disk. The latter allows you to delete all temporary files and no longer useful data that are present on the disk.
To take advantage of it, log in to the Start menu, digita disk cleaning utility in the search field and click on the corresponding reont. In the window that opens on the desktop, then select theunit in relation to which it is your intention to go to act from the appropriate drop-down menu (eg. C:) and click on the button OK.
Now, put a check mark next to the items related to the items you want to remove (eg. Temporary Internet files, Trash can etc.) and presses the button OK to start cleaning.
If you also want to get rid of system files that are no longer useful (e.g. residual files from Windows updates), please note that you can do this by clicking on the button System file cleanup placed at the bottom. But if you don't know where to put your hes, I advise you to let it go.
Default Disk Cleanup Tool (macOS)
Let's now turn to the side MacOS. Even then, to get rid of unnecessary files, you can take advantage of it in the first place default disk cleanup tool which Apple has chosen to include on all Macs starting with MacOS Sierra.
To use it, click the button in the shape of apple located in the upper left part of the menu bar e select the item About this Mac from the menu that opens. Then click on the tab archive in the window that appears on the desk and presses the button Manage that you find at thecomputer hard disk icon.
In the new window that will open at this point, choose whether or not to carry out the operations attached to the card Advice (Eg. store files on iCloud or optimize the iTunes library), by pressing the relative buttons. Instead, to perform more targeted cleaning operations, click on the tabs on the side (eg. Trash can, Documents, Mail etc.) and take advantage of the various functions agolable in the right part of the window. That's all!
CCleaner (Windows/macOS)
If the resources already included in Windows and macOS don't satisfy you, you can turn to CCleaner to get rid of unnecessary files on your computer: it is one of the most famous software belonging to the category, useful for deleting junk files from the hard disk, as well as for solving errors in the Windows registry and carrying out various other maintenance operations. It can be used on both Windows and macOS and the basic version is free, while the Pro variants are paid (have a basic cost of 19,95 euros).
To download it on Windows, connected to the program's website and clicks on the link CCleaner.com present in the column Free. A download complete, apri il file .exe obtained e, in the window you see appear on the desktop, click on the button Yes.
Se, invece, stai using MacOS, april il package .dmg ottenuto, trascina l 'software icon in the folder Applications on your Mac, right-click on it and select the item apri from the menu that appears, in order to circumvent the limitations imposed by Apple on applications from non-certified developers (an operation that must be performed only at the first start).
Now that, regardless of the operating system used, you see the CCleaner window on the screen, to locate and delete unnecessary files click on the tab Cleaning / Cleaner, press the pulsating Start Cleaning / Run Cleaner and confirm the execution of the operation by clicking on the button OK. Eventually, you can also just scan the disk and know how much space you could free up with CCleaner without actually deleting the files. To do this, click on the button Analyze / Analyze.
Before starting the cleaning operation you can also choose which files to delete and which not, by selecting or deselecting the items in the left sidebar, in the tabs Windows / Mac OS X and Applications / Applications. If you are not sure what to do, however, I suggest you leave the default settings active, otherwise you risk doing serious damage!
Programs for eliminating duplicate files
Would you like to find and delete duplicate files on your computer but don't talk about doing everything by he? I believe it well! It is madness! Rather, use i programs to delete duplicate files that I have reported to you below. I'm sure they can be of great help to you.
CloneSpy (Windows)
As its name suggests quite easily, CloneSpy is a program that allows you to delete duplicate files from your PC. It is very useful for organizing collections of documents, photos, videos and music files saved on the computer hard disk by cleaning them of all those files that, perhaps, have different names but are essentially identical. It's free and it's only for Windows.
To download it to your computer, go to the program's website and click on the link Download placed at the top, under the heading CloneSpy Vx.xx. When the download is complete, open the file .exe obtained, click on the button Si in the window that opens on the desktop and on the buttons Next e I Agree. Then, press the button once again Next, choose whether to install variant a 64 bit or 32 bit of the program (depending on the version of Windows used), click on the button Next two more times e, finally, press the buttons install and Finish.
At this point, press the pulsating OK in response to the warning appeared on the screen e, once the main window of CloneSpy is displayed, select the folders to be checked by clicking on the button add Folder placed on the right. Then make sure that the options are selected in the drop-down menus located at the top right Compare files within Pool 1 and Duplicates, make sure there is a check mark next to the item Ask user and click on the button Start scanning (bottom right) to start the search for duplicate files.
Once the scan has started, every time duplicate files are identified, you will see windows appearing on the screen indicating the reference paths: then choose the elements you want to delete, by double clicking on it, and confirm their deletion by pressing the button Delete all marked files.
If you want to automatically select the newest or oldest files, expe the drop-down menu Preselect files located at the bottom left and select the item Mark older files (to select older files) or that Mark newer files (to select the most recent files).
dupeGuru (Windows/macOS)
Another of the programs to delete useless files that I invite you to test is dupeGuru. It's free, works on both Windows and macOS (as well as Linux) and allows you to delete duplicate files based on various user-selectable criteria.
To download dupeGuru on your computer, connect to the program website and click on the button with the nome of the operating system in use on your computer (found at the top).
Subsequently, if you are using Windows, april il file .exe obtained and click the button Yes in the window that appears on the desktop. At this point, click on the button OK to confirm the use of the language and on the buttons NEXT, Accept, NEXT (for two more times), Install and Close. Afterwards, it starts the program by invoking it from the Start menu of Windows.
Se, invece, stai using MacOS, april il package .dmg ricavato and trascina l 'program icon in the folder Applications from the Mac. Dopodiché fai clic destroyed his di essa and selects the voice apri twice in a row, in order to start dupeGuru, however, going around the limitations imposed by Apple on applications from non-certified developers (an operation that must be performed only at the first start).
At this point, select the tab Steard attached to the program window, drag over the folders to be analyzed, check that in the drop-down menu Scan type the item is selected Contents and presses the button Scan.
At the end of the scan, put the check mark next to the names of the files to be deleted, press the icon of thegear located at the top left, select the item Move the marked items to the trash from the menu that opens and presses the button proceed to confirm their removal.
If you want, you can also narrow the search for duplicate files to music or photos by selecting the tabs Music and Picture by dupeGuru. You can also indicate the parameters by which to search for duplicate files using the drop-down menu Scan type e you can choose to find duplicate files based on tags, EXIF data etc.
Programs to delete undeletable files
Are you trying to get rid of one or more files on your computer but are unable to complete the procedure because strange on-screen alerts notify you that the chosen item is locked? Then use i right away programs to delete undeletable files that you find below: you will see that you will be able to cope with it in a flash.
LockHunter (Windows)
LockHunter is a no-cost program for operating systems Windows which allows you to delete any type of file stuck on your computer quickly and easily.
To download the program on your PC, connect to its official website and click on the button Download Now placed in the center of the page. When the download is complete, open the file .exe just got it e, in the windows that open on the desktop, click on the buttons Si, Next and Finish, but will conclude the setup.
Now, right click on the file to unlock, select the item What’s locking this file? from the context menu and click the button Yes. In the window that opens, click on the button Unlock It! which is at the bottom, then up Yes and Delete It!.
If the operation fails, press the button Other located at the bottom and select the item Delete At Next System Restart from the menu that opens. The file will be deleted automatically on the next system reboot.
Terminal (macOS)
Su MacOS, the problem of files not wanting to be removed is less common than in Windows systems, but it still exists. Consequently, knowing that there is a program that can be convenient for the purpose in question is very comforting. The resource I am referring to is actually already pre-installed on all Macs: the terminal, the tool which, by issuing specific commes, allows you to perform the most disparate operations and to trace various information on the state of the system.
To use it for your purpose, first start the Terminal by calling it from Launchpad (you find it in the folder Other) or by Spotlight, Crab or, again, by going to the folders Applications> Utilities say macOS.
Once the Terminal window appears on your desktop, type the comme sudo rm -rf [path to the file to remove]schiaccia il tasto Submit on the keyboard and type the Password of your user account on macOS, then press the button again Submit. Note that the comme rm -rf it instantly deletes the indicated files and folders, so make sure you enter the correct path to the reference file or folder if you want to avoid nasty surprises!
Programs to permanently delete files
Let's move on to the programs to permanently delete files, that is, those which, while resorting to the use of tools for recovering deleted data (such as those I pointed out to you in my guide on the subject), make it practically impossible to carry out this operation. Find them indicated below.
Moo0 FileShredder (Windows)
Moo0 FileShredder is one of the best programs for safe file deletion for operating systems Windows. It is characterized by a very easy to use user interface, through which it becomes a breeze to delete any type of file permanently. There are four levels of cancellation to choose from and it's totally free.
To download it to your PC, connect to the program download page on the website of MajorGeeks and click on one of the connections that you find under the heading Download Locations top right.
When the download is complete, open the file .exe ottenuto and click on your button Si in the window that appears on the desktop. At this point, remove the check from the box next to the item Additional Free Tools (to avoid installing extra programs), click on the button NEXT, check the box I accept the Conditions and click on the button again NEXT (three times) and then on the buttons Install and Close.
At this point, drag the file you want to permanently delete on the Moo0 FileShredder window that in the meantime has appeared on the desktop, then click on the button Si and it's done. Easier than that?
Note that by default the method used for deleting files is that simple (it is the fastest but least accurate one). If you want to change it, before starting the deletion procedure, choose the option you prefer from the drop-down menu Method which is located at the bottom. The options agolable, apart from the simple method, are as follows: Vaporization (it is the most effective but slowest), Thorough and Incinerator (they are somewhere in between, the first is slightly less secure than the second but a little faster).
Permanent Eraser (macOS)
Se, invece, stai using MacOS, I recommend that you consider using Permanent Eraser to permanently delete the files on your computer: it is a small free utility that works by deleting files in an irrecoverable way, overwriting the data 35 times, mixing the names of the original elements and truncating their size. It is very easy to use and can be used both from the Recycle Bin and directly on individual files as well as with CDs and DVDs.
To download it on your Mac, connect to the appropriate section of the Mac App Store online, press the pulsating See in the Mac App Store e click your bottone Ottieni / Installa in the window of Mac App Store which opened on the desk. If necessary, authorize the download by typing the Password of your Apple account or via touch ID (if you have a Mac equipped with this component).
Next, move the files you want to permanently delete to the Trash can, click onicona dell'applicazione which was added to the Launchpad (or from the folder Applications, through Spotlight or, again, by Crab) and press the pulsating OK in the window that appears. On the desktop you will then see a new window appear with a bar indicating the progress of the operation.
As regards, however, the deletion of files in locations other than the Recycle Bin or to intervene on CDs and DVDs, all you have to do is, very simply, drag the icon of the reference element into that of Permanent Eraser.
