Secure Wipe
Free AppAbout Secure Wipe
No root required. Free and contains no Adware. Does not connect to the internet.
In our continued effort to make this work with KitKat, we have had mixed results. So, if you are running KitKat, it may or may not work for you until I get time to investigate the issues with some phones. But, it's a free app with no ads and works for most people.
Please provide feedback to the developer rather than giving a low rating so that I can fix whatever is wrong. Also feel free to suggest improvements. Thank you.
It is possible to forensically extract information from a smart phone using mobile forensic tools such as Cellebrite and XRY even after it has been deleted. This utility can help to prevent that from happening by sanitizing the free space on a phone. Similar functionality can be found on desktop machines using utilities like CCleaner, Eraser, and File Shredder. If you are afraid of the government peeking at your phone and extracting and reconstructing deleted files, this is the app that you want.
This application does not delete files or clean the cache. Use other tools such as ES File Explorer and AVG Cleaner to delete files and clean the cache. Then use this utility to sanitize the free space. The free version of this application does not sanitize database areas such as contacts, phone logs, or SMS text messages. Look for a pro version in the future that may perform a more thorough sanitization.
Although we cannot guarantee that all free space will be sanitized, this application finds all of the free space that Android will give us in three primary areas where data is normally stored and overwrites it as completely as the phone will allow:
1. System - This is the protected data area shared by all applications.
2. SD Card - On some phones this is the actual SD Card and on others it is emulated SD Card space.
3. Optional SD Card - On some phones this is the actual SD Card and many other phones do not have this space. Samsung phones typically put the real external SD Card here.
To run the application:
1. Make sure that the phone has good battery/wall power.
2. Put a checkmark next to the sections of memory to sanitize.
3. Press the Start Wiping button.
4. Do not use the phone while the application is working.
The status area will indicate how the process is going.
Some have complained that after a wipe, they sometimes still see old files that were deleted using Hexamob or other similar apps. In my investigation I have found that the overwhelming majority of files are overwritten but occassionally one file is left intact. This could occur if Android does not allow us to write to every free sector. Watch the statistics as it is overwriting to see if the free space count goes to 0 as it is writing. Also run the app more than once to get more thorough wiping since SD cards rotate their sectors in and out of service.
Many SD cards rotate blocks of memory in and out of use for wear leveling. As a result, it is possible that after sanitizing memory there could be some blocks that get rotated back in to use that were never sanitized. To mitigate this possibility, run this application twice which statistically will usually hit all blocks of memory.
This application has not been tested on all phones. Please provide feedback to the developer about any problems. It has been found to work on Samsung Galaxy S2, S3, S4 and Victory phones, the HTC Arrive and others. System space takes several minutes to sanitize and 8GB SD Cards can take up to half an hour. If the application is aborted before it finishes, there may be large files left on the phone. If this happens, simply reboot the phone and bring the application up and it will automatically look for these files and delete them at startup.
In our continued effort to make this work with KitKat, we have had mixed results. So, if you are running KitKat, it may or may not work for you until I get time to investigate the issues with some phones. But, it's a free app with no ads and works for most people.
Please provide feedback to the developer rather than giving a low rating so that I can fix whatever is wrong. Also feel free to suggest improvements. Thank you.
It is possible to forensically extract information from a smart phone using mobile forensic tools such as Cellebrite and XRY even after it has been deleted. This utility can help to prevent that from happening by sanitizing the free space on a phone. Similar functionality can be found on desktop machines using utilities like CCleaner, Eraser, and File Shredder. If you are afraid of the government peeking at your phone and extracting and reconstructing deleted files, this is the app that you want.
This application does not delete files or clean the cache. Use other tools such as ES File Explorer and AVG Cleaner to delete files and clean the cache. Then use this utility to sanitize the free space. The free version of this application does not sanitize database areas such as contacts, phone logs, or SMS text messages. Look for a pro version in the future that may perform a more thorough sanitization.
Although we cannot guarantee that all free space will be sanitized, this application finds all of the free space that Android will give us in three primary areas where data is normally stored and overwrites it as completely as the phone will allow:
1. System - This is the protected data area shared by all applications.
2. SD Card - On some phones this is the actual SD Card and on others it is emulated SD Card space.
3. Optional SD Card - On some phones this is the actual SD Card and many other phones do not have this space. Samsung phones typically put the real external SD Card here.
To run the application:
1. Make sure that the phone has good battery/wall power.
2. Put a checkmark next to the sections of memory to sanitize.
3. Press the Start Wiping button.
4. Do not use the phone while the application is working.
The status area will indicate how the process is going.
Some have complained that after a wipe, they sometimes still see old files that were deleted using Hexamob or other similar apps. In my investigation I have found that the overwhelming majority of files are overwritten but occassionally one file is left intact. This could occur if Android does not allow us to write to every free sector. Watch the statistics as it is overwriting to see if the free space count goes to 0 as it is writing. Also run the app more than once to get more thorough wiping since SD cards rotate their sectors in and out of service.
Many SD cards rotate blocks of memory in and out of use for wear leveling. As a result, it is possible that after sanitizing memory there could be some blocks that get rotated back in to use that were never sanitized. To mitigate this possibility, run this application twice which statistically will usually hit all blocks of memory.
This application has not been tested on all phones. Please provide feedback to the developer about any problems. It has been found to work on Samsung Galaxy S2, S3, S4 and Victory phones, the HTC Arrive and others. System space takes several minutes to sanitize and 8GB SD Cards can take up to half an hour. If the application is aborted before it finishes, there may be large files left on the phone. If this happens, simply reboot the phone and bring the application up and it will automatically look for these files and delete them at startup.
All Application Badges
Free
downl.
downl.
Android
2.2+
2.2+
Android app
App History & Updates
What's Changed
Version 1.09- Emergency release to avoid crash when no external SD is present.
Version 1.08- Update to address KitKat changes regarding secondary SD Card.
Version 1.07- Added additional method for detecting external SD cards on Sony Xperia.
Version 1.06 - Added additional method for detecting external SD cards.
Version 1.05 - Attempt to detect SDCard1 secondary SD cards.
Version 1.04 - Slight improvement to avoid crashing.
Version 1.09- Emergency release to avoid crash when no external SD is present.
Version 1.08- Update to address KitKat changes regarding secondary SD Card.
Version 1.07- Added additional method for detecting external SD cards on Sony Xperia.
Version 1.06 - Added additional method for detecting external SD cards.
Version 1.05 - Attempt to detect SDCard1 secondary SD cards.
Version 1.04 - Slight improvement to avoid crashing.
More downloads Secure Wipe reached 100 000 - 500 000 downloads
More downloads Secure Wipe reached 50 000 - 100 000 downloads
Version update Secure Wipe was updated to version 1.09
Version update Secure Wipe was updated to version 1.07
What are users saying about Secure Wipe
M
by M####:
by M####:
Seems to have done what it claims - wiping the blocks of deleted files. I decided to try it after reading the comment by someone who is using a similar phone - LG G4. It took a bit of time for completion but I'd say the operation was fast enough. Simple, easy-to-use interface. This app looks to have been developed by someone who knows what he's doing. Not a point-and-click kiddie developer bent on pushing ads.
N
by N####:
by N####:
Please don't install this useless app. I wish there's a way to give Zero Start cos this app ain't even worth 1 star. It does ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!! It's as Useless as the word "USELESS". Check Other people's Review and you'll attest to what I've just said!
S
by S####:
by S####:
I used this app and not only did it delete more than half my music and get rid of apps, my SD card is now utterly useless. Will NEVER use again.
X
by X####:
by X####:
Try to wipe the system space will create a large file that trigger a "low storage" warning and wipe will stop working. The temp file created cannot be removed unless you have root access, or simply uninstall this app.
M
by M####:
by M####:
Crashes instantly.. Use to work before. Not home specific since I tried on two different devices
M
by M####:
by M####:
Fixed broken files without the boxes changing from red and yellow to green, I'm keeping this app
M
by M####:
by M####:
. crashed on me moments before it was done. Honestly, I don't think it did anything. Good try tho
M
by M####:
by M####:
Can't be sure but think this thing found and freed a large chunk of memory on my Droid Maxx.. I can only guess that means it did its job.. Nice work!
M
by M####:
by M####:
Fast, light and efficient. Plus error free. Why wouldn't I like it!? If you don't believe me you can always test it with Disk Digger.
M
by M####:
by M####:
App is easy to use and does what it says. I would have loved to have options like using gutman etc like there are in eraser for PC but this is good too. I at least want to see a file shredder function added.
F
by F####:
by F####:
Every time I attempt to use it, the process starts then the entire phone locks up, and auto-reboots [crashes hard core]
M
by M####:
by M####:
Progress bar shows what's going on, useful as the app takes a reassuring time to run. Didn't manage to recover any files after using. Useful when selling a phone, returning for repair, etc.
N
by N####:
by N####:
Well you can allways take 5gig of random data or 2gig and justs copy to storage untill full thats the first write. Then change the data for a different pattern do it again and then change it again slighly so not to overwrite with same data sequence for a third time. There you have it your GABBAGE HAS BIN ERASED. If you dont Trust it use some Brains and throw it in the INCINERATA OR SLEDGE HAMMA.
G
by G####:
by G####:
As the title says. It does exactly as it says. I had a lot of pictures and movies that I thought was deleted only to stumble across a program that recovered them. This program got rid of all of them with only one pass too...nice: ) this deserves all the stars, I have found nothing wrong with it. Well done...:)
N
by N####:
by N####:
DiskDigger was still able to populate deleted files. However, the list was different, so i can say the app at least rotated some of the blocks. Still, not very useful app.
D
by D####:
by D####:
5 months now & its cool. Only wish it gave exacy details about which files are wiped. Thanks.
N
by N####:
by N####:
It worked perfectly, but until recently I would attempt to open the app but it crashes constantly. I also noticed it deletes photos and files that I did not want to be deleted. Please fix this.
F
by F####:
by F####:
I try to get back deleted files with an app and it was there. This app didn't do anything. If i was wrong in using it.. help me to do it right
N
by N####:
by N####:
Works as advertised, no issues, free, fast considering the algorithm & Edward Snowden approved. Sees the System and Internal SD card as one - because they are - just deselected system and let r rip... Thank you
Q
by Q####:
by Q####:
It immediately crashed on every single device I tried it on. Don't bother until they fix it.
J
by J####:
by J####:
Ran without problems on a Sammy S3 using Android 4.4.2 It does not delete the cache so be sure to do that before running.
N
by N####:
by N####:
Ran disk digger, then used this, ran disk digger again and it found exactly the same files. Useless.
N
by N####:
by N####:
"Unfortunatelly secure wipe stopped working". It didn't even start. I cannot open it at all. LG G3
N
by N####:
by N####:
Wiping takes a long time and button to cancel does not work on my HTC one M7.
S
by S####:
by S####:
A material design ui would be more user-friendly
N
by N####:
by N####:
I've used this a few times and it seemed into work then it crashed and erased all the personal pictures and music I had on my SD card after that the application failed to open every time I click on it useless
P
by P####:
by P####:
Works great on my xperia z2, but crashes immediately when opening on my S5, any fix for this problem? I just tried again after fitting a spare sd card and it seems ok now .
N
by N####:
by N####:
been using this for several months now. never had a problem until today. use app as i normally do. it wiped my sd card clean and the app keeps crashing. all my photos etc are gone. uninstalled app and reinstalled thinking it fix the crashing , it did not still crashes.
N
by N####:
by N####:
Was still able to recover photos using Disk Digger.
N
by N####:
by N####:
Crashes immediately on Samsung Galaxy S5.
N
by N####:
by N####:
App is easy to use and does what it says. I would have loved to have options like using gutman etc like there are in eraser for PC but this is good too. I at least want to see a file shredder function added.
V
by V####:
by V####:
had no crash's of any sort. so well done keep up the good work,
N
by N####:
by N####:
It seems like it has worked. However I don't have hacker level recovery software so I can't be sure! But its free and seems to work. So try it.
N
by N####:
by N####:
I cleared my cache. I cleared my delvik cache. Ran secure wipe. Was still able to recover jpg png in dcim and msg app afterwards
N
by N####:
by N####:
Does not work on Lollipop
N
by N####:
by N####:
Waste if time DiskDigger can still recover many files.
N
by N####:
by N####:
DiskDigger was still able to populate deleted files. However, the list was different, so i can say the app at least rotated some of the blocks. Still, not very useful app.
N
by N####:
by N####:
Works as advertised, no issues, free, fast considering the algorithm & Edward Snowden approved. Sees the System and Internal SD card as one - because they are - just deselected system and let r rip... Thank you
N
by N####:
by N####:
Used this to force trim on my nexus 7 2012 android 5.0, runs much better
by M####:
The cleaner seemed to work without any problems. It cleaned very quickly. Unlike two other apps that I had used. The interface was a breeze to work. I'm only using an 8 gig SD/HD card. The phone has very few apps. If you want further info about the phone, reply to this and I'll ship you the more sensitive info about the phone by email. I don't want sensitive info where just any one can access it. Your app worked great. Your app was suggested to me by Cnet. Good job! Kudos. Thanks for no adds!!!