---
name: "ntfswipe"
section: "8"
platform: "linux"
package: "ntfsprogs"
version: "2026.9.28-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/ntfswipe"
---

# ntfswipe(8)

overwrite unused space on an NTFS volume

## NAME

ntfswipe - overwrite unused space on an NTFS volume

## SYNOPSIS

**ntfswipe** \[*options*\] *device*

## DESCRIPTION

**ntfswipe** clears all or part of unused space on an NTFS volume by overwriting with zeroes or random bytes.

## OPTIONS

Below is a summary of all the options that **ntfswipe** accepts.  Nearly all options have two equivalent names.  The short name is preceded by **-** and the long name is preceded by **--**. Any single letter options, that don't take an argument, can be combined into a single command, e.g. **-fv** is equivalent to **-f -v**. Long named options can be abbreviated to any unique prefix of their name.

- **-a**, **--all**

  Wipe all unused space. This may take significant time. If the option  --unused-fast (or -U) is also present, the faster wiping method is used.

- **-b**, **--bytes** BYTE-LIST

  Define the allowed replacement bytes which are drawn randomly to overwrite the unused space. BYTE-LIST is a comma-separated list of values in range 0-255 expressed in octal, decimal or hexadecimal base.

- **-c**, **--count** NUM

  Define the number of times the unused space is to be overwritten. If both options **--bytes** and **--count** are set, the space is repeatedly overwritten this number of times by each of the values in the list.

- **-d**, **--directory**

  Wipe all the directory indexes, which may contain names of deleted files.

- **-f**, **--force**

  This will override some sensible defaults, such as not using a mounted volume. Use this option with caution.

- **-h**, **--help**

  Show a list of options with a brief description of each one.

- **-i**, **--info**

  Display details about unused space, without wiping anything.

- **-l**, **--logfile**

  Overwrite the logfile (update journal).

- **-m**, **--mft**

  Overwrite the unused space in the MFT (main file table, which contains the file names, and the contents of short files).

- **-n**, **--no-action**

  Executes the wiping process without writing to device.

- **-p**, **--pagefile**

  Overwrite the Windows swap space.

- **-q**, **--quiet**

  Suppress some debug/warning/error messages.

- **-s**, **--undel**

  Overwrite the space which had been allocated to a file which has been deleted recently and is still undeletable. This option is not compatible with **--bytes** and the replacement bytes are random ones or taken from a standard list.

- **-t**, **--tails**

  Overwrite the space at the end of files which is unused, but allocated because the allocations are always done by full clusters.

- **-u**, **--unused**

  Overwrite the space which is currently not allocated to any file (but may have been used in the past).

- **-U**, **--unused-fast**

  Overwrite the space which is currently not allocated to any file, trying not to overwrite the space not written to since the previous wiping.

- **-v**, **--verbose**

  Display more debug/warning/error messages. This option may be used twice to display even more messages.

- **-V**, **--version**

  Show the version number, copyright and license of **ntfswipe**.

## EXAMPLES

Wipe out all unused space in an NTFS volume.

**ntfswipe -a /dev/sda1**

Wipe out all deleted file names from an NTFS volume.

**ntfswipe -dms /dev/sda1**

## BUGS

There are no known problems with **ntfswipe**. If you find a bug please send an email describing the problem to the development team:\
 ntfs-3g-devel@lists.sf.net

## AUTHORS

**ntfswipe** was written by Richard Russon, Anton Altaparmakov and Yura Pakhuchiy. It was ported to ntfs-3g by Erik Larsson.

## AVAILABILITY

**ntfswipe** is part of the **ntfs-3g** package and is available from:\
 https://github.com/tuxera/ntfs-3g/wiki/

## SEE ALSO

[**ntfs-3g**(8)](/ntfs-3g/8.md), [**ntfsls**(8)](/ntfsls/8.md), [**ntfsprogs**(8)](/ntfsprogs/8.md)