How to Erase a Rewritable CD or DVD

Check the Disc Before Starting

This workflow is for compatible rewritable media such as CD-RW or DVD±RW. A used CD-R or DVD±R cannot be erased and reused as a rewritable disc. Check that your optical writer supports the disc type, and copy any files you still need to another location before erasing.

1. Open the wizard.

   Start Disc Create Express with the required administrator permission. Insert the disc and choose Blank Disc Wizard in the sidebar. The page opens as Blank / Erase Disc Wizard.

2. Select the correct drive.

   Choose the optical drive containing your disc. Read the drive and media information carefully; use Refresh if a newly inserted disc is not detected. Continue with Next when the correct device is selected.

3. Review the erase mode.

   Quick Erase clears the disc's contents information to make supported media writable again. It can leave old data recoverable. Full Erase processes the whole disc and usually takes longer. Choose for the reuse task rather than treating a quick erase as secure destruction.

4. Start and wait for completion.

   Check the selected drive and mode, then click Start Erase. Follow the progress and status log, and wait for the completion message before removing the media.

Prepare the Next Disc Project

After the operation succeeds, choose your next audio, data or image-writing task. If erasing fails, check the reported media type and the drive's support instead of repeatedly restarting the same operation.

See the disc erase and verification tools, disc creation options, or the current free disc application.