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How to Erase a CD RW

This wikiHow teaches you how to erase a readable and writable CD—or 'CD-RW'—using your Windows or Mac computer. You cannot erase a read-only CD (CD-R). Insert the CD into your computer. It should go into your computer's disc tray label sid...
Method 1 of 2:

On Windows

  1. How to Erase a CD RW Picture 1How to Erase a CD RW Picture 1
    Insert the CD into your computer. It should go into your computer's disc tray label side-up.
  2. How to Erase a CD RW Picture 2How to Erase a CD RW Picture 2
    Open Start
    How to Erase a CD RW Picture 3How to Erase a CD RW Picture 3
    . Click the Windows logo in the bottom-left corner of the screen.
  3. How to Erase a CD RW Picture 4How to Erase a CD RW Picture 4
    Open File Explorer
    How to Erase a CD RW Picture 5How to Erase a CD RW Picture 5
    . Click the folder-shaped icon in the lower-left side of the Start window.
  4. How to Erase a CD RW Picture 6How to Erase a CD RW Picture 6
    Click This PC. This computer-shaped option is on the left side of the File Explorer window, though you may have to scroll up or down in the left-hand sidebar to see it.
  5. How to Erase a CD RW Picture 7How to Erase a CD RW Picture 7
    Select the CD drive. Click the CD drive icon, which looks like a grey hard drive with a CD behind it.
  6. How to Erase a CD RW Picture 8How to Erase a CD RW Picture 8
    Click the Manage tab. It's in the upper-left side of the window. A toolbar will appear below it.
  7. How to Erase a CD RW Picture 9How to Erase a CD RW Picture 9
    Click Erase this disc. This option is in the "Media" section of the Manage toolbar. A window will appear.
  8. How to Erase a CD RW Picture 10How to Erase a CD RW Picture 10
    Click Next. It's in the bottom-right corner of the window. Doing so will prompt your CD to begin erasing.
  9. How to Erase a CD RW Picture 11How to Erase a CD RW Picture 11
    Wait for the CD to finish erasing. You can track the erasing progress by watching the bar in the middle of the window.
  10. How to Erase a CD RW Picture 12How to Erase a CD RW Picture 12
    Click Finish when prompted. It's at the bottom of the window. Your CD has now been erased.
Method 2 of 2:

On Mac

  1. How to Erase a CD RW Picture 13How to Erase a CD RW Picture 13
    Insert the CD into your Mac's external CD drive. Unless you have a pre-2012 Mac that has a built-in CD drive, you will need to use an external CD reader to erase your CD.
  2. How to Erase a CD RW Picture 14How to Erase a CD RW Picture 14
    Click Go. It's a menu item in the upper-left side of your Mac's screen. A drop-down menu will appear.
    1. If you don't see Go in the menu bar, click the Finder or the desktop to make it appear.
  3. How to Erase a CD RW Picture 15How to Erase a CD RW Picture 15
    Click Utilities. This option is near the bottom of the drop-down menu. Doing so opens a folder.
  4. How to Erase a CD RW Picture 16How to Erase a CD RW Picture 16
    Double-click Disk Utility. You'll find this grey, hard drive-shaped app in the Utilities folder.
  5. How to Erase a CD RW Picture 17How to Erase a CD RW Picture 17
    Select your CD's name. Click the CD's name on the left side of the window under the "Devices" heading.
  6. How to Erase a CD RW Picture 18How to Erase a CD RW Picture 18
    Click the Erase tab. It's at the top of the Disk Utility window. The CD's properties window will open.
  7. How to Erase a CD RW Picture 19How to Erase a CD RW Picture 19
    Click Completely. This option lets you completely erase the CD.
  8. How to Erase a CD RW Picture 20How to Erase a CD RW Picture 20
    Click Erase. Doing so begins erasing your CD. This may take several minutes depending on how large the CD is.
    1. Once the process is complete, you'll receive a pop-up that says "You have inserted a blank CD", signifying that the CD is erased.
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