Reference number: CH000788

How do I delete one or more files from a CD?

Question:

How do I delete one or more files from a CD?

Answer:

Unless the CD or DVD disc you're attempting to delete the file from is a CD-RW or DVD-RW disc and you have the disc in a CD-RW or DVD-RW compatible drive, you will not have the ability to delete, modify, or move any of the files from the disc. Standard CD-ROM and DVD drives and/or CDs and DVDs are read-only, which means you can only read the contents of the discs and not modify them in any way.

However, if you have a CD-RW or other RW disc, you can either erase and re-write the CD, or delete individual files. By default, Microsoft Windows and other major operating systems only support the deletion of the entire disc and not individual files. However, if a third-party software utility, such as DirectCD or other packet writing software that often comes with your RW drive, is installed you may be able to delete individual files.