Privacy Eraser cleans your computer’s Windows installation and internet browsers of anything that could compromise your privacy on the internet. It also comes with 250 additional security-focused plugins, which is an impressive range of tools. Privacy Eraser has a clean interface and one-click tools, making it very easy to use. It also has a file shredder you can use to wipe your files beyond any hope of recovery. It's one of the best privacy software packages you can buy right now.
Privacy Eraser review: Interface
Privacy Eraser has a clean and basic interface that displays the available privacy tools on the left panel. Its dashboard gives you immediate access to tools that scan your computer, clean it quickly and offer more in-depth cleanings. You can specify which parts of your computer’s Windows, browsers and applications you want erased using the tools. It also has a removable media wiper and file shredder listed on its panel for easy access.
In addition to protecting your privacy, this software also wipes spare and hidden areas on your drive to free up space. This optimizes your PC’s performance and may even speed up Windows startup. You can set up the software to run automatically or to monitor your Windows system in the background.
Privacy Eraser review: Effectiveness
To protect your online privacy, this software cleans the tracks you leave behind on your internet browser. The program is compatible with all the main web browserssuch as Firefox, Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, and more. The tools wipe your address bar history, temporary internet files, history of visited sites, Index.dat files, downloads, bookmarks and more. The software also deletes cookies, and you can manage which ones you want to keep for frequently visited sites.
We viewed several different sites and input data in the browser, wiped all parts of the browser and then used recovery software to see how effectively Privacy Eraser removed our internet activity from the computer. We only found slight traces of our internet activity after using the recovery software. For the most, Privacy Eraser Pro protects your online privacy and deletes important information that reveals what you do.
The only drawback is that it won't wipe your emails or instant messenger chats, so you'll need to do this via other means.
Privacy Eraser review: History eraser
The history eraser also features several tools to wipe the traces left behind on Windows. You can delete and overwrite a number of files from your recycle bin, temporary file folder, run history, clipboard, recent files list and computer history. You can even have the software wipe files on removable media. The file shredder has four security levels to choose from that exceed the U.S. Department of Defense and NSA cleaning standards. You can also customize how many passes you want the software to use when shredding files.
We created several files on the computer and removed them using the software’s file shredder. When we later looked for the files and used recovery software, we were unable to recover or view any of our previous activities on Windows. While this privacy eraser extensively cleans your Windows and internet browser, it lacks the ability to clean your email or instant messenger conversations, which leaves personal conversations susceptible to onlookers. You can consider another program, such as CyberScrub Privacy Suite, that includes these tools.
Should you buy Privacy Eraser?
This privacy software performs well and is very easy to use. It can remove data from your Windows and internet browsers beyond recovery with a custom file shredder. While the program does not remove instant messenger conversations or emails from your computer, this software’s usability and effectiveness make it a good option.
The only way to contact technical support is through an online ticket or email. We found that it took the support team several days to respond to our inquiries. The software’s support center is very limited, only offering an online user guide.