# Quick crypto erase on namespace 1 nvme format /dev/nvme0n1 --ses=2
Standard formatting tools in Windows or macOS only delete the "pointers" to your files. The actual data stays on the NAND chips until it’s eventually overwritten, making it easy for recovery software to scavenge. A true NVMe secure erase offers: How to *secure erase* a NVMe SSD - Ask Ubuntu nvme format secure erase
If the drive is self-encrypting, the controller simply destroys the internal encryption key. Without the key, the existing scrambled data becomes permanently unreadable in seconds. Why You Need Secure Erase (Beyond Simple Formatting) # Quick crypto erase on namespace 1 nvme