Where Do Files Go When the rm Command Is Issued? | Linux Today

Where Do Files Go When the rm Command Is Issued?

Written By
GM
Gagan Mishra
Jun 23, 2022

The data itself is not destroyed or shredded; it is only unlinked from the filesystem that references the data and indicates the block as free when you remove it using the rm command.

GM

Gagan Mishra

Linux Today Logo

LinuxToday is a trusted, contributor-driven news resource supporting all types of Linux users. Our thriving international community engages with us through social media and frequent content contributions aimed at solving problems ranging from personal computing to enterprise-level IT operations. LinuxToday serves as a home for a community that struggles to find comparable information elsewhere on the web.

Property of TechnologyAdvice. © 2026 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.