Magnets are used in electronics all the time. Many tablets (such as the iPad) use magnets to keep the lid closed. But now many people are concerned about using magnets next to their computers. Cana magnet damage a computer? Well, this post from MiniTool Partition Wizard will tell you the answer.

Can a (notebook) hard drive be affected by magnets, such as those in a headphone or a cell phone?https://hddfaqs.com

Many people want to know whether a magnet is harmful to their computer. Is it true that magnets can damage your computer? Are magnets bad for computers? Scroll down to know the answer.

Can a Magnet Damage a Computer?

The answer is almost certainly “no”. Magnets can wipe off the hard drive of the computer only when the magnet is very powerful. Generally speaking, some ordinary magnets (such as a refrigerator magnet) around our life are not bad for computers. Therefore, don’t worry that a magnet can damage your computer.

Why Can a Magnet Damage a Computer?

As I mentioned above, powerful magnets actually can damage the hard drive of your computer. But why can a magnet damage a computer? Before I give you the answer, you need to know what the hard drive is on your computer.

If it is an SSD, magnets will not damage your computer. Only when you have an HDD can magnets damage your computer. If you are not sure what hard drive is on your computer, this post “What Hard Drive Do I Have Windows 10?” will tell you that.

Why do magnets damage the computer with an HDD? The reason is that the HDD uses the magnet (neodymium-iron-boron magnet) to control the read-write head movement. A magnet itself will not erase the hard drive, but if a powerful magnet is placed directly on top of the hard drive, the read-write head may cause damage to the hard drive while it is running.

the read-write head

Detailed Introduction to Hard Disk – Learn About It Now

How Do Magnets Damage Electronics?

You already know how powerful magnets damage the hard drive of a computer. So, how do magnets damage electronics? Strong magnets can damage electronic components by stripping away the programming of the device. This is why you are warned not to put your room key card and your phone in the same pocket.

1. What Is the best way to destroy a computer hard drive?

As time goes by, your computer will slow down or even be damaged. In this case, you should destroy the hard drive by wiping its contents and disassembling its parts for ultimate security. In this way, you will not give away the personal and private information on your hard drive.

If you don’t know how to destroy a computer hard drive properly, this post “The Best Way to Destroy Hard Drive Data Permanently in Windows 10” can help you do that.

2. What to Do with Your Computer Before Recycling?

Before recycling a computer with a hard drive, I suggest you follow the following major steps to protect your data:

How Many People Didn't Wipe Their Hard Drives Properly?
How Many People Didn't Wipe Their Hard Drives Properly?

This post introduces a study on how thorough we are when it comes to wiping our hard drives before we sell them.

Read More

Now you have learnt that a magnet will not damage a computer. Moreover, you should wipe your hard drive thoroughly before recycling. Do you have any questions about this topic? Please leave them in the comment zone and we will try to answer them as soon as possible.

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