What is unallocated?

Unallocated refers to a space on a computer's storage device (usually a hard drive or solid-state drive) that has not been assigned to any file or folder. This space remains unused until it is assigned to a file for storage. Unallocated space can also refer to a portion of a hard drive that has been formatted but is not being used for data storage.

In computer security, unallocated space can be a concern as it may contain remnants of deleted files or sensitive information that could be recovered by a skilled hacker. As a result, wiping unallocated space is often recommended to ensure sensitive data cannot be recovered.

Unallocated space can also refer to unassigned funds in a budget or financial account, such as leftover money in a grant that has been allocated but not spent.