Windows 10 Recycle Bin - The Ultimate Guide [With Images]

What is "Windows Recycle Bin"?

On Windows systems like Windows 10, 11, or others, the Recycling Bin is a place where you can store files that you no longer need. This way, if you accidentally delete a file or change your mind about removing it, you can still retrieve it. You can empty the Recycling Bin at any time to free up space on your computer, but doing so will permanently remove all of the files inside. Make sure you don't want to recover any deleted files before you empty the Recycling Bin.

Where is the Recycle Bin in Windows 10?

Windows 11 and Windows 10 both have a Recycling Bin for deleted files. The Recycling Bin is located in the same spot as it was in previous versions of Windows, but if you aren't familiar with the operating system, it can be tricky to find. Here's how to locate the Recycling Bin in Windows 10.

If you can't find the Recycle Bin, it might be hidden. To get it back, right-click on the desktop and select “Personalize.” Then, choose “Themes” and “Desktop icon settings.” Under Desktop icons, check the box next to “Recycle Bin.” Click “Apply” to save your changes, and the Recycle Bin will appear on your desktop.

Once it opens, you'll see all the files that have been deleted from your computer. To restore a file, select it and click "Restore." To permanently delete a file, select it and click "Delete."

Can't find or open the Recycle Bin through the desktop properties? Don't worry; we have more effective methods to help you locate it using the Run tool, PowerShell, or Settings.

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Now that you know where to find the Recycle Bin in Windows 10, you can be sure that all your deleted files end up there.

How to Manage the Recycle Bin on Windows 10

Most users like having the Recycling Bin on their desktop for easy access. However, some people prefer to hide or remove it. Users might want to hide the Recycling Bin in Windows 10 for a variety of reasons. Maybe they think it's ugly, or they want to clean up their desktop. Whatever the reason, it's easy to do.

逐步隐藏/移除回收站

You can hide the Recycle Bin by unchecking a box in the Desktop Icon Settings. If you want to completely remove the Recycle Bin from Windows 10, you'll need to edit the Registry. To do this:

Step 1: On your computer, open the Registry Editor and navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer.

Step 2: Right-click the Explorer key, and then choose New > DWORD (32-bit) Value.

Step 3: Rename the new value to "NukeOnDelete," then double-click it to open its properties window.

Step 4. Change the value from “0” to “1” in the “Value data” field, and then click “OK.” Close the Registry Editor, and then restart your computer to apply the changes.

Click here to read the ultimate guide on how to hide or show the Recycle Bin in Windows 11/10.

Empty the Recycle Bin in Windows 10 to Free Up Space

The Recycling Bin is like a safety net for your files. But when you want to permanently delete a file or folder, emptying the Recycling Bin comes in handy.

Emptying the Recycling Bin is simple: just open it, select one or all of the items within it, and delete them. You can also empty the entire Recycling Bin at once by selecting "Empty Recycling Bin" from the toolbar at the top of the window.

The system will ask you to confirm that you want to delete the items in your Trash. Once you confirm, the items will be permanently deleted and cannot be recovered. Keep in mind that emptying your Trash cannot be undone, so make sure you no longer need any of the files before erasing them.

"The Recycle Bin is corrupted/not working, how can I fix it?"

Managing the Recycle Bin can sometimes be a bumpy ride, with issues such as the inability to empty it, accidental emptying, or the Recycle Bin crashing. If you encounter any of these problems, refer to this user manual for solutions.

Scenario 1: The "Empty Recycle Bin" option is grayed out and unavailable

Some users have reported that the "Empty Recycle Bin" option is grayed out or not available when they right-click the Recycle Bin and try to select it. However, there are actually files in the Recycle Bin that haven't been emptied.

This issue could be due to not logging in with an administrator account, a corrupted recycle bin, or certain third-party programs preventing you from emptying it. To resolve this error, you can try closing or uninstalling running software, performing a clean boot of your computer, or clearing the $Recycle.Bin folder to empty the recycle bin.

The Recycle Bin is a hidden system folder that contains all the files that have been deleted from your computer. To view the $Recycle.Bin folder, you need to open File Explorer, go to the View tab, select "Show hidden files, folders, and drives," and then uncheck the "Hide protected operating system files (Recommended)" option.

Once done, you'll find a $RECYCLE.BIN folder at the root of each drive. The location of the $RECYCLE.BIN folder is C:\$RECYCLE.BIN or D:\$RECYCLE.BIN. Open this folder, select everything inside it, and then press the "Delete" key on your keyboard to empty the Recycle Bin. Confirm that you want to delete them when prompted, and they'll be permanently removed from the hard drive.

Case 2: Corrupted Recycle Bin in Windows 10

The Recycle Bin is an indispensable tool in computer operations. However, at times, it can become corrupted, which might lead to issues when attempting to delete or recover files.

There are several ways in which the Recycle Bin can become corrupted. One common scenario is when you delete a large number of files at once, which can cause the Recycle Bin to become full and subsequently damaged. Another situation is when you attempt to delete a protected file or folder, which might also lead to corruption of the Recycle Bin.

Corrupted Recycle Bin

If your Recycle Bin is corrupted, you might see an error message when you try to delete files or folders. The error message might say "The Recycle Bin on [Drive Name] is corrupted" or "Windows can't empty the Recycle Bin." Don't panic if you encounter this issue; you can fix a corrupted Recycle Bin with a comprehensive solution, including the methods below.

Method 1: Repair the Corrupted Recycle Bin using Command Prompt

There are several ways to fix a corrupted Recycle Bin, and one of them is by using the Command Prompt. To do this, open the Command Prompt and type in:

Delete the /C:/$Recycle.Bin directory and all its subdirectories

This will delete all the files in the Recycling Bin, including any corrupted ones. This should resolve the issue and allow you to delete the file or folder normally.

Method 2: Fix the Recycle Bin using the Registry Editor

Another way to fix the Recycling Bin is by using the Windows Registry Editor. To do this, open the Registry Editor and navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\RecycleBinFlags.

Once you find that key, change the value of “GlobalSettings” from 1 to 0. This will reset the Recycle Bin and should fix the problem.

You can also try manually emptying the Recycle Bin to fix a corrupted one. We have a dedicated article on how to do that. Check it out for the full process.

Did you just empty your Recycle Bin and realize you deleted something important? Don't panic! There are several ways to recover deleted files.

If all else fails, you can try using a Recycle Bin recovery program, the “Previous Versions” feature in Windows, the Windows Backup and Restore tool, or contact a data recovery expert. With one of these methods, you should be able to quickly recover your deleted files, even if the Recycle Bin has been emptied.

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1. 定期清理：定期检查回收站的内容，并删除不再需要的文件。这不仅可以节省硬盘空间，还可以防止误删的文件长时间占用空间。 2. 文件分类：如果回收站中的文件数量较多，可以考虑进行简单的分类，如工作文件、个人文件等，以便于查找和管理。 3. 制定清理策略：例如，可以设定每月或每季度进行一次大清理，或者当回收站占用空间达到一定比例时自动清理。 4. 使用云备份：对于重要文件，可以考虑在删除前将其备份到云存储服务中，这样即使从回收站清除了，也能从云端恢复。 5. 利用专业软件：有些软件能帮助你更有效地管理回收站，比如提供搜索功能，快速定位你需要的文件。 6. 教育用户：如果是团队或家庭环境，教育其他用户理解回收站的用途和正确使用方法，避免他们直接删除重要文件。 7. 创建恢复点：操作系统通常允许创建系统还原点，这样在误删文件后，可以通过还原点找回。 8. 确认删除：在将文件移至回收站后，最好再检查一遍，确保不需要这些文件再进行彻底删除。 9. 了解回收站限制：每个操作系统对回收站的大小都有限制，了解这些限制可以帮助你更好地管理回收站。 10. 使用外部存储：对于大文件，可以考虑使用外部硬盘或USB驱动器进行存储，而不是直接放在回收站里。

The Recycle Bin is a useful tool for clearing data and recovering files that were accidentally deleted. Follow these tips to make the most of the Recycle Bin and keep your data secure.

• Enable the confirmation prompt for deletion to prevent accidental removal of important files.
• Increase the size of the Recycle Bin to accommodate more temporarily deleted data, providing greater chances for data recovery.
• By default, the Recycle Bin retains deleted files for up to 30 days. You can adjust the expiration date to store deleted data for a longer period.
• Create regular full backups of your computer to minimize the risk of data loss.

Conclusions

The Recycling Bin in Windows 10 is a folder that holds all of the files you've deleted from your computer. You can access it by double-clicking the icon on your desktop. You can empty the Recycling Bin at any time to remove everything inside, but if you need to, it's easy to restore individual files from it.

If you accidentally delete files from the recycle bin, don't worry! You can use professional recycle bin recovery software – tools Data Recovery Wizard to help you recover the files.