Even if you do regularly empty the Recycle Bin, the plethora of icons on Windows 11 can give off a cluttered feel. So, from an aesthetic point of view, removing the Recycle Bin may be the way to go for a cleaner look.In this article, you’ll find various ways to remove the Recycle Bin from the desktop on Windows 11. So, regardless of your exact motive, we’ve got you covered.
Ways to Remove Recycle Bin from Desktop Windows 11
The first two methods are easy to follow and will suffice for most users, but in case they don’t work, you can always remove the recycle bin via the Group Policy Editor or Registry Editor.
Remove via Personalization Settings
The personalization settings, as the name suggests, help you customize how your desktop looks and feels according to your preferences. You can customize the icons or remove them. We’ve listed the steps to do so for the Recycle Bin below:
Turn Off Show Desktop Icons
You can also disable the Show Desktop Icons option to remove the Recycle Bin from the desktop. The caveat with this is that it hides all the icons from your desktop, not just the Recycle Bin. Nonetheless, there are scenarios where this method is useful, so here are the necessary steps:
Modify Group Policy
The Group Policy Editor allows users to modify various important settings and policies. In this case, specifically, you can use it to remove most occurrences of the Recycle Bin icon. Here are the steps to do so:
Modify Registry Values
You can use a Shell Object’s Folder ID, i.e., GUID, to create a value in the HideDesktopIcons key. As you probably guessed, this hides its icon from the desktop. We highly recommend backing up the registry before proceeding with the steps listed below:
Related Questions
Can I Access the Recycle Bin After Removing It?
The methods above only remove the Recycle Bin from the desktop. You can still access the recycle bin and recover deleted files from it with the shell:RecycleBinFolder run command.
How to Move Recycle Bin to Taskbar?
Simply dragging the Recycle Bin to the taskbar or using the Pin to Taskbar option doesn’t work. So, you should follow the steps listed below instead:
How Do I Pin Recycle Bin to Quick Access / File Explorer?
Since there is no option to Move to Quick Access or File Explorer, you must select the Recycle Bin and manually drag it to the quick access in the File Explorer. You can do the same by dragging the Recycle Bin to the taskbar as well.
Why Are the Deleted Files Not in the Recycle Bin?
The usual reason why deleted files aren’t in the recycle bin is that users unknowingly press Shift + Delete out of habit and permanently delete the file. Some other common culprits include:
Corrupt Recycle BinMisconfigured Recycle Bin Properties SettingsRecycle Bin is at full capacityThe files were deleted using the command prompt or from a USB
