In Windows, how do I use the Recycle Bin?

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Problems moving files to the Recycle Bin

Files you delete in Windows should appear in the Recycle Bin, but if they don't:

Right-click the Recycle Bin and select Properties.
In the Recycle Bin Properties dialog box, make sure the Do not move files to the Recycle Bin option is not selected.

Note: Also within the Recycle Bin Properties dialog box, if you have Configure drives independently selected, you must perform step 2 for each hard drive volume tab.

If you are deleting items from a floppy disk or a network drive, you cannot make them delete to the Recycle Bin.

Restoring files from the Recycle Bin

Double-click the Recycle Bin icon. Select the item you want to retrieve, and from the File menu, select Restore.

To restore several files at a time, press Ctrl while selecting each file you want to restore. When you have selected all the files you want to restore, from the File menu, click Restore.

If you restore a file that was originally located in a deleted folder, the folder is recreated, and the file is restored in the folder.

To move a file out of the Recycle Bin to a new location, double-click the Recycle Bin icon and drag the file icon onto the desktop. From the desktop, you can move the restored file to the directory of your choice.

Emptying the Recycle Bin

Right-click the Recycle Bin icon, and click Empty Recycle Bin.

If you want to remove only some of the files in the Recycle Bin, select each file you want to remove while pressing Ctrl. Then from the File menu, select Delete, or simply press the Del key.

Showing or hiding the Recycle Bin in Windows Vista

The Recycle Bin appears by default on the desktop. To hide it:

Right-click your desktop, and click Personalize.
Click Change desktop icons on the upper left, and then either select or deselect Recycle Bin.
Click OK.

Note: Even if you choose not to show the Recycle Bin, deleted files will be temporarily moved to the Recycle Bin until you choose to permanently delete them.

Deleting files permanently without using the Recycle Bin

Note: If you follow these steps, files you delete will be permanently removed. Tou may need to be logged in as an administrator to perform this action.

To disable the deletion protection of the Recycle Bin:

Right-click the Recycle Bin icon.
From the menu that appears, choose Properties.
Select the Do not move files to the Recycle Bin option. Click OK.

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Last modified on May 13, 2009.