Ways to Enable/Open Recycle Bin in Windows 10

The Windows 10 Recycle Bin is another opportunity to recover files or folders that you deleted from your computer or device. But to find any lost items, you first must open the Recycle Bin folder. This tutorial answers the question “Where’s your Recycle Bin in Windows 10?”

You can see various methods of accessing the Recycle Bin in Windows 10 below. Try different, hopefully, one of the many would apply to your situation.

How to simply show/hide Recycle Bin

Here is how to get the Recycle Bin on your desktop in Windows 10:

Step1:

Select the Start button, then select Settings.

Step2:

Select Personalization > Themes > Desktop icon settings.

Step3:

Select the Recycle Bin checkbox Apply.

Using File Explorer’s Address Bar to Open Recycle Bin

Open File Explorer then type “recycle bin” from the address bar. Press Enter to start Recycle Bin directly.

Another method is to click on the first “>” icon from the address bar to start a drop-down menu which comprises all the desktop icons, such as Recycle Bin.

Using Run Box to Open Recycle Bin

Use the Windows Key + R short key to start the Run prompt, type the following command, and press Enter.

explorer.exe shell:RecycleBinFolder

This will establish Recycle Bin immediately.

How to Restore Disabled Recycle Bin

If you have inadvertently disabled the Recycle Bin, Windows will fail to display it on your Desktop screen. Therefore, before you try something strange, make sure it has not been disabled unintentionally. If it’s, do this to correct the issue.

Step1:

Click on the Start button, select Settings. Select the ‘Personalization’ setting and from the left sidebar select Themes.

Step2:

Then under ‘Related Settings’ heading, click on the ‘Desktop icon preferences’ link. A list of icons will appear in the ‘Desktop Icons‘ window.

Step3:

Make sure if the box ‘Recycle Bin‘ is checked or not. Otherwise, check the box to make it look on your Desktop screen again.

Ensure That You’re not in Tablet Mode

Go to the Start menu, select Settings, and choose System setting.

Choose Tablet Mode in the left pane of the box and be sure that the buttons next to the choices below are set to off position.

• Hide program icons on the taskbar in tablet mode
• Automatically hide the taskbar in tablet mode.

As Windows 10 is designed to operate on both desktop and mobile devices, it may be possible that your computer has slid into Tablet Mode, which doesn’t show desktop icons. This is usually observed in devices functioning as both, a PC and a tablet.

Open Recycle Bin from Desktop Location

• Use the Windows Key + R short key to start the Run prompt,
• type shell:desktop and press Enter.

You can then get into the Recycle Bin in a File Explorer window.

How to Add Recycle Bin to Windows 10 Desktop

Use the Windows key + I short key to open the Preferences program. Navigate to Personalization -> Themes.

On the right pane, scroll down to the Related Settings section, and click on the “Desktop icon settings” link.

Choose the checkbox to the Recycle Bin icon that you would like to appear on your desktop, and then click OK.

Use the Recycle Bin shortcut in the Windows 10 Desktop

By default, the Windows 10 Recycle Bin must be present in the upper-left corner of your Desktop. We find this the easiest way to get the Recycle Bin. Locate the icon on your Desktop, then select it and press Enter on your keyboard, or double-click or double-tap on it to open the folder.

As an alternative, you could also right-click or press-and-hold on the icon to open a contextual menu. Click or tap Open.

Windows 10 search option for the Recycle Bin

You could always depend on the Windows 10 search to bring back the proper outcomes. Type “recycle bin” on your taskbar’s search field, and then click or tap on the suitable result or on Open in the right side of the search box.

Open the Recycle Bin from PowerShell

You may also begin PowerShell, and type the command:

start shell:RecycleBinFolder

Do not forget to press Enter on your computer, and the Recycle Bin is opened in File Explorer.