What to do when Recycle Bin goes missing in Windows 10

It’s an ancient unwritten rule that My Computer (or This PC) and Recycle Bin are two icons that every desktop should have. And they’re there by default, most of the time, waiting to be spread to opposite corners to rule the desktop landscape. However, sometimes, your Recycle Bin goes missing and it’s nowhere to be found.

Luckily, system icons are above and beyond the standard shortcuts, a third-party program can create. And you can restore them in a few simple steps. So if you’re looking for Recycle Bin, the steps below should help you find it.

How to restore missing Recycle Bin in Windows 10

Missing from desktop

If your Recycle Bin is missing from the desktop, there’s a quick fix that should easily resolve that. System icons, including the good old Recycle Bin and This PC, have a hidden settings menu that enables them to share the desktop space with all that other shortcuts you so diligently created.

Here’s how to get Restore Bin back on track within a few simple steps:

1. Right-click on the desktop and choose Personalize.
2. From the left pane, select Themes.
3. Choose Desktop Icon settings from the far right corner.
4. Check the box beside the Recycle Bin.


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5. Optional: Uncheck the box beside the ”Allow themes to change desktop icons”. Some of them might remove (or already have removed) the Recycle Bin icon.
6. Confirm changes.

• ALSO READ: How to recover deleted audio files on your Windows PC

However, in case that you’re still, for some quite strange reason, unable to locate Recycle Bin on the desktop, we offer one slightly more complex solution.

If it’s still missing

If there was some unknown system critical error at hand and your Recycle Bin evaporated, you can still access it with the little help of the Run elevated command line. Back in the days it was stuck and hidden in the system partition, but nowadays, the only way to access it is with a certain command. Follow the instructions below to access Recycle Bin:

1. Press Windows + R to open Run.
2. In the command line type the following path and press Enter:
   • C:\$Recycle.Bin

• READ ALSO: How to restore an invisible Quick Access Toolbar

There you go. From there, you can manipulate the deleted files and restore them if needed. In addition, don’t forget that the desktop icons are disabled for a tablet mode by default.

That should do it. Don’t forget to share with us your thoughts on the subject or reveal some additional solutions. You can do it in the comments section below.

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