How to restore the Recycle bin icon that has been accidentally deleted

Copyright © 2008 Ramesh Srinivasan
Customize

Summary

This article describes how to restore the Recycle Bin icon that has been deleted accidentally from the Desktop. This article applies to Windows Vista.

Restore Recycle Bin icon to the Desktop

Click Start, type Control desk.cpl,,@Web and press Enter
In the Desktop Icon Settings dialog, enable the Recycle Bin checkbox
Click OK

Another way to access the Desktop Icon Settings dialog is to right-click on the Desktop, click Personalize, and in the left pane, click Change desktop icons.

Editor's note: When you right-click on the Recycle Bin icon in Windows Vista RTM, there is a Delete option. Because of this, users may be tempted to click the Delete entry in an attempt to empty the Recycle Bin. That may be why the Recycle Bin icon disappeared in the first place. To remove the Delete option from the Recycle bin context menu, see my tip How to hide the "Delete" command from Recycle Bin context menu in Windows Vista.

Important: After restoring the Recycle Bin, you may also experience another problem with the Recycle Bin icon not refreshing correctly. Resolution for this problem is posted in this article Recycle Bin icon does not refresh automatically.

Related Articles

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to our RSS feed! We feature Tips, Troubleshooting information, Scripts and Utilities for Microsoft Windows Operating Systems!

Prefer an E-mail subscription?

51 Responses to "How to restore the Recycle bin icon that has been accidentally deleted"

Charity

said this on 02 Mar 2007 9:42:10 AM PDT

I was having such a hard time getting my recycle bin back and this page helped me finally get it. Thank you so much.

(Reply to this comment)

Nats

said this on 18 Apr 2007 2:45:44 AM PDT

This was very helpful. I thought I would never get my Recycle Bin icon back. Thanks for the helpful site.

(Reply to this comment)

Amanda

said this on 27 Apr 2007 11:35:15 AM PDT

this worked for me!!! thank you so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(Reply to this comment)

joey g.

said this on 29 Apr 2007 4:25:05 PM PDT

VERY Helpful and easy to follow!

(Reply to this comment)

Kevin

said this on 06 May 2007 3:45:21 AM PDT

OMG THANK YOU SO MUCH! thank you thank you i looked so hard.. i even tried geek squad bbut they're useless..

(Reply to this comment)

Mohd Shamshuri Mohamed

said this on 06 May 2007 10:50:33 PM PDT

It works. Thank you very much

(Reply to this comment)

Rachel

said this on 09 May 2007 12:03:46 AM PDT

It works. Thanks a bunch.

(Reply to this comment)

Luis Almaguer

said this on 24 May 2007 9:15:10 PM PDT

Great article, Very helpfull.

(Reply to this comment)

Triveni

said this on 28 May 2007 6:35:12 PM PDT

awesome very useful

(Reply to this comment)

James

said this on 16 Jun 2007 4:14:24 PM PDT

wow ive been tryn for months and when i got to recylcn bin cuz of this over 1000 deletions to make over 600mb restored thx

(Reply to this comment)

Wendy

said this on 26 Jun 2007 12:00:17 AM PDT

Thank god I found this page!!! It's really helpful. Thank you so much!

(Reply to this comment)

Andrew

said this on 01 Jul 2007 8:19:29 PM PDT

this was a perfect fix.

(Reply to this comment)

Obi Wan

said this on 03 Jul 2007 7:46:43 PM PDT

THANKS!!!!! You solved my problem, I an really happy

(Reply to this comment)

TeJay

said this on 13 Jul 2007 2:19:07 PM PDT

wow..its like magic. hehe. i was trying everything, i even formatted my whole C drive and i accidently deleted the dam thing again. i was about to format it again, but i found this, it resolved my problem so easily, THANK YOU SO SO MUCH!!!

(Reply to this comment)

Elaine

said this on 01 Aug 2007 9:20:30 PM PDT

Thank you sooo much i don't know how many times i have deleted this thing and im sooo scatter brained that i just never remember how to get it back i have this paged bookmarked....Thanks again

(Reply to this comment)

said this on 15 Aug 2007 8:53:53 PM PDT

Thank you! this was very helpful! Never would have known to do that.

(Reply to this comment)

Andrew

said this on 20 Aug 2007 2:40:04 PM PDT

This was really helpful. Your editors note states exactly what happened to me. Very frustrating, but now restored thanks to you. Many Thanks.

(Reply to this comment)

Angel

said this on 20 Aug 2007 6:37:22 PM PDT

this is an excellent article,very helpful.I have Windows Vista and I actually restored my recycle bin with no problem.Thank you.

(Reply to this comment)

jesse

said this on 28 Aug 2007 1:09:06 PM PDT

Thanks man I messed up and you helped me out big time Its a bi*** trying to restore.

(Reply to this comment)

said this on 29 Aug 2007 9:15:38 PM PDT

I thought that I would never see my recyle bin again but thanks god i found this article... thanks from the bottom of my heart.. it was so easy :)

(Reply to this comment)

Karen Watson

said this on 03 Sep 2007 8:10:28 AM PDT

Thank u, Thank u, Thank u this article is fab. I know have my bin back.

(Reply to this comment)

belated

said this on 08 Sep 2007 6:04:02 PM PDT

OMG THANKS SO MUCHH!! i was panicing but this helped me so much thanksssss got my bin back =)

(Reply to this comment)

Tony

said this on 14 Sep 2007 5:26:35 PM PDT

Thank you so much. I tried several methods, but failed. This one definitely solved the problem. Great help!!

(Reply to this comment)

Elisa

said this on 18 Sep 2007 12:35:23 AM PDT

thanks!!! surely help alot, phweet~ i love this website!! Once again, THANKS!!!!

(Reply to this comment)

oliver

said this on 26 Sep 2007 5:53:53 PM PDT

my bin is back, but the animation for full and empty doesn't work can somebody help me please?

(Reply to this comment)

said this on 11 Oct 2007 11:41:29 AM PDT

Thanks for this great article. Really helpful

(Reply to this comment)

dylan

said this on 17 Oct 2007 9:20:36 PM PDT

Thank you sooo much. i look forever trying to get it back. this was so much help!!!

(Reply to this comment)

an unknown user

said this on 25 Oct 2007 3:10:39 PM PDT

Thank you so much...you are a life saver - frustration was getting the best of me...LOL!

(Reply to this comment)

an unknown user

said this on 26 Oct 2007 6:09:15 PM PDT

Great, thank you...

(Reply to this comment)

Bob

said this on 27 Oct 2007 2:42:04 AM PDT

Thanks..this article was very helpful.

(Reply to this comment)

Roxy

said this on 03 Nov 2007 8:46:23 PM PDT

YEA!!! I got my recycle bin back!! THANK U!!!

(Reply to this comment)

Nono

said this on 20 Nov 2007 3:03:47 PM PDT

Really great one. Many thanks

(Reply to this comment)

Brian

said this on 23 Nov 2007 5:37:25 PM PDT

Thank you very much, I've got my recycle bin back...

(Reply to this comment)

Alonso

said this on 25 Nov 2007 12:38:12 AM PDT

Having the recycle bin on my Desktop feels Satisfy (lol)... It was really dramatic not having the Bin. Thanks very much, instractions was easy and quick.!!!! Viva La Raza

(Reply to this comment)

said this on 08 Dec 2007 11:50:33 AM PDT

Thanks for this. I accidentally deleted my recycle bin, but now it's back!

(Reply to this comment)

jimbob

said this on 10 Jan 2008 1:56:32 PM PDT

accidentally deleted my recycle bin, but now it's back!

(Reply to this comment)

MARIA

said this on 15 Jan 2008 11:34:29 PM PDT

0MG!! THANK G0D F0R SMART PE0PLE LIKE DA PERS0N WH0 MADE THIS! THANK Y00U!

(Reply to this comment)

Gigi

said this on 16 Jan 2008 5:44:28 AM PDT

Thanks! That was really helpful!

(Reply to this comment)

dels

said this on 23 Jan 2008 5:18:05 AM PDT

Many thanks, Worked a treat. Still learning vista's little tricks ;-)

(Reply to this comment)

Rain

said this on 06 Feb 2008 12:10:16 PM PDT

Wow, many thanks. that was a really great helpful!!

(Reply to this comment)

bruno

said this on 23 Mar 2008 2:35:09 PM PDT

it's very helpfull and easy

(Reply to this comment)

Monica

said this on 30 Mar 2008 9:25:29 PM PDT

Oh thank you for directing on how to restore my Recycle Bin. I thought for sure there was no way I could get it back. I'm glad I didn't give up searching and I'm so glad someone knows what they are trully talking about. This site is amazing. Keep up the Fantastic work. I'm quite sure I'll be back. LOL!

(Reply to this comment)

an unknown user

said this on 12 Apr 2008 8:38:27 PM PDT

Thank you very much....seems a bit ridiculous that it is that complicated

(Reply to this comment)

Michael

said this on 25 Apr 2008 3:47:46 PM PDT

Thank you, I've been having problems with Vista and Recycle Bin. I saved this and will refer to it in the future. Tremendously helpful!

(Reply to this comment)

lama

said this on 26 May 2008 8:37:24 AM PDT

thank u so much..that was really helpful. I really apperciate this :)

(Reply to this comment)

shannon

said this on 13 Jun 2008 4:36:32 PM PDT

wooooooooooooohoooooooooooooo! you helped me fix it before my husband yelled at me for losing it!!!!

(Reply to this comment)

alyn

said this on 14 Jun 2008 7:19:17 PM PDT

thanks a lot this is helpful with out this i dont know how to get the recycle bin back.

(Reply to this comment)

Eddie

said this on 06 Aug 2008 9:39:54 PM PDT

thank you so much that was extremely helpfull and thank you also for making it so simple

(Reply to this comment)

yogi

said this on 09 Sep 2008 1:24:19 AM PDT

my gad cmon! this helped a lot! thanks a bunch!

(Reply to this comment)

Harry

said this on 23 Sep 2008 10:28:09 AM PDT

Oh Sure Man This Helped Me Like Big Time .. I Did Accidentally on my Dad's Computer and he Hide his Files ib Recycle bin...Thanx Microsoft

(Reply to this comment)

Rajesh

said this on 09 Oct 2008 1:45:28 PM PDT

Simply great ! Got all my rubbish back and was happily emptying them.... Lah Lah Lah........ Tried for last 3 days . I knew for sure some genius like you would have posted a help link.. Thanks a Ton

(Reply to this comment)

Leave a reply:

You are replying to the above comment.Cancel this "reply".

Your Name *:	Email (private):	Website:

Please copy the characters from the image below into the text field below. Doing this helps us prevent automated submissions.
Security Code:

Categories

Recent Posts

Popular Articles