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One of the most common questions that Windows users have is how to remove the Recycle Bin icon from their desktop. This can be a useful feature for those who want to free up some space on their desktop or simply prefer to have a cleaner look. In this article, we will discuss how to remove the Recycle Bin from your desktop in Windows 11, Windows 10, and Windows 7.
Table of Contents
How to Remove Recycle Bin from Desktop Windows 11
Windows 11 has made it easy to customize the look and feel of your desktop. To remove the Recycle Bin icon from your desktop in Windows 11, follow these steps:
- Right-click on an empty space on your desktop.
- Select “Personalize” from the context menu.
- Click on “Themes” in the left sidebar.
- Scroll down to the “Desktop icons” section and toggle off the Recycle Bin icon.
- Click on “Apply” to save the changes.
Once you have completed these steps, the Recycle Bin icon will no longer be visible on your desktop. However, it is important to note that removing the icon from your desktop does not remove the Recycle Bin functionality from your computer. You can still access the Recycle Bin by going to “This PC” and selecting it in the sidebar on the left. Additionally, you can always revert the changes by going back to the “Desktop icons” section in the Personalization settings and turning the Recycle Bin icon back on.
How to Remove Recycle Bin from Desktop Windows 10
Removing the Recycle Bin from your desktop in Windows 10 is a simple process that can be done in just a few steps. Here’s how to do it:
- Right-click on an empty space on your desktop.
- Select “Personalize” from the context menu.
- Click on “Themes” in the left sidebar.
- Click on “Desktop icon settings” at the bottom of the page.
- Uncheck the box next to the Recycle Bin icon.
- Click on “Apply” to save the changes.
Once you have completed these steps, the Recycle Bin icon will no longer be visible on your desktop. However, it is important to note that removing the icon from your desktop does not remove the Recycle Bin functionality from your computer. You can still access the Recycle Bin by going to “This PC” and selecting it in the sidebar on the left. Additionally, you can always revert the changes by going back to the “Desktop icon settings” and checking the box next to the Recycle Bin icon.
It’s also worth noting that you can use the keyboard shortcut “Windows key + E” to open File Explorer, and then navigate to the Recycle Bin in the sidebar on the left if you need to access it.
How to Remove or Hide the Recycle Bin on Windows 7
In Windows 7, the process for removing the Recycle Bin from your desktop is similar to Windows 10. Here’s how to do it:
- Right-click on an empty space on your desktop.
- Select “Personalize” from the context menu.
- Click on “Change desktop icons” in the left sidebar.
- Uncheck the box next to the Recycle Bin icon.
- Click on “Apply” to save the changes.
Once you have completed these steps, the Recycle Bin icon will no longer be visible on your desktop. However, it is important to note that removing the icon from your desktop does not remove the Recycle Bin functionality from your computer. You can still access the Recycle Bin by going to “This PC” and selecting it in the sidebar on the left. Additionally, you can always revert the changes by going back to the “Change desktop icons” and checking the box next to the Recycle Bin icon.
It’s also worth noting that you can use the keyboard shortcut “Windows key + E” to open File Explorer, and then navigate to the Recycle Bin in the sidebar on the left if you need to access it.
How to access the Recycle Bin after removing it
Removing the Recycle Bin from your desktop does not mean that it’s gone forever. You can still access it by going to “This PC” and then selecting “Recycle Bin” in the sidebar on the left. Another way to access the Recycle Bin is by using the keyboard shortcut “Windows key + E” to open File Explorer and then navigate to the Recycle Bin in the sidebar on the left.
Alternatively, you can also use the “Run” command by pressing the Windows key + R on your keyboard, and type in “shell:RecycleBinFolder” and press enter. This will open the Recycle Bin folder directly.
It’s also important to note that even if you remove the Recycle Bin icon from your desktop, the files that you delete will still be sent to the Recycle Bin. This means that they will still be recoverable until they are permanently deleted.
How to Automatically Delete Files in Windows
One way to automatically delete files in Windows is to use the built-in Task Scheduler. Here are the steps to set up a task to delete files older than a certain number of days:
- Open the Start menu and type “Task Scheduler” in the search bar. Click on the Task Scheduler app to open it.
- In the Task Scheduler window, click on the “Action” menu and select “Create Basic Task.”
- In the “Create Basic Task” wizard, give your task a name and a description, then click “Next.”
- Choose the trigger for your task, such as “Daily” or “Weekly,” and then click “Next.”
- In the “Start a Program” action, type “cmd” in the Program/script field, and “/c forfiles /p [file path] /s /m . /c “cmd /c del @file” /d -[number of days]” in the Add arguments field. Replace [file path] with the path of the folder where the files are located, and [number of days] with the number of days old you want the files to be before they are deleted.
- Click on “Finish” to create the task.
- To run the task immediately, open the Task Scheduler and find the task you just created. Right-click on it and select “Run.”
Please note that the above method will delete files permanently and you will not be able to recover them. Be careful while using this method.
