Accidentally Deleted Recycle Bin Windows 11 or 10? Get It Back Easily

Deleted My Recycle Bin in Windows 11 by Accident. How do I Recover?

How to Restore Deleted Recycle Bin on Windows 11 / 10?

If you accidentally deleted the Recycle Bin icon from your Windows 11 or Windows 10 desktop, you will be able to find and restore files from Recycle Bin as normal, but don’t worry since the icon is not truly gone. Windows simply hides or unchecks it from your desktop settings. You can easily restore it with the following methods.

Method 1: Restore Recycle Bin via Desktop Icon Settings

If the Recycle Bin icon is removed by accidentally and doesn’t reappear, you can restore it directly through Desktop icon settings. This method works the same on both Windows 11 and Windows 10, and it’s one of the most reliable ways to bring theRecycle Bin icon back. Just follow the steps below:

Step 1. Right-click the desktop and select "Personalize".

Alternatively, you can press "Windows + I" to open Settings and go to "Personalization".

Step 2. In the left or bottom menu, choose "Themes". Click "Desktop icon settings"(under "Related settings").

Step 3. In the window that appears, check the box for "Recycle Bin".

Step 4. Click "Apply", then "OK".

Your Recycle Bin icon should now be visible again.

Method 2: Reset Desktop Icons (if Recycle Bin still doesn’t appear)

Sometimes the Recycle Bin icon is actually enabled in your settings, but the desktop simply isn’t showing any icons at all. This can happen after a system update, accidental right-click actions, or changes made by third-party tools. Before assuming something is wrong with Windows, it’s worth checking whether desktop icons are hidden. Restoring this option often makes the Recycle Bin reappear instantly.

Right-click the desktop. Hover over "View".Make sure "Show desktop icons"is "checked". If not, click it to enable the icons.

Method 3: Run System File Checker (if the icon is corrupted)

If restoring the deleted Recycle Biniconvia Desktop Settings doesn’t work, the icon itself may be corrupted. In this case, running the System File Checker (SFC) can repair missing or damaged system files, including the Recycle Bin.

Step 1. Press "Windows + S" and type "cmd". Right-click Command Prompt and select "Run as administrator".

Step 2. Type the command and press Enter: sfc /scannow

Step 3. Restart your PC after the scan.

Method 4: Manually Recreate the Recycle Bin (Alternative Fix)

If restoring the original icon fails, you can try manually recreating Recycle Bin icon with the following steps:

Step 1. Run Command Prompt as administrator.

Step 2. In the Command Prompt window, run the following command and press Enter:

rd /s /q C:\$Recycle.bin

This will remove the existing (possibly corrupted) Recycle Bin folder.

Step 3. Close Command Prompt and restart your system.

Step 4. After restarting, right-click on your desktop and select "New → Folder".

Step 5. In the name field for the new folder, paste the following exactly and press Enter: Recycle Bin.{645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E}

The folder will automatically convert into a functional Recycle Bin icon.This can be a workaround when you accidentally deleted Recycle Bin in Windows and failed to get it back with the above 3 basic methods.

Recycle Bin Restored But Deleted Files Disappeared? Recover Them Easily

Even after restoring the Recycle Bin iconon Windows 11 or Windows 10, you might notice that some deleted files you expected to see are missing. This often happens because restoring the icon does not automatically recover the contents that were permanently deleted or removed from the Recycle Bin earlier.

So, what can you do if you cannot find deleted data even after restoring the Recycle Bin?Or, is it possible to recover files that were deleted from Recycle Bin on Windows 10? Yes, it is totally possible and easy to realize emptied Recycle Bin Recovery with professional data recovery software like FREE MyRecover.

Step 1. Download and install MyRecover from the official website.Launch MyRecover and select the drive where the files were deleted.

Step 2. Click "Scan" to search for deleted and lost files.

Step 3. Browse the results and select or filter the files you want to recover. Click "Recover" button.

Step 4. Choose a different location to save them. Wait for the process to complete.

To enjoy unlimited data recovery and more advanced functions like previewing files before final recovery, recovering files from computers that won’t boot, etc, you can upgrade to Professional edition.

Summary

Accidentally deleting the Recycle Bin icon on Windows 11 or Windows 10 can be alarming, but as we’ve seen, it’s usually easy to restore using built-in settings, system tools, or a simple manual workaround. Even if your deleted files don’t appear in the restored Recycle Bin, professional data recovery software like MyRecover makes it possible to recover lost or permanently deleted files quickly and safely.

By following these steps, you can get both your Recycle Bin and your important files back, ensuring your desktop stays organized and your data stays protected. Always remember to back up critical files regularly(using Windows File History or Backup and Restore tools)to prevent accidental loss in the future.