Recycle Bin Missing on Windows 11? Get it Back Now

Recycle Bin Missing on Windows 11!

The Recycle Bin in Windows is a safeguard of data security. All files deleted on Windows will be moved to the Recycle Bin. It allows users to recover deleted files before they are permanently erased. As this case shows, if your Recycle Bin is missing on Windows 11, you’re not alone. Many users have noticed that the familiar Recycle Bin icon has suddenly vanished from their desktop. Just take it easy and learn more about how to restore the Recycle Bin in this article.

Why Did My Recycle Bin Disappear?

Before jumping into detailed fixes, it's helpful to understand why there is no Recycle Bin in Windows 11 sometimes. Common causes include:

• Desktop icon settings changed may caused recycle bin accidentally hidden.
• The Recycle Bin icon is accidentally disabled in system settings.
• A Windows update or user profile reset may have removed desktop icons.
• Group Policy settings or third-party cleanup tools may have hidden or deleted it.
• A corrupted Recycle Bin or system file could also cause it to vanish.

Based on these reasons, you may have already realized where the problem lies. You can follow the methods in the next section step by step to solve the issue of the Recycle Bin missing.

How to Get Recycle Bin Back on Windows 10 and 11

From the reasons outlined above, it’s easy to see that there are roughly two possibilities for the Recycle Bin missing: first, it hasn’t been deleted but the Recycle Bin cannot be found; second, the Recycle Bin has been completely removed. For these two different scenarios, this section will adopt different measures. You can choose the appropriate method based on your actual situation.

How to Access Recycle Bin (If You Can't Find Access Point)

If the Recycle Bin icon on your desktop has disappeared, but you need to urgently recover deleted files from it, try the following methods to access the Recycle Bin and retrieve your files.

✅Search in Search Bar

The simplest method is to search in the desktop search box: type "Recycle Bin" in the Search bar and open the Recycle Bin. Then you can restore the files you wish to recover.

✅Open in File Explorer

You can also easily access the Recycle Bin in File Explorer. You can click the expand button next to the "This PC" icon, then select "Recycle Bin" to open it.

Alternatively, you can enter "C: \$Recycle.Bin" and press "Enter" to access the Recycle Bin folder.

★Tips:

If you cann't open the folder or find no files in the folder, click the "View" tab at the top and check the "Hidden items" box.

✅Open with Run Command Box

Using the Run command box to open the Recycle Bin is also an effective method. Enter "shell:RecycleBinFolder" and press "Enter" to open the Recycle Bin.

✅Open in Command Prompt

In the search box, type "command prompt" and open it. Then type the following command "start shell:RecycleBinFolder" and press "Enter" to access the Recycle Bin.

How to Restore Recycle Bin (If Corrupted or Removed)

If none of the above methods work to open the Recycle Bin, it may indicate that the Recycle Bin has either crashed or been deleted. This section provides 5 methods to restore the missing Recycle Bin. Follow these steps to return it:

✅Show the Recycle Bin Icon

If your Recycle Bin is missing from desktop Windows 11, the most common reason is that the icon is simply turned off. Here's how to show the missing Recycle Bin icon:

Step 1. Right click the blank space on the desktop and select "Personalize" > "Themes" > "Desktop icon settings".

Step 2. Check the "Recycle Bin" box and click "Apply" to save the settings.

If all file icons on the desktop have disappeared, it may be that you accidentally hide the desktop icons. It only takes a few steps to get the missing icons back to the desktop.

Step 1. Right click the blank space on the desktop and select "View".

Step 2. Click "Show desktop icons" to unhidden the icons.

✅Run DISM Command

Sometimes system file corruption can also cause the Recycle Bin to disappear on Windows. Using the DISM command to repair corrupted system files can make the Recycle Bin usable again.

Step 1. Open "command prompt" and run it as administrator.

Step 2. Enter the following command "DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth" and press "Enter".

Step 3. After the process is completed, type the following command "sfc /scannow" and press "Enter".

These commands will scan for integrity violations and can restore missing components like the Recycle Bin.

✅Check Group Policy

Sometimes, a Group Policy setting may block the Recycle Bin icon from appearing.

Step 1. Press "Win +R" to open Run command box and type "gpedit.msc", then press "Enter".

Step 2. Navigate to the following path:

User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Desktop

Step 3. Look for "Remove Recycle Bin icon from desktop" and double click it to open the setting window.

Step 4. If it's set to "Enabled", switch it to “Not Configured” or “Disabled.” Then click "Apply" and "OK" to save the setting.

✅Create a New Recycle Bin

If none of the above methods can make the Recycle Bin reappear, you can also recreate a new Recycle Bin to manage deleted files. This method works effectively both when the Recycle Bin is inaccessible and when it has disappearance.

Step 1. Right click the blank space on the desktop and choose "New" and "Shortcut".

Step 2. Enter the following path and click "Next":

Explorer.exe shell:RecycleBinFoder

Step 3. Rename the shortcut as "Recycle Bin" and click "Finish" to start the process.

Step 4. Right click on the new Recycle Bin icon and choose "Properties" and "Change Icon".

Step 5. Select a Recycle Bin icon and click "OK" to save the settings. If the Recycle Bin icon isn’t showing up, type the following path and press "Enter":

%SystemRoot%\System32\SHELL32.dll.

How to Recover Files from Missing or Emptied Recycle Bin on Windows

When the Recycle Bin disappears on Windows 11 and you need to recover important deleted files from it, the professional third-party data recovery tool MyRecover comes in handy. It can scan the drives on your computer and give you a chance to recover lost files from them. What's more, it can even retrieve data from an emptied Recycle Bin.

It features a user-friendly graphical interface, so even computer novices can independently use MyRecover to complete data recovery. It simplifies the data recovery process, allowing users to retrieve data with just a few clicks on the icons.

Step 1. Download and install MyRecover on your computer, avoid installing it on the drive with lost files.

Step 2. Select the drive or folder where the deleted files were stored to scan and click "Scan".

Step 3. Choose the files you wish to recover from the recoverable lists and click "Recover".

Step 4. Select a safe location (not the original one) to save the recovered files.

When the process is completed, the message "Files have been recovered successfully" will pop up. You can access and check them by clicking the destination folder.

Summary

Up to here, you should know how to retrieve the Recycle Bin and recover files when Windows 11 Recycle Bin is missing. While the Recycle Bin is certainly important for Windows users, it can’t cover all data loss scenarios—for instance, it’s powerless when dealing with permanently deleted data.

That’s why it’s crucial to use professional data recovery software like MyRecover to protect your data security. Unlock advanced capabilities like pre-recovery file previews and unlimited data recovery quota—upgrade to MyRecover Professional edition today.