Want to get rid of folders you don’t need on your Windows 11 PC? This simple guide will show you how to delete folders safely and easily.

What is a Folder?

A folder is like a box on your computer. It holds files and sometimes other folders inside it. Folders help you keep your stuff organized so you can find things quickly.

Where Do Deleted Folders Go?

When you delete a folder on your computer, it usually goes to the Recycle Bin. This is like a trash can where deleted items stay for a while before they are gone forever. You can get things back from the Recycle Bin if you change your mind.

Example of the Recycle Bin icon on Windows 11 desktop.

Note: If you delete folders from USB drives or memory cards, they don’t go to the Recycle Bin—they are permanently deleted right away.

You can turn on Recycle Bin for removable drives if you want to be safer when deleting files from those devices.

Why Learn to Delete Folders?

• Free up space on your computer.
• Keep your files tidy and organized.
• Protect your private information by deleting sensitive folders.
• Stop other users from messing with your important files.

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How to Delete Folders in Windows 11

1. Using Keyboard Shortcuts

This is the fastest way to delete a folder.

1. Select the folder you want to delete by clicking it once.
2. Press one of the following keys on your keyboard:

Shortcut Keys	What It Does
Delete	Deletes folder and sends it to Recycle Bin
Ctrl + D	Also deletes folder and sends it to Recycle Bin
Shift + Delete	Permanently deletes folder (no Recycle Bin)

2. Using File Explorer Command Bar

1. Open File Explorer (the folder icon on your taskbar or press Windows + E).
2. Find and click the folder you want to delete.
3. At the top, click the Delete button (trash can icon).
4. Tip: Hold the Shift key while clicking Delete to permanently delete the folder without sending it to the Recycle Bin.

3. Using Right-Click (Context Menu)

1. Open File Explorer.
2. Right-click on the folder you want to delete.
3. Click Delete from the menu that appears.

Extra tip: Hold the Shift key while right-clicking to get a full menu where you can also find the Delete option.

4. Deleting Folders Using PowerShell (Advanced)

If you like using commands, PowerShell is a powerful tool to delete folders.

1. Open Windows Terminal and choose the PowerShell tab.
2. Type the command below to permanently delete a folder (replace the path with your folder’s location):

Remove-Item -Path "C:PathToYourFolder" -Recurse -Force

Example:

Remove-Item -Path "C:UsersRichardDownloadsMyFolder" -Recurse -Force

To delete a folder to the Recycle Bin using PowerShell, use this command:

(New-Object -ComObject "Shell.Application").Namespace(0).ParseName("C:PathToYourFolder").InvokeVerb("delete")

5. Deleting Folders Using Command Prompt

1. Open Windows Terminal and choose the Command Prompt tab.
2. Type this command to permanently delete a folder (change the path):

rd /s /q "C:PathToYourFolder"

Example:

rd /s /q "C:UsersRichardDownloadsMyFolder"

To delete a folder to the Recycle Bin using Command Prompt, run this PowerShell command inside it:

PowerShell (New-Object -ComObject "Shell.Application").Namespace(0).ParseName("C:PathToYourFolder").InvokeVerb("delete")

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Summary

• Deleting folders helps keep your computer clean and organized.
• Folders you delete usually go to the Recycle Bin, so you can recover them if needed.
• You can delete folders permanently by using the Shift key or command-line tools.
• There are many ways to delete folders—choose the one you feel most comfortable with!

That’s it! Now you know how to delete folders safely and easily on Windows 11.