How to Restore and Add Recycle Bin to Windows 11
The Recycle Bin in Windows 11 holds deleted files temporarily so you can recover them before the operating system erases them permanently. Updates like version 23H2 sometimes remove the icon from your desktop unexpectedly.
You can put the icon back through the Personalization settings in a few clicks. If you would rather open the Recycle Bin from File Explorer , there is a registry method further down. Both methods work on Windows 11 Home and Pro.
Open Settings Personalization Themes, scroll to Desktop icon settings, check the Recycle Bin box, then click Apply and OK. The icon reappears on your desktop immediately with no restart needed.
How to Restore the Recycle Bin Icon to Your Desktop
To bring the icon back, open the Personalization settings and change the desktop icon options. This restores the standard shortcut if it disappeared or was hidden by accident. Once it is back, you can drag files onto it to delete them and double-click it to review or restore what you deleted.
This method needs no admin rights and no restart. If the Recycle Bin box is already checked and the icon is still missing, see the troubleshooting section below.
- Right-click on an empty space on your desktop and select Personalize. The Settings app opens at Settings Personalization
- Click on Themes. You will see the current theme and a list of themes to choose from, with a few related settings further down the page.
- Scroll down to the Related settings section and click on Desktop icon settings. A small window called Desktop Icon Settings opens, showing checkboxes for Computer, User’s Files, Network, Recycle Bin and Control Panel .
- Check the box for Recycle Bin , click Apply, then click OK to close the window. If you also want other standard icons such as This PC, tick their boxes now.
What happens when done: The Recycle Bin icon will reappear on your desktop immediately.
To undo this, open the same window and clear the Recycle Bin box. If the icon does not appear even though the box is checked, make sure desktop icons are not hidden (see the troubleshooting section).
How to Add the Recycle Bin to the File Explorer Navigation Pane
You can also add the Recycle Bin to the File Explorer navigation pane by editing the Windows registry. The Recycle Bin then sits in the sidebar next to your drives and folders. From there you can empty it or recover files while you browse, without going back to the desktop.
Registry edits affect the whole system, so before you start, create a restore point or back up the registry. In Registry Editor, you can use File Export to save a copy.
Flag: Requires admin privileges
- Press Windows + R, type
regedit, and press Enter. If a User Account Control prompt appears, click Yes. Registry Editor opens. - Navigate to:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\CLSID\{645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E}. You can expand the folders in the left pane one at a time, or paste the path into the address bar at the top of Registry Editor and press Enter. - If the key does not exist, right-click
CLSID, select New Key, and name it{645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E}. The new key appears in the left pane. If the key is already there, skip this step. - Select the key, right-click in an empty area of the right pane, select New DWORD (32-bit) Value, and name it
System.IsPinnedToNameSpaceTree. A new value appears in the right pane, with its name ready to edit. - Double-click the new value and set it to
1. Then click OK. The value now shows the number you entered in the Data column. - Close Registry Editor, then restart your computer. The change does not show up until you restart.
What happens when done: The Recycle Bin will now appear in the left sidebar of every File Explorer window.
If it does not appear, reopen Registry Editor and check that the key and value names are spelled exactly as shown and that the value is a DWORD. To undo the change, delete the value or key you created, or restore the registry backup you made, and restart again.
Troubleshooting Hidden Icons
If your icons are missing, try these tips:
- Check Desktop Settings: Ensure "Show desktop icons" is enabled by right-clicking the desktop, selecting View, and checking Show desktop icons. If this option is switched off, every icon on the desktop is hidden, including the Recycle Bin, whatever the Desktop Icon Settings say.
- Windows Update: Sometimes a pending update can cause display glitches. Go to Settings Windows Update to ensure your system is current. If an update is waiting, install it and restart, then check the desktop again.
Summary
You can restore the Recycle Bin on the desktop through the Personalization settings. Go to Themes and open Desktop icon settings. For advanced users, the registry change adds it to the File Explorer navigation pane and keeps it within reach without cluttering the desktop. Back up the registry before you edit it. If icons keep disappearing, check that "Show desktop icons" is on and that Windows is up to date.
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About the Author
Richard
Tech Writer, IT Professional
Richard is a writer at Geek Rewind who turns complex IT tasks into clear, step-by-step guides. He draws on years of hands-on experience in system administration and enterprise IT operations, focusing on Windows, Linux and WordPress: the problems people actually run into, and the fixes that work. His server and WordPress guides come from systems he runs himself. Richard builds and maintains the platform behind Geek Rewind, from its Ubuntu servers and Nginx configuration to its custom WordPress plugins. Many new tutorials start with readers' questions, and he's always glad to answer them in the comments.
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