How to Enable Recycle Bin for USB Drives and Other Removable Drives in Windows 11

Step-by-Step: How to Enable Recycle Bin for USB and Other Removable Drives

Follow these easy steps carefully. You will be using the Windows Registry Editor — a tool that controls important settings for your system. Don’t worry, we’ll guide you through!

Step 1Open the Registry Editor

1. Press Win+R on your keyboard.
2. Type regedit and press Enter.
3. [Admin Privileges Required] If asked “Do you want to allow this app to make changes?”, click Yes.

Opening the Registry Editor is the first step to making your recycle bin 🗑️ work on removable drives like USB sticks.

Step 2Go to the First Folder Path

In the Registry Editor, use the left sidebar to navigate to:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer

Step 3Check for the Explorer Folder

If you don’t see the Explorer folder under Policies, right-click on 🖱️ Policies, select New › Key, and name it Explorer.

Step 4Create a New Value

1. Click on the Explorer folder.
2. On the right side, right-click on empty space, select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value.
3. Name it RecycleBinDrives.

Step 5Set the Value to Enable Recycle Bin

1. Double-click the new RecycleBinDrives entry.
2. In the window that opens, select Hexadecimal under Base.
3. Type ffffffff in the Value data box.
4. Click OK.

Step 6Repeat for the Second Folder Path

Navigate to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer

Then repeat Steps 3 to 5 here as well.

Step 7Close the Registry Editor

Exit the Registry Editor when you're done.

Step 8Restart Your Computer

Restart your computer to apply the changes.

What to Expect Now

When you add a recycle bin to your USB drives and other removable drives, deleted files won't disappear forever. Instead, they'll go to a hidden folder called $Recycle.Bin right on that drive, acting like a safety net for your removed items.

This folder is named $Recycle.Bin and is hidden by default.

The Windows 11 hidden file view feature helps users find important system files or recover data accidentally hidden. Activating the hidden file view requires users to follow a guide titled "Show Hidden Files in Windows 11." This file view process assists users in finding crucial information or retrieving data previously concealed on their computer.

Summary

Turning on the recycle bin for removable drives gives you an extra layer of safety for your files on USB sticks and memory cards. This process involves editing the Windows Registry, but it's straightforward if you follow the steps carefully.