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

Why Enable Recycle Bin for Removable Drives?

• Protect your files from being lost by mistake.
• Deleted files from USB drives will go to 🗑️ Recycle Bin first, so you can restore them.
• You get extra peace of mind when working with external drives.

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 Windows key + 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.

If you want more info on how to open the registry, visit this guide: How to Open the Registry in Windows 11.

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 8🔄 Restart Your Computer

🔄 Restart your computer to apply the changes.

What to Expect Now

When you delete files from your USB or memory card, they will go to a hidden 🗑️ Recycle Bin folder on that drive first.

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

To see hidden files and folders, you can follow this simple guide: Show Hidden Files in Windows 11.

Summary

By enabling the 🗑️ Recycle Bin for removable drives, you get extra safety for files on USB sticks and memory cards. This change requires editing the Windows Registry, but if you follow the steps carefully, it’s easy to do. Don’t forget to 🔄 restart your PC after making the changes. If you ever want to turn off this feature, just open the Registry Editor again and either delete the RecycleBinDrives entry or leave its value empty, then restart your PC. Enjoy safer file deletion on your removable drives!