Bring Back the Recycle Bin

Introduction

So you right-clicked the recycle bin and selected Delete instead of Empty Recycle Bin. Now you can’t figure out how to get the recycle bin back on your desktop.

Don’t worry. It happens to the best of us. This guide shows you how to place the recycle bin back on your desktop in Windows Vista.

Place the Recycle Bin on Your Desktop

1. Right-click on an empty space on your desktop and select Personalize.
2. Click Change desktop icons located on the top left of the Personalization window under Tasks.
3. Check off the recycle bin in the Desktop Icons Settings window.

   

4. Click OK to save your settings.

Still need help? Ask Your Computer Question Now.

Explore other guides about: All • Customization • Vista • Windows.

Related Guides:

• Show or Hide Windows Vista Desktop Icons
• Stop Recycle Bin Confirmation Prompts
• Stop Windows Vista from Asking For a Password When Resuming From Hibernation or Sleep
• Resize Windows Vistas Desktop Icons
• Customize Windows Vista Taskbar

17 Responses to “Bring Back the Recycle Bin”

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1. Zack says:

   February 21, 2008 at 11:01 am

   Awesome, glad i’m not the only one who deleted the bin by accident. Thanks!

   Reply
2. Brent Trahan says:

   February 21, 2008 at 11:40 am

   It happens to the best of us Zack.

   Reply
3. Ginette says:

   February 26, 2008 at 1:59 pm

   How can i bring back Recycle Bin with Windows XP?

   Reply
4. Luke Marshall says:

   April 19, 2008 at 1:46 pm

   Lol cheers fr putting this on how stupid of me to click delete insted of empty recycle bin hehe:P

   Reply
5. rajeshwar says:

   July 29, 2008 at 6:30 am

   thanxxx bro!
   thanku very much!!

   Reply
6. Dash says:

   October 25, 2008 at 3:16 am

   thanks a lot

   Reply
7. BT says:

   November 16, 2008 at 11:36 pm

   thx man big help geez how stupid am I -_-

   Reply
8. mm says:

   November 23, 2008 at 12:47 am

   thank you very much i thought i couldnt bring it back haha! c:

   Reply
9. suppi says:

   November 29, 2008 at 4:14 pm

   Hi…

   thanks alot…
   it was a great help…

   cheers

   Reply
10. JPT says:

    December 24, 2008 at 10:52 pm

    Thank you man.
    It was a great help to me.

    bye

    Reply
11. tony says:

    February 24, 2009 at 7:02 pm

    finally. i consider myself to be really good with computers. i couldn’t believe i couldn’t find this little recycling bin after mistakenly deleting it.

    Thanks for posting this article.

    Reply
12. sam says:

    May 31, 2009 at 6:40 pm

    ha omg this was stupid thanks a bunch i totally blanked on how to bring it back!

    Reply
13. Valdy says:

    July 8, 2009 at 1:02 am

    Thanks for this information.

    Reply
14. Carly says:

    July 20, 2009 at 3:09 pm

    Thank you!

    Reply
15. man says:

    September 22, 2009 at 3:46 pm

    thanks mate, u saved my night….

    Reply
16. pppp says:

    October 23, 2009 at 5:22 pm

    Thanks a lot mate…..

    Reply
17. bosun99uk says:

    March 20, 2010 at 3:38 pm

    Many Thanks. I mistakening deleted it from a friend’s laptop.

    Now i know better

    Reply