[Full Guide] How to Find Recycle Bin in Windows 10/11

This post will focus on how to find Recycle Bin Windows 10/11. And you can also learn to recover important files from an emptied Recycle Bin.

Irene

By Irene / Updated on August 3, 2023

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Where is Recycle Bin in Windows 10/11?

The Windows Recycle Bin gives you a second chance to get back things you accidentally deleted from your computer or device. But sometimes, you might not see it on your desktop as usual. Where is Recycle Bin in Windows 10 or 11? Some common causes are listed here:

• Desktop icon visibility: Sometimes, the Recycle Bin icon may be hidden or accidentally removed from the desktop, making it harder to locate.
• Settings changed: If the Recycle Bin has been disabled or its settings have been altered, it won't appear on the desktop.
• Corrupted system files: In rare cases, system file corruption can affect the Recycle Bin's visibility.
• Misplacement: Users might unintentionally move the Recycle Bin icon to a different location on the desktop.
• Screen resolution: On devices with low screen resolution, the Recycle Bin icon may not be visible on the desktop.
• Hidden taskbar: In tablet mode or with auto-hide enabled, the taskbar may not be visible, and therefore, the Recycle Bin won't be visible either.

How to find Recycle Bin in Windows 10

How to find my Recycle Bin in Windows 10? Here we prepare 5 Windows inbuilt tools for you. With File Explore, Search, Run box, PowerShell, and CMD, you can easily find Recycle Bin in Windows 10/11 both.

Way 1. Find Recycle Bin in Windows 10/11 from File Explorer

File Explorer provides a familiar and intuitive graphical interface for users to navigate through their files and folders. It is a common way to find any files located on your computer, including Recycle Bin.

Just Simultaneously hit “Win+E” to open File Explorer. Then Input “recycle bin” in the search bar with pressing the “Enter” key.

file explorer recycle bin

Or you can click the icon in the address bar. In the drop-down menu, choose "Recycle Bin" to find Recycle Bin in Windows 10/11 from File Explorer.

file explorer recycle bin icon

Way 2. Access Recycle Bin with Run box

The Run box is easily accessible and familiar to Windows users, making it a convenient option for those who prefer a straightforward way to find and open the Recycle Bin.

Simultaneously press "Win +R" to open the Run box. Type "explorer.exe shell: RecycleBinFolder" and click "OK". The Recycle Bin will pop up after that.

recycle bin run box

Way 3. Launch Search to open Recycle Bin

The Search feature is user-friendly, making it accessible to all levels of computer users, even those who may not be familiar with command-line interfaces or advanced settings.

Step 1: To open the Windows search window, either click on the Search icon/box on the taskbar or press “Win + S”.

Step 2: Type "recycle bin" in the search bar.

recycle bin search

Step 3: From the search results, select the Recycle Bin App by clicking on it.

Way 4. Use CMD to find Recycle Bin

CMD provides a quick and straightforward method to access the Recycle Bin without navigating through complex menus.

Step 1: Look for "cmd" in the Windows 10/11 search box, click on Command Prompt, and choose Run as administrator.

Step 2: Enter the following commands one by one and press Enter after each:
• DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth
• sfc /scannow

dism sfc

Step 3: The command operation may take a few minutes to finish. Once it's done, you can check if the issue with the missing Recycle Bin is resolved.

Way 5. Find Recycle Bin via PowerShell

Windows PowerShell is an efficient and versatile tool to find Recycle Bin, which is suitable for both individual users and system administrators.

Step 1: Press the Search button and enter "PowerShell".

Step 2: Right-click on Windows PowerShell in the search results and select "Run as administrator".

start powershell

Step 3: Type "shell:RecycleBinFolder" and hit Enter. The Recycle Bin will then open.

recycle bin powershell

Bonus: Recover permanently deleted files from emptied Recycle Bin

Sometimes, you may accidentally delete some important files. These files are usually put in the Recycle Bin temporarily. If you want to retrieve them back, you can just find the targeted files and right-click them to recover them. However, once you emptied the Recycle Bin, the files will be permanently gone ( or pressing the “Shift+Delete” keys will also bypass Recycle Bin but permanently delete).

Normally, rely on backup solutions like cloud storage or external drives for a quick recovery if you've backed up your files. If not, you can also use third-party data recovery software. AOMEI Partition Assistant Professional is a recommended tool to retrieve your important files back.

It supports recovery of over 200 types of data from various storage media, you can get back texts, photos, videos, audio, emails, and compressed files from HDD, SSD, USB drives, and SD cards easily.

More advantages of AOMEI Partition Assistant:
User-friendly interface: The software offers an intuitive graphical user interface, making it effortless for users to navigate.
Wide compatibility: Compatible with almost all Windows versions, including 11/10/8/7/Vista/XP, it supports multiple file systems like NTFS, FAT32, exFAT, and ReFS, ensuring broad device compatibility.
Versatile functionality: Apart from recovering lost data, you can enjoy many other functions such as migrating OS to SSD, allocating free space, moving apps to another drive, and so on.
Security assurance: Users can download the software without worrying about bundled software, and it guarantees a secure environment by refraining from displaying any malicious ads during usage.
Download Pro Demo Win 11/10/8.1/8/7/XP
Secure Download

Step 1. Download and install the data recovery software. Locate and click on the options labeled "Recover" and "Recover Data".

Recover Data

Step 2. Identify the partition where the lost files were originally stored. Initiate the scanning process by clicking on "Start Scan".

Recover Windows Data

Step 3. A comprehensive list of deleted files will appear. Select the specific files you want to recover and click on the "Recover" button.

Recover Data

Step 4. Choose a destination folder path to save the recovered files. Proceed by clicking on "Select Folder".

Select Saved Path

Step 5. Once you see the window below, it indicates that the lost files have been successfully recovered. Simply click "OK" to finish the task.

Restore Successfully

Conclusion

The 5 Windows inbuilt tools can be useful for how to find Recycle Bin Windows 10/11. If you need to recover accidentally deleted files back, the provided tip will be useful.

AOMEI Partition Assistant is a versatile and multifunctional tool for many computer issues. For Windows Server users, you can choose the Server Edition to enjoy benefits.

Irene
Irene · Staff Editor
Irene is an Editor of AOMEI Technology. She devotes herself in giving insightful thoughts on common computer problems with simple and clear guidance. Irene loves to help people solve problems and explore more solutions on relevant issues. She loves reading, singing and travelling.