[4 Ways] Stepwise Guide on Restoring Recycle Bin to Desktop

Usually, the process of recovering lost files from this digital repository is as simple as clicking the recycle bin icon on the desktop followed by a simple drag and drop.

However, what if this icon seems to have disappeared from your desktop? Don't worry because there are various ways of restoring Recycle Bin to desktop in Windows 11/10/8/7. In fact, we've listed the ones you should definitely be familiar with to make sure you can easily bring back this indispensable function.

Why Recycle Bin disappeared on desktop?

The mysterious disappearance of the Recycle Bin folder does not happen by accident; it can usually be attributed to several common factors:

◤ Configuration changes: Often, a user inadvertently triggers a configuration change that causes the recycle bin to disappear. This article describes various configuration options for restoring and hiding the Recycle Bin, making it a common cause.

◤ System Corruption: The most important system files can get corrupted, causing unforeseen issues like the Bin suddenly disappearing. Fortunately, correcting corrupted system files is a manageable process that requires neither overly complicated operations nor specialized knowledge.

◤ Malware Intrusion: The potential for malware damage is limitless, and the disappearance of the Recycle Bin and the files it contains can be attributed to a malware attack – a dangerous example of the functionality of malware.

◤ Unintentional deletion: With admin privileges, it's easy to unintentionally delete an entire Recycle Bin folder. When this happens, it becomes imperative to resort to data recovery software because it is not enough to restore the Trash icon.

How to restore Recycle Bin on desktop Windows 10?

How do I get my Recycle Bin back on my desktop Windows 10? There are several ways of restoring Recycle Bin to desktop, and most of them are very easy. You can just follow the step-by-step instructions.

Method 1. Re-enable the Recycle Bin desktop icon

In the Windows operating system, you have the flexibility to disable the Recycle Bin icon, which is a useful feature for those who strive to keep their desktop tidy without removing all icons. However, if you have noticed that the Recycle Bin icon has recently disappeared from your desktop, the instructions below will guide you through the process of re-enabling it:

Step 1. Right-click anywhere on your desktop.

Step 2. Select the Personalize option.

Step 3. Go to the Themes tab and click Desktop icon settings under Related Settings.

Step 4. Tick the "Recycle Bin" box and click Apply > OK.

Method 2. Access the Recycle Bin from File Explorer

It's worth noting that the Recycle Bin is essentially a specialized folder whose contents can be accessed directly through your preferred file manager, such as File Explorer in Windows 10 and 8, or Windows Resources in earlier versions of the operating system manager. Here is how to restore Recycle Bin to desktop from File Explorer:

Step 1. Open the Control Panel by searching it in the Start menu. Click Appearance and Personalization.

Step 2. Select the Show Hidden Files and Folders option under File Explorer Options.

Step 3. Select Show hidden files and folders under Advanced Settings and uncheck the Hide protected operating system files (Recommended) option. Click Apply and OK to move on.

Step 4. Open File Explorer and proceed to navigate to the root directory of the storage device where the Recycle Bin folder has encountered corruption.

Step 5. Open a folder called $Recycle.bin and double-click the Recycle Bin icon.

Method 3. Disable Tablet Mode

In the realm of Windows 10, a valuable feature known as Tablet Mode was introduced to enhance the touch-friendliness of laptops. When activated, Tablet Mode prompts applications to open in full-screen mode while minimizing the visibility of the taskbar and desktop icons, which may reduce the accessibility of the Recycle Bin. The silver lining here is that deactivating tablet mode is an easy process.

Step 1. Press Win + I to open the Settings app, and navigate to System and Tablet.

Step 3. Select the Don't switch to tablet mode option in the When I use this device as a tablet dropdown menu.

Method 4. Repair damaged system files

As mentioned earlier in this article, the missing Recycle Bin in Windows 11/10/8/7 can also be attributed to the presence of corrupted system files. Here is how to restore Recycle Bin icon on desktop by fixing damaged system files.

Step 1. Open the Start menu and type "command prompt".

Step 2. Launch Command Prompt as administrator (right-click on it and choose Run as administrator from the context menu).

Step 3. Enter the following command and hit Enter: sfc /scannow.

How to recover deleted files from Recycle Bin?

After successfully restoring access to your previously lost Recycle Bin, it's frustrating to find that the folder is empty and your deleted files seem to have disappeared. Your best course of action in this dilemma is to use a data recovery software application to recover those lost files without them being harmed by overwriting.

If you're new to the world of data recovery software, it's crucial to choose an application that balances ease of use with reliable results. One of the solutions is AOMEI Partition Assistant Professional, a multifunctional tool compatible with multiple Windows versions, including Windows 11/10/8/7/XP/Vista. 

Besides, this versatile tool has the capability to recover a wide range of file types, encompassing Word documents, images, videos, music, audio files, and more. Now, get the demo version on your computer and see how to recover deleted files from Recycle Bin.

Step 1. Install and run AOMEI Partition Assistant Professional, and click "Recover" > "Recover Data".

Step 2. In the new interface, choose the target partition, and then click "Start Scan".

Step 3. When the task is finished, all deleted files will be listed on the window. Choose the files you want to recover and click "Recover".

Step 4. Choose a folder to store the newly recovered files, and click "Select Folder".

Step 5. When you see the small window pop out, click "OK".

Conclusion

Many Windows users have experienced the recycle bin icon disappearing on Windows 11/10/8/7. With the help of the method and step-by-step instructions provided in this article, you can easily realize restoring Recycle Bin to desktop. Besides, this post includes a professional data recovery tool that allows you to get back the lost files from Recycle Bin.