Get Rid of the Recycle Bin on Your Windows 10 Desktop

Have you ever wondered how to remove that pesky Recycle Bin icon from your Windows 10 desktop? Well, I’m here to show you how to make it disappear in just a few simple steps!

First things first, why would you want to remove the Recycle Bin? Well, maybe you find it distracting, or perhaps you just want to declutter your desktop and give it a cleaner look. Whatever the reason, it’s your computer, and you should have the freedom to customize it however you want!

So, let’s get started. Here’s how you can do it:

1. Right-click on an empty space on your desktop. A menu will appear.
2. Navigate to the “Personalize” option and click on it. This will open the Windows Settings app.
3. In the Settings app, click on the “Themes” tab in the left sidebar.
4. Scroll down until you find the “Desktop icon settings” option and click on it.
5. A new window will appear. Here, you’ll see a list of icons that you can enable or disable on your desktop.
6. Scroll down until you find the “Recycle Bin” option. Uncheck the box next to it.
7. Click “Apply” and then “OK” to save your changes.

And just like that, the Recycle Bin will vanish from your desktop, giving it a sleek and minimalist look. But don’t worry, you can still access your deleted files by opening the File Explorer and navigating to the Recycle Bin folder.

Removing the Recycle Bin is a small customization, but it’s one that can make a big difference in the appearance of your desktop. It’s your computer, make it reflect your style!

So go ahead, give it a try! Follow these steps and say goodbye to the Recycle Bin icon on your Windows 10 desktop. Enjoy your new clutter-free workspace!

Having the Recycle Bin on my desktop is important for the normal functioning of my PC, as it allows me to restore deleted files. But what if I want to remove it? Maybe I have a beautiful wallpaper and I want to enjoy the view without any distractions. Or perhaps I prefer a minimalistic style. Finally, I might not want others to snoop through my digital trash can. If any of these reasons resonate with you, I can show you how to remove the Recycle Bin from your desktop.

Removing It Through the Icon Settings

The most common method for removing the Recycle Bin from the desktop is through the Icon Settings. Here’s how:

1. Press the Win key on your keyboard to open the Start menu.
2. Click on the Settings icon in the left-hand menu.
3. Select the Personalization tab.
4. In the menu on the left side of the window, click on the Themes tab.
5. Scroll down and click on the Desktop Icon Settings link in the Themes section.
6. When the Desktop Icon Settings window opens, uncheck the box next to the Recycle Bin.
7. Click the Apply button.
8. Click the OK button to confirm your choice.

Remove It via Show Desktop Icons

Another way to remove the Recycle Bin from the desktop is through the Show Desktop Icons option. Here’s how:

1. Right-click anywhere on the empty space on your desktop.
2. In the drop-down menu, click on the View option.
3. In the side menu that appears, uncheck the Show Desktop Icons option.

Pin It to Start

If you prefer, you can also pin your Recycle Bin to the Start menu. There are two ways to do this. One method will remove it from the desktop, while the other won’t. If you choose the second method, you can hide the icon either through the Desktop Icon Settings window or the right-click context menu.

However, pinning the Recycle Bin icon to the Start menu is not ideal, as it doesn’t provide the same set of options that you get when right-clicking on the desktop icon. You would have to open the Recycle Bin and manually delete the items.

Drag & Drop

The first method for pinning the Recycle Bin to the Start menu is pretty straightforward. Here’s how to do it:

1. To begin, click on the Recycle Bin located on your desktop.
2. Keep the left mouse button pressed and drag the Recycle Bin icon over to the Start icon in the bottom-left corner of the screen.
3. Now, release the Recycle Bin icon over the Start menu icon.

Let’s try another method:

Another way to pin the Recycle Bin to the Start menu is by using the drop-down menu. Here’s what you need to do:

1. Begin by right-clicking on the Recycle Bin icon on your desktop.
2. In the drop-down menu that appears, click on the option that says “Pin to Start Menu.” Your Start menu will then have a similar appearance to this:

If you decide that you no longer want the Recycle Bin to be pinned to the Start menu, you can easily unpin it by following these steps:

1. To remove the Recycle Bin icon from the desktop, right-click on it.
2. In the drop-down menu, click on the option that says “Unpin from the Start Menu”.

Pin It to File Explorer

If you want to remove the Recycle Bin from the desktop and pin it to File Explorer instead, follow these steps:

1. Click on the Recycle Bin icon on the desktop.
2. Hold the left mouse button and drag the Recycle Bin icon to the Taskbar.
3. Hover over the File Explorer icon until you see the tooltip that says “Pin to File Explorer”.
4. Drop the Recycle Bin icon over the File Explorer icon.

If you place the Recycle Bin in File Explorer, you can easily empty it by right-clicking on its icon in the menu on the left side of the File Explorer window.

Find Your Recycle Bin

If you’ve removed the Recycle Bin from the Desktop and can’t remember where it is, don’t worry. You can still find and access it using File Explorer. Here’s how:

1. Click on the File Explorer icon in the Taskbar.
2. Go to This PC.
3. Click on the first “>”, which is located in the address bar. A drop-down menu with all the desktop icons will appear.
4. Click on the Recycle Bin to open it.

Hide Your Trash from the Prying Eyes

Removing the Recycle Bin icon from the desktop is a good idea if other people sometimes use your computer. They don’t need access to the files and data that are waiting to be permanently deleted, especially if they’re sensitive.

Have you hidden your Recycle Bin? Which method did you use? If you know any other good methods to hide your digital trash can, let us know in the comments section below.