How to Fix Deleted Files Not Showing in Recycle Bin on Windows 11, by Shafi Kandoth on YouTube. 1 min 20 s.
- Video length
- 1 min 20 s
- Time to do it
- 5 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 8
What you need
Steps
Right-click the Recycle Bin icon on your desktop and choose Properties. If the icon is hidden, open Settings, then Personalization, then Themes, then Desktop icon settings and tick Recycle Bin.
In the Recycle Bin Properties window, look at the list of drives. Select each drive and check that the option Don't move files to the Recycle Bin is not selected.
If that option is ticked, choose Custom size instead. Set a size in megabytes that is large enough for the files you delete, such as 5000 MB, then click Apply.
Click OK to close the window. Delete a test file and check whether it now appears in the Recycle Bin.
If files still do not show, open File Explorer and go to This PC. Right-click your system drive, usually C:, and choose Properties.
Click Disk Cleanup, tick Recycle Bin in the list, and click OK, then Delete Files. This clears a corrupted bin so Windows can rebuild it.
Empty the Recycle Bin from its right-click menu, then restart your PC. After the restart, delete a test file again and confirm it lands in the bin.
If the problem continues, open Command Prompt as administrator and run the command sfc /scannow to repair damaged Windows system files.
Tips and common mistakes
Files deleted with Shift+Delete or from a USB drive skip the Recycle Bin by design, so check how the file was removed first.
A very small custom bin size makes Windows delete older items automatically, so keep the size generous.
Back up important files before running cleanup or repair tools, since those actions cannot be undone.
Questions
Why do my deleted files go straight past the Recycle Bin?
The most common cause is the Don't move files to the Recycle Bin setting being enabled for that drive. Check it in Recycle Bin Properties and switch to Custom size.
Can I get back files that were deleted before I fixed this?
Not from the Recycle Bin, because they were never stored there. Stop using the drive and try a file recovery tool, or restore the files from a backup if you have one.
Does emptying the Recycle Bin delete my files for good?
Yes, emptying the bin removes those files from the drive. Only do it after you have checked that nothing important is inside.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
