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Where Is My Trash Folder? Locate It on Windows 10 and 11 Now!
Where is my trash folder? If the Recycle Bin icon not displays in the top left corner of the desktop, please follow our guide to find the Windows trash folder location.
By Irene / Updated on December 20, 2024
Where is my trash folder on Windows 10 and 11?
The Windows Recycle Bin, or trash folder is a system feature in Microsoft Windows that serves as a temporary storage place for deleted files. Most people know its purpose, and in Windows 10 and 11, you can usually find it in the upper-left corner of the desktop, easily accessible with a double-click. However, sometimes the Recycle Bin icon may disappear, leaving users wondering where it has gone. This issue can happen unexpectedly or after emptying the trash, and there are a few reasons for it.
The icon might have been accidentally hidden or removed from the desktop, or changes in settings could have caused it to disappear. In some cases, file system corruption may be the culprit. It’s also possible that the icon was unintentionally moved to another part of the screen, or it became invisible due to features like tablet mode or a hidden taskbar in Windows 10 or 11. In the following steps, you’ll learn how to find it again and recover any important data you may have lost.
How to find trash folder on Windows 10 and 11?
How do I find my trash on Windows 10 and 11? In this section, you will get 4 methods for finding Windows trash folder location.
Method 1. Re-enable the Recycle Bin desktop icon
In the Windows operating system, you can choose to disable the Recycle Bin icon, which is helpful if you prefer a clean and uncluttered desktop without completely removing all icons. However, if the Recycle Bin icon has suddenly disappeared and you want to restore it, there is a simple way to bring it back. Follow these steps to re-enable the Recycle Bin icon and ensure it is visible again on your desktop.
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. Use CMD to find Recycle Bin
Where is the Recycle Bin in Windows 10 and 11? If you are familiar with command lines, CMD provides a quick and straightforward method to find 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
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.
Method 3. Find Recycle Bin via PowerShell
Windows PowerShell is also an efficient tool to find Recycle Bin on Windows 10/11, 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".
Step 3. Type "shell:RecycleBinFolder" and hit Enter. The Recycle Bin will then open.
Method 4. Locate the Recycle Bin from File Explorer on Windows 10 and 11
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:
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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.
Further reading: How to recover deleted files after emptying the Recycle Bin?
Where is my trash folder? The above part introduces 4 methods. In this section, we would like to share a useful tip: how to recover permanently deleted files in Windows computers? When files are deleted and the Recycle Bin is emptied, any new action on your computer can overwrite the data, making recovery more difficult. To increase your chances of retrieving lost files, it’s best to use a third-party data recovery tool.
AOMEI FastRecovery is a reliable option for recovering deleted or lost files without the need for complicated command-line operations. This tool features a simple and user-friendly interface, making it accessible even for beginners. It works with Windows 7, 8, 8.1, 10, and 11, allowing users to recover files from various storage devices, including HDDs, SSDs, external hard drives, USB drives, SD cards, and more.
Step 1. Install and launch AOMEI FastRecovery. Choose the exact partition or disk where your data lost and click Scan.
Step 2. Then, the recovery tool start to scan and search. lt will execute the “Quickly Scan" first for finding your deleted data fast, and then execute the “Deep Scan" for searching other lost data.
Step 3. Once the scan is completed, all deleted files, recycle bins and other missing files will be displayed. Please select the file you would like to recover and then click "Recover".
Step 4. Then, select a folder path to save your recovered files.
Step 5. Wait patiently for this process of recovering ends.
Conclusion
Where is my trash folder? If the icon goes missing, several effective methods can help you locate or restore it, whether through desktop settings, command-line tools like CMD or PowerShell, or File Explorer. Additionally, if files have been permanently deleted, using a reliable data recovery tool like AOMEI FastRecovery can simplify the process and increase the chances of retrieving your lost data. By following these steps, you can efficiently manage and recover your files, ensuring a smooth and hassle-free experience with your Windows system.
