Recycle bin missing windows xp

Windows updates that make changes to your Windows settings can also cause the Recycle Bin to suddenly disappear from the desktop. Microsoft , formerly known as Microsoft Office , is a server-based office solution that allows you to collaborate from anywhere. One especially convenient feature: You always automatically have the latest version, making tedious updates a thing of the past. By the time Windows XP was released, all of these icons, except for Recycle Bin, were no longer displayed on the desktop by default.

You can add the Recycle Bin icon to your desktop in just a few steps:. Another easy way to reach these settings is by right-clicking the desktop. In Windows 10, the Settings app will open. This means that the desktop icons are disabled. The Recycle Bin and any other icons will immediately appear on the desktop. You can also use this method if the Recycle Bin is missing in Windows 7. To restore files from the Recycle Bin simply double-click the Recycle Bin icon and then search for the file you want to restore.

In the latest version of Windows, the Control Panel and the Recycle Bin are no longer shown by default in the navigation pane on the left side of the File Explorer. If Windows permanently deletes files immediately instead of sending them to the Recycle Bin as a precaution, the problem usually has to do with the properties of the Recycle Bin.

You can resolve this issue as follows:. Windows 10 introduced a handy feature called Tablet Mode, whose purpose is to make Windows laptops more touch-friendly. When enabled, Tablet mode opens apps full-screen and reduces taskbar and desktop icons, making it difficult to access Recycle Bin. The good news is that disabling it is easy. But fear not: damaged system files can be replaced with a single command.

What now? Well, your best option is to use a data recovery software application to undelete all missing files that have not yet been overwritten. Equipped with the methods and step-by-step instructions provided in this article, you can be part of a select group of users who can solve this annoying issue on their own to regain access to lost files. David Morelo is a professional content writer in the technology niche, covering everything from consumer products to emerging technologies and their cross-industry application.

His interest in technology started at an March 19, Written by. David Morelo. By dragging them out of the Recycle Bin window, you can put them into any folder you like. In the Recycle Bin window, highlight only the icons you want to eliminate, and then press the Delete key. When the Recycle Bin accumulates so much stuff that it occupies a significant percentage of your hard drive space, Windows empties it automatically, as described in the next section.

You can make two useful changes to the behavior of the Recycle Bin. To investigate these alterations, right-click the Recycle Bin icon and choose Properties from the shortcut menu. The Recycle Bin Properties dialog box appears see Figure Use the Recycle Bin Properties dialog box to govern the way the Recycle Bin works, or even if it works at all.

If you have multiple hard drives, the dialog box offers a tab for each of them so you can configure a separate and independent Recycle Bin on each drive. If you, a person of steely nerve and perfect judgment, never delete a file in error, then your files can bypass the Recycle Bin entirely when you delete them. The trick to skipping the Recycle Bin on a one-shot basis is to press the Shift key while you delete a file. Doing so—and then clicking Yes in the confirmation box—deletes the file permanently, skipping its layover in the Recycle Bin.

Kaelin has been writing and editing stories about the IT industry, gadgets, finance, accounting, and tech-life for more than 25 years. Most recently, he has been a regular contributor to BreakingModern. Note: The Windows Registry is a vital component of the operating system. Back up the Windows Registry before you do any edits. Figure A Type regedit in the Run box. Figure B Open the Registry Editor.