How to recover or restore a missing Recycle Bin icon in Windows Vista

Posted on December 25, 2007 at 6:19 am

Doing some spring cleaning on your computer and accidentally delete the Recycle Bin icon in Windows Vista? If your Recycle Bin icon is missing in Windows Vista, there’s a simple way you can get it back without having to edit the registry, etc as you might have read somewhere else. Unfortunately, it’s not the same method you would recover the Recycle Bin icon in Windows XP, so that’s why I get asked this question so much!

So without further ado, here’s how you would get your Recycle Bin icon back in Windows Vista if you deleted it or removed it by accident.

First, right-click on the Desktop and select Personalize. In the dialog box on the right hand side, there should be an option called Change desktop icons.

change desktop icons

On the Change desktop icons dialog box, go ahead and check the Recycle Bin box to add that back to your desktop. You’ll notice that there is a Full Recycle Bin and Empty Recycle Bin icon.

restore recycle bin

If you click Apply, your icon should now be back on the desktop. However, there may be an issue for some people in which the Recycle Bin continually shows full or empty and does not change depending on if something is added or removed from the trash. It’s almost like Windows Vista gets confused and simply uses one icon instead of switching back and forth.

If you have this problem where the recycle bin icon does not change to reflect “full” and “empty” then you need to first check off Recycle Bin icon like shown above. Then go ahead and left click on the Recycle Bin full icon and click Change Icon. Select the highlighted icon which should be the full Recycle Bin icon. Do the same thing with the empty Recycle Bin icon and go ahead and click Apply.

The Recycle Bin icon should now be on your desktop and should automatically update based on whether there is data in the trash or not. Hopefully this helps out someone who has accidentally removed their Recycle Bin icon from their Vista desktop! Enjoy!

[tags]recover recycle bin icon, restore recycle bin, deleted recycle bin, vista recycle bin, recycle bin icons, find recycle bin, deleted recycle bin vista[/tags]

» Filed Under Windows Vista

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Comments

60 Responses to “How to recover or restore a missing Recycle Bin icon in Windows Vista”

  1. Rhonda said on : March 22nd, 2008 at 2:58 pm

    I had deleted my recycle bin and you have helped me to recover it! I thought I was going to have to have a “shortcut” recycle bin forever!!! Thanks!


  2. dev said on : March 24th, 2008 at 12:31 pm

    This is an excellent article. I had almost the same problem with Rhonda, but my problem was missing computer icon on the desktop. I’ve been spent a lot of time to recover my computer icon on the desktop. Now I can restore my computer icon. Thanks alot!


  3. Cherie said on : March 28th, 2008 at 5:00 pm

    Thank you so much for posting this! I couldn’t believe I deleted the bin in the fist place, then I couldn’t figure out how to restore it! Your page was easy to follow and now I have my recycle bin back!!!!! Thanks alot!


  4. Emily said on : March 29th, 2008 at 11:47 pm

    Thank you so much- not only is this my first time using Vista, my OS is in Japanese!! So I couldn’t risk searching around for my icon and accidentally screwing up my system!!


  5. npatricks said on : April 23rd, 2008 at 4:00 am

    thanx a million i had the same problem with rhonda bt within minutes i had restored my recycle bin


  6. Reem said on : April 25th, 2008 at 3:13 am

    Thanx You so much i got my recycle bin back finally after a couple of weeks of trying to figure out how to get it back i asked all my teachers in school and no one knew then im like maybe i should search the net and i did and found ur website..Thanx a bunch


  7. hisham said on : April 25th, 2008 at 3:20 pm

    I have the same problem above .. but I solve it accourding to this wonderful methode .. I appreciate for you .


  8. NAtS33 said on : April 26th, 2008 at 11:05 pm

    Thanks for this. Much appreciated.


  9. herendida said on : May 22nd, 2008 at 9:56 pm

    OMG. Thanks i was going crazy. Not being able to find a methid to recover my recycle bin. Thanks alot agian!


  10. anoymus said on : May 29th, 2008 at 5:57 am

    thanks now my recycle bin is in my desktop.before that i almost faintad


  11. Brian said on : June 4th, 2008 at 3:25 pm

    Thank you, you saved me!!!
    B-


  12. Chris said on : June 8th, 2008 at 12:58 pm

    You’re a life saver! Thanks a lot, I was banging my head against the wall and even that wasn’t helping! :P


  13. Emma said on : June 11th, 2008 at 4:40 pm

    Thank you for your quick and easy fix!


  14. Wayne said on : June 25th, 2008 at 4:43 pm

    Phew!! Thanks Computer Guy


  15. Shiji said on : June 27th, 2008 at 6:48 am

    when i tried to clean up my system, suddenly recycle bin icon was missing, this article simply superb and gave a tips exactly for what i was searching.

    Thanks a lot


  16. may said on : August 1st, 2008 at 4:12 am

    thank you so much. you really helped me. = )


  17. Joe said on : August 1st, 2008 at 11:42 am

    Very helpful. I believe, “In the dialog box on the right hand side, there should be an option called Change desktop icons,” should read, “In the dialog box on the LEFT HAND side, there should be an option called Change desktop icons,” instead.


  18. Raist said on : August 5th, 2008 at 1:16 am

    Thanks alot! I was really worried there for a while after i accidentally deleted the recycle bin. Thanks.


  19. Lucette said on : August 6th, 2008 at 9:02 am

    Great! Had no problem placing the Recycle Bin back on my desktop.–Thanks


  20. Sara said on : August 20th, 2008 at 1:05 pm

    Just wanted to say thanks much!


  21. Graham Clarkson said on : August 21st, 2008 at 7:35 am

    Your solution worked a treat, and was in plain simple language and easy to follow, thanks.


  22. T said on : September 25th, 2008 at 5:13 pm

    I do not remember deleting anything off my desktop but my recycle bin was missing, it is back now thanks to this article!


  23. Russell said on : September 26th, 2008 at 12:12 pm

    Nice! Thanks!


  24. Thomas said on : September 26th, 2008 at 4:11 pm

    Thanks guys. Such an easy fix I am shocked.


  25. Sophie said on : October 3rd, 2008 at 11:00 pm

    Thank you for this simple but effective fix. I’ve been living with the shortcut for the recycle bin and now it’s finally fixed :)


  26. Chris said on : October 9th, 2008 at 4:58 am

    nice…i accidentally deleted my recycle bin icon too.. ^^” thanks


  27. Dee said on : October 13th, 2008 at 12:50 am

    ah! lifesaver. thank you! this was easy


  28. jorge said on : October 19th, 2008 at 9:53 pm

    eccellent article, l got my recyclebin back, thank you so much


  29. Mae said on : October 28th, 2008 at 6:32 am

    Thanks thanks thanks!!! I’ve been finding the recycle bin shortcut for almost a day!! and been horrible for it.
    Whew! Thank you so much!!


  30. socjha said on : October 30th, 2008 at 5:34 pm

    thanks a lots.. a got my recycle bin back.. n I totally panic before this


  31. joi said on : October 31st, 2008 at 1:17 am

    thank you for your guide lines’
    easy to follow.


  32. losrosklme said on : December 17th, 2008 at 9:09 pm

    Ditto what everyone else said about deleting the bin. You’re the bomb! Thank you.


  33. mubarak said on : January 6th, 2009 at 11:12 am

    thanks for u r help
    very useful for my work


  34. chris skene said on : January 8th, 2009 at 11:41 pm

    Perfect. Simple. Worked.


  35. Gus said on : January 11th, 2009 at 3:06 am

    It didn’t help. My recycle bin disappeared just like that on my Windows Vista Home Premium. I tried the steps above and some others suggested by different sites, and none of them restored my recycle bin.


  36. Brittney Spears said on : January 17th, 2009 at 9:31 pm

    Oops I did it again, thanks so much for all your help.


  37. pol said on : February 2nd, 2009 at 8:17 pm

    What a great help! more power to ya…


  38. keekee said on : February 5th, 2009 at 5:16 pm

    thxx it did work


  39. Jessica said on : February 21st, 2009 at 11:17 am

    OMG! Thank you! I thought I had messed up big time. This helped a ton.


  40. man.y said on : March 14th, 2009 at 9:41 am

    Works like a charm


  41. Jada said on : April 11th, 2009 at 5:01 pm

    This has been such a big help! I’ve spent countless hours trying to figure out how to recover my recycle bin icon after accidentally deleting it. And like Rhonda, I had to make do with a “shortcut” recycle bin for months. Thanks for the article!


  42. Jeanette Helsted said on : April 12th, 2009 at 1:33 pm

    This option didnt work for me. My recycle bin is still not showing :-(

    Any other ideas?


  43. Joseph Asoh said on : April 22nd, 2009 at 4:37 am

    Boy o boy, i’m very thrilled and relieved after restoring my Recycle Bin Icon by simply following your instruction. Thank you very much.


  44. Bacon said on : September 5th, 2009 at 11:43 pm

    THANK YOU!!!! My recycle bin has been restored!


  45. Greg said on : September 26th, 2009 at 12:18 pm

    Thank you Thank you Thank you. This was driving me freaking crazy for the longest time.


  46. Nina said on : October 15th, 2009 at 1:30 pm

    THANKS…..love a successful fix… :)


  47. Jess said on : November 14th, 2009 at 8:49 am

    WOW!!! I am so excited to have my recycling bin back!!! It was holding so much crap in it using up space on my hard drive! So easy! Thanks guys!!!


  48. Cory said on : December 1st, 2009 at 5:54 pm

    Thanks for the info! I never would have thought of that, and thats probably why I’m here thanking whoever put this info up! LOL!


  49. John said on : December 17th, 2009 at 1:47 pm

    Many thanks!! It worked perfectly!! Got that pesky recycle bin back on the desktop!


  50. NICKI said on : December 24th, 2009 at 12:21 am

    this totally worked :) thanks :) Got my recycle bin back!


  51. Sarah said on : December 28th, 2009 at 11:30 am

    Hey thanks for the help man! I was freaking out a lil…lol. Thanks for the help site! :D


  52. ohsogirly said on : January 21st, 2010 at 3:58 am

    You fixed my problem! Thank you so much.

    **-** Any thoughts on how it was deleted in the first place? **-**


  53. Nena said on : January 28th, 2010 at 8:20 pm

    Thank you so much. Your instructions were so easy to follow. I have my recyle bin back!!!


  54. Adejoh said on : March 13th, 2010 at 5:29 am

    thank you, your page was of great help to me! I thought i had lost my file inside the recycle bin….but I was able to recover it. Thanks.


  55. chaim said on : April 10th, 2010 at 6:56 pm

    You just made it work. Thanks.


  56. Dylan said on : May 4th, 2010 at 5:49 pm

    Thank you sooooo much! I really appreciate this! Not to be a nub or anything but i really thought someone got to my computer through those weird rouge emails.


  57. kenny said on : May 14th, 2010 at 1:36 pm

    Your the bomb. Thankx for the info. Now I know where to go to get fast, quick and easy answers.


  58. ali said on : May 17th, 2010 at 5:50 am

    thank you for helping me get my recycle icon back!


  59. Alan said on : June 8th, 2010 at 7:44 pm

    Great to have someone who knows what they’re talking about – and is prepared to help. Worked a treat. Now to be annoyingly picky, the dialog box with the Change desktop icons option is actually on the LEFT hand side of the personalization window on my machine and as illustrated by you ;-)


  60. Victor said on : July 2nd, 2010 at 7:27 pm

    Thanks a lot. With professional advise it was so easy to get my recycle bin icon back!


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