The Recycle Bin icon, by default, appears on the desktop in Windows 10/11. Therefore, most users access the Recycle Bin by clicking its icon on the desktop.
However, some users like to access Recycle Bin right from the File Explorer for various reasons. Maybe, like me, you have configured Windows OS to hide icons on the desktop and might want to know if it’s possible to access the Recycle Bin right from File Explorer or Windows Explorer.
Yes, you can access Recycle Bin from Windows Explorer with ease. Here are the two ways to access the Recycle Bin from the Windows File Explorer in Windows 10/11.
Method 1 of 2
Access Recycle Bin from File Explorer in Windows 10/11
Step 1: Open the Windows File Explorer.
Step 2: In the File Explorer address bar, type Recycle Bin and then press the Enter key to open the Recycle Bin. Simple as that!
Tip: When using File Explorer, you can use Alt + D hotkey to quickly select the address bar.
Method 2 of 2
Pin Recycle Bin to File Explorer Quick Access in Windows 10/11 for easy access
If you find typing Recycle Bin in the address bar time-consuming or tedious to do each time, you can consider pinning Recycle Bin to Quick Access. As you know, Quick Access appears in the left navigation pane of File Explorer. So, you can access Recycle Bin quickly from any folder.
Step 1: In Windows 11, right-click the Recycle Bin icon on the desktop and click the Pin to Quick Access option.
In Windows 10, open the Recycle Bin (using any method), right-click on Quick Access, and then click the Pin current folder to Quick Access option to pin Recycle Bin to Quick Access.
Step 2: Once the Recycle Bin is pinned to Quick Access, you can click on it to open the Recycle Bin from File Explorer.
Our how-to view recently deleted files in Windows 10/11 guide might also interest you.
