3 Ways To Delete Files From Recycle Bin In Windows 11

Windows 11 automatically moves all deleted files and folders from their original locations to the Recycle Bin folder so that users can restore them later, if required.

With default settings, Windows 11 stores all deleted files and folders in the Recycle Bin. Users can open the Recycle Bin to view deleted files and restore them if necessary.

If you have deleted some files and do not want them to appear in the Recycle Bin as well, you can delete those files from the Recycle Bin.

This guide shows you how to delete files from the Recycle Bin in Windows 11.

NOTE 1: Files cannot be accessed again once they are deleted from the Recycle Bin. So, be sure to delete only files and folders that you are absolutely sure about.

NOTE 2: If a deleted file or folder is not available in the Recycle Bin, it’s likely because Windows 11 has automatically deleted it. Yes, Windows 11 automatically deletes files from the Recycle Bin once they have been there for over 30 days.

Method 1 of 3

Delete files from Recycle Bin in Windows 11

Step 1: Double-click the Recycle Bin icon on the desktop to open it in the File Explorer. If the icon is missing from the desktop, you can simply type Recycle Bin in the Start/taskbar search and then click the Recycle Bin icon to open it.

Step 2: Once the Recycle Bin folder is opened, select the files you wish to delete from it, right-click, and then click Delete. If you wish to delete all files and folders, use the Ctrl + A hotkey to select all files, right-click, and then click the Delete icon.

Method 2 of 3

Clear all files from the Recycle Bin in Windows 11

Step 1: Open the Recycle Bin.

Step 2: Click the Empty Recycle Bin option in the toolbar to delete all files and folders from the Recycle Bin.

Method 3 of 3

Delete everything from the Recycle Bin in Windows 11 via Command Prompt

Step 1: Open the Windows PowerShell as administrator. To do that, type PowerShell in the Start/taskbar search, right-click on the Windows PowerShell entry in the results, and then click the Run as administrator option.

Click the Yes button when you get the prompt.

Step 2: Copy and paste the following command into the PowerShell window, and then press the Enter key to delete everything from the current user’s Recycle Bin.

Clear-RecycleBin –Force

Our how to clear the Recycle Bin from all user accounts guide might also interest you.