Be it Windows XP, Windows 7 or Windows 10, Recycle Bin is one of the most used areas of Windows operating system. In fact, when you perform a clean install of Windows 7, Windows 8 or Windows 10, Windows OS automatically places the Recycle Bin icon on the desktop.
As an attempt to have a clean desktop, many users avoid saving/placing program shortcuts and files on the desktop. Instead, they pin frequently used programs to the taskbar.
As you likely know, unlike program shortcuts, we can’t pin Recycle Bin directly to the taskbar area in Windows. We need to either create a toolbar with path to the Recycle Bin or use a third-party program called Taskbar Pinner to pin Recycle Bin to the taskbar.
The good thing is that Windows 10 allows users pin Recycle Bin to the taskbar with a few mouse clicks, without the help of third-party utilities. Though there is no Pin to taskbar option in the Recycle Bin context menu, here is how you can easily pin Recycle Bin to the taskbar in Windows 10.
Add Recycle Bin to the taskbar
Step 1: Right-click on the Recycle Bin icon on the desktop and then click Pin to Start option to add Recycle Bin icon to right-side of the Start menu or Start screen.
Step 2: Next, Right-click on the Recycle Bin tile on the Start menu/screen and then click Pin to taskbar. That’s it! Recycle Bin icon should now appear on the taskbar.
Once the Recycle Bin is on the taskbar, you can safely remove Recycle Bin from the desktop. To do so, please follow the instructions given in how to remove Recycle Bin from desktop guide.
To remove Recycle Bin from the taskbar, perform a right-click on Recycle Bin icon and then click Unpin this program from the taskbar option.
Tip: After adding Recycle Bin to the taskbar, you can open the Recycle Bin with a keyboard shortcut. For example, if your pinned Recycle Bin immediately after the Task view button, you can use Windows logo key + 1 to open Recycle Bin. If you frequently access Recycle Bin, this will surely help you save some time.
Frank says
None of the above worked for me finding my Recycle bin – have no icon anywhere that I can find.
Couldn’t someone w/the other suggestions include the location of the bin w/how to get there – like how to show hidden, etc..
Michael Zaki Hadad says
I also prefer to add this feature to windows 10 regards
Joan Davis says
Here’s a solution. Just do a system restore to a date and time when the recycle bin icon was visible. Windows 10 has been designed to be as USER-UNFRIENDLY as possible. I think Microsoft designers were drunk when they designed Windows 10. Absolutely pathetic.
Kenneth says
A guy named Martin DK said this on the MS forums:
Hi – you can fix this problem by first creating a shortcut for the recyle bin. Once you’ve done this you’ll be able to pin it to your start menu and the taskbar. For some reason if you don’t use a shortcut you can only pin the recycle bin to the start menu and not the taskbar. So here are the steps you need to do in full..
go to desktop and make sure you’ve got ‘show desktop’ icons selected so you can view the desktop icons including the recyle bin.
right click the recycle bin and choose the option to create a shortcut. This creates a short cut icon to the recyle bin on the desktop (yes, of itself pretty useless but it is this that fixes the problem for us!)
now select and right click the shortcut you created in Step 2. above and choose the option to ‘pin to start’. This creates a tile on your start menu to the recycle bin.
goto the Start Menu and choose the recyle bin tile you created in step 3. right click this and you’ll now see there is an option to pin it so the taskbar. All should now be working and you’ll have a shortcut to your recycle bin on both your start menu and on the taskbar.
Quite why MS should make achieving this simple objective so very difficult is one of the great mystries of the 21st Century!?
I have to make a shortcut of the shortcut on the desktop…
HUUUUUUUURRRRRR DUUUUUUUUURRRRR I may have to rethink this Mac-Win transition
Dennis says
Thanks Sharon, I did exactly as you said for restoring the recycle bin and it worked. Was amazed at how much was in it.
keith says
Sharon is correct. very easy to do just follow her directive! DUH
funcionadevCOM says
NO GOOD on Windows 10 4th quarter 2016 update : (
Sharon says
Found it! Go to File Explorer on Windows 10 and open it. On the address bar there is now a star and maybe “Quick Access” (not really helpful). However, NEXT to the address bar there is an “up” icon. Click on the UP icon. It then shows you the desktop icon. And in the field you will then see several icons, including the Recycle Bin.
You’re right… it shouldn’t be this difficult to find. I’m pinning it to the desktop and leaving it there!
Al says
Utterly useless. Can’t find it still. I hate this computer. Never using Windows again. These automatic updates are so unnecessary. I even searched my entire computer. Cortana is useless; it only searches the web. I might as well use the Internet. You guys have a shoddy product that isn’t the least bit user-friendly. None of your information is helpful because it is all incorrect.
Yvonne says
First of all, I despise Windows 10. Not because I can’t adjust to something new – it’s just utterly confusing and just not the user friendly program of other Window applications.
I just can’t find what is being shown in this tutorial for the recycle bin. Have tried what’s on other sites and it doesn’t work. Windows 10 is junk.
Chris says
Well, folks, absolutely nothing suggested above has helped me to locate my Recycle Bin. I saw it flash by earlier today, looking full (ha, ha), but am having no success in trying to relocate it. Cripes, it should not be this difficult. Sigh…
Bill says
Open File Explorer in Windows 10. On the address bar you should see a star with a drop down option beside it, and then Quick access with a drop option. Click on the drop down option beside the star and you will see a list with Recycle Bin as a choice. Edit
Clare says
Why make it so difficult to access???? The icon appears for a split second when I turn on my tablet and then disappears until next time. Surely, this is an important function that should be easy to access!
Dawn L says
If there are instructions for versions of Win 10 that don’t offer a pin to taskbar option from the right-click menu after adding to the start menu, it would be nice if you would address that and an alternate method, if available.
Theresa says
usually recycle bin icon always appear in the tool bar. we are searching and tried to find the icon , but unfortunately nothing .
Sergey says
We in Actual Tools always listening to the voice of users and in a new versions of Actual Window Manager and Actual Multiple Monitors adds a feature that puts fully functional Recycle Bin on your taskbar, All you need to get this handy feature, it’s just a download and install Actual Window Manager or Actual Multiple Monitors. After installation you will immediately get a Recycle Bin button on your taskbar.
Tord Hagglund says
I cant find the recycle bin on windows 10 . Where is it?
derekbd says
When I get the recycle bin on the start menu and right click I only get the regular tile options, no Pin to Taskbar.
I don’t mind since where I am used to it is in File explorer’s left pane. Having it anywhere else will be an adjustment.
Marc says
This doesn’t seem to work in the latest January preview of Windows 10 any more! :(
Davin Peterson says
It’s about time. It would have been nice to have this feature back in Window 7, so if you choose to have no icons on the desktop and have it all on the taskbar instead.