How to delete the Recycle Bin icon from your desktop
In Microsoft Windows XP, you can easily remove My Computer and other icons from your desktop using the Desktop Properties dialog. That said, you can’t do the same for the Recycle Bin.
Here’s how you can remove the Recycle Bin from your Windows XP desktop:
The implementation of the following tweak involves the manipulation of the Windows registry. This is an advanced task that if done incorrectly can render your operating system useless and cause a severe data loss. Implement this trick at your own risk.
- First of all, make a backup of the registry file. Use the instructions provided in section 2 here.
- Open the registry editor by navigating to Start >> Run, typing regedit.exe and hitting enter
- Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\Explorer\Destkop\NameSpace\ - Delete this key: {645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E}
- Restart, the Recycle Bin has now gone from your desktop
Looking for tech support? Need detailed info on tweaking your Windows XP or Vista? Leave me a comment and have your question answered here at EasyTweaks.com!
Other useful related answers:
- How to restore the recycle bin icon ?
- Restore a deleted Recycle bin
- How to disable the desktop cleaning wizard ?
- How to change an icon size on your desktop ?
- How to delete Facebook pictures?
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13 Responses to “How to delete the Recycle Bin icon from your desktop”
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Hmm, usually I will just go to Desktop right-click properties then select customize desktop and remove it from there
good tip.. I always like my desktop clean.. So I used the option in desktop properties to hide icons on desktop.. but that was troublesome as it also hid the files downloaded by firefox..
I also like a cleaner desktop and it makes your PC look good….
[…] How to delete Recycle Bin from desktop? Tweak your registry and delete the recycle bin from the desktop in Windows XP. […]
kuanhoong: This being in “Windows XP Tweaks” - and removing the desktop icon from right-clicking the desktop -> Properties -> Desktop Tab -> Customize Desktop - as you suggest you are doing - Is not an option in Windows XP, like the original post states… And while it can be done in windows Vista - it’s not the same steps as you suggest… Making your comment worse than useless… Just thought I’d set the record straight, for people who may not know otherwise.
Instead of hacking your registry, RIGHT click on the DESKTOP, select PERSONALIZE. On the left side of the window (near the top) select CHANGE DESKTOP ICONS, uncheck RECYCLE BIN.
Sorry, previous post is for VISTA
[…] long ago, Shankar proposed a Windows XP registry tweak that will allow you to remove the recycle bin from your desktop. Today, i would like to show you the opposite trick, namely, how to restore the recycle bin icon […]
Tried it with ObjectDock, but deleting recycle from desktop will disable recycle bin icon in ObjectDock too…
Excellent comments ~ I found my answer even though it is not posted here. For those of you using XP wanting to remove your Recycle bin icon you may find this useful (depending on exact goal). Using XP PRO(may not be same for home edition) you right click on your desktop and highlight; “Arrange Icons By”, (top choice) it will expand and you will see “Show Desktop Icons”. If you click it (uncheck it) than your recycle bin will be removed. If you want it back simply recheck the box. If you forget where things are frequently you may want to click and hold your recycle bin, drag it to another folder so you have a shortcut to it in an alternate folder ~ hope this helps someone.
does anybody lose there wallpaper when removing the recycle icon
If anybody is trying to do this because they are trying to make their desktop appear to be a MAC OS just drag the recycle bin to where you eventually want to drop your dock. You can just cover it up and doesn’t require deleting things from your registry.
Or you could do it the easy way on both OS’s. In the RUN prompt type gpedit.msc once that open go to Administrative Templates -> Desktop -> then toggle the “Remove Recycle Bin from Desktop” option. Why more people don’t use gpedit.msc for things like this is beyond me. Pretty much anything can be controlled through here.