Step-by-Step Guide: Fixing a Corrupted Recycle Bin in Windows 10

We know that when a file is deleted on a Windows PC, it is sent to the Recycle Bin, a fail-safe.

It is like a second chance to recover a deleted file if you change your mind about restoring it to your hard disk.

What happens when your Recycle Bin becomes corrupt? You can either restore deleted files or empty the Recycle Bin.

Whenever the Recycle Bin goes corrupt, you will see an error when you open it.

In this article, I will be sharing information on how you can fix a corrupted Recycle Bin in Windows 10 so that you can restore your deleted files and get peace of mind. Join me:

1. Add Recycle Bin Again

You can remove the Recycle Bin and then read it back, which can solve the problem.

• To do this, press the Windows key + I key on your keyboard to open the Settings window, then search for desktop icons and select Themes and related settings.

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• After which, scroll down a little to find the Desktop icon settings.

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• In this section, you can select which icons to show or hide on the Desktop. Unselect the Recycle Bin, reboot your system, and finally go through the process again, but this time, choose Recycle Bin.

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• Then, try to access the Recycle Bin or see if other functions are working correctly.

If the problem persists, proceed to the next solution.

2. Malware Scan

Your system might be infected, which is why Recycle Bin has an error.

To fix this problem caused by malware, I recommend downloading and using Microsoft Safety Scanner and Malwarebytes.

Microsoft supports both, and i also think you should use them alongside.

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Don’t worry; both are free to use and come with a high recommendation from many experts.

Follow the instructions given by the software. And if this method doesn’t work for you, proceed to the next solution.

Microsoft recommends you always download the latest version of its recommended software before running it.

But you could use an old version only if it was downloaded 10 or a few days before.

Download Microsoft Safety Scanner & Malwarebytes

3. Update the Display Drivers

Some people have tried this method, and it has worked; updating their computers’ display drivers fixed the Recycle Bin issue.

Let’s give it a try.

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• Search for Device Manager in the Start Menu and open it.
• Then, double-click on Display adapters and right-click on your graphics card to select the Update drivers’ option.
• Now, follow the same steps for Generic PnP Monitor under the Monitors option.
• After the drivers have been updated, reboot your system if necessary and check if you can access the Recycle Bin.

4. Reset Recycle Bin

This process will give you a new lease of life as if the Recycle Bin was newly installed.

• Open the Windows Command Prompt using the admin’s rights by searching the Start Menu.
• You can also use the shortcut key Windows key + X and select Command Prompt with admin in the brackets. When it opens, type the following commands:

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rd /s /q C:\$Recycle.bin

• Then press enter.

It might take some time, but using this method is alright. When you are done, reboot your PC and try to access your Recycle Bin again.

5. Reinstall Recycle Bin

Following the steps below to reinstall Windows Recycle Bin:

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• Navigate to the Control Panel and the View Tab under the File Explorer Options.
• Uncheck the Hide-protected operating system files, which are highly recommended.
• Then select the Show Hidden Files, folders, and drives option.
• When you are done, click on Apply and then OK.

Note: These steps above will reveal some essential and new files and folders in the File Explorer. And don’t delete or change anything other than the items mentioned in these steps. Create a backup if need be.

• After following all the steps above, you will see a $RECYCLE.BIN folder inside every drive on your computer. It contains a folder and a permission folder.

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• Open the Command Prompt using Admin rights and repeat the commands below for each drive on your PC by replacing the drive letter. In the command, the drive letter is D, which must come before the ‘$’ sign.

rd /s /q D:\$Recycle.bin

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You are deleting the Recycle Bin and permission folders by doing that.

If it doesn’t work for all at once, you have to do it manually for each drive.

• Go back to folder view to hide the system-protected files and select ‘Don’t show hidden files, folders, and drives.’ Then reboot your computer and repeat the first solution to restore the Recycle Bin on your Desktop. Hopefully, this will resolve the issue.

6. Back Tracking

Windows 10 has a handy feature allowing you to restore your computer to its last restore point.

The process will not delete files or folders but restore them to that date.

• To do this, search for Restore in search and select Recovery.
• Choose Open System Restore. You will see a list of all the available restore points with a short description of when the restoration was made. If you see only one restore point, select Show More at the bottom of the screen.

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• Then select one restore point and click Next to follow the on-screen instructions.

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This process might take a while, and it will restart your computer several times, so don’t be scared.

Note: It is advisable to charge or connect your computer to a power source before you begin this process. When the process is complete, check if this solution fixes the corrupted Recycle Bin issue.