Microsoft Windows: Using the Recycle Bin
The Recycle Bin is a safety net when deleting files or folders in Windows. When you delete an item from your hard drive (C:), Windows places it in the Recycle Bin. The icon will change to indicate when items are being held in the Recycle Bin. NOTE: Items deleted from a floppy disk or a network drive are permanently deleted and are not sent to the Recycle Bin!
Items in the Recycle Bin remain there until you permanently delete them from your computer. These items can be restored in their original location. Although the item is no longer in any of your folders, it is still on the hard drive and takes up space. You will need to periodically empty the Recycle Bin to free up this hard drive space. NOTE: Deleting an item from the Recycle Bin permanently removes it from your computer and cannot be restored.
- To delete or restore files in the Recycle Bin, double-click Recycle Bin icon on the desktop.
- Do one of the following:
- To restore an item, select it, and then on the File menu, click Restore. The item will be restored in its original location. (To restore all of the items, first click Select All on the Edit menu.) The items will be restored in their original location.
- To delete an item, right-click it, and then click Delete. (To delete all of the items, first click Select All on the Edit menu.)
TIPS:
- You can also delete items by dragging them into the Recycle Bin.
- If you hold [Shift] while deleting, the item is deleted from your
computer without being stored in the Recycle Bin.
If you have any questions regarding this tip or need help implementing it in your own projects, contact Ranelle Maltas, Application Support Associate, at 472-0585 or e-mail at rmaltas2@unl.edu.