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.However, 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
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8 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 […]