Recycle Bin - Permanently Delete Items Automatically

Set Recycle Bin to Permanently Delete Items Immediately in Windows​

   Information

The Recycle Bin provides a safety net when deleting files or folders. When you delete any of these items from your hard disk, Windows places it in the Recycle Bin and the Recycle Bin icon changes from empty to full.

This tutorial will show you how to set the Recycle Bin to permanently delete files automatically instead for selected drives in Windows.

   Note

Removable drives do not use or have a Recycyle Bin. Files deleted from removable drives are permanently deleted instead.

You could also right click on a file, press and hold Shift, and click on Delete to permanently delete the file.

   Warning

If you set this option for bypassing sending files to the recycle bin, you will no longer have the Disk Cleanup option from that drive's properties window, as posted here: post

Here's How:
1. Right click on the Recycle Bin on the desktop, and select Properties

2. Select a listed HDD (ex: Local Disk (C: )) under the Recycle Bin Location column that you would like to set step 3 or 4 below for.

3. To Set the Recycle Bin to Permanently Delete Files
A) Select (dot) Don't move files to the recycle bin..., and click on Apply.
4. To Set the Recycle Bin to Not Permanently Delete Files
NOTE: This is the default setting.
A) Select Custom size, and click on Apply.
5. Repeat steps 2-4 above for any other listed HDD that you would like to set this for.

6. when finished, click on OK. (see screenshot below step 2)

   Tip

If you like, you can also disable the confirmation dialog if you wish

That's all there is to it.

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Add or Remove "Disk Cleanup" from Properties Page of Drive in Windows
• How to Turn the Recycle Bin Delete Confirmation On or Off in Windows
• How to Add or Remove Properties from Recycle Bin Context Menu
• How to Add "Empty Recycle Bin" to Desktop Context Menu in Windows 7 and Windows 8
• How to Change Recycle Bin Maximum Storage Size in Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8
• How to Add "Permanently Delete" to the Context Menu of Files and Folders
• How to Empty Recycle Bin in Windows 8 and 8.1
• How to Fix Corrupted Recycle Bin in Windows

 

[jaca]

And... what if this does not resolve, that is, the files never go to the Recycle Bin??

 

[Brink]

Hello Jaca,

I'm not sure what you mean, but be sure to have the option selected (dotted) in the tutorial instead to have them placed in the Recycle Bin.

 

[jaca]

I have performed exactly according to the tutorial by selecting the Custom Size box.

Just in time: this behavior is present in User Accounts only, not in the Administrator one! Is it normal?

 

[Brink]

Jaca,

Did you also check this setting in each user account? Each user account has it's own settings for this.

 

[jaca]

Yes, I did. I'm thinking Seven is corrupted, for some reason. I've tried to make a repair with the original DVD, no success

 

[Brink]

Ok, since it works in the administrator account, see if when you create a new user account it works in it to try and avoid doing a clean reinstall. If it does, then you can copy the files you want from the old user account's C:\Users\(user-name) folders into the corresponding new user account's C:\Users\(user-name) folders. After everything checks out, you can delete the old user account from within the new one or Administrator account. Repeat for each old user account that the Recycle Bin does not work in.

 

[jaca]

I forgot to tell you:in every user account the Recycle Bin does not work in.

 

[Brink]

In that case, since you already tried a repair install, then you may need to do clean or custom reinstall of Windows 7.

 

[jaca]

That's what I was afraid of ... But I'll leave that way, trying to remember that the Recycle Bin does not work well. Thanks

 

[nate42nd]

If you choose to use the option to delete immediately delete files without going into the recycle bin, remember you will no longer have the "disk clean-up" option for that drive in drive properties. It took me a long time to figurre out why my "disk clean-up" button was missing. This was why. Just for everyones information.

 

[pjd]

Is there anyway to control by folder - eg if something is deleted from within my Playground folder (or its subfolders) then trash it immediately, otherwise send to the recycle bin

pjd

 

[Brink]

Hello PJD,

If you like, you could press and hold the Shift key, right click on a file/folder, and click on Delete to permanently delete only that file/folder.