Recycle Bin - Pin to Taskbar

How to Pin the Recycle Bin to the Windows 7 Taskbar​

   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 will show you how to create a Recycle Bin shortcut with Empty Recycle Bin in the context menu, and how to pin this shortcut to the taskbar as a toolbar.

   Note

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

EXAMPLE: Recycle Bin Unpinned and Pinned from the Taskbar





Here's How:
1. Make sure the Recycle Bin is on the desktop.

2. Right click on the desktop and select New and Folder , then rename it anything you like. (i.e. Trash Bin)

3. Drag & drop the Recycle Bin on the new Folder to create a shortcut.
NOTE: You could also Pin to Start Menu this new Recycle Bin shortcut by pressing and holding Shift, then right click on the shortcut, and click on Pin to Start Menu.

4. Save the new Folder (containing Recycle Bin shortcut) to the directory of your choice (i.e. C:\Trash Bin) by dragging and dropping.

5. UnLock the taskbar.

6. Right-click on the taskbar and select Toolbar and New toolbar...

7. Navigate to the location you saved the New Folder (Ex: Trash Bin), select it and click on the Select Folder button.

8. This places the new Toolbar and a Separator (dotted lines) on the taskbar.

9. Right click on the Separator and uncheck Show Text and Show Title.

10. Right click on the Separator and select View and Large Icons.

11. You now have the Recycle Bin pinned to the taskbar.

12. To Keep the Recycle Bin on Right Side of Taskbar
A) Left click on the Separator to the left of the folder and hold, then drag it to the left and right to make any adjustments to how you want the Recycle Bin positioned on the right side of the taskbar. (See screenshot above)

B) Release the left click when done.

C) Go to step 14.
13. To Have the Recycle Bin on Left Side of Taskbar
A) Left click on the Separator of the pinned taskbar programs on the far left side and hold, then drag it to the right past the Recycle Bin and release. (See screenshot below)

B) Left click on the Separator of the pinned taskbar programs on the now right side and hold, then drag it to the left next to the Recycle Bin and release. (See screenshot below)

14. Lock the taskbar.

15. Remove the Recycle Bin from the desktop.

   Note

You do know that when you drag & drop copied shortcuts from the Start Menu in with the Recycle Bin shortcut, that those automatically become Quick Launch items beside the Recycle Bin. By doing it that way you can "kill two birds with one stone".(See screenshot below)

Enjoy,

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Backup and Restore Taskbar Toolbars in Vista and Windows 7
• How to Pin or Unpin a Program to the Windows 7 Taskbar
• How to Enable or Disable Windows 7 Taskbar Pinned Programs
• How to Allow or Prevent the Windows 7 Recycle Bin Icon to Display
• How to Add or Remove a Default Desktop Icon in Windows 7
• How to Pin Your User Files Folder to the Windows 7 Taskbar
• How to Pin the Control Panel to the Windows 7 Taskbar
• How to Change the Windows 7 Pinned Windows Explorer Taskbar Icon Open To Target
• How to Pin Computer to the Windows 7 Taskbar
• How to Pin or Unpin a Folder to the Windows 7 Taskbar
• How to Show or Not Show All Folders in the Windows 7 Navigation Pane
• How to Add Empty Recycle Bin to the Windows 7 Desktop Context Menu
• How to Rename the "Recycle Bin" in Windows 7
• How to Add or Remove "Recycle Bin" from Desktop Context Menu
• How to Change the Recycle Bin Storage Size in Vista and Windows 7
• How to Add or Remove the "Recycle Bin" from the Windows 7 Navigation Pane
• How to Add or Remove Recycle Bin from Favorites in Navigation Pane in Windows
• How to Fix Corrupted Recycle Bin in Windows

 

[Drago127]

It worked all right for up to week ago. Then after last windows update (I think) after every restart toolbar with recycle bin and some other shortcuts disappear from taskbar. I repeat the procedure several times but it disappear again.

Anyone have similar problem?

 

[Drago127]

It worked all right for up to week ago. Then after last windows update (I think) after every restart toolbar with recycle bin and some other shortcuts disappear from taskbar. I repeat the procedure several times but it disappear again.

Anyone have similar problem?

Fixed. Changed my theme a little then saved it.

 

[Brink]

Hello Drago, and welcome to Seven Forums.

That's great news. Thank you for posting back with your results.

 

[ZoNtO]

To those posters that are neurotic like me and hate how it sometimes makes the bin icon off center since it's smaller (or in my case with the taskbar on the left edge it left aligns it instead of centering it like other icons), just click the add the "Show Title" (step 9) again and it will center it horizontally.

 

[galaxys]

To those posters that are neurotic like me and hate how it sometimes makes the bin icon off center since it's smaller (or in my case with the taskbar on the left edge it left aligns it instead of centering it like other icons), just click the add the "Show Title" (step 9) again and it will center it horizontally.

"Show Title" did not do it for me, but "Show Text" did!
Of coarse you end up with the text below the icon, which is ok for me as long as the icon is centered.

 

[Wolf68k]

What want to throw my 2cents in there.
I have a habit where when I right-click on my new Recycle Bin in the Taskbar to select "Delete" on reflex instead of "Empty Recycle Bin". So I changed the security permissions on the shortcut file to Deny->Write. I get a few extra dialogs but it helps to keep me from having to go to the real Recycle Bin, open it up and then restore the shortcut.
If there was a way to remove the context menu items from that shortcut (in other words have it on a file by file bases) so that only things like what you would normally find with the Recycle Bin, then it would be even closer to perfect.

 

[bradavon]

No matter what is the size of the icon if you set large icons the height of the task bar is increased and the gap will always be there.
As a proof try to enable the toolbar "links" that by default is empty and set large icons. The gap will be created.

I created the Recycle Bin on my Taskbar awhile ago and a few hours ago I noticed this gap. I was so sure it didn't used to be there I spent the next few hours trying to revert it back, including several System Restores. Nothing worked. I now know why.

And btw the gap disappears magically if you unlock the toolbar, increase height, move it to the opposite side of the screen, resize it to minimum height and move it back to the original position. The problem is that when you reboot the gap reappears.

You life saver!

I was so sure I didn't used to have the gap and must've done this at some point. I hibernate so rarely have to reboot.

Whilst it's a pain having to do that, given that I rarely reset, I'll just do that each time. I REALLY hate the gap and the Small Icon view means you cannot see the picture clearly enough to see if you've got anything in the Recycle Bin.

So it's worth jigging it about once per session.

 

[Wolf68k]

I had completely forgotten about this until this latest reply.

Some time back I found a great program called minibin. You can find it here: MiniBin by Mike Edward Moras (e-sushi)

It's an icon that sits in your system tray that gives you quick access to the Recycle Bin to open and empty it. When the icon is empty the Recycle Bin is empty. When you delete something the minibin icon starts to fill up. You can hover the mouse over the icon and it'll show a tooltip that displays how much is in there. Double click the icon will ask if you want to empty the Recycle Bin, which you can disable both settings if you want. You can right-click and choose Open, allowing you to open the Recycle Bin to see what is there and to do whatever.
It works on Windows 2000 and up to Windows 8. I'm still running a version from early 2011 and I see now that is was recently updated. There are instructions on making a portable version as well. You can also customize the icons for both full and empty.

I have found this to be better looking than the method explained here. No offense.

 

[jorgefilemon]

great tutorial,
now i can make windows look more like mac osx.. though it takes too many steps to do something as easy as that

thanks

 

[MadMudMob]

What a great idea - thankyou so much. Apologies for bringing this old 'un up but I hope it will be okay as it is a Tutorial.

I have all black icons but of the standard size; have followed the instructions and got my rubbish bin icon on the left.
I think I must have gone wrong somewhere even though I tried it all again as there is a distinct gap between my angry (full) icon and the next one - same applies for my happy (empty) one.

Here's with the Taskbar unlocked ....

and here with it locked ....

Is there a way to appease my must-be-right obsession please?

 

[Brink]

Hello MadMudMob,

The small gap would be normal since the Recycle Bin added to the taskbar is technically a toolbar instead of a pinned app. The gap would be for the separator line you see in your top screenshot seen when you have the taskbar unlocked.

About all you can do is to drag the separator line to the left of the pinned icons as close as you can to the Recycle Bin toolbar item to minimize the gap as much as possisble.

 

[MadMudMob]

Thankyou

 

[Brink]

You're welcome.