Learn how to copy a list of file names into Excel and also how to copy folder names into Excel. First you start with a list of folders or file names. Though it’s not obvious how you copy those names, you can do it in two main steps. Unless you know how to, it’s hard to see how to get just the list of names instead of copying the files themselves. That is what you get if you just select and click copy. Not obvious but it is simple and I’ll break it down so almost anybody can do it! Read on.

Contents (click to jump to the section that you need)

Introduction

How to Copy FILE NAMES into Excel (or text file)

Copy all file names in a folder Windows 10

How to Paste into a text file

Special formula to trim (remove path) pasted filenames In Excel

How to Copy FOLDER NAMES into Excel (or other app)

Copy multiple folder names

Formula to cut down Extracted folder names (remove paths)

Summary

Introduction

You might need to get a list of folder names or file names into another useful place, like Excel or a text file. Let’s say you have your list already. It might be all folders on your PC for example, or more likely a list of sub-folders.

Now you want to know how to export them to Excel or another app (yes, you can use other apps or programs as the destination).

You select the ones you want, click copy, and… Uh-oh, no you have just copied all the files or folders (not the names). You can’t past those into an Excel sheet or a text file.

Seems impossible, but there is a sneaky yet easy way to do it.

We will answer in detail the question “how do I copy a list of file names into excel?” 

In other words, “how to export file names to excel” when you are asking for the files names only which are contained in a folder (or directory) in Windows, like you see in File Explorer.

After we’ve shown how to copy file names from folder to Excel, we’ll show how do it with a list of folder names (i.e. the folder names only).

Recommended Reading:

How to Alphabetize in Excel (opens in new tab), including examples that show how to sort by last name then first name.

How to Copy File Names into Excel

We are going to walk you through the process so anyone can follow it step by step.

If you know most of how to do this, you should be able to skim read just the highlights.

If you are an expert, here it is, super short:

• Select multiple files (or just one).
• <Shift> + right click on a selected file.
• Select ‘Copy as Path’
• <Ctrl> + <v> into Excel
• Use my formula to easily trim path from list of filenames with path.

Click here to jump direct to the formula.

As that probably isn’t detailed enough for most people, read on to see it step by step.

Step 1 Select the files you want to copy in your list of file names

Open ‘My Computer’ (or ‘This PC’) and go to the files you want.

You can select just one file or multiple file names.

There are many way to select multiple file names.

For example, you can click and drag the mouse over the ones you want.

This image shows how to copy file names by selecting them (with click and drag) to paste into Excel at a later step.

Copy all file names in a folder Windows 10:

You can hit <Ctrl> + <a>.

The ‘a’ is to select and copy all file names in a folder in Windows 10 – that is hold down the ‘control’ and tap the ‘A’ key for the letter ‘a’.

It is the same shortcut to select all items (not just files) within any directory and many views of items in all versions of Windows, it seems.

Alternatively, if you want a specific selection of your file names do this: Press <Ctrl> and click on each individual file to select just the file names you want. You can click again to deselect one.

There are many more ways to copy filenames from Windows Explorer, once you have selected them using the above step.

You can sort the list by clicking the header as shown below – either by alphabetically (Name) or by Date when in the ‘Details’ view (rather than icon view). To see the ‘Details’ view, look at the top, for the ribon and click ‘View’, and then ‘Details’.

Use the Control key and the ‘a’ key to select and copy all file names in a folder in Windows 10. You may like to sort by Name or Date first. Note the date information won’t be exported to Excel via this method. The next part of how to copy the file names follows below.

If you don’t want all the file names, with the list sorted you can select adjacent files by first clicking on the end of the range of files names you want, then hold <Shift> and click the other end of the range of filenames in your list.

There are many ways to do it. I guess you get the picture and may have your own preferred way.

If you have the particular case of wanting to select from a search for specific files, see Save Explorer Search Results to Excel.

So, we have selected all files, next to copy the names not the files.

Here is how to copy the file names (not the files).

Step 2 Copy File Names

This is a special way to copy your selection, so you get the names and not the whole files.

To extract file names from folders, do this:

Press <Shift> + Right-Click.

To be clear, that is press the <Shift> key and while still pressing it, then click the right mouse button on any of your selected file names (any file will do if all files are selected).

This shows a less often viewed pop up menu.

In this menu options list scan down to find “Copy as Path”. See below for an example.

Copy file names using Copy as Path to be sure to copy the names (not the full files) to the clip board ready to paste into Excel.

Now, if you can’t see it, remember it should be there if you hold down the shift key when you right click. Look closely at the screen copy for how it looks in Windows 10.

In Windows 7 and Windows 8 this pop-up menu will look a little different, but the shift right-click menu contains ‘Copy as Path’.

So again, just to be clear, if you do not see ‘Copy as Path’ in your pop-up options, check again if you still have <Shift> held down when you clicked the right mouse button on a selected or highlighted file.

TIP: If you find you didn’t have the <Shift> key held down, simply hold shift now and right-click on one of your already selected file names (away from the menu that already popped up) so that your file selection remains selected.

This just saves you having to select multiple file names again. Remember this one because it’s common to forget the first few times you do it after you learn it here.

So by this you have you have extracted file names from folder(s). Next, how to copy file names into Excel, to complete the copy paste into excel (or text file).

Step 3 Paste to Export File Names into Excel or Text File

I cover here how to copy multiple file names into excel and also as an alternative I cover how to paste into a text file instead. You could paste into Microsoft Outlook or other email program, Google docs, or what ever software you have with a text editing field.

Go to your excel file and select where you want to paste. Make sure there is nothing below the selected sell that you wouldn’t want pasted over.

Press <Ctrl> + <v>.

That is hold down the control key and then press the letter v.

That is a shortcut, and there are many other ways to paste.

If you don’t like using short cut key combinations, you can use the click the icon with the image of the clipboard (often with Paste written under it).

Another alternative is to right click and then paste (use the paste icon).

More than just a list of file names?

NOTE: Do not worry when you see there is more stuff in there than just the file names! At this point the file path as well as the file name will be pasted. The next step will help you clean that up to leave only the file names if that is all you need.

To paste into a text file:

Open an existing text file or start a new one. You will need Notepad or other text editor. If you don’t know how to do this, one way is to start Notepad. Since Notepad is included in every version of Windows, we’ll demonstrate with that.

Windows 8: Swipe down from the right and start to type Notepad in the search.

Windows 10: In the search bar (normally at the bottom of the screen, unless you moved it!) start to type Notepad. Only the first two or three characters are likely to be required for Windows to respond by showing the Notepad app.

Click on the Notepad icon and you are away!

Step 4 Tidy up the list of file names pasted into Excel or Notepad.

As you will now see, whether you have pasted a single file or multiple file names, they all come with the location of the file too.

If you don’t have a big list of files, you can manually edit them. Yes, it might take a little time, but you will have completed your task to copy and paste a list of file names into Excel.

Before you groan, if you have a huge list of file names (or even a few and you are lazy like me) I have a brilliant secret formula that will cut out everything except the file name. I’ll show that secret too!

So, you can click in the Formula bar at the top of each cell in turn, then delete the unwanted file path manually, leaving only the name.

Or you can double-click on the excel cell and edit the text in the cell.

Or you can use the function key <F2>.

Just find the function keys near the top of your keyboard and press ‘F2’.

Either way, you can select the unwanted part of the text before the file name itself, by clicking and dragging the mouse.

Or you can press arrow keys to get the cursor when you need and tap delete, delete, delete, delete, … etc.!

Special formula to cut pasted filenames

Here is one great advantage of using Microsoft Excel when you do copy file names into Excel this way.

Excel can automatically trim your list down to just all the files names only for you.

If you are not familiar with Excel formulas, this can work for you, but you will need to have pasted the file list in Cell B2. Maybe you will want to start a new Excel sheet so there is nothing else in there, if that is the case.

Click here to download an excel file with the formula and examples.

You can copy and paste the formula from there.

If you don’t want to download the file, you can do the following:

Copy from this website and Paste my PARTIAL formula below into Excel (I suggest Cell A1).

See also the note further below.

=TRIM(RIGHT(SUBSTITUTE(B1,

Then continue to write the rest of the formula as per the image below.

Those are Excel formula quotes! Strange (or clever?) formula is it not?!

NOTE: Why did I show the formula like this? It is because you need to be sure you get the Excel formula quote marks into the formula. This blog automatically changes formula quotes to curly or ‘smart’ quotes. A good way to be certain the formula works is to type it direct into Excel yourself (sorry!). If you copy and paste from a website, sometimes you get the ‘fancy’ 66-99 version of quote marks (or otherwise modified quotation marks which are not suitable for Excel) which will stop my formula from working (even if they don’t look different)!

As stated above, to use my formula without any alterations, you will need to have pasted your file list (and paths) into cell B1.

If you are familiar with excel formulae, you can paste wherever you need and edit my formula to suit.

That will be easy if you have a basic understanding with Excel formula cell references.

Do not worry, you do not need to know much about formulas or understand this one in particular. Just paste it (preferred) or type it in (less preferred in case you mistype it).

The final formula to paste into Cell A1 with additional typing should look like:

Formula to extract filenames in Excel in cell A1 wit reference to cell B2.

Now you can copy and paste this formula next to every file name and path in your list.

Again, as with all things Excel, there are many ways to do this.

Translating from another language?

If you are reading this article in a language other than English, please note the above formulae is for the English version of Excel. Different languages have different text to describe the equivalent formulae in your language. See further below to learn how to get the formula in your language.

After pasting formula into every Excel cell.

You might not want several cells with formulae and cells with paths there.

You can Copy and ‘Paste Values’ the cells that include the formulae. Either into another location or directly over the top of the formulae. Then you can delete all the unwanted cells.

To do this, click the paste button then ‘Paste Values’ (or right click on the first cell and select ‘Paste Values’).

What to do when filenames are pasted into a text file:

If you pasted into a text file, the only way is to manually edit the file name and path to leave only the file name.

If you really have too many to edit, you could paste into excel, use my formula as above, and then copy that list of file names into a text file.

How to Copy-Paste Folder Names into Excel

We are going to walk you through the process so anyone can follow it step by step.

If you know most of how to do this, you should be able to skim read just the highlights.

If you are an expert, here it is, in brief:

• Select to copy multiple folders.
• <Shift> + right click on a selected folder.
• Select ‘Copy as Path’
• <Ctrl> + <v> into Excel
• Use my formula to trim path.

Click here to jump direct to the formula for a list of folders.

If that isn’t detailed enough, read on to see it step by step.

Step 1 Select the folders you want to copy in your list of folders

You can select just one folder or multiple folder names.

To select just one folder, just click on it.

How to copy multiple folder names into Excel

There are many way to select multiple folders to get their names into MS Excel.

For example, you can click and drag the mouse over the ones you want.

It’s basically the same as shown above when selecting file rather than folders.

You can hit <Ctrl> + <a>.

The ‘a’ is to select and copy all folder names (sub-directories) within any folder Windows 10 – that is hold down the ‘control’ and tap the ‘A’ key for the letter ‘a’.

Alternatively, if you want a specific list of only a few of your sub-folder or folder names do this:

Press <Ctrl> and click on each individual folder to select just all the folder names you want. You can click again to deselect one.

I guess you get the picture and have your own preferred way (there are many more).

For the special case of having to select from a search of specific folders see this article using File Explorer search results.

Next we show how to copy the folder names (not the folders with their actual files contained within).

Step 2 Copy Names of Folders to Clipboard

We use a special way to copy your selected folders.

Press <Shift> + Right-Click.

To explain in painful detail, that means hold the <Shift> key and while still pressing it, you hover the mouse over any of your selected folder names (any folder will do if all folders are selected) and right click.

This shows pop up menu that has what we need.

In this menu options list scan down to find “Copy as Path” to copy selected folders. See below for an example. Your menu could be diffent and Copy as Path could seem a long way down the list.

Copy folder names into excel with Copy as Path.

It will be there if you have held down the shift key when you clicked the right button. Check the image or the screen copy for how it should look in Windows 10.

Note: In Windows 8 this pop-up menu will look a little different, but the shift right-click menu contains ‘Copy as Path’.

Note: In Windows 7 or Vista, the menu can look simpler, but the <Shift> and right-click combo will still contain ‘Copy as Path’.

To be clear, if you do not see ‘Copy as Path’ in your pop-up options, I remind you to hold <Shift> down when you click the right mouse button on a selected or highlighted folder.

TIP: If you find you didn’t have the <Shift> key held down, simply hold shift now and right-click on one of your already selected folder names (away from the menu that already popped up) so that your folder selection remains… well… selected! It could save having to select multiple file names again. Although minor, it’s a great tip because I found I forgot the first few times when I started to apply it. Believe me, it is a pain when you have painstakingly picked out several in a big list of folders!

So we have the folder names on the computer ‘clip board’, next how to copy this list of folders into excel, to complete our copy paste combo.

Step 3 Paste Folder information into Excel

I cover here how to copy all folder names into Microsoft Excel. But you can put them wherever you like, MS Word for example.

Select the Excel file and select where you want to paste. If starting a blank sheet, I suggest cell B2.

Warning: If you are not pasting into a blank Excel file, then be sure to avoid a location where you have other data etc.

Press <Ctrl> + <v>. 

Yup, you guessed it, hold down the control key and then press the letter ‘v’.

There are many other ways to paste.

For example, click the icon with the image of the clipboard (often with Paste written under it).

I often right click and then select paste.

More than just a List of Folder Names?

Note: each cell will show the full path to the folders, not just the final sub-folder names! 

We next clean that up to leave only the folder names. You can skip this if you want a full list of all folder names to each folder location.

Step 4 -Tidy up the list of Folder Names pasted into Excel

As you will now see, whether you have pasted a single folder or multiple folder names, they also come with the location of that folder.

If you don’t have a big list of folders, it is pretty easy to manually edit them. Yes it might take a little time, but you will have completed your task to copy and paste a list of file names into Excel.

Note that if you have a big list of folder names (or even a few and are a little lazy, or simply like to try new things) I have a brilliant secret formula that will cut out everything except the last part of the path leaving only the final (sub-) folder name. I’ll show that secret too!

You can click in the Formula bar at the top of each cell in turn, then delete the unwanted file path, leaving only the name.

Instead, I often use the function key <F2>.

For that shortcut Just press ‘F2’ near the top of your keyboard.

Or, you can double-click on the excel cell and edit the text in the cell.

Anyhow, you can select the unwanted part of the text before the file name itself, by clicking and dragging the mouse.

True, you can put the cursor where you need and tap delete, delete, repeat, repeat!

Special formula to Cut Pasted Folder names

This can work for you even if you are not familiar with Excel formulas.

In that case, to use the formula unchanged, pasted the folder list into Excel at cell B2. You can start a new Excel sheet so there is nothing else in there.

Copy from this website and Paste my PARTIAL formula below into Excel (I suggest Cell A1).

NOTE: If you don’t want to retype the formula, you can download a free file that has the formula so you can copy and paste it as you need. The link below takes you to the section that has the download.

Special formula to trim pasted filenames In Excel

=TRIM(RIGHT(SUBSTITUTE(B1,

Then continue to write the rest of the formula as

NOTE 1: The formula is shown this way because you need to be sure you get the MS Excel formula quote marks into the formula. A good way to have this is to type it direct into Excel. If you copy and paste, sometimes you get a version of quote marks which will break the formula!

NOTE 2: If you read both sections on how to copy file names into Excel and this one, you will see we can use this very same formula to get only the last part. I love this formula because you can get just the sub-folder name using the exact same formula!

As stated above, to use my formula without any alterations, you will need to have pasted your folder list with paths into cell B1.

If you are familiar with excel formulae, you can paste wherever you need and edit my formula to suit.

That will be easy if you have a basic understanding with Excel formula cell references.

Do not worry, you do not need to know much about formulas or understand this one in particular. Just paste it (preferred) or type it in (less preferred in case you mistype it).

The formula to paste into Cell A1 should look the same as in the following image.

This formula is key to cut to the last sub-directory to copy folder names into Excel.

Now you can copy and paste this formula next to every folder path in your list.

For example, you can hover the mouse over the bottom right hand corner of the first cell with the formula in it. When it changes to a little cross, double click and excel will auto-fill the formula all the way down.

Well, that is how to get a list of the folders in a directory in addition to how to extract folder names into Excel.

If you want to see a list of all sub-folders in a directory you will need to do a search (which includes sub-folders) to find the ones you want first, and we covered that above under ‘Selection’.

Translating from another language?

If you are translating this article from another language, please note the formula will not work in an Excel version other than English Excel.

For example, the Trim() function is different in other languages, such as SUPPRESPACE() in French.

There is a handy site which can translate the above excel formula into your language, and it is called the Excel Translator.

You can use this site to find the equivalent function for each item in the formula.

Just substitute them into your own formula.

What next – Pasting Values to all Excel cells.

You probably only want the fold names, not several cells with formulae and cells with paths there.

To remove those and just leave the folder names only, Copy and ‘Paste Values’ the cells that include the formulae. Select to paste in a new location or the first cell at the top of the formulae. Then you can delete all the unwanted cells.

To do this, click the paste button then ‘Paste Values’ (or right click on the first cell and select ‘Paste Values’ from the popup menu).

Summary

I’ve shown how to copy file names into Excel and how to copy folder names into Excel. Not only that, I included a neat Excel formula to cut down the entire path to only the filename or lowest level folder after exporting. Some FAQs follow.

The post Copy file and folder names into Excel (remove path automatically) appeared first on TheTechMentor.com.

There are any number of reasons why you want to hide the recycle bin from the desktop in Windows 10. What is curious is that it is so hard to find where to do it. It is as if Microsoft thought you shouldn’t muck around with it! Knowing how to do this, you can basically do the reverse to show the recycle bin if hidden (or missing) from the desktop. I show you how to do it below. Read on and muck about with it!

Contents

Introduction

Hide recycle bin from desktop Windows 10

How to Hide recycle bin from Desktop Step by Step

In one Image – Do not show recycle bin on desktop

Show recycle bin on desktop (Windows 10!)

Other Options

Change Appearance of Recycle Bin

Summary

Introduction

As stated the switch to hide recycle bin in Windows 10 is hard to find. You even have to search for it indirectly (as I show below).

If you search for it specifically in the task bar with something like “hide recycle bin from desktop” you will only get a string of web search results offered (probably with TheTechMentor.com at number one! LOL!). No other apps or anything else. Just another one of those things that make you go Hmmm!

It’s as if Windows 10 doesn’t know that it can be done! Or perhaps Microsoft don’t want people to accidentally do it… Saving us from ourselves, perhaps?

Perhaps you need to hide the recycle bin to save a client from removing things from the bin?

Some people just hate to see the recycle bin looking full. It does not appeal to their sense of order!

You can change the look of the icon (explained further below) so it doesn’t look full.

Anyway, you might think it’s not a problem – until someone asks you to recover the files they deleted from the recycle bin! TheTechMentor.com has a popular article on how to recover deleted files from recycle bin after empty here.

Anyway, you can’t delete the recycle bin itself, it will always exist in the background because it is part of Windows.

Here is how to hide that unsightly recycle bin icon! LOL.

Hide recycle bin from desktop Windows 10

The trick to find the right place to hide recycle bin from desktop in Windows 10, is to know what to search for.

I’ll go into finding it a few different ways, although I suppose you’ll just find the one you like or that sticks in your memory and always use that. 

How to Hide Recycle Bin from Desktop Step by Step

I’ll include plenty of screen shots so it is too easy to follow!

Step 1 Initial search in Search bar

In the Windows 10 search bar type ‘desktop’ and look at the results. You should get something similar to below.

I’ll show an alternative (slightly longer) route further below to find it if this doesn’t come up the same for you.

You want the desktop’s Themes and related settings.

Don’t worry about the Remote Desktop as ‘best match’, what you want is the settings for Desktop Themes (and related settings) believe it or not!

Step 2 Scroll down to end

Scroll down to the end of the Themes settings

Scroll down to the end. Seems so obvious, right?! Oh well.

Step 3 Select Desktop icon Settings

Finally you will see Related Settings, and below it, Desktop icon settings, so click through there.

It seems funny that to change the visibility of the recycle bin on the desktop, you have to go into Themes and then the Desktop icon settings. But I suppose it has to go somewhere, right?

Okay now here is where it gets interesting! A window will pop up as shown below.

The check box highlighted below is a toggle to show or hide the Recycle Bin from the Desktop.

Do not show recycle bin on desktop in 1 image:

Desktop Icon Settings – If you click to remove the check box it not show recycle bin icons (full or empty) on the desktop in Windows 10.

Step 4 Un-check Recycle Bin icon display

Click The Recycle Bin icon check box to tell Windows do not show recycle bin on desktop.

Then Apply and then OK (or just OK if you want to close the window immediately) and you have done it!

Alternative search – Go to Settings

Type ‘Settings’ in the search bar.

Then select ‘Personalization’ (or Personalisation)

Down the list on the left hand side is ‘Themes’. In there are where the desktop icon settings are hidden.

Yes a slightly longer way to get there, but the trash or bin hide/display property is just a setting on the desktop’s properties, adjustable by your Windows Theme.

Now when the Desktop icon Settings window appears, you are back to where we were further above in these steps, so you can follow from there if you need to.

Show Recycle Bin on Desktop for Windows 10

Now that you have seen the above, you can guess this is the place to go if you have the opposite problem, i.e. recycle bin not showing in Windows 10.

I’ll explain in a few steps in case you jumped straight here.

Go to Themes in your Desktop Settings. Another alternative way to the methods presented above to get there is to type ‘icon’ into the Windows 10 search bar.

Click to Go to Themes and related settings in your Desktop Settings. Scroll down to Related Settings. In case this doesn’t appear for you, see the more detailed steps above.

Below Related Settings, you’ll see ‘Desktop icon settings’, so click through there.

There you will see the default icons on the desktop, including the Recycle Bin to show i.e. trash, if you are crossing over to Windows from a Mac.

The check box should be unchecked, as below.

To restore the recycle bin on the desktop in Windows 10, you first need to get this window, where the options for Desktop Icons Settings can be changed. Then view the Recycle Bin check box. It will likely be unchecked as shown.

Click the check box to show the recycle bin again.

Click Apply and OK.

There, now you’ve done it!

Other Options

You can show or hide other key desktop icons here also.

Interestingly you can see in the Desktop Icon Settings window that you can select a different icon to show in place of the normal recycle bin or any of these other icons.

Note: Some different Themes will have their own different version of the recycle bin too.

Change Appearance of the Recycle Bin

Using this same interface you can make change the recycle bin appearance on the Desktop.

I mentioned that some people do not like to see their bin appear not empty. This can cause them to empty their recycle bin to appeal to their sense of order. It becomes a problem when they want to recover a deleted file.

So for these people, a good option might be simply to change the appearance so it looks something appealing to them.

Rather than making the recycle bin disappear, why not change it to also look empty. That way you will always have ready access to it to recover files on their behalf.

You can change the look of the full icon, to look empty, for example. For some this is not desirable as you have a visual feedback of whether there is something in there to allow recovery.

This is for those who like things clean and EMPTY and can be a danger to themselves!

Here is how to change the appearance of the Recycle bin icon on the desktop in Windows 10.

You can follow the steps above in more detail or to see screen images to find the setting window, but I’ll explain in a few steps in case you jumped straight here.

Go to Themes in your Desktop Settings.

Select Themes and related settings in the Desktop Settings. Go down to Related Settings.

Here under Related Settings, find and click on ‘Desktop icon settings’.

As per the image below, first select the recycle bin icon, then click the ‘Change Icon…’ button.

Change recycle bin icon in the desktop settings

Here you will see a large variety of system icons (see below).

You can browse to find other icons too.

For this exercise, we want to make the full bin look the same as the empty bin. That is next to the current icon.

Make the full recycle bin look like it is empty!

Select this and click OK.

Finally click apply, to show a full recycle bin changed to always look empty.

Then to update the icon on the desktop, click Apply.

Here is the result. That bin is not empty, trust me! Oh but it looks so tidy! LOL.

Full Recycle bin appearance changed to look empty on the desktop in Windows 10!

Have some fun changing the appearance of the recycle bin.

At very least, some people will see and ask what did you do to my recycle bin?!

If you want to have some fun, and you have access to more than the standard set of system icons, why don’t you find an icon with a look of horror for the emptied recycle bin.

You are going to need some serious help if they’ve deleted all their files from it and then want them back! (Hint: TheTechMentor.com can help you there also! See that link in the Introduction)

Here is one version I tried for a while, still along the theme of preventing the recycle bin being emptied by a user who thought a full bin looked untidy.

I like this icon as it shows a shield to protect the user from emptying their trash!

Here is the recycle bin image changed to something positive. Hey it’s not empty, right. Well, that is a good thing if you want to recover some files. Now leave it alone!

However, some people will not recognize such a different icon and exclaim “My recycle bin is missing! Where has my recycle bin gone?!”

If they ask you to recover it, you can always change the appearance back to the standard icon.

That leads to the next section.

Background

As I recently had more than one client with this problem, I realized it can be hard to find where to recover the recycle bin icon from.

I thought it might be a worthwhile article to help more people out there.

My most recent client’s call for help was:

“My recycle bin icon has disappeared, where has it gone?”

The trick, as you now know, is finding the Desktop Icon Settings window.

Well, I recovered it for them, and it will be easy for you to recover using the above steps.

Summary

The secret to hide or show the recycle bin from desktop in Windows 10 is to find the Desktop Icon Settings window. After that it is pretty easy to toggle the check-box for the recycle bin to hide it or restore it, and it is also where you can change the icon’s appearance.

The post Show or Hide Recycle Bin from the desktop (Windows 10) appeared first on TheTechMentor.com.

To restore the Recycle Bin in Windows 10 (and Windows 8) is easy if you follow the detailed steps in this guide. You likely need to recover your recycle bin due to one of two things. The recycle bin has disappeared and you want to show it on the desktop. Or maybe you simply want a basic guide on how to recover files from your recycle bin. This is a basic operation and will also be covered here in case it helps.To unhide the recycle bin can be a little tricky, if you can’t find the settings. I show you how to find it in Windows 10 a couple of ways (and Windows 8).

If that is not exactly what you are looking for, a link is provided just below to a great article which explains how to recover files from an emptied recycle bin. Read on below.

Recycle Bin Icon Missing or Deleted:

Deleted Recycle Bin?

This article helps recover a recycle bin missing or deleted from the desktop, i.e. show or unhide it. It may seem like it has been deleted if there is no icon on the desktop. If instead you want to recover deleted files from the recycle bin after you have emptied or deleted the contents of your recycle bin (so it is there but it is empty), there is another article you will want to read; so instead click this link for ‘How to Recover Files From an Emptied Recycle Bin‘.

Okay, now on with this article:

Introduction to Recycle Bin Recovery:

Just because you cannot see the recycle bin doesn’t mean you have deleted it.

You can recover it most likely, and the files within it!

First we’ll look at recovering a missing or deleted recycle bin.

Then we’ll show the basic steps to recover files from the recycle bin.

It is possible to hide the recycle bin in a number of ways.

When you need recycle bin recovery it can be because Windows hid it rather than deleted it.

This makes recovery possible following the steps below.

Screen copies are used to help make it simple and easy to follow.

Restore Recycle Bin

I’ll show a quick way to open the recycle bin, then show how to find it or make it show the recycle bin icon on the desktop.

If you still can’t see it, and want to unhide the Recycle Bin, it in the detailed steps below you’ll find a sure-fire way to find and display it on the desktop.

Quick Way to Start the Recycle Bin App if you can’t find it

If you really just need to see the recycle bin, type in the search bar recycle.

Watch the results as you type (you probably won’t need to type the whole word).

When you see Recycle Bin (App), just click it and the recycle bin should open, even if you can’t otherwise see it.

For more details or to find it on the desktop read on below.

Step 1 – Search for the Recycle Bin Icon on the desktop (to confirm it is gone)

To recover a recycle bin first search to find the icon on the desktop. This is just to be sure it is gone before you go to the trouble to recover it using these steps.

Can’t see the desktop?

Well there is a shortcut key combination you can type to see it (one of many ways but my preferred method when a keyboard is available because it is very quick).

Press the Windows key and at the same time press the letter ‘d’ key. That is the <D> key with no <shift> key nor <Caps Lock> on.

This will minimize all open applications and files. If you need help to find them again look for and click on the appropriate icon on the taskbar.

If the recycle bin has truly been deleted or missing you won’t see it there.

Be sure to look at all the icons and read the words written below each one.

Make sure you search closely for icons that are difficult to see if they are camouflaged by the wallpaper image. That means the background picture that shows when no windows are open.

Recycle Bin recovery If you are using Windows 8:

Windows 8 has an extra complication for the basic or new user that may hide the recycle bin making it difficult to find and recover files.

The problem is you might be looking at the tile-view not the desktop.

Users new to Windows 8 experience this problem at first.

Swipe down the screen from the top right hand side using the mouse or your finger to bring up the search and other icons.

The search icon looks like a magnifying glass. Type desktop (or in fact you may type Recycle Bin direct as a shortcut).

Step 2: Open Desktop Icon Settings

There is a toggle switch to hide or display the recycle bin on the desktop. In the task bar, type ‘Recycle Bin’ and then look down the list of search result options. Look for the heading ‘Settings’ and under it, then look below it for and click on ‘Show or Hide Icons on the Desktop’.

If the search doesn’t show it, you have to go find it in the settings direct. That isn’t so easy, but type Settings in the task bar instead. Then Personalization (or Personalisation) then Themes and scroll down to Related Settings. Finally click on ‘Desktop Icon Settings’. Phew, that sure is hidden!

Another way to show it is to type ‘Desktop’ in the search bar in Windows 10. Then select ‘Themes and Related Settings. As indicated, what you need is under Related Settings!

Another way to show the Desktop Settings to enable show recycle bin on desktop Windows 10.

It will open the ‘Desktop Icon Settings’ window as shown below:

In ‘Desktop Icons’ check the ‘Recycle Bin’ check-box to show the Recycle Bin on the Desktop in Windows 10. The icon for the recycle or trash bin is actually two icons. One for when the Trash is empty, one for when it is ‘full’. When shown, the trash bin is not really full, rather it has one or more deleted files.

Step 3: Click the Recycle Bin Selector Checkbox

If the check box next to Recycle Bin is not checked, then show recycle bin on Desktop windows 10.

That is, you can recover the recycle bin by clicking on the box to put a check mark in it. Then click ‘OK’. This will once again show the Recycle Bin on the desktop.

If you’re using Windows 10, look for the icon below (not emptied):

How to Recover Files from the Recycle Bin

We’ve looked at recycle bin recovery (of the missing or lost icon) so now we show how to recover files from the recycle bin.

Step 1: Open the Recycle Bin

Select the recycle bin icon on the desktop and press enter, or simply double click the recycle bin. That will display the recycle bin window as shown below (for Windows 10 – other Windows versions will be similar but may look a little different).

Step 2: Select the Files You Want to Recover:

This is just like selecting any files from file explorer. Click the start of a group then hold the <shift> key down and click the end of the group. In addition, you can hold the control key down and click on several individual files.

Before the Next Step – Record The Original Locations

Before you click to restore all or the selected items, make sure you take note of the description of the ‘Original Location’ on the right.

Step 3: Restore Selected Items

On the ‘Manage’ tab, click ‘Restore all items’ or click to select several or just the specific file you want to recover. This will enable the ‘Restore the selected items’ option button.

When you click the button, Windows removes the file or files from the recycle bin and places them in the original file location. 

You can just close this window when complete.

Step 4: Check the Original Location

Look in the original file location that you noted before. You will see your files recovered from the recycle bin. You may also notice that the file date (when or if you are looking at the Detailed View) is the same as the original date.

So now you have recovered the recycle bin and restored your files. Celebrate! (…and share this to your friends or family if this has helped you!)

Just to reiterate, this article has been about recycle bin recovery. This is for when you’ve somehow misplaced or deleted the recycle bin and (or alternatively) need to simply restore files from the recycle bin.

Don’t forget as stated above that if what you need to do is recover files from an emptied recycle bin, we can help you with that more complicated task.

I always remind people at this point to make sure you have a backup system in place.

That way even if you’ve permanently deleted files there is still one ultimate way to recover them.

Summary of Restore Recycle Bin Windows 10

I’ve shown how to restore the recycle bin in Windows 10 and 8, if you have deleted or lost the recycle bin icon or it is not on the desktop. Also I showed how to recover files from the recycle bin.

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