How to Fix “Recycle Bin on C:\ is Corrupted” in Windows

The Recycle Bin stores the files you’ve deleted in case you ever want to restore them. Occasionally, the Recycle Bin on C:/ becomes corrupted and stops working — and it’s not clear what you can do to fix it. This guide explains how to troubleshoot the problem.

What Causes the “Recycle Bin Is Corrupted” Error

When the recycle bin becomes corrupted, you can no longer clear the bin or restore any of the files that you previously deleted. Essentially, any files in the recycle bin become stuck there, and you have to permanently delete files to get rid of them.

When the recycle bin becomes corrupted users receive the message, “The Recycle Bin on C:\ is corrupted. Do you want to empty the Recycle Bin for this drive?” If you pressYes, the files are deleted and the empty recycle bin will work properly until you reboot the computer.

There are a couple of potential causes for this glitch, including:

Note:The recycle bin can become corrupted on any version of the Windows operating system, but we’ll focus on Windows 10 and Windows 11 as these are the two versions most used and most likely to be affected.

How to Fix Corrupted Recycle Bin Error

Below, we’ll explain how to fix the recycle bin is corrupted error. We’ll start with the easiest solutions and work into the more technical fixes, so start at the top and work your way down.

Before we get into specific fixes, here are a couple of things to try that might solve the error quickly:

You can use the Command Prompt (CMD) to reset the recycle bin and resolve any problems. To do so:

rd /s /q C:$Recycle.Bin

Note:Make sure you enter the correct hard drive when typing the command into Command Prompt. You may also need to execute the command for each drive if it’s corrupted on more than one of them.

The system file checker is a Windows utility that scans and repairs corrupted files in the OS. Here’s how to use it to fix the recycle bin:

SFC /scannow

CHKDSK is another Windows utility that you can use to fix system errors andrepair damaged hard drives. Here’s how to use it to fix the recycle bin error:

chkdsk C: /R

Note:Again, make sure you enter the correct drive letter for your storage device.

According to some users, deleting the $Recycle.bin folder is a quick way to resolve the recycle bin error. However, it will permanently delete whatever files you have in the recycle bin — so only use this method if you’re willing to lose those files forever.

If the recycle bin icon doesn’t reappear on your desktop, you’ll have to reinstall it. To do so:

How to Recover Deleted Files

If your recycle bin is working properly, you can simply right-click the lost file you want to recover and selectRestore. However, if the recycle bin remains corrupted (or you need to delete the files inside it in order to fix it), you might have to try data recovery software.

However, keep in mind that file recovery software is often unreliable and there’s no guarantee that it will be able to recover files after experiencing recycle bin data loss on your HDD or SSD.

Delete What You Want, When You Want

Hopefully, this article has helped you get your recycle bin working the way it should, and you can easily delete files once again. Unfortunately, if you’re still experiencing a corrupt recycle bin, your last resort is to use asystem restore pointorreinstall Windows entirely.

Jake Harfield is an Australian freelance writer whose passion is finding out how different technologies work. He has written for several online publications, focusing on explaining what he has learned to help others with their tech problems. He’s an avid hiker and birder, and in his spare time you’ll find him in the Aussie bush listening to the birdsong.Read Jake’s Full Bio

Welcome to Help Desk Geek- a blog full of tech tips from trusted tech experts. We have thousands of articles and guides to help you troubleshoot any issue. Our articles have been read over 150 million times since we launched in 2008.

HomeAbout UsEditorial StandardsContact UsTerms of Use

Copyright © 2008-2024 Help Desk Geek.com, LLC All Rights Reserved