How to empty the Windows Recycle Bin automatically

Martin Brinkmann
Apr 12, 2019
Windows
|
22

All files that you delete regularly on Windows are moved to the Recycle Bin first. Designed as a last resort to recover accidentally deleted files, files that sit in the Recycle Bin may sit there for a long period. While that is not a huge problem most of the time, if disk space is scarce, it may be frustrating to empty the Recycle Bin manually regularly.

You could set a custom Recycle Bin size to avoid it occupying too much space on a drive, or, use automation to clear the Windows Recycle Bin regularly.

This guide offers a general solution to the Recycle Bin problem, and a specific solution that is only available on Windows 10 devices.

General Solution for all Windows versions

powershell delete recycle bin files

The following method is compatible with all Windows versions and editions. It requires the creation of a batch file and running that batch file either using a policy or as a startup command.

  1. Right-click on the desktop or another folder and select New > Text Document.
  2. Paste the following line of code into the document: PowerShell.exe -NoProfile -Command Clear-RecycleBin -Confirm:$false
  3. Save the document.
  4. Rename it to emptyrecyclebin.bat. Make sure the file has the .bat extension and not .bat.txt.
  5. Test the file once to make sure it works.

empty recycle bin shutdown

The next step depends on the Windows edition. If you run professional or Enterprise editions, do the following:

  1. Open the Start Menu.
  2. Type gpedit.msc and select the result to load the Group Policy Editor.
  3. Go to Computer Configuration > Windows Settings > Scripts > Shutdown
  4. Double-click on Shutdown to open its Properties.
  5. Select Add.
  6. Use the Browse option to pick the emptyrecyclebin.bat that you created previously.
  7. Select ok.

Windows will execute the script (to delete Recycle Bin content) when Windows shuts down automatically from that moment on.

You can use the same process to delete the script again if you don't want to use it anymore.

If you run Windows 10 Home, you may execute the script on startup by placing it in the startup folder:

  1. Open Explorer.
  2. Type in the address bar shell:startup. This should open the startup folder.
  3. Drag and drop the script to the folder.

Windows will execute the script on startup automatically from that moment on. You can delete the script again if you don't want to use it anymore. (via Major Geeks)

Storage Sense on Windows 10

empty recycle bin windows 10 automatically

Microsoft's Windows 10 operating system comes with a new feature called Storage Sense; you may configure it to delete Recycle Bin content, and other temporary files, regularly and automatically.

  1. Use the shortcut Windows-I to open the Settings application.
  2. Go to System > Storage.
  3. Select "Change how we free up space automatically" on the Storage page.
  4. Toggle Storage sense to "On".
  5. Set a desired period for the feature, e.g. every day, week, month, or on low disk space.
  6. Check "Delete temporary files that my apps aren't using".
  7. Set the desired period that deleted files need to sit in the Recycle Bin untouched before Windows deletes the files. The default period is 30 days, you may change that to 1, 14 or 60 days (or never).
  8. If you don't want files in the download folder to be deleted automatically, make sure that setting is set to "never".

Windows will from that moment on delete files in the Recycle Bin if the time they have been in the recycle bin untouched exceeds the selected period.

Summary
How to empty the Windows Recycle Bin automatically
Article Name
How to empty the Windows Recycle Bin automatically
Description
Find out how to delete files that are in the Recycle Bin on Windows machines automatically on shutdown or on start of the system.
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Ghacks Technology News
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Comments

  1. Dan Donx said on January 15, 2023 at 10:29 am
    Reply

    What mental age of reader are you targeting with the first sentence? 10?

    Why not write an article on how to *avoid* upgrading from W10 to W11. Analogous to those like me who avoided upgrading from 7 to 10 for as long as possible.

    If your paymaster Microsoft permits it, of course.

  2. Dexter said on January 15, 2023 at 11:14 am
    Reply

    5. Rufus
    6. Ventoy

    PS. I hate reading these “SEO optimized” articles.

    1. cdr said on January 15, 2023 at 3:32 pm
      Reply

      I used Rufus to create an installer for a 6th gen intel i5 that had MBR. It upgraded using Setup. No issues except for Win 11 always prompting me to replace my local account. Still using Win 10 Pro on all my other PCs to avoid the bullying.

  3. sv said on January 15, 2023 at 6:40 pm
    Reply

    bit pointless to upgrade for the sake of upgrading as you never know when you’ll get locked out because ms might suddenly not provide updates to unsupported systems.

    ps…. time travelling?
    written. Jan 15, 2023
    Updated • Jan 13, 2023

    1. Martin Brinkmann said on January 16, 2023 at 5:49 am
      Reply

      This happens when you schedule a post in WordPress and update it before setting the publication date.

  4. Anonymous said on January 16, 2023 at 8:24 am
    Reply

    Anyone willing to downgrade to this awful OS must like inflicting themselves with harm.

  5. basingstoke said on January 16, 2023 at 11:18 am
    Reply

    I have become convinced now that anybody who has no qualms with using Windows 11/10 must fit into one of the following brackets:

    1) Too young to remember a time before W10 and W11 (doesn’t know better)

    2) Wants to play the latest games on their PC above anything else (or deeply needs some software which already dropped W7 support)

    3) Doesn’t know too much about how computers work, worried that they’d be absolutely lost and in trouble without the “”latest security””

    4) Microsoft apologist that tries to justify that the latest “features” and “changes” are actually a good thing, that improve Windows

    5) Uses their computer to do a bare minimum of like 3 different things, browse web, check emails, etc, so really doesn’t fuss

    Obviously that doesn’t cover everyone, there’s also the category that:

    6) Actually liked W7 more than 10, and held out as long as possible before switching, begrudgingly uses 10 now

    Have I missed any group off this list?

    1. Heinz Strunk said on September 19, 2023 at 3:57 pm
      Reply

      You have missed in this group just about any professional user that uses business software like CAD programs or ERP Programs which are 99% of all professional users from this list.

      Linux doesn’t help anyone who is not a linux kid and apple is just a fancy facebook machine.

  6. ilev said on August 24, 2023 at 7:34 pm
    Reply

    Microsoft has removed KB5029351 update

    1. EP said on August 24, 2023 at 9:21 pm
      Reply

      only from windows update though
      KB5029351 is still available from the ms update catalog site

  7. Anonymous said on August 24, 2023 at 11:05 pm
    Reply

    1. This update is labaled as PREVIEW if it causes issues to unintelligent people, then they shouldn’t have allowed Preview updates ot install.

    2. I have installed it in a 11 years old computer, and no problems at all.

    3. Making a big drama over a bluescreen for an updated labeled as preview is ridiculous.

    This is probably another BS internet drama where people ran programs and scripts that modified the registry until they broke Windows, just for removing stuff that they weren’t even using just for the sake of it.
    Maybe people should stop playing geeks and actually either use Windows 10 or Windows 11, but don’t try to modify things just for the sake of it.

    Sometimes removing or stopping things (like defender is a perfect example) only need intelligence, not scripts or 3rd party programs that might mess with windows.

  8. john said on August 24, 2023 at 11:17 pm
    Reply

    Windows 11 was a pointless release, it was just created because some of the Windows team wanted to boost sales with some sort of new and improved Windows 10. Instead, Microsoft cannot support one version well let alone two.

    1. John G. said on August 25, 2023 at 12:08 pm
      Reply

      Windows 11 is the worst ugly shame by Microsoft ever. They should release with every new W11 version a complete free version of Starallback inside just to make this sh** OS functionally again.

  9. EP said on August 25, 2023 at 3:10 pm
    Reply

    motherboard maker MSI has recently released a statement regarding the “unsupported processor” blue screen error for their boards using Intel 600/700 series chipsets & to avoid the KB5029351 Win11 update:
    https://www.msi.com/news/detail/MSI-On–UNSUPPORTED-PROCESSOR–Error-Message-of-Windows-11-Update-KB5029351-Preview-142215

  10. EP said on August 29, 2023 at 7:32 pm
    Reply

    check out the following recent articles:

    Neowin – Microsoft puts little blame on its Windows update after UNSUPPORTED PROCESSOR BSOD bug:
    https://www.neowin.net/news/microsoft-puts-little-blame-on-its-windows-update-after-unsupported-processor-bsod-bug/

    BleepingComputer – Microsoft blames ‘unsupported processor’ blue screens on OEM vendors:
    https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/microsoft/microsoft-blames-unsupported-processor-blue-screens-on-oem-vendors/

  11. Leonard Britvolli said on August 30, 2023 at 10:33 pm
    Reply

    While there may be changes or updates to the Windows 10 Store for Business and Education in the future, it is premature to conclude that it will be discontinued based solely on rumors.

  12. sembrador said on September 5, 2023 at 9:32 pm
    Reply

    My advice, I left win 15 years ago. Now I’m a happy linux user (linuxmint) but there is Centos, Fedora, Ubuntu depending on your needs.

  13. EP said on September 6, 2023 at 11:55 am
    Reply

    motherboard maker MSI has recently released new BIOS/firmware updates for their Intel 600 & 700 series motherboards to fix the “UNSUPPORTED_PROCESSOR” problem (Sept. 6):

    https://www.msi.com/news/detail/Updated-BIOS-fixes-Error-Message–UNSUPPORTED-PROCESSOR–caused-BSOD-on-MSI-s-Intel-700-and-600-Series-Motherboards-142277

  14. Raphael Benzo said on September 24, 2023 at 9:52 pm
    Reply

    I try to disable the Diagnostics Tracking Service (Connected Devices Platform User Services) but it wont let me disable it, any help will be greatly appreciated.
    Tank you for your help

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