How to Restore Recycle Bin Icon on Desktop in Windows Vista & Server 2008?

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If you are using Windows Vista or Windows Server 2008 and have accidentally deleted Recycle Bin icon from Desktop, then no need to worry. You can easily restore its icon on Desktop using following simple method:

1. Right-click on Desktop and select "Personalize". It'll open Personalization window. Now click on "Change desktop icons" link in left side pane. OR you can open it directly by providing following command in RUN or Startmenu Search box:

control desk.cpl,,@web

2. It'll open "Desktop Icon Settings" window as shown in following screenshot:

3. Just enable "Recycle Bin" and Apply it.

4. Thats it. Your missing Recycle Bin icon will be back on Desktop.

Same tutorial can be used for enabling other Desktop icons.

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This article was posted by VG in following section: Troubleshooting, Windows Vista.

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Ronald

Dear Vishal,

well i am glad you did. I couldn't believe it the first time i did it. then i just got mad at myself the other 17 times
I believe Microsoft did that on purpose just to have a good laugh. I laughed everytime my sister did it but i was there to help her find it. I never told her how i knew where it was though.
china

thanks so much for the help !!
Lee

issue ressolved
flory

tanks very much for help .........love u :?: :?:
piellepi

Hi VG!
In my PC I have Vista Home Premium and I changed the recycle bin icons with 2 other new icons.
Then I changed my mind and I restored the original ones with "Restore Defaults" button.
Now if I delete a file, I can't see again the full recycle bin icon automatically, but only refreshing the desktop manually (F5).
The same happens when I empty the recycle bin: the icon remains the full one
Only when I refresh the desktop with F5, I can see again the empty bin... It's very annoying...
What do you think about this new Vista bug?
Pierluigi
VG

^^ It might be a bug. Try to enable/disable Recycle Bin icon on Desktop. It might work.
piellepi

Thanks VG!
I tried your suggestion but unfortunately the problem still remains...
VG

^^ Also try to repair Icon cache.
piellepi

Hi VG!
I tried your suggestion about Icon Cache, but with no success
So I started looking around in internet (Google of course) and at about the tenth tentative I found the solution!
You must hit "change icons..." for both Full and Empty icons, select their original icons, click YES and everything will work! Please remember that hitting the button "Restore Defaults" doesn't work!!!
It's definitely another Vista Bug...
pierluigi
VG

^^ Cool. Then its definitely a bug. ;)