Recycle Bin

What Does Recycle Bin Mean?

In Windows, the Recycle Bin is a folder or directory where deleted items are temporarily stored. Deleted files are not permanently removed from the hard drive but are sent instead to the Recycle Bin, unless they are too large. The files in the Recycle Bin can be restored to their original location. They cannot be used directly while they are in the Recycle Bin.

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The Recycle Bin is available in all versions of Windows starting with Windows 95.

Techopedia Explains Recycle Bin

The Recycle Bin comes in handy when an item has been accidentally deleted. When a file is deleted, the system does not actually remove it from the system; it sends it instead to the Recycle Bin where it can be restored if necessary. If a file is deleted from the Recycle Bin, it is permanently deleted and cannot be recovered. Moreover, if a file in Windows is deleted through the DOS Command Prompt, it is also deleted permanently rather than sent to the Recycle Bin. Users can configure their settings such that a deleted file or folder is not sent to the Recycle Bin once deleted.

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Margaret Rouse

Margaret Rouse is an award-winning technical writer and teacher known for her ability to explain complex technical subjects to a non-technical, business audience. Over the past twenty years her explanations have appeared on TechTarget websites and she's been cited as an authority in articles by the New York Times, Time Magazine, USA Today, ZDNet, PC Magazine and Discovery Magazine.Margaret's idea of a fun day is helping IT and business professionals learn to speak each other’s highly specialized languages. If you have a suggestion for a new definition or how to improve a technical explanation, please email Margaret or contact her…