Windows: Empty Recycle Bin - how to do it

Over time, a large number of files and folders accumulate in the Recycle Bin of your Windows computer. To remove these deleted files from the PC for good and free up disk space, it is necessary to empty the Recycle Bin.

How to empty the Recycle Bin in Windows

When you delete files or folders on your Windows PC, they are not completely removed from your computer. Instead, the deleted files are moved to the Recycle Bin and continue to consume valuable space on your computer.

1. To permanently remove the deleted files from your computer, it is necessary to empty the Recycle Bin.
2. To do this, search for the Recycle Bin icon on the desktop of your Windows PC and right-click on it.
3. Select "Empty Recycle Bin" from the context menu that opens and confirm the warning message that appears by clicking "OK".
4. Alternatively, you can also delete only individual files or folders from the Recycle Bin by opening them, right-clicking on the corresponding file and clicking "Delete".

Windows: This helps if the Recycle Bin can not be emptied

If problems occur when trying to empty the Recycle Bin on your Windows PC, this is usually because some files located there are still recognized by Windows as used. To empty the Recycle Bin anyway, please start Windows in Safe Mode and try to delete the contents of the Recycle Bin again. If this does not help, you will need a special program like Eraser that overwrites the files in the Recycle Bin.