Windows doesn’t allow you to pin your Recycle Bin directly to the taskbar, but there’s a trick to do it easily.
Windows: Why can’t I pin the Recycle Bin to the taskbar?
On Windows, if you try to pin the Recycle Bin directly to the taskbar, you’ll find that this isn’t possible. When you right-click the Recycle Bin icon, the Pin to Taskbar option doesn’t appear, unlike the option available for apps or certain files.
This is due to the unique nature of the Recycle Bin. Unlike traditional applications or folders, the Recycle Bin is a special system component. It is not designed as a standalone executable application, but rather as a system interface for accessing deleted files. In other words, Windows does not recognize the Recycle Bin as an item that can be pinned to the taskbar in the traditional way.
However, there is a workaround for this limitation by creating a dedicated Recycle Bin shortcut, which you can then pin. We’ll explain everything below!
Windows: A method to pin the Recycle Bin to the taskbar
Although the Recycle Bin cannot be pinned directly to the taskbar, it is possible to work around this limitation by creating a custom shortcut. Here are the simple steps to achieve this (see the cover image):
- Right-click on the trash can icon.
- Select Show more options.
- Click Create Shortcut. It will then appear on your desktop.
- Drag and drop the shortcut to the taskbar.
This will give you a shortcut to your recycle bin pinned directly to your taskbar.
