The recycle bin on C:\ is corrupted Windows
Jul 06, 2025 am 12:37 AMTo fix the issue of C:\drive recycle bin corruption in Windows, reset or recreate the recycle bin folder. 1. Open File Explorer, enter C: drive, enable hidden file viewing, find and delete or rename the $Recycle.Bin folder, and the system will automatically rebuild the folder after restarting the computer. 2. If the problem is caused by a file system error, you can run the chkdsk C: /f command in the command prompt to scan and fix disk errors. 3. You can use the disk cleaning tool or command line to force empty the recycle bin, such as executing the rd /s /q C:\\\$Recycle.Bin and md C:\$Recycle.Bin commands to rebuild the folder. The above methods can usually effectively solve the problem of recycling bin damage.
The recycle bin on the C:\ drive getting corrupted in Windows isn't super common, but it does happen. When it does, you might find that you can't delete files normally, or you see error messages when trying to open or empty the Recycle Bin. The good news is, it's usually fixed without too much hassle.

How to Fix a Corrupted Recycle Bin
The simplest and most effective method is to reset or recreate the Recycle Bin folder. Windows uses a hidden system folder named $Recycle.Bin
on each drive to store deleted files. If this folder gets corrupted or misconfigured, the Recycle Bin breaks.

Here's what you can do:
- Open File Explorer , go to This PC , and select your C: drive .
- Enable viewing of hidden files if you haven't already (View tab > check "Hidden items").
- Look for a folder named $Recycle.Bin — it should be visible now.
- Right-click it and choose Delete (or rename it as a backup just in case).
- Reboot your computer.
- Windows will automatically recreate the Recycle Bin folder after restart.
This often resolves the issue right away.

Check for File System Errors
Corruption in the file system can also cause issues with the Recycle Bin. You can scan your C:\ drive using the built-in disk checking tool:
- Open Command Prompt as administrator.
- Type
chkdsk C: /f
and press Enter. - It might ask if you want to schedule the disk check on next restart — type
Y
and reboot.
Running this scan can repair underlying disk errors that may be affecting the Recycle Bin.
Use Disk Cleanup or Command Line Tools
If resetting the Recycle Bin doesn't help, try using Disk Cleanup :
- Right-click your C: drive > Properties > Disk Cleanup .
- Select the Recycle Bin checkbox and click OK.
Alternatively, you can use the command line to force empty the Recycle Bin:
- Open Command Prompt as admin.
- Run:
rd /s /q C:\\$Recycle.Bin
(this deletes the folder forcefully) - Then run:
md C:\\$Recycle.Bin
(to create a new one)
Note: This is more aggressive, so make sure you don't have any important files stuck in the Recycle Bin before doing this.
Sometimes corruption happens due to third-party software interfering or unexpected shutdowns. Either way, resetting the Recycle Bin folder manually or through commands usually clears things up. It's not complicated, but it does require a few careful steps.
Basically that's it.
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