By Achilles Hill | Last Updated
I got this message when I was going to delete a file: The Recycle Bin on C:\ is corrupted. Do you want to empty the Recycle Bin for this drive? How can I deal with this error?
If you see such error message showing the recycle bin is corrupted, don’t panic, no matter it happens on your c drive, d drive, e drive or even external hard drive. This is a common issue in Windows 11 and Windows 10 and can be fixed with a few simple steps.
In this guide, you’ll learn what causes the Recycle Bin to become corrupted and how to quickly fix the issue.
This error means the Recycle Bin folder ($Recycle.Bin) on your hard drive has become unreadable or contains broken data. As a result, Windows cannot manage deleted files properly.
Common Causes:
Note:
This is the most effective method to fix the corrupted recycle bin. After deleting, a new Recycle Bin will be created for your drive.
Step 1: Open Command Prompt as Administrator.
Step 2: Type the following command: rd /s /q C:\$Recycle.Bin . You can replace C: with the correct drive letter if the error refers to another drive. Then press Enter to execute the action.
Step 3: Restart your computer.
If you are not skillful in CMD, it is also easy to delete and re-create the Recycle Bin folder manually in File Explorer.
Step 1: Open File Explorer option.
Step 2: Tick the option—Show hidden files, folders and drives. Uncheck the option—Hide protected operating system file (Recommended) and click Yes to confirm. Then click the Apply and OK button.
Step 3: Return to File Explorer and access the C drive. You can see $RECYCLE.BIN folder here. Select the folder and delete it.
Step 4: Restart your computer and right-click any blank space on the desktop. Now select Personalize to continue.
Step 5: Choose the Themes option on the sidebar and click Desktop icon settings on the right panel.
Step 6: Check the Recycle Bin option and click the OK button. Now a new Recycle Bin folder is made. You can delete any file if needed.
If system files are damaged, this will help repair them.
Step 1: Open Command Prompt as Administrator.
Step 2: Type the following command: sfc /scannow . Then wait for the scan to complete and follow on-screen instructions.
This helps fix file system issues that may corrupt the Recycle Bin.
Step 1: Open Command Prompt as Administrator.
Step 2: Type: chkdsk C: /f. If the error happens on other drive, you can replace C: with your actual drive letter.
Step 3: Type Y to schedule the check on next reboot, then restart your PC.
Some malware targets system directories like $Recycle.Bin. You can perform a full system scan using Windows Security.
Step 1: Enter Windows Security in the search box and choose Windows Security app to open.
Step 2: Click Virus & threat protection option.
Step 3: Hit the Scan option to continue.
Step 4: Check the Full scan option and hit the Scan now button. Minutes later, the scanning result will be displayed.
Yes, of course. Although most of the methods to repair the corrupted recycle bin will erase all data, you can still back up the data before repairing. As the Recycle Bin folder is corrupted, you cannot directly access the data. How can you recover the files from corrupted recycle bin? Don’t worry, iSunshare BitGenius can help you. This data recovery software makes it easy for you to get back the deleted files on local disk, recycle bin or external disks.
Step 1: Open the software and select the drive to scan.
Step 2: Tick the $Recycle.Bin folder on the left side. After that, you can select the files to back up.
Step 3: Hit the Recover button and choose a destination folder to save the Recycle Bin data. Soon, you can open the folder to view the recovered data.
1. Will deleting the Recycle Bin folder remove my files?
No. It only deletes the broken structure of the Recycle Bin, not actual files from your system or other folders. But the files on the Recycle bin will be erased.
2. What if the error appears on an external drive?
All above methods can be applied to fix the error on an external drive.
3. Is it safe to empty the Recycle Bin when prompted by this error?
Yes, but the error may come back unless you reset or repair the corrupted Recycle Bin folder using the methods above.
The “Recycle Bin is corrupted” error may seem serious, but it’s usually easy to fix using Command Prompt or basic system tools like SFC and chkdsk. In most cases, resetting the Recycle Bin folder resolves the issue without data loss. If you keep seeing the problem, check your disk health or scan for malware to rule out deeper issues.
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