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How to Empty the Recycle Bin for All Users in Windows 11
Learn to wipe all Recycle Bins to keep your system running smooth
5 min. read
Updated onAugust 9, 2024
updated onAugust 9, 2024
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The Windows Recycle Bin can be considered the last bastion of your computer’s files. It’s the final opportunity where users canundo mistakesand restore files before they’re gone forever.
Emptying the Recycle Bin on Windows 11 is something that should be done regularly, but what if you have multiple users on your computer? Can you wipe out various Recycle Bins? Yes, you can.
Why would I want to empty out other Recycle Bins?
The main reason to empty out a Recycle Bin is to free up space on your hard drive which is particularly helpful if you have a computer with multiple users. Bins can get full pretty quickly.
But there are other reasons to do so. Below is not an extensive list, but it does cover the more critical reasons why you should empty the Recycle Bins of all users:
How do I empty the Recycle Bin of all users?
There are multiple ways you can delete the Recycle Bin for multiple users on your Windows 11 computer; both manually and automatically. This guide will show you how to do both.
1. Use Command Prompt
The “c” in the command corresponds to the drive that’s being cleaned out. If you have other external hard drives connected, switch the “c” for the letter of that particular drive.
For example, insert “d” to clear out the Recycle Bin on your D:\ hard drive, “E” for the E:\ drive, and so on.
2. Use PowerShell
If you’re using Windows Server 2016, using the PowerShell method to clear out the Recycle Bin is the best way to do it.
3. Set Recycle Bin to delete automatically
You should do this on all the different drives connected to your computer.
4. Configure Task Scheduler
Can I restore deleted files on my Windows 11 computer?
We all make mistakes, and that extends to accidentally emptying out the Recycle Bin when there was something important in there. But don’t worry because it’s possible to restore those files.
Just because something was deleted doesn’t mean it’s gone.On Windows 11, you can use data recovery softwarelike Stellar Data Recovery to bring back deleted files.
If you own aWindows 10 computer, you can also use data recovery softwareor utilize the system’s Windows File Recovery tool. This also works with Mac computers.
We also have a guide on how to useRecycle Bin on Windows 10, so be sure to check it out to learn more about this feature.
Emptying the Recycle Bin frequently will help youclean the C drive without formattingand save storage space, so use it frequently.
Feel free to leave a comment below if you have any questions about the Recycle Bin. Also, leave comments about reviews that you’d like to see or information on other Windows 11 features.
More about the topics:PC performance,Recycle Bin,Windows 11
Cesar Cadenas
Networking & Security Specialist
Cesar has been writing for and about technology going on for 6 years when he first started writing tech articles for his university paper. Since then, his passion for technology blossomed into a prosperous writing career. He first started writing about tech in the entertainment world and would later move on to write about smart life tech and social media. He was recently a Technical Writer for tech company Extron where he wrote user guides for audio and video equipment.
He has since moved on to being a freelance writer looking to have a career in copywriting and hopes to share his love and knowledge of technology with the world. Recently, Cesar has written for the cryptocurrency news site, BTCPro and helping people understand tech.
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Cesar Cadenas
Networking & Security Specialist
Cesar is a tech expert passionate about Windows, Microsoft, and anything surrounding the world of PCs.
