SOLVED: Easy Command To Delete All Users Recycle Bins

As Windows Server and desktop administrators on thousands of machines we regularly see computers that have their C:\ drive filled with junk, and we have many articles on how to fix that:

However one of the fastest easiest ways is simply to delete everyone’s Recycle Bins.

  1. Launch a CMD PROMPT AS AN ADMINISTRATOR
  2. Type rd /s /q C:\$Recycle.Bin
  3. Press ENTER and wait a few seconds

cmd delete recycle binscmd delete recycle bins

  • rd stands for “remove directory.”
  • /s removes all directories and files in the specified directory.
  • /q enables quiet mode, which means you won’t be prompted for confirmation.

Can Recycle Bins Be Safely Deleted?

Yes, you can delete users recycle bins which will often reclaim a substantial amount of space. A user’s recycle bin is automatically recreated as soon as they delete a file.

Performing this one simple task recently cleared up nearly 20GBof wasted disk space what of our clients servers and I have personally seen it clean up as much as 30GB on shared machines like remote desktop servers and boardroom computers.


Published by
Ian Matthews