Remove Recycle Bin Icon From Desktop in Windows Vista

If you are one of those Windows users who prefer a clean looking desktop, then you may be thinking of removing the Recycle Bin icon from the desktop. After you remove the Recycle Bin icon from the Desktop, it looks cleaner and slick. You can remove the Recycle Bin icon from the desktop easily using the Group Policy Editor or through a simple Registry edit. This is how :

  1. Press the key combination Windows logo key + R to open the Run dialog.
  2. Type gpedit.msc in the Run dialog and press Enter. This would start the Local Group Policy Editor.

    Run Group Policy Editor in Vista

  3. In the Local Group Policy Editor, navigate to User Configuration → Administrative Templates → Desktop.
  4. Scroll down the list on the right side pane and find Remove Recycle Bin icon from desktop.

    Remove Recycle Bin Icon in Vista

  5. Double-click on Remove Recycle Bin icon from desktop and choose Enabled.

    Enabling Group Policy Editor in Vista

  6. Click OK to save the settings.