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Windows 98 - Delete and rename the Recycle Bin

November 25, 2013
Updated: April 14, 2022
Quick overview:

If you have always wanted to give your workspace a more individual look, you will have noticed that you cannot rename the recycle bin. We have discovered a trick for you that not only allows you to change the name - it is even possible to delete the recycle bin completely:

Change the recycle bin as you wish

1. In the Start menu, select "Run" and enter "regedit" in the command line. After confirming with Enter, the registry editor appears.

2. Navigate through the keys "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E}\Shell Folder" (even if the keys are confusing, you will find them). In the right-hand pane, double-click on "Attributes".

3. A window pops up with the numbers "0000 40 01 00 20". Change this line to "70 01 00 20" and click on "Ok".

From now on, it is possible to change or delete the recycle bin as you wish without any effort. However, it is no longer feasible to restore it, which is why I would think twice about deleting it.

NOTE FOR NEW PUBLICATION: This article was produced by Sandro Villinger and comes from the Windows Tweaks archive, which has been built up since the late 1990s.

Founded Windows Tweaks as a teenager in 2001, his helpful PC tricks made it Germany's most visited Windows site (at the time Sandro looked like this). He then went on to write for international publications such as PC-Praxis, Computerbild, PCWorld in the USA, IMTEST.de and Hifi.de. Sandro's main job is as Global Product Marketing Lead and Consultant for various global tech companies, including Microsoft, AVG, Avast, Nero, TeamViewer, Swiss IT Security Group and now currently in the fintech sector for Gendigital. But he can't get rid of his passion and shares his tweaks here again. Privately, he enjoys traveling the world and loves Asia, especially Japan, Singapore and Korea, but also natural places like Iceland and the Nordics. You can reach Sandro via e-mail.

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