If you want to quickly empty your recycle bin, instead of minimizing the desktop and going to the Recycle Bin you can simply right click any file on your computer and select Empty Recycle Bin. Here’s how.
Save the following entries in a text editor as a .REG file (e.g. emptybin.reg). Logon with an account that has administrative privileges. Double-click the .reg file to modify the registry. You will be prompted to add the information to the registry. You should see the Empty Recycle Bin added to the context menu for all files.
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\{645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E}]
@=”Empty Recycle Bin”
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\Empty Recycle Bin]
@=”{645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E}”
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\Empty Recycle Bin]
@=”{645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E}”
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\Empty Recycle Bin]
@=”{645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E}”
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Folder\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\Empty Recycle Bin]
@=”{645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E}”
I’ve tested this successfully on Windows XP Professional computers. If you can’t get it to work, feel free to contact me.
Update: May 23, 2007: I tested the .reg file successfully on 32-bit Windows Vista.
May 23rd, 2007 at 5:38 pm
Have you been able to accomplish adding “Empty Recycle Bin” to your Right-Click Menu to Vista 64?
May 23rd, 2007 at 6:00 pm
Dennis,
I just tested it successfully on 32-bit Windows Vista but haven’t had a chance to test it on 64-bit Vista. Have you tried it on 64-bit Vista? Did it not work?