How do I move a file to the Recycle Bin using PowerShell?

Powershell Problem Overview

By default when you delete a file using PowerShell it's permanently deleted.

I would like to actually have the deleted item go to the recycle bin just like I would have happen via a shell delete.

How can you do this in PowerShell on a file object?

Powershell Solutions

Solution 1 - Powershell

If you don't want to always see the confirmation prompt, use the following:

Add-Type -AssemblyName Microsoft.VisualBasic
[Microsoft.VisualBasic.FileIO.FileSystem]::DeleteFile('d:\foo.txt','OnlyErrorDialogs','SendToRecycleBin')

(solution courtesy of Shay Levy)

Solution 2 - Powershell

2017 answer: use the Recycle module

Install-Module -Name Recycle

Then run:

Remove-ItemSafely file

I like to make an alias called trash for this.

Solution 3 - Powershell

It works in PowerShell pretty much the same way as Chris Ballance's solution in JScript:

 $shell = new-object -comobject "Shell.Application"
 $folder = $shell.Namespace("<path to file>")
 $item = $folder.ParseName("<name of file>")
 $item.InvokeVerb("delete")

Solution 4 - Powershell

Here is a shorter version that reduces a bit of work

$path = "<path to file>"
$shell = new-object -comobject "Shell.Application"
$item = $shell.Namespace(0).ParseName("$path")
$item.InvokeVerb("delete")

Solution 5 - Powershell

Here's an improved function that supports directories as well as files as input:

Add-Type -AssemblyName Microsoft.VisualBasic

function Remove-Item-ToRecycleBin($Path) {
    $item = Get-Item -Path $Path -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
    if ($item -eq $null)
    {
        Write-Error("'{0}' not found" -f $Path)
    }
    else
    {
        $fullpath=$item.FullName
        Write-Verbose ("Moving '{0}' to the Recycle Bin" -f $fullpath)
        if (Test-Path -Path $fullpath -PathType Container)
        {
            [Microsoft.VisualBasic.FileIO.FileSystem]::DeleteDirectory($fullpath,'OnlyErrorDialogs','SendToRecycleBin')
        }
        else
        {
            [Microsoft.VisualBasic.FileIO.FileSystem]::DeleteFile($fullpath,'OnlyErrorDialogs','SendToRecycleBin')
        }
    }
}

Solution 6 - Powershell

Remove file to RecycleBin:

Add-Type -AssemblyName Microsoft.VisualBasic
[Microsoft.VisualBasic.FileIO.FileSystem]::DeleteFile('e:\test\test.txt','OnlyErrorDialogs','SendToRecycleBin')

Remove folder to RecycleBin:

Add-Type -AssemblyName Microsoft.VisualBasic
[Microsoft.VisualBasic.FileIO.FileSystem]::Deletedirectory('e:\test\testfolder','OnlyErrorDialogs','SendToRecycleBin')

Solution 7 - Powershell

Here is a complete solution that can be added to your user profile to make 'rm' send files to the Recycle Bin. In my limited testing, it handles relative paths better than the previous solutions.

Add-Type -AssemblyName Microsoft.VisualBasic

function Remove-Item-toRecycle($item) {
    Get-Item -Path $item | %{ $fullpath = $_.FullName}
    [Microsoft.VisualBasic.FileIO.FileSystem]::DeleteFile($fullpath,'OnlyErrorDialogs','SendToRecycleBin')
}

Set-Alias rm Remove-Item-toRecycle -Option AllScope

Solution 8 - Powershell

Here's slight mod to sba923s' great answer.

I've changed a few things like the parameter passing and added a -WhatIf to test the deletion for the file or directory.

function Remove-ItemToRecycleBin {

  Param
  (
    [Parameter(Mandatory = $true, HelpMessage = 'Directory path of file path for deletion.')]
    [String]$LiteralPath,
    [Parameter(Mandatory = $false, HelpMessage = 'Switch for allowing the user to test the deletion first.')]
    [Switch]$WhatIf
    )

  Add-Type -AssemblyName Microsoft.VisualBasic
  $item = Get-Item -LiteralPath $LiteralPath -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue

  if ($item -eq $null) {
    Write-Error("'{0}' not found" -f $LiteralPath)
  }
  else {
    $fullpath = $item.FullName

    if (Test-Path -LiteralPath $fullpath -PathType Container) {
      if (!$WhatIf) {
        Write-Verbose ("Moving '{0}' folder to the Recycle Bin" -f $fullpath)
        [Microsoft.VisualBasic.FileIO.FileSystem]::DeleteDirectory($fullpath,'OnlyErrorDialogs','SendToRecycleBin')
      }
      else {
        Write-Host "Testing deletion of folder: $fullpath"
      }
    }
    else {
      if (!$WhatIf) {
        Write-Verbose ("Moving '{0}' file to the Recycle Bin" -f $fullpath)
        [Microsoft.VisualBasic.FileIO.FileSystem]::DeleteFile($fullpath,'OnlyErrorDialogs','SendToRecycleBin')
      }
      else {
        Write-Host "Testing deletion of file: $fullpath"
      }
    }
  }

}

$tempFile = [Environment]::GetFolderPath("Desktop") + "\deletion test.txt"
"stuff" | Out-File -FilePath $tempFile

$fileToDelete = $tempFile

Start-Sleep -Seconds 2 # Just here for you to see the file getting created before deletion.

# Tests the deletion of the folder or directory.
Remove-ItemToRecycleBin -WhatIf -LiteralPath $fileToDelete
# PS> Testing deletion of file: C:\Users\username\Desktop\deletion test.txt

# Actually deletes the file or directory.
# Remove-ItemToRecycleBin -LiteralPath $fileToDelete

Content Type	Original Author	Original Content on Stackoverflow
Question	Omar Shahine	View Question on Stackoverflow
Solution 1 - Powershell	John Pankowicz	View Answer on Stackoverflow
Solution 2 - Powershell	mikemaccana	View Answer on Stackoverflow
Solution 3 - Powershell	Alex Shirshov	View Answer on Stackoverflow
Solution 4 - Powershell	Omar Shahine	View Answer on Stackoverflow
Solution 5 - Powershell	sba923	View Answer on Stackoverflow
Solution 6 - Powershell	shahar amzlaeg	View Answer on Stackoverflow
Solution 7 - Powershell	Mark S.	View Answer on Stackoverflow
Solution 8 - Powershell	Ste	View Answer on Stackoverflow