How do I restore the Trash icon on the desktop?

Question

I accidentally removed the trash icon from the desktop, is there a way to put it back?

score 9 · Accepted Answer · edited Mar 22 '18 at 09:35

9

Using the graphical tool GConf Editor :

Alt+F2, type gconf-editor and click Run.
Navigate to apps ➜ nautilus ➜ desktop and check the trash_icon_visible checkbox.

From the Command Line :

gconftool --set --type=bool /apps/nautilus/desktop/trash_icon_visible True

EDIT ~ UPDATE

In later systems GConf Editor/gconftool is outdated and the settings are not there.

Using Dconf Editor:

org > gnome > nautilus > desktop

edited Mar 22 '18 at 09:35

answered Mar 01 '11 at 22:26

Isaiah

59,344

I can't see apps/desktop/nautilus in gconf-editor – Ondra Žižka Jul 25 '17 at 15:03
1

@OndraŽižka - the answer was outdated - see my edit. – Mar 22 '18 at 09:36

score 3 · Answer 2 · answered Mar 01 '11 at 22:25

3

If it's a desktop icon:

1) Press ALT+F2 and type in the dialog: gconf-editor + enter

2) In the editor, navigate to apps/nautilus/desktop and on the rigt hand pane check the "trash_icon_visible" checkbox

If it's the panel icon:

Right click on the panel, select "Add to panel", select trash (or something similar to that... sorry, can't remember the exact name, I'm translating from a spanish install).

answered Mar 01 '11 at 22:25

nejode

501

Thanks, it was the latter, but it's good to know both! – Rob Mar 01 '11 at 23:42
I can't see apps/desktop/nautilus in gconf-editor – Ondra Žižka Jul 25 '17 at 15:03

score 2 · Answer 3 · answered Aug 02 '19 at 10:45

2

Desktop icons, including the Trash icon, have been disabled in Ubuntu 19.04 and later. To add them back install the Desktop Icons GNOME shell extension from Ubuntu Software.

answered Aug 02 '19 at 10:45

karel

114,770

score 0 · Answer 4 · answered Jun 17 '18 at 14:05

0

left click on the desktop
click on 'desktop Preferences'
in the 'desktop' tab, in the end, click on the checkbox for 'wastebasket'

answered Jun 17 '18 at 14:05

Advaya Purushottam

1

score 0 · Answer 5 · edited Jul 06 '20 at 12:05

0

This might happen when you were re-adjusting your desktop icons and you forgot to enable Keep aligned.

Just enable it and you will see the desktop Trash Icon. There is no way you could have deleted or removed it since there is no option to remove or delete it when you select it and right-click on it.

edited Jul 06 '20 at 12:05

Zanna

70,465

answered Jul 06 '20 at 11:47

champion-runner

131

score 0 · Answer 6 · answered Jun 09 '21 at 16:40

For KDE (if you're using Kubuntu = KDE + Ubuntu), open Dolphin (file manager) and find the "Trash" folder in the "Places" panel on the left. Drag-and-drop the Trash folder from Dolphin to the Desktop to create a new Trash icon (it will have the expected "Empty Trash" functionality). You can do the same with "Home" and other folders too.

You can also empty the trash using Dolphin by right clicking on the "Trash" folder in the Places Panel. If the "Places" panel is not visible then press F9 or select View -> Show Panels -> Places.

score 0 · Answer 7 · answered Mar 02 '11 at 00:28

0

If you put the trash icon in the trash just open any file manager window (nautilus) and select Go -> Trash from there you can restore the icon.

answered Mar 02 '11 at 00:28

Reuben Swartz

1,187

How do I restore the Trash icon on the desktop?

7 Answers7

EDIT ~ UPDATE