Windows 10 lets you control whether a confirmation dialog appears when you delete a file or folder in the usual way. If you prefer an extra chance to catch an accidental deletion, enable the prompt in the Recycle Bin’s properties. If you would rather delete without the extra step, you can turn it off.
Enable or disable the confirmation prompt
- Go to the Windows desktop.
- Find the Recycle Bin icon and right-click it. If the icon is hidden, search for “Recycle Bin” from Start or open its desktop icon settings.
- Select Properties.
- Find Display delete confirmation dialog.
- To show the confirmation prompt, select the checkbox. To stop showing it, clear the checkbox.
- Select Apply, then OK.
The setting takes effect for deletions handled through the Recycle Bin. Try deleting an unneeded test file to check whether the prompt appears as expected.
What this setting does—and does not do
When the prompt is enabled, Windows asks for confirmation before moving an eligible item to the Recycle Bin. Confirming the deletion generally moves the item to the bin, where it may be restored until the bin is emptied.
This is not a universal warning before every kind of deletion. For example, Shift+Delete is intended to bypass the Recycle Bin, and files on removable or network locations may behave differently. Do not rely on this dialog as a backup: keep a separate backup of important files.
If you cannot find the setting
- Make sure you opened the Recycle Bin’s own Properties, rather than the properties for a file or shortcut.
- If the Recycle Bin icon is missing, search for the Recycle Bin in Start or enable its icon in Windows desktop icon settings.
- On a managed work or school device, an organization policy may affect available settings.
In short: Open Recycle Bin → Properties and select or clear Display delete confirmation dialog. Enable it for an extra confirmation before ordinary deletions to the Recycle Bin; keep backups for files that matter.