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How to enable and empty the recycle bin on Synology NAS

Did you really mean to delete that?

Synology DiskStation DS220+
Synology DiskStation DS220+. (Source: NAS Master)

Synology network-attached storage (NAS) can utilize a recycle bin for shared folders. By default, this feature is enabled, but it’s easy to disable the recycle bin and empty it per folder. This guide will run you through all the processes.

The recycle bin is handy to save any accidentally deleted files but to truly manage your data more effectively, I’d recommend picking the best NAS drives at higher capacities to provide additional space.

How to enable/disable Synology NAS recycle bin

By default, the Synology NAS will enable the recycle bin for shared folders, unless specified otherwise. It’s easy to enable and disable this feature per shared folder. Here’s how:

  1. Go to Control Panel > Shared Folder.
  2. Select a shared folder and click Edit.
Recycle Bin in Synology DSM 7
Recycle Bin in Synology DSM 7. (Source: NM)
  1. Check the Enable Recycle Bin box. (Check “Restrict access to administrators only” to lock the recycle bin for admin use only.)
  2. Click OK.

How to empty Synology NAS recycle bin

It’s just as easy to empty the recycle bin for a shared folder on the best Synology NAS. Simply follow these few steps:

  1. Go to Control Panel > Shared Folder.
  2. Select a shared folder and click Edit.
  3. Click the Empty Recycle Bin button.

And if you want to empty the recycle bins of all shared folders on a Synology NAS:

  1. Go to Control Panel > Shared Folder.
Recycle Bin in Synology DSM 7
Emptying the recycle Bin in Synology DSM 7. (Source: NM)
  1. Go to Action > Empty all Recycle Bins.

How to schedule Synology NAS to empty recycle bins

If you’d rather not manually go through and empty all the recycle bins on your Synology NAS, it’s possible to set up a scheduled task for the DiskStation Manager (DSM) OS to perform the action on your behalf.

  1. Go to Control Panel > Shared Folder.
Recycle Bin in Synology DSM 7
Create Recycle Bin schedules in Synology DSM 7. (Source: NM)
  1. Go to Action > Create Recycle Bin emptying schedule.
Recycle Bin in Synology DSM 7
Configuring schedules for emptying Recycle Bin in Synology DSM 7. (Source: NM)
  1. Give the task a name.
  2. Click on the Schedule tab.
Recycle Bin in Synology DSM 7
Configuring schedules for emptying Recycle Bin in Synology DSM 7. (Source: NM)
  1. Configured when you want the recycle bins to be emptied.
  2. Click on the Task Settings tab.
Recycle Bin in Synology DSM 7
Configuring schedules for emptying Recycle Bin in Synology DSM 7. (Source: NM)
  1. Choose which recycle bins and files will be included with this task.
  2. Click OK.

By Richard Edmonds

Richard has been covering the technology industry for more than a decade. He has spent more time tinkering inside a PC chassis than anywhere else, for better or worse.

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