When deleting a file or folder in Windows 7, Windows Vista or Windows XP, the default behavior will prompt you for confirmation verifying that you do want to go forward with the delete. Some people call it the “second chance.” Personally, I find the prompt annoying. If you agree and want this dialog removed, follow the groovy steps in the how-to below for Windows 7, XP or Windows Vista.
Before we begin, let me quickly demonstrate the default functionality. By default when you delete something, the following Delete Confirmation Box displays:
The shot is from Windows Vista. However, Windows XP and Windows 7 Dialog boxes are very similar.
By following the two steps below, the above dialog box will no longer display.
Disable Delete Confirmation Dialog Box in Windows 7, Windows XP and Windows Vista
1: Right Click the Recycle Bin Icon on your desktop, go to Properties
2: Uncheck Box Display delete confirmation dialog, Click OK
That’s it, your all done! You will no longer get a prompt when deleting files and folders!
11 Comments
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Alex
Thank you. Keep up the great articles!
cindy
i did this on another pc but couldn’t remember how to do it again for my life and have spent the past hour trying to figure out where to find the setting. this was so easy. THANK YOU.
MrGroove
@ Cindy
Thanks Cindy & Welcome to the site! I appreciate the feedback!
Michelle
This doesn’t apply if you are trying to delete multiple files at once. You will still get the “confirm multiple file delete” dialog box. I’ve yet to find a way to turn that annoying thing off.
MrGroove
@Michelle – Nice catch! I’ll have to test that out. Thanks for the FYI!
Selvan
Like Michelle, I too can’t stop it with multiple items in the trash. In fact, I can’t stop it even with a single item.
How else can I accomplish this?
Thanks
Selvan
Oops, sorry, my mistake. It does work as it should with a single item or not.
I was actually looking for a way to remove the Empty Recycle Bin confirmation (‘Are you sure you want to permanently delete this or these items’.
Do you know a way?
Thanks and sorry for for the mistake.
NSF
You’ve probably just saved me a full year of my life’s worth of time just from this stupid confirmation box.
MrGroove
My Pleasure ;) – Have a year on me! I like that. heheh
Phil Duran
The problem with that setting is you now have a blackhole on your desktop. If you have an errant drag and drop onto your trashcan, the file is deleted immediately and not moved to the trash where you can return a file back to your desktop. I would like to be able to put stuff in the trash and then click empty trash when I am ready to trash the files and not be prompted by a window after I have selected empty trash from the popup menu. Sigh, so Microsoft. So many little things not done right.
Geebert
perfect, someone switched this off and I’ve spent ages wondering how to get it back on!