Google is finally adding a recycle bin to Chromebooks

Chrome OS is finally a real boy now.

What you need to know

• Google is adding a recycle bin to Chrome OS.
• The new feature, known as “trash” will let users retrieve deleted files.
• It’s currently being tested in Canary builds of the operating system.

Chrome OS just got better for people who have visual impairments with its last update, and now Google’s next feature additions are focused on common user tools. The company is preparing to add a screen recorder tool to the operating system, a light and dark theme setting, and most recently — a recycle bin — known as ‘trash’ in Chrome.

The change had been in testing for the past few weeks under a “#files-trash” feature flag in Canary as per 9to5Google. Once enabled, you’ll be able to see a new Trash folder under “My Files” — albeit hidden in its current form.

If you’ve used Windows or macOS, you’ll already know of the concept of the recycle bin, a space to store files that you’ve “deleted” with the option to retrieve them later. Chrome OS hasn’t always had that; a deleted file has always been deleted once and for all. That was because Google had never envisioned the Chrome OS platform as a real-desktop platform. Instead, users were expected to live on the web rather than the desktop. For file management, there was always Google Drive.

With the operating system becoming a lot more standard, this is one of the many small but necessary changes Google’s making.

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It’s a Chromebook that’s made plenty of waves as the perfect Chromebook for work, play, or just chilling on the couch. The new Lenovo USI Pen will make it a fun artist companion as well.