Windows 8 Tip: Enable/Disable File Delete Confirmation Dialog Box

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In case you haven’t noticed, the files now you delete in Windows 8 go right into the Recycle Bin directly without asking for another confirmation. Wondering why? That’s because it’s turned off by default because Microsoft learned that from their research that most of the users click Yes most of the times.

While I welcome this change, some people may still want the confirmation box to safe guard their unaware mistake. And here is a quick tip that shows you where to turn this setting on and off.

Switch to Desktop, right click Recycle Bin, and choose Properties.

Windows 8 Recycle Bin Properties thumb - Windows 8 Tip: Enable/Disable File Delete Confirmation Dialog Box

Check the option “Display delete confirmation dialog” will turn on the confirmation dialog box every time when you delete a file or folder. Click Ok to save the change.

Now, you will have to click one more to make a file move to the recycle bin.

Windows 8 Delete Confirmation box thumb - Windows 8 Tip: Enable/Disable File Delete Confirmation Dialog Box

Apparently, the same setting also applies to Windows 7, which is enabled by default.

[via Greg Duncan]

5 COMMENTS

  1. I can’t believe Windows made that the default, and the reason they give! Because people say yes most of the time!! Do you realize how dangerous this default is? The purpose is mainly so you don’t inadvertadly delete files or folders you didn’t intend on deleting, by dragging, hooking on to something without you knowing it. Yet another really bad design decision of Windows 8!! Give the option sure, but don’t make it the default. My wife, mother etc. are exposed with this kind of nonsense. I’ve been working in IT for 30 years and can’t believe a developer or product manager would allow something like this. Don’t take on the bad things from Apple, keep the good. Windows 7 is your baseline to measure from. Alain M.

    • I respectfully disagree.

      Since the user has taken an action, i.e. deleting a file, it is worth assuming that the user knows what they are doing and requires that the file be deleted without this utterly shabby attempt to second-guess the user’s motives.

      Furthermore, the behaviour is horribly inconsistent and broken as-is. Figure out a way to turn off this utterly pointless warning when (a) you’re deleting a file from a network drive or (2) you’re consigning it into shift+delete oblivion (rather than the easy-to-recover-from recycle bin? So far it’s not looking optimistic.

      When I delete a file I want it gone now with no confirmation dialogues. Whether I’ve shift+deleted and am going for the immediate kill, or via the recycle bin thing (which is normally turned off). Personally, I’d suggest the moment to decide whether you want to kill a file is *before* you hit the key.

      If users are being that irresponsible with their content, then this is an issue which should be addressed via (1) education (2) restriction of privilege and (3) the humility to realise that a computer will do what it’s asked in the shortest time possible. Warning prompts are not the answer.

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