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How To Clear and Turn Off Recent Files in Windows 10
How To Clear and Turn Off Recent Files in Windows 10
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Windows 10 has many advanced features for day-to-day use designed to improve your
productivity. One of these is the “Recent Files” section, which stores information about
recently used documents and folders.
If you’re the sole user of your PC, you’ll probably find this quick access folder quite
convenient. You’ll be able to quickly carry on from where you left off before you last shut
down your device. You don’t have to open specific folders to view the files you opened
last. But if you share your PC with your family, friends, or colleagues at work, you
probably won’t be too comfortable sharing what you’ve been working on with everyone.
The good news is that you can clear or turn off Recent Files in just a few clicks. This
article will show you how to go about it.
How Recent Files Work in Windows 1
The Recent Files menu is a simple, yet powerful and convenient Windows feature that
enables quick access to your most recently used items. It also allows you to quickly open
any one of those items again without having to go through the normal process for
opening an item. If you’re working on multiple documents each day, this will save time
when trying to find what you need to work with next.
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To further increase the efficiency of your computer, you may opt to pin specific files that
are frequently accessed. Pinned files will always be part of the Recent Files list, no matter
how long you go without accessing them.
Most applications in Windows also display a list of the most recently used or the most
recently created items as soon as you open them. For example, Microsoft Word will show
all recent documents, Microsoft Excel will show all recent worksheets, and Internet
Explorer will display all the websites you’ve visited recently.
The Windows 10 algorithm behind the Recent Files menu is designed to work as follows:
Files are ordered in chronological order, with the most recently used file appearing at
the top of the list.
The default number of items listed is 10, but the user can increase this number by
adjusting markup.
Over time, older items will move down the list as newer items take up positions at the
top of the list.
If you open an item that’s already on the list, then that item will move back to the top
of the list.
Pinned items will move up and down the list like any other items, but they will never
vanish.
If the number of items you’ve pinned to the list equals the maximum number
specified in markup, there will be no new additions to the list until some items are
unpinned.
3. Under “Privacy,” click on “Clear.” This will immediately clear your Recent Files history,
and you’ll now start populating the list afresh.
Unlike most commands in Windows 10, clearing Recent Files doesn’t come with a
confirmation dialog box. Your recent files are cleared immediately without any further
action.
1. Open the Run window by typing “run” in the search bar in the bottom left corner of
your screen. Alternatively, press the Windows key and “R” simultaneously.
4. Once you’ve selected all the items in the list, click on “Delete” and then select
“Permanently Delete” from the dropdown menu. At this point, all the files you’ve
accessed recently will disappear from File Explorer.
The Group Policy Editor is a tool that can be used to manage policies and settings within
Windows configuration. It’s most commonly used to manage password policies, controls
for system security, or account-related options on computers in an organizational
domain. It may also be possible to use this tool with your home computer. However, you
should consult the documentation for your device before attempting any changes.
Here’s how you can clear your Recent Files history using the Group Editor Policy:
1. Open the Run window by typing “run” in the search bar in the bottom left corner of
your screen. Alternatively, press the Windows key and “R” simultaneously.
2. Type the following command in the Run prompt:
gpedit.msc
3. Click on “Ok” to run the command. This should launch the “Local Group Policy Editor”
window.
4. Under “User Configuration,” click on “Administrative templates.”
5. Double click on “Start Menu and Taskbar.”
6. Double click on “Remove recent items menu from Start Menu.”
7. From the resulting window, select the “Enabled” option and then click on “Ok.”
5. Turn off the button next to “Show recently opened items in Jump Lists on the Start or
the Taskbar.”
(c) Disabling Through the Registry Editor
To disable Recent Files through the Registry Editor:
1. Open the Run window by typing “run” in the search bar in the bottom left corner of
your screen. Alternatively, press the Windows key and “R” simultaneously.
2. Type the following command in the Run prompt:
regedit
3. Click on “Ok” to run the command. This should launch the “Registry Editor” window.
After restarting your computer, Windows will no longer display your Recent Files menu
in File Explorer.
Additional FAQs
Why should I clear recent files from time to time?
Clearing Recent Files frequently comes with several benefits. First, you’re able to
declutter your system and ensure that important documents do not accidentally get
deleted or overwritten. Second, no one will be able to track your Windows usage history
if you share your computer with others. In addition, a packed File Explorer can slow down
your computer and make it take much longer to start up. It can also lead to other
problems, such as out-of-memory errors or error messages that pop up when you work
with certain programs, slowing your overall PC performance.
1. Open the Run window by typing “run” in the search bar in the bottom left corner of
your screen. Alternatively, press the Windows key and “R” simultaneously.
2. Type the following command in the Run prompt:
%AppData%\Microsoft\Windows\Recent\
This should launch a new window with a list of your entire Recent Files history.
4. Click on “Delete” and then select “Permanently Delete” from the dropdown menu. At
this point, the item you’ve selected will no longer be in the Recent Files window.
If you want to get rid of the Recent Files list without tweaking your system too much, you
may be better served by hiding the list altogether. Here’s how:
3. Under “Privacy,” uncheck the boxes next to “Show recently used files in Quick access”
and “Show frequently used folders in Quick access.”
4. Click “Ok” to save your new settings.
Keep Your History Private
Windows 10 is designed with privacy in mind. If you don’t want others viewing what you
have been writing or using recently, you should either clear or turn off Recent Files on
your computer. In this article, we’ve shown you how to go about it.
Why do you like clearing your Recent Files history from time to time? How exactly do you
do it?
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