How to Clear Recent Files in Windows 11/10

How to Clear Recent Files in Windows 11/10: When you are using Windows 11/10, you might want to protect your privacy while also keeping your computer clean at the same time. Within File Explorer, there is a section known as Quick Access that provides a list of all the items that are associated with folders and files. File Explorer maintains a record of everything you do on your personal computer, including deleting files and restarting the system.

This information could provide your adversary with the opportunity to learn about the activities you were carrying out on your Windows 10 or 11 computer. In order to learn how to delete recent files in Windows 11 and 10, continue reading this article. Because of concerns about your privacy, you might not want to allow other people to track you through the items. Therefore, Windows 11 and Windows 10 include a very simple method how to Clear Recent Files in Windows 11/10 that can be used to delete data with just a few clicks. Delete is an option that can be found in the folder options.

How to Clear Recent Files in Windows 11/10

Quick Access in File Explorer

1. Open File Explorer.
2. Click on the three dots next to “Quick access”.
3. Select “Options”.
4. Under the “Privacy” section, uncheck the boxes for “Show recently used files in Quick access” and “Show frequently used folders in Quick access”.
5. Click “Clear” to remove any existing recent files.
6. Click “OK” to save the changes.

Recent Files in File Explorer

1. Open File Explorer.
2. Click on “File” in the top menu bar.
3. Select “Change folder and search options”.
4. Under the “General” tab, click the “Clear” button next to “Recent Files“.
5. Click “OK” to save the changes.

Recent Items in Start Menu (Windows 11)

1. Right-click on the Start button.
2. Select “Settings”.
3. Go to “Personalization” > “Start”.
4. Toggle the switch for “Show recently opened items in Start, Jump Lists, and File Explorer” to “Off”.

Jump Lists

1. Right-click on an app icon on the taskbar or Start menu.
2. Select “Remove from this list” for individual files.
3. Or, click “Clear list” to remove all recent files for that app.

Recent Files in Office Apps

1. Open an Office app (e.g., Word, Excel).
2. Click the “File” tab.
3. Click “Open”.
4. Right-click on a recent file and select “Clear unpinned Documents” or “Clear unpinned items”.

Clear Recent Files History Using Registry Editor (Advanced)

1. Press Windows + R to open the Run dialog.
2. Type “regedit” and press Enter.
3. Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\RecentDocs.
4. Right-click on the “RecentDocs” key and select “Delete”.
5. Confirm the deletion.

Importance of Clearing Recent Files

1. Privacy Protection: Deleting recently accessed files protects your privacy by stopping other people from seeing the documents or activities you were working on or accessing recently. For protecting private information and keeping things secret, this is a must.
2. Security Measures: Regularly deleting recently used files lowers the chance that someone who isn’t supposed to can see how you use your computer. This keeps you safe from possible security breaches or cyber threats.
3. Protecting Data: When you’re in a shared space or using a public computer, deleting recent files keeps your private or sensitive information from getting out to other people who may be using the same device.
4. Organisational Benefits: Getting rid of recent files keeps your system clean and organised. This is especially helpful for people who work with a lot of files because it makes it easier to find the documents you need without having to look through old or useless entries.
5. Performance Optimisation: Having a lot of new files can slow down your system over time. Clearing this data on a regular basis can help improve system performance and responsiveness.
6. Professionalism: In a business setting, it’s important to have a clean and well-organized workspace, both in real life and online. It looks better and more professional to get rid of recent files, especially when you share your screen or give information to other people.

Security Considerations When Clearing Recent Files

Conclusion

Windows 11/10 maintains a record of all the files and folders that you open and displays this information in a variety of locations within the user interface. These locations include Jump Lists that are associated with applications as well as the Frequent Folders and Recent Files sections of the Quick Access feature of File Explorer.

On the other hand, the purpose of the Recent items list is to simplify the process of accessing files that you use at regular intervals. In place of wasting time digging through File Explorer or opening an Open dialogue box, you can access the list of recently used items, choose the file that you have been working on, and then immediately return to your work.

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