How to Clear Recent Files in File Explorer
Are you tired of seeing a cluttered list of recently accessed files in your File Explorer? Whether it’s due to privacy concerns or simply wanting to declutter your system, clearing recent files in File Explorer is a straightforward process. In this article, we will guide you through the steps to clear recent files in File Explorer on both Windows and macOS operating systems.
Windows:
If you’re using Windows, follow these steps to clear recent files in File Explorer:
1. Open File Explorer by clicking on the folder icon on your taskbar or by pressing the Windows key + E.
2. In the upper-right corner of the File Explorer window, click on the “View” tab.
3. In the “Show/Hide” group, uncheck the “Files and Folders” option to hide the list of recently accessed files.
4. To completely clear the recent files list, press the Windows key + R to open the Run dialog box.
5. Type “regedit” in the Run dialog box and press Enter to open the Registry Editor.
6. Navigate to the following path: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\ComDlg32\OpenSavePidlMRU
7. In the right pane, right-click on the “OpenSavePidlMRU” registry key and select “Delete.”
8. Confirm the deletion and close the Registry Editor.
9. Restart your computer for the changes to take effect.
macOS:
For macOS users, clearing recent files in Finder is equally simple:
1. Open Finder by clicking on the Finder icon in the Dock or pressing Command + Space and typing “Finder.”
2. Go to the “Finder” menu at the top of the screen and select “Preferences.”
3. In the “General” tab, you will see an option for “Show these items on the desktop.” Uncheck the “Recent Items” option to hide the list of recently accessed files.
4. To permanently delete the recent items list, open the Terminal application (found in the Applications > Utilities folder).
5. In the Terminal, type the following command and press Enter: defaults delete com.apple.finder RecentItems
6. Restart your Mac for the changes to take effect.
By following these steps, you can easily clear recent files in File Explorer on both Windows and macOS. Remember that clearing recent files will not delete the actual files from your system; it will only remove them from the list of recently accessed files.
