Many users have been experiencing a bug in Windows 10 that causes files to be saved over older versions. The issue is not unique to Windows 10, but it has been a problem for a few years now. There are many ways to fix the issue and this article will help you find them all.
The how to view recent files and folders in windows 10 is a tutorial that will show you how to clear the recent files and folders.
The Quick access area of Windows 10 File Explorer displays recently accessed files. It’s a quick method to get to files you’ve recently accessed or modified. If you wish to start over and delete recent files on Windows 10, you may simply do so.
Clearing the recently used files is simple and may be done whenever the files shown are no longer needed. Furthermore, Windows 10 provides a variety of options for customizing File Explorer, such as integrating Google Drive or altering the icons.
How to Delete Files from the Recent Files Folder in Windows 10
In Windows 10, there are many options for deleting recent files. You may either delete individual files or wipe the whole recent file history. Let’s take a look at how to delete recent files in Windows 10.
1. Change the options in File Explorer
Using File Explorer Options is the easiest method to delete all of the files in the recent files area. This will delete all of your files and start over with the most recent ones.
To launch File Explorer, press Windows key + E and choose File from the menu bar. From the File menu, choose Options. For certain users, it may also be ‘Change folder and search options.’
Alternatively, you may access File Explorer Options by searching for it in the Start menu.
Now, in the Folder Options dialog box, go to the General tab and select the Clear option under the Privacy section.
The Recent files area will be empty when you return to File Explorer’s Quick access section. It will also clean up the left panel’s frequently used folders. In other words, it will delete the history of Quick access. 
You’ll see it under Recent files under Quick access whenever you open a new picture, document, or other file.
2. Delete Particularly Recent Files
If you just want to delete one or two files from the Recent Files lists, you may do it straight from File Explorer. When you want to conceal a particular file and don’t want it to appear in Quick access, this is a good option.
On your PC, open File Explorer and choose Quick access from the left panel. Now, from the context menu, right-click on the recent file you wish to delete and choose Remove from Quick access.
You won’t be able to view a file after you remove it from Quick access. The file will not be destroyed, but it will not appear in the Recent Files list.
3. Take use of Registry Editor
In Windows 10, the Registry Editor may be used to delete recent files. However, before making any changes to the registry, create a backup since it contains important Windows settings.
To open the Run window, press Windows key + R and enter regedit. To open the Registry Editor, press Enter or OK. 
Navigate to the path shown below in the Registry Editor.
HKEY CURRENT USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerTypedPaths
Once you’ve arrived to TypePaths, look in the right panel of the Registry Editor window for url1, url2, and so on, which correspond to the URLs of the files in the Recent files section.
You may go through the URLs and delete the ones you don’t want from Quick access by right-clicking on them. From the contextual menu, choose Delete.
Similarly, delete any URLs from Recent files that you don’t want.
4. Make use of the Recent Files Folder
You may delete several or all files from the Quick access area by using the recent files folder.
By hitting Windows key + R, open Run and type –
MicrosoftWindowsRecent Items % APPDATA % APPDATA % APPDATA % APPDATA %
To access the Recent folder, press Enter. 
You may also use the File Explorer address bar to go to the path shown below, since that is the default location for this folder.
C:UsersUsernameAppDataRoamingMicrosoftWindowsRecent
This Folder allows you to remove the files you desire. Select everything and hit the Remove key on your keyboard to delete the whole contents.
Note: Deleting the contents of the Recent folder from the Quick access/Recent files part will not erase the folder from your computer; it will just remove it from the Quick access/Recent files section.
How to Delete Recent Files When Your Computer Is Shutdown
If you wish the Recent Files area to be deleted every time you shut down your PC, you may use the Group Policy Editor and Registry Editor to make the necessary adjustments.
Editor of Group Policies 1
Group Policy Editor may be used by Windows Enterprise and Professional users to delete recent files in Windows 10 at every shutdown. If you’re a Home user, you may clear recent files using the Registry Editor method described below.
By hitting Windows key + R, open Run and enter gpedit.msc. To launch Group Policy Editor, click OK. 
Go to User Configuration Administrative Templates Start Menu and Taskbar and double-click on ‘Clear history of recently opened documents on exit’ in the Group Policy Editor.
Select Enabled in the newly opened box and click Apply, then OK.
When you shut down, all recent files and Quick access contents will be deleted immediately.
2. Use the Registry Editor
If you’re a Home user who doesn’t want to mess with the Group Policy Editor, you may utilize the Registry Editor instead.
Open Registry Editor from the Run or Start menu and go to the location shown below.
HKEY LOCAL MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionPoliciesExplorer
Look for the NoRecentDocsHistory on the right side of the Explorer window. Double-click it once you’ve discovered it.
After that, update the Value data to 1 and save the changes by clicking OK. 
Restart your computer after closing the Registry Editor. The recent files will be deleted everytime you shut down or restart your computer from now on.
How to Delete File Explorer’s Address Bar History
You may also clear the history of the File Explorer address bar.
Right-click on the address bar in File Explorer on your PC. From the context menu, choose Delete history. 
When you click the down arrow on the address bar, the address bar history will now be empty.
This is helpful if you don’t want other users of your system to know which files you’ve opened. So, in addition to clearing recent files in Windows 10, you can also delete locations in File Explorer.
In File Explorer, how to Hide Recent Files and Quick Access
You may deactivate the Quick access section in File Explorer from the File Explorer Options menu if you don’t want it.
File Explorer Options may be found in the Start menu if you search for it. Go to the General tab in the File Explorer Options dialog box.
Uncheck the boxes next to ‘Show often used files in Quick access’ and ‘Show recently used folders in Quick access.’
Apply and OK are the next steps.
For the modification to take effect, you must restart File Explorer. The File Explorer will still include a Quick Access section, but it will no longer contain Recent Files and frequently used folders. Once Windows 10 is deactivated, you don’t need to delete recent files. If necessary, you may undo the modifications under File Explorer Options.
How to Hide the Windows 10 Jump List
When you right-click on an application pinned to the taskbar, you’ll get a list of recently opened files called Jump Lists.
Clearing recent files, on the other hand, will not make the application’s Jump Lists disappear. In the Jump Lists, you may view recently visited files through application.
Follow the comprehensive steps below to deactivate the Jump Lists.
Step 1: Open the Settings app by pressing Windows key + I, then go to the Personalization area.
Step 2: From the left side of the Personalization, choose Start.
Toggle the option below ‘Show recently opened objects in Jump Lists on Start or the taskbar, as well as in File Explorer Quick Access’.
The File Explorer window’s Quick Access section, as well as the Jump Lists, will be disabled. The modifications will appear in the taskbar right away. However, you may need to restart File Explorer in order for changes to take effect.
You may re-enable the Jump Lists at any time by using the same settings.
Final Thoughts On Windows 10’s Recent Files Clearing
File Explorer’s recent files feature makes it simple to retrieve them fast. However, Windows users may sometimes need to delete their recent files and start again. Furthermore, some users must erase their traces before allowing others to use the same computer. As a result, you may deactivate recent files in the Quick access section in Windows.
The folder option, Registry Editor, files log, and File Explorer window are all options for clearing recent files in File Explorer. Regardless of the option you choose, clearing recent files in Windows 10 is a simple procedure.
The windows 10 recent files start menu is a feature that allows users to view the most recently accessed files on their computer.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I clear recent files in Windows?
To clear recent files in Windows, you can try using the Disk Cleanup tool.
How do I clear my recent documents list?
You can clear your recent documents list by going to your Documents tab on the main menu and clicking Clear Recent Documents.
How do I get rid of quick access recent files?
You can go to the settings and disable quick access recent files.
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